Category Archives: Conversion

Lent 2012

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Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday. Although it is not a Holy Day of Obligation, it should be, but that shouldn’t be any excuse for you NOT to got to Mass and get ashes anointed on your forehead (work scheduling and other situations notwithstanding).

It is the beginning of the 40 day penitential period leading up to Good Friday, the day Christ died of the Cross for all of us. He paid the price we owed.

In the categories over along the right, click on “Lent” when the selection drops down. That will give you access to all of my Lenten posts of the past 5 years. I plan on blogging daily, we’ll see how that goes.

I don’t think that I ever stated my plans or goals for Lent before, outside of mentioning that it is a period of personal penance and conversion for me. But things like “what I’m giving up,” that sort of thing, nope, don’t think I have.

I don’t plan on “giving up” anything specific, save for Facebook, Google+ and Plurk on Fridays. LinkedIn is probably the only social network I’ll be on during that day. I will follow the usual fasting and abstinence guidelines. I think I told my wife that I’ll stop with the ice cream. So, OK, maybe I’m “giving up” that.

Otherwise, I will try to post daily, either here, or on The Four Last Things or Writer for God. During Lent, you are supposed to exert some discipline about things, I have not been very disciplined with regard to my blogging and this is a good time to correct that. My three blogs are obviously very religious, and if I am to use my bloggy talents to help establish the Kingdom of God on Earth, then I have been a lousy employee of the Lord quite often. So, while blogging is something normally enjoyable, actually getting the discipline to do it is a pain. So, getting myself to my blogs will be an effort in personal discipline. It should also help my other writing endeavors.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

An Almost Anniversary: February 3, 2002, Part 1

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Ten years ago today would have been the 10th anniversary of my sobriety date. I relapsed 3 1/2 months later, in May 2002. Why I did that is a matter of pointless pondering and contemplation. After only a few months of sobriety, the why’s are useless. One doesn’t have enough of sobriety, the tools haven’t settled in. I know some old-timers in AA who disregard relapse stories if the sufferer had less than 5 years of sobriety. To me, the cutoff is 1 year. Perhaps 2.

Anyway, I kind of dimly remember the events of February 3, 2002. Most of it is fuzzy. As a consequence of that this post may not sound all that sensible. I don’t much care as I was thinking yesterday that since this is the year of 10th anniversaries for me and my recovery and reversion to the Church, I think I’ll start documenting all that. Memory is strange and I’ll remember what I can. So, SoberCatholic.com may start to resemble one of those “personal blogs” of recovery so popular in the recovery community. It hasn’t, after all, been too terribly successful in generating a groundswell of support in favor of a Catholic-based recovery community or movement. So it may as well be a personal blog, documenting my recovery and reversion.

I had stopped drinking earlier in the day, and was prone to withdrawal symptoms after just a few hours or so. Based on the calendar I just checked, it was a Sunday, and I might have missed Mass for “not feeling well.”

Throughout the day I became aware of problems with my teeth. They seemed to be loosening. I remember I kept going into the bathroom and checking myself in the mirror. Yes, the teeth seemed to me to be wobbly, and also splitting down the middle. This concerned me and I kept telling my Mom that I think I “need to go to the dentist tomorrow”. For some reason she didn’t seemed all that interested. (Who knows what she must have been thinking, my behavior the previous few weeks was erratic. To say the least.)

So. My teeth seemed to me to be loosening and on the verge of falling out.

And then I got scared…

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

St. Francis Mission Among the Lakota Part 1: Re-evangelize and Heal

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This is the first in the series of interviews with leaders of the St. Francis Mission, for background, see An Introduction to the St. Francis Mission Among the Lakota

We start the interview by asking about the basic purpose of the Mission.

SFM LogoUSETHIS

Q: Your literature says: “The purpose of the Mission is to re-evangelize Catholic Lakota people and bring the Gospel of Jesus the Christ to those who have not heard it. We respect the traditions of the Lakota people as we collaborate with them to meet the spiritual, educational, social, and physical needs of the community.”

