Category Archives: Courage

Chance, the Shelter Dog

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Chance, “the Shelter Dog,” is the narrator in a very interesting short novel about adoption.

In Second Chance: How Adoption Saved a Boy with Autism & His Shelter Dog by Sandra J. Gerencher we get inside Chance’s head as he relates the story of how a seemingly ordinary day in his animal shelter pen turns into a new life for him as a woman and her Autistic young son Ryan wander in, see him, and take him home.

Along the way we see the world as Chance (a Rottweiler/German Shepherd mix) sees it, and we learn with him that Ryan is adopted, as is the rest of the “pack” in Ryan’s home (a trio of Pomeranians). It is from this pack that Chance is told that he should ask Ryan about the mysterious word “adoption” that he keeps hearing.

Although we know that Ryan is Autistic, an equally mysterious word to Chance, we learn from Ryan’ and Chances’ conversation how that makes him “different” from others.

We discover that being “different” is not a bad thing, for in our differences we have unique gifts to offer each other. Ryan’s unique gift is that because of his Autism, he can talk to his dogs, and they can talk to him. Apparently persons with Autism sense the world in ways that others do not. Whether this actually lends them unique communication skills might be considered artistic license on the part of Gerencher, but as this novel is based on her real life, it may instead be an unorthodox manner in which to reveal a theory. Ryan is real, as is Chance and the three Pomeranians. Gerencher is entitled to her thoughts on Autism, her real-world observations from living with her son gives her credibility.

Gerencher adopted Ryan (not the son’s real name) and all four dogs. One thing that becomes clear from the book is the loving self-sacrifice that adoptive parent’s must make. Adoptive parents must “make room” in their lives. One does not “have to” adopt. There is no compelling reason to do that except the motivation of love.

John 15:13: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

(Via USCCB.)

How does this book review connect to the reason Sober Catholic is online?

We must open our eyes to the many ways of “recovery”, it isn’t just becoming free of an addiction, it is about starting anew. As Chance got a new life when Ryan’s Mom adopted him from the shelter, so do we addicts get new lives when we leave the past behind. Also, the sacrificial nature of adoption (or any other radical work of service) expands and develops our own sense of who we are, and what we can be.

Chance’s story continues here:
Chance, the Shelter Dog

The You Tube video of the book:

Want to buy it? Click right here.

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!!)

Novena to the Immaculate Conception for Alcoholics: Day 7

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Pray daily: O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, didst prepare a worthy dwelling place for thy Son, we beseech thee that, as by the foreseen death of this, thy Son, thou didst preserve her from all stain, so too thou wouldst permit us, purified through her intercession, to come unto thee. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son, who livest and reignest with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

Day Seven Intentions: Pray for Faith, the conviction that there is a future without drinking and drugging, and that a life without the addiction is a far better one than a life drinking and using.

Luke 17:5: “And the apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.'”

(Via USCCB.)

Conclude daily: O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you, those who do not have recourse to you, enemies of the Holy Catholic Church, and all those recommended to you. Amen.

We ask all this in the Name of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour. Amen

Background for this post is right here.

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!!)

Novena to St. Therese, the “Little Flower”: Day Six

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Prayers to begin novena with each day:

Come Holy Spirit and fill the hearts of the faithful, and kindle in them the fire of divine love.

V. Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created.

R. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray: O God, who have instructed the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit; grant that by the gift of the same Spirit, we may be ever truly wise and rejoice in His consolation, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Acts of Faith, Hope, and Love: O my God! I believe in Thee: strengthen my faith. All my hopes are in Thee: do Thou secure them. I love Thee: teach me to love Thee daily more and more.

The Act of Contrition: O my God! I am heartily sorry for having offended You, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend You, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.

