Category Archives: Divine Mercy

“The Sober Catholic Way” is available!

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I have a new book out: The Sober Catholic Way is a basic handbook on how anyone can live a sober life and helps Catholics by describing the many ways in which their faith can assist in maintaining sobriety. Drawn from nearly two decades of blogging at SoberCatholic, “The Sober Catholic Way” shows the importance of the sacraments, the Bible, the Catechism and other books. It continues on with the various ways one can “live” out Catholicism by nurturing devotions to the Sacred Heart, Blessed Virgin Mary, and other saints. All of these contribute to sobriety as well as one’s spiritual progression! 

Discover the importance of the Real Presence, the Rosary, the Stations of the Cross, St. Joseph, St. Therese (the “Little Flower”) and Matt Talbot. You’ll get ideas on how to apply the Beatitudes, the Divine Mercy Message, as well as learning about the Apparitions of Our Lady at Guadalupe, Lourdes and Fatima and how they can guide one’s life.00000 TSCWBookCover.jpg.It is currently available through Amazon on Amazon Kindle, as well as a paperback: click here to buy as a paperback. It is also available as a paperback through Barnes and Noble: Order The Sober Catholic Way as a B&N paperback! as well as an ebook for your Nook! It is also now available at numerous other ebook retailers like Apple Books and Smashwords.

 

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!!)

Devotions to honor Our Lady, the Mystical Rose

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Yesterday I told you about a new Marian Apparition that was approved by Rome. The following is the list of general devotions to Our Lady, the Mystical Rose, whose feast day is this upcoming Saturday, July 13th! 

1. Each 13th day of the month must be dedicated to special acts of devotion to Mary, with preparation of prayer and mortification during the 12 preceding days. 

2. First Sunday after Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday!): we honor the Anniversary of the coming of Rosa Mystica to Fontenelle, where she blessed the water manifesting God’s mercy. 

The springs are reputed to have miraculous curative powers, just like that of Lourdes.

3. The 13th of July each year will be celebrated in honor of Mary as the “Rosa Mystica.” 

4. The 13th of October of the first year (I assume this is 2024? The “first year” of the aparition’s approval?) and then the second Sunday of the month each year thereafter will be sanctified with Holy Communion of Reparation, preceded by confession. 

Under this title, Holy Communions of Reperation, prayer groups or congregations can be formed. 

5. Each year on December 8th, on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, at midday the Hour of Grace will be practiced, awaiting particular graces of conversion and sanctification, promised for that hour. It shall be practiced in one’s own church, worshiping the most Blessed Sacrament if possible; otherwise privately or in groups of prayer. 

6. Go to the blessed spring, in procession, with pentitential prayers and bring the sick. Those in need of spiritual help for themselves and for their loved ones shall go there in a pilgrimage. 

(Obviously this can’t be done if you live far from Italy. Perhaps in the future Rome will make allowances for this and it can be done at Marian shrines outside of Italy.) 

7. The three words signified by the three roses, “Prayer, Sacrifice, and Penance,” remain fundamental characteristics of the devotion of Mary Rosa Mystica. We are to pray with perserverance and not seek to avoid sufferings. We are to do this on behalf of consecrated souls, and in particular for the conversion of consecrated souls who are unfaithful to their vocation; for the sactification of souls; and for an increase in the number of religious and priestly vocations. This purpose for the devotion was first suggested by Mary primarily for religious institutes, while remaining a proposal open to everyone. 

8. Also characteristic of all these messages is the purpose of reparation for offenses against the sacrament of the Eucharist, against the name of God and of Jesus, against the privaleges of Mary, against the Church and the Pope, against the innocence of the young ones and of simple souls, against the sacredness of human life and the sancity of the family. 

Naturally presupposed in all of these devotional practices is the obeservance of the Commandments, the practice of Christian virtues and first of all charity towards our neighbor.

Now we come to the daily observances of the devotion:

Everyday, make an effort to pray:

Thers is also this special version of the Rosary: A Meditated Holy Rosary, that is, “The Rosary of Three Roses”

I JUST LOVE HAVING NEW DEVOTIONS TO DO!

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 Angel of Peace at Fatima: the Alliance of the Two Hearts of Jesus and Mary! Part 11

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Three days ago on the 13th of September was the 106th anniversary of the penultimate Apparition of Our Lady at Fatima. Our Lady promised a miracle at her next visit in October. This post has nothing to do with that, but I thought I’d bring it up anyway. 