About what percentage of the 20,000 Rosebud Indian Reservation members are Catholic?

(Fr. Hatcher) A: 40%

Q: Could you explain the part about “re-evangelize?” Has there been a general falling away from the Church amongst those originally evangelized and their descendants?

(Fr. Hatcher) A: Many of the present baptized Catholics of the reservation had no religious education and have not actively participated in the church. Our first responsibility is to reach out to those persons and give them the opportunity to learn about the church and experience the benefit of a praying community. Original evangelization took place in late 1800s. After WWII there was a steady decline in the practice of the faith.

Q: Has addiction been a factor in this? This may be of great interest to SoberCatholic.com readers as many had left the Faith due to various addictions, not just alcohol.

(Fr. Hatcher)A: Addiction to alcohol has been a major contribution to the dysfunction that people experience on the reservation. Unless the church addresses the alcohol and drug problem, there is probably no point in doing anything else. we are committed to bring healing in this area to Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

Q: In what way do you incorporate their native traditions?

(Fr. Hatcher)A: Native people are welcome to use their traditional ways of praying and traditions to the church and in their prayer life. it is inappropriate for non-natives to use these symbols and their traditions. So, it is up to the native people to initiate their use.

Buechel Memorial MuseumUSETHIS

(Photo of Buechel Memorial Museum, courtesy Mike O’Sullivan at the Mission)

Q: How involved is the recovery community in the sacramental life of the Church?

(Fr. Hatcher) A: Many of the people who have gone through the recovery process have returned to their church affiliation and now practice their religion.

St Charles Borromeo Church USETHIS

(Photo of St. Charles Borromeo Church, courtesy Mike O’Sullivan at the Mission)

Q: Are Sunday and any weekday Masses well-attended?

(Fr. Hatcher) A: No, but they’re getting better. We’re seeing progress and for us it’s very much like starting over.

Q: What about Confession, is that a part of the members recovery program, and is its importance emphasized?

(Fr. Hatcher) A: Confession is coming back among those who are in recovery.

Q: The Church celebrates the seasons in Her own way, and the Church year is marked by many Feast Days and celebrations. Many people find the rhythm of the year helpful to mark the spiritual passage of time. It helps people “get through stuff.” Are there any special Feast days on the Church’s Liturgical calendar that are special to the members of the recovery community? I mean, beyond the major Holy Days and such.

(Fr. Hatcher) A: No, not that I know of currently.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

“Second Chance Lent” is Coming Up!

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This is just a reminder that this Saturday marks the Church’s Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. This means that another 40 day period of penance and conversion, albeit an informal an unofficial one, starts on August 6th. This is what I am now calling “Second Chance Lent,” just in case you fell short of your penitential and conversion goals for the real Lent earlier this year, you have another opportunity in a few days.

I got this idea from a source I have long forgotten (some Catholic thinker in some daily devotional mentioned it). The Feast of the Transfiguration, based on the Lord’s conversation with Moses and Elijah on Mt. Tabor regarding His upcoming trial and Crucifixion, is 40 days before the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross on September 14th.

Information on this Feast is here:

Triumph of the Cross

(Via Catholic Culture.)

And so the Church in Her wisdom established these feast days 40 days apart to enable the faithful to have another season to focus on repentance and spiritual growth. I hardly think this is coincidental. Go to Confession and Daily Mass if possible (or as often as you can). Focus on your relationship with the Lord and how you’ve harmed it by sin. Repent and believe in the Gospel.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Upon discovering Truth

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You can make a cucumber into a pickle, but you cannot make that pickle back into a cucumber again.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Jonah and Nineveh

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Today’s First Reading for Wednesday of the First Week of Lent is the story of Jonah and his trip to Nineveh. I have a post from 2 years ago…

So Jonah went to Nineveh and this happened

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation

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The Second Reading for the Mass for Ash Wednesday announces a particularly good news:

2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2: “Brothers and sisters: We are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. Working together, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says: In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you. Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

(Via USCCB.)