Sixth Day Intentions:

St. Thérèse, Patroness of the Missions, be a great missionary throughout the world to the end of time. Remind our Master of His own words, “The harvest is great, but the laborers are few.” Your zeal for souls was so great, obtain a like zeal for those now working for souls, and beg God to multiply their numbers, that the millions to whom Jesus is yet unknown may be brought to know, love and follow Him.

Intercede for us all the days of our life, but especially during this Novena and obtain for us from God the graces and favors we ask through your intercession. Amen.

Thought for the day: Zeal for souls. Let us work together for the salvation of souls. We have only the day of this life to save souls and to give them to the Lord as proofs of our love.

I tell Jesus that I am glad not to be able to see, with the eyes of my soul, this beautiful heaven which awaits me, in order that He may vouchsafe to open it forever to poor unbelievers.

I cannot perform brilliant works; I cannot preach the Gospel or shed my blood. But what matter? My brothers work in place of me, and I a little child, keep very close to the royal throne. I love for those who are carrying on the warfare.

My deeds, my little sufferings, can make God loved all over the world.

Concluding Prayer Prayed Each Day:

O Lord, You have said: Unless you become as little children you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven; grant us, we beg You, so to follow, in humility and simplicity of heart, the footsteps of the Virgin blessed Thérèse, that we may attain to an everlasting reward. Amen.

Background for this post is here .

Courtesy:

LITTLE FLOWER NOVENA

(Via EWTN.)

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!!)

Novena to St. Therese, the “Little Flower”: Day One

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Prayers to begin Novena with each day:

Come Holy Spirit and fill the hearts of the faithful, and kindle in them the fire of divine love.

V. Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created.

R. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray: O God, who have instructed the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit; grant that by the gift of the same Spirit, we may be ever truly wise and rejoice in His consolation, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Acts of Faith, Hope, and Love: O my God! I believe in Thee: strengthen my faith. All my hopes are in Thee: do Thou secure them. I love Thee: teach me to love Thee daily more and more.

The Act of Contrition: O my God! I am heartily sorry for having offended You, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend You, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.

First Day Intentions:

St. Thérèse, privileged Little Flower of Jesus and Mary, I approach you with childlike confidence and deep humility. I lay before you my desires, and beg that through your intercession they may be realized. Did you not promise to spend your heaven doing good upon earth? Grant me according to this promise the favors I am asking from you.

Intercede for us all the days of our life, but specially during this Novena and obtain for us from God the graces and favors we ask through your intercession. Amen.

Thought for the day: Confidence in God. We can never have too much confidence in the good God who is so powerful and so merciful. We obtain from Him as much as we hope for.

If you are nothing, do you forget that Jesus is everything? You have only to lose your nothingness in His Infinity and think only of loving Him.

Concluding Prayer

O Lord, You have said: Unless you become as little children you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven; grant us, we beg You, so to follow, in humility and simplicity of heart, the footsteps of the Virgin blessed Thérèse, that we may attain to an everlasting reward. Amen.

Background for this post is here .

Courtesy:

LITTLE FLOWER NOVENA

(Via EWTN.)

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!!)

Matt Talbot portrait

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Terry Nelson over at Abbey-Roads has created a wonderful original painting of Matt Talbot. He also wrote a nice short piece on the virtue of temperance and the need to adjust one’s lifestyle. Never an easy task, and it is often referred to as “spiritual combat,” for there are people and forces opposed to anyone altering their lifestyle to be virtuous.

You can see his artwork in this post:

Abbey-Roads: Fortitude and Temperance

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!!)

Who do you say Jesus is?

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In the Gospel Reading for the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time Jesus asks a difficult question:

Luke 9:18: “Once when Jesus was praying in solitude, and the disciples were with him, he asked them, ‘Who do the crowds say that I am?’“

(Via USCCB.)

Only Peter had the right answer, that Jesus is Christ the Lord.

Who do you say that Jesus is? Is HE the Lord and Savior of your life, or do you have other masters?

If you are reading this blog, chances are that alcohol or some other addiction is or has been a master in your life. That may no longer hold true. Is there anything competing for Jesus’ attention?