However, for this Immaculate Heart Saturday post, I’ll continue along with the series I began last week: the Apparitions of the Angel of Peace to the little shepherd children in the Summer of 1916. The children had finished pasturing their sheep and were resting when the Angel appeared and said to them:

“What are you doing? Pray, pray very much! The Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary have designs of mercy on you. Offer prayers and sacrifices constantly to the Most High.”

Lucy asked: “How are we to make sacrifices?”

“Make of everything you can a sacrifice, and offer it to God as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is so offended, and in supplication for the conversion of sinners. You will thus draw down peace upon your country. I am its Angel Guardian, the Angel of Portugal. Above all, accept and bear with submission the suffering which the Lord will send you.”

 Again we see the Alliance of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. In this case, their mutual intent is having ‘designs of mercy’ on the children. It seems as if the children are to be channels of mercy for the world. These merciful designs are tied to sacrifices the children must make for sinners, especially those who grievously offend God, and also for their country, Portugal. 

The idea of making sacrifices became a major theme of the Fatima Message. Our Lady also made this request for ‘making sacrifices’ for sinners in her August 1917 Apparition. Making sacrifices for sinners was the apostolate of the short lives of  Sts. Jacinta and Francisco Marto, two of the seers. 

And finally, the Five First Saturdays are all about making reparation for the sins of others. It may not seem like it, but trying to fulfill the conditions of the devotion can seem like making a sacrifice. The actual devotion is really quite simple to fulfill, but if you find difficulty in doing it, that’s Satan just trying to interfere.

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!!)

Happy 100th Birthday, Mother Angelica!

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Today marks the centennial anniversary of the birth of Mother Mary Angelica of the Annunciation, better known to millions of admirers and fans as just “Mother Angelica,” the cute old nun who founded and ran the world’s largest Catholic media and publishing apostolate, EWTN.

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 If you enjoy reading this blog, you can thank her because the primary reason I am a Catholic today is because of her network and the shows on it.

I had left the Church years before, thinking that organized religion was bunk. “I don’t need it, I can go to God directly by my own path.” Um, yeah, right. Anyway, I told my Reversion story before, so I won’t repeat it. But EWTN was a critical part of my reversion when I sobered up. Mother Angelica was, to say the least, a significant factor in my reversion to the Catholic Church in 2002. It was a process that stretched over several years, but ultimately came to fruition when I was felled by my alcoholism and would up doing nothing but laying on my Mom’s couch for weeks on end as I was too ill to go anywhere and do anything. Mom watched EWTN every morning, mainly the Daily Mass and several devotional programs, particularly the Divine Mercy Chaplet. All of that, as well as Father Angelus Shaughnessy’s homilies and Father Benedict Groeschel’s programs. These all helped me straighten out my thinking.

My Mom had taught the Divine Mercy Chaplet to me during the years before my reversion and recovery. I think Mom knew something wasn’t quite right concerning my relationship to the Church, but she never said anything. Maybe she just taught it to me because I didn’t know it. Whatever, God knew, though! Mother Angelica’s broadcast of the Divine Mercy Chaplet devotion as well as the annual Divine Mercy Sunday celebrations from Eden Hill, Stockbridge, Massachusetts, slowly drew me back home. Although I wasn’t practicing the Faith, the annual Divine Mercy Sunday telecast was an annual event. I actually looked forward to it. The seeds were planted and slowly took root. Alcohol masked the interior growth. When I finally succumbed to it, being too physically weak to go anywhere, exposure to EWTN finally brought the Faith out from the dark nether regions of my soul where it had lain dormant.

Mother Angelica and EWTN helped me a lot in early recovery when I knew AA’s 12 Steps weren’t going to be enough. I had looked at them, thought them interesting and valuable, but felt they were at the shallow end of the spiritual pool. I needed something deeper. EWTN illustrated to me that Catholicism wasn’t something that you did for an hour on Sunday, but was a way of life, infusing your heart and mind with a manner of living and thinking that draws you closer to God, and ultimately, to our true Home, Heaven.

She has grown in importance for me. I have read both of her biographies written by Raymond Arroyo (Mother Angelica – The Remarkable Story of a Nun, Her Nerve, and a Network of Miracles and Mother Angelica: Her Grand Silence: The Last Years and Living Legacy. Many of her own books had much to say about how to apply the Faith to daily living. They directly dealt with problems and coping and just “How do I get through this…life…?” I highly recommend getting Mother Angelica’s Little Book of Life Lessons and Everyday Spirituality; Mother Angelica’s Private and Pithy Lessons from the Scriptures; and The Prayers and Personal Devotions of Mother Angelica. They are a wealth of spiritual wisdom. The treasures contained within are gems you can mine for years to come. Mother Angelica was a soul who connected with those who were on the margins, downtrodden, beaten by life. In general, people who were broken, wounded, hurt and lost. Sound familiar? The spiritual guidance contained in those three books can greatly help you get through anything.

In addition to the books mentioned above, there is also seven anthologies of her “mini-books” written in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in the 1970s. They can be found here: Spiritual Wisdom of Mother Angelica. There is also: “Mother Angelica’s Answers, Not Promises.” (NOTE: I am only recommending them, I do NOT get anything from EWTN for promoting them.)  Like I said in the previous paragraph, “The spiritual guidance contained in all of her books can greatly help you get through anything.” And I mean that; there is a depth of wisdom and compassion and understanding that is astonishing. Mother Angelica got people. She knew about us, those on the outside. And she spoke to us there her own programs and in those hosted on her radio and TV channels.

I would place all of them on a par with the Diary of St. Faustina Kowalska, “Divine Mercy in My Soul” for your deep spiritual enrichment.

I miss her. You can read a lot about her on the EWTN Tribute Page for Mother Angelica.

NOTE: This post was cobbled together and edited for said cobbling from previous posts. 

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!!)

Sacred Heart and Divine Mercy Sunday

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Today is once again Sacred Heart Friday. We are also on the cusp of Divine Mercy weekend, since Divine Mercy Sunday is coming up! It is one of my favorite days on the Church’s liturgical calendar. It give me great hope for the absolute washing away of my sins, a firm purpose of amendment, and final perseverance.

The fact that I got married on the Vigil of Divine Mercy Sunday in 2008 is also a factor 😉

This post continues my attempt to link the Sacred Heart Devotion to that of the Divine Mercy. 

In the Sacred Heart Devotion we have love of Jesus for Humanity. Our returning that love in reparation for sins is another core part of the devotion.

On Divine Mercy Sunday the floodgates of Mercy shower down upon us all to cover our sins. Soon after Jesus died on the Cross to redeem us for our sins, a Roman centurion threw a lance at his side to ensure He was dead; as the lance pierced Him blood and water flowed from His side.

John 19:34 Instead, one of the soldiers opened his side with a lance, and immediately there went out blood and water.

Courtesy: Sacred Bible: Catholic Public Domain Version

O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in you!

So goes the ‘Divine Mercy 3 O’Clock Prayer,’ which all devotees of the Divine Mercy Devotion typically say at 3PM local time every day.

Blood is symbolic or representative of Holy Communion. Valid reception of Communion ‘builds us up in Christ’ and destroys venial sin along with giving us ‘bread for the journey,’ strength to make through our lives. Likewise, Water serves as a reminder of Baptism. When we are baptized we are initiated into the Mystical Body of Christ, and along with all other Christians, we can call God our Father and Christ our Brother. (And Mary our Mother!)

The Sacred Heart Devotion is centered on Christ and that in His love for us He left behind the sacrament of His love: Holy Communion; which I referenced in the previous paragraph as being symbolized by the Blood pouring forth from His side.

Our devotion to the Sacred Heart leads us to make reparation for our sins and those of others. “For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion, have Mercy on us and on the whole World.” So goes the prayer Divine Mercy devotees recite on the beads of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.

Therefore, recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet can be considered to be a part of the Devotion to the Sacred Heart, since it involves a petition for mercy on not just ourselves, but for others, too, who most likely are not invoking God’s Mercy on themselves.

So, that’s it for now. I’ve liked this; I may attempt more posts linking the Sacred Heart and Divine Mercy.

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!!)

Good Friday and Sacred Heart Friday

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O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in you!

And so goes the  ‘Divine Mercy 3 O’Clock Prayer,’ which all devotees of the Divine Mercy Devotion typically say at 3PM local time every day.

That is the time when Jesus died on the Cross to redeem us for our sins. Soon after, a Roman centurion threw a lance at his side to ensure He was dead; as the lance pierced Him blood and water flowed from His side.

John 19:34 Instead, one of the soldiers opened his side with a lance, and immediately there went out blood and water.

Courtesy: Sacred Bible: Catholic Public Domain Version

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On this Sacred Heart Friday, we honor the Passion and Death of Our Lord. For today is Good Friday. On this day he trod the Way of the Cross and was finally nailed to it, suffering the horrific pain and humiliation for three hours until He died.  

On this day we also begin the Divine Mercy Novena, which leads up to the celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday. This my favorite Novena to pray, even more so than those to the Immaculate Conception or St. Maximilian Kolbe! Given what I subjected other to and what I myself endured as a consequence of my alcoholism, Divine Mercy Sunday has a very special meaning for me. (I was also married on the Vigil of Divine Mercy Sunday in 2008; so there’s another dimension to the holyday.) I’ll post more on Divine Mercy Sunday when we get closer to it.

Good Friday reminds us of the unity of the Sacred Heart Devotion and the newer Divine Mercy Devotion. They go hand-in-hand and complement each other. The visual imagery of the lance that pierced His side and the blood and water that flowed out and the Image of the Merciful Jesus (“Jesus, I trust in You.”) bind the two devotions. If you are a devotee of one, you really should be also of the other. There is a fulness or completion in uniting the two…

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!!)

A review of two books on the Sacred Heart: “Healing Promises: the Essential Guide to the Sacred Heart” and “A Little Book of Reparation: First Friday Devotion of the Sacred Heart of Jesus;” both by Anne Costa

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For this Sacred Heart Friday I am reviewing two great books on the Sacred Heart Devotion. Both of them are by Anne Costa, of Revive Hope and Healing Ministries. 

I wish Anne had written these years ago. Waybackwhen I’d always wanted to have a greater insight into the Sacred Heart Devotion, but for some reason just couldn’t get it. I don’t know why; I was never taught much about it “growing up Catholic” except that it’s important to go to Mass for nine consecutive first Fridays of the month and there were also those twelve promises. But what’s that all to do with Jesus’ Heart? I always felt I was missing out on some key piece to a puzzle. That, in itself, may not be too surprising: try and show me any alcoholic or addict that didn’t think they missed something keenly important that they’re supposed to know! These two books by Costa fill in the details; together they comprise an invaluable handbook to the Sacred Heart! Read these and you’ll ‘get it;’ not only that, you’ll be wanting more!

First up is “Healing Promises: the Essential Guide to the Sacred Heart”

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If you know nothing about the Sacred Heart Devotion, or just the basics, like it involves a statue of Jesus pointing to His Heart, or going to Mass for a bunch of Fridays, and that it inspired generations of Catholic parents until the 1950s to name their daughters “Margaret Mary,” then this book is for you! In a very accessible style Anne introduces you to everything you need to know to make it a part of your devotional and sacramental life.

Part One has a basic history of where and when the devotion started and a biography on St. Margaret Mary.

Part Two gets into the nitty gritty of various aspects of the devotion, such as consecration and reparation, the centrality of the Blessed Sacrament, its Solemnities and Feast Days – including saints associated with the devotion, and Enthronement of the Sacred Heart in your home (and this is a major theme of the book.) Part Two finishes up with chapters connecting the Blessed Mother to the Sacred Heart and (and this is what I particularly enjoyed) putting the Sacred Heart Devotion in context with the Divine Mercy Devotion. I personally have long held that the Divine Mercy devotion according to St. Faustina Kowalska was like a 20th Century update or ‘reboot’ of the centuries older Sacred Heart. Costa’s chapter connects the two. In my devotional life, the two will from now on become intertwined!

Part Three goes into the Twelve Promises of the Sacred Heart. There are actually many more promises that Jesus told to St. Margaret Mary for those who work out the Devotion, and they are detailed in the classic book by Fr. Croiset. The Twelve that are popularly listed in virtually any book on the Sacred Heart are a summary of most of the promises. Anne has one chapter for each promise!

Each chapter in Part 3 also has testimonials or inspiring stories which illustrate how that Promise was fulfilled in the life or family of someone. I love testimonials. Just reading about how someone’s life was changed for the better by something greatly moves me.

Throughout the book are little ‘Heart Notes,’ brief asides ‘to encourage further reflection and practical ways to bring the Sacred Heart devotion to your life.’ 

After Part Three are appendices which serve as wonderful references and collections of prayers, including ceremonies for Enthronement along with additional resources on the Sacred Heart.

Next up is a nice little book that can easily serve as a companion to Healing Promises: A Little Book of Reparation: First Friday Devotion of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It focuses on one of the more critical parts of the Sacred Heart Devotion, the Nine First Fridays. The Kindle edition is also free at the link above!

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The book tells you everything you need to know about the First Friday Devotion: where it came from, its purpose, the dispositions needed, and much on acts of reparation one can do.  It includes suggested approaches for reparation, along with excerpts from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and a selection of prayers. 

It is a wonderful companion to take with you to Mass on the First Friday of every month!

Costa has written other books, including the excellent “Praying for Those with Addictions”

“Anne Costa is a devoted wife, proud mother, inspired writer and impassioned speaker on all things related to faithful living, authentic womanhood and healing the soul. Her books are written to encourage, affirm and inspire Christians and Catholics with practical messages of hope-“ from her Amazon Author Page.

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!!)

Contemplate the loving gentleness of the humanity of the Lord

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This excerpt from the Second Reading of the Office of Readings of the Liturgy of the Hours for today is “From the Mirror of Love by Saint Aelred, abbot.” It is quite suitable for Sacred Heart Friday and as a daily Lenten meditation!

…If someone wishes to love himself he must not allow himself to be corrupted by indulging his sinful nature. If he wishes to resist the promptings of his sinful nature he must enlarge the whole horizon of his love to contemplate the loving gentleness of the humanity of the Lord. Further, if he wishes to savor the joy of brotherly love with greater perfection and delight, he must extend even to his enemies the embrace of true love.

But if he wishes to prevent this fire of divine love from growing cold because of injuries received, let him keep the eyes of his soul always fixed on the serene patience of his beloved Lord and Savior.

The first line of the excerpted passage is the essence of conversion during Lent (or anytime) combined with the Sacred Heart. The gentle humanity of the Lord is His profound and deep love for us, as expressed through His Sacred Heart. You just go beyond yourself and your self will and try to love as He loves. Be merciful to yourself and your weaknesses and consign them to the mercy of God; and love others as He does. Furthermore, you must love your enemies (quite a Gospel truth!) and in keeping with the Devotion to the Sacred Heart, make reparations for those who have sinned against you and the Lord.

The last line should be studied and carried with us in our hearts: ‘keep the eyes of your soul always fixed on the serene patience of your beloved Lord and Savior.’

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!!)

Want forgiveness? Great! But there’s a catch…

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In this excerpt from the Gospel for the Mass of Tuesday of the First week of Lent, Jesus reminds us that there is a condition for our bring forgiven for our sins: 

Matthew 6:14-15

“If you forgive men their transgressions,

your heavenly Father will forgive you.

But if you do not forgive men,

neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”

That is probably the hardest part of the prayer, and the significance of it is, I think, ofter overlooked. We rarely think of the implications. I know that when I remind others of this part and what it means, they get nervous.

If you want forgiveness from God for your sins, you must forgive others who have sinned against you. If you cannot extend to others this mercy, then you shouldn’t expect it from God.

This is related to that other Gospel parable of Jesus where He talks about the guy who owed his master a lot of money and couldn’t pay it back. The master was going to sell him, his wife and children into slavery to get the money he was owed. The guy begged forgiveness and the master relented. Then, upon leaving the man throttled another who owed him much less. This was reported to the guy’s master, who was less than thrilled that his servant did not extend the kindness he himself had received. The fact that Jesus tells the same moral lesson in different ways underlies the importance by which He regards mercy and forgiveness. He is trying to tell us something.

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!!)

16th Bloggaversary of Sober Catholic: How I stayed sober for almost 21 years

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Today marks the 16th Bloggaversary of Sober Catholic. In honor of that, I’ve edited and cleaned up a messy note I wrote who-knows-when on “The Sober Catholic Way.” It is a summary of everything I’ve been doing since I became sober on May 22, 2002. Some I do better than others. 

This was originally a long, 2,000ish word post. There was the summary you see in the next paragraph