Lent is now. It is our time to return to the Lord. No matter what our religious and spiritual life has been, no matter how great our sacramental and prayer life has been, we are still “too far” from God. Now is the season of repentance, of turning our backs on sin and striving to become closer to the Lord.

There is a special reason for this. As the Apostle Paul write in the beginning of this Reading, we are emissaries of God, and His work in the world is accomplished through us. We have a special mission to carry out His will on Earth, we can only do that if we repent and reconcile our lives to the Lord.

We alcoholics and addicts understand conversion. But we can go beyond what is taught in 12 Step Meetings and merely “do not drink” or use and make spiritual progress in that regard.

We can take up our call to be ambassadors for Christ.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Xtreme Makeover Season is on

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Tomorrow begins Lent, a 40 day period of personal interior conversion and renewal. It is also a time to examine our relationships with other people and perhaps repair them. As Christians we are a community, members of the Body of Christ. If our relations with other people are in a shambles, then our attempts at interior conversion and growth in personal holiness will fall short. Remember the words of Jesus in the prayer that He taught us: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

I admittedly write that with some fear and trepidation as there are relationships in my life that are in need or repair, if not outright resurrection from the dead. I leave them up to God’s will, for Him to provide the opportunity and courage to actually do anything, as I am unwilling to tread those paths.

Anyway, Lent is here, and I am posting links to two previous blogposts from earlier years, right here,
and here. Read them as an introduction and background.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

My interview on American Catholic Radio

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Well, it’s out! Judy Zarick’s interview with me, scheduled for this week, is available here:

American Catholic Radio looks at Ash Wednesday, conversion and social justice

The program is called “Living Faith with Judy Zarick.”

(Via Franciscan Media.)

All in all, the editing was great. It is a 5 minute distillation of a 20-25 minute-long interview.

(The only issue is that although the physical link to my blog is correct, at the end she spoke the old Blogger link. No matter, it just gives me a greater reason to edit the old site so that it is clear it is the defunct version.)

Anyway, click on the link above and give a listen!

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Making room in the Inn

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Advent, a time of waiting for the coming of Christ the Lord. How well do we receive Him into our lives? Is He welcome in all areas of it or do we compartmentalize (pigeon-hole) Him in convenient places?

There are many distractions, and we do not make sufficient room for Him in the inn that is our lives. He is pushed outdoors.

Some of these distractions are addictive. These addictions fill the “hole in the soul” that should be filled by Jesus and the Sacraments. Grace alone should suffice but we improperly seek it. We are misdirected in our gropings in the dark for Truth and Life. We don’t find them in the right places. We stray from the path marked out for us.

Jesus is ever-present in the Blessed Sacrament and ever-waiting for us to come to Him. We prepare our way to Him through prayer, meditation and examining our consciences. We offer up a contrite heart as a sacrifice to Him, so that we will be pleasing in His sight.

And then Jesus, upon being asked, enters our lives and fills our very being with the stuff we seek: healing, direction, life. Things we sought elsewhere and failed miserably because we were deceived.

Christmas is coming, with Jesus in the Manger. Are we prepared to welcome and receive Him?

(Blogger’s Note: This post is a part of the 2010 Catholic New Media Advent Calendar on Catholic Roundup For those new to Sober Catholic my usual source for inspiration is either the Sunday and Daily Mass Readings, or some commentary on the liturgical season. I then try to make it applicable to those recovering from alcoholism and other addictions. But, if you are in a conversion or a development of the interior life mindset, (or just love the Sacrament of Confession), you might find my ramblings useful. 🙂

My other blog, with it’s own post for the Calendar, is: The Four Last Things a blog on Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell. Its first post explains it: The Four Last Things.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)