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!!)

Your light must shine before others

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Jesus reminds us in today’s Daily Mass Gospel reading that our religious faith is not to be kept to ourselves:

Matthew 5:13-16: “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.’”

(Via USCCB.)

You have Faith, obtained by the free gift of God’s grace. As much as the world, for all of its lip service to tolerance and diversity, tells you that religion is a private affair not to be shared lest you offend, Jesus exhorts His followers to be a beacon to the world.

Jesus also tells us to act. Faith alone does not save, others must also see “your good deeds”. From this, God is glorified. He is seen as the source of your goodness.

Those of us who are sober, clean and chaste, also must tell others of God’s role in their recovery. Credit is given where it is deserved. Humility demands that.

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!!)

All things work for good for those who love God

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A nice Facebook friend pointed out this passage from Sacred Scripture a few weeks ago when I was stressing out over Ning’s decision to phase out free social networks :

Romans 8:28: “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”

(Via USCCB.)

If we work for God, and not ourselves, if the good things we do are for the glory of God and aid in building up His Kingdom on Earth, then they will succeed. Their success might be in a form or result other than what we would have scripted, but success in some manner is inevitable.

Patience, persistence and Faith are key. Grace is needed, too.

I was listening last night to Fr. Benedict Groeschel en route home from work on WLOF: the Station of the Cross and he was talking about grace, that freely given, unmerited supernatural gift from God which enables us to accomplish God’s will. Without it, we can do nothing.

John 15:5: “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.”

Psalm 127:1: “Unless the LORD build the house, they labor in vain who build.”

We can ask for it. It is freely given to us, but we can still ask for the graces needed to “get us going” and do what we are called to do. Grace may be the thing we need to defeat obstacles in our path, whether self-inflicted character defects that prevent us from being productive, to those obstacles inflicted upon us by others.

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!!)

The rebuilding

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My series of meditations on Psalm 51 was thought to be over as the Biblical margin notes indicated that the last 2 verses had been added substantially later and are also different in tone and focus (probably due to their later addition). I have reconsidered not including them, as they are a good reminder of some of the benefits of repentance, and the subsequent opportunity to build on what was completed in the penitential conversion. The main reason that I reconsidered is that Lent is upon us, and with its focus on repentance, conversion and ultimately death, I figured verses 20 & 21 would be a foretaste of the aftermath of a “good Lent.”

Psalm 51:20-21: “Make Zion prosper in your good pleasure; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will be pleased with proper sacrifice, burnt offerings and holocausts; then bullocks will be offered on your altar.”

(Via USCCB.)

We are all sinners, we are unclean before God. We come to Him with our sins, presenting them as means for cleansing us of our impurities. Remorse and sorrow for our sins combined with our love for God causes us to embark upon a penitential journey. We are humble and sorrowful, and wish to do better in His sight. Our sins humble us, and make us realize that our actions are imperfect. We need His grace to save us, and by His grace we do the things needed to build up His Kingdom on Earth, for that is how we can grab a foretaste of Heaven. Our works alone do not save us, but in concert with His grace, they provide the evidence needed to establish a testimony to His goodness. We are made in the image and likeness of God, and as such even our works, under the influence of His grace, reflect Him in our lives.

It is through repentance and turning back to the Lord that we are then capable of offering up a proper sacrifice of ourselves, through the offering up of our daily troubles and imperfections, our sufferings and joys.

Lent is upon us. Start thinking of areas in which you are deficient in your devotion to God. Figure out where to amend your life.

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!!)

By their fruits you shall know them

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Spirit Daily posted an article recently on spiritual growth and development, an issue that is near and dear to the hearts of people in recovery everywhere. It’s a good read, here it is:

SEEK YOUR ‘HIGHEST SELF’ AND REMEMBER THAT BY THE FRUITS WE KNOW OTHERS AND OURSELVES

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!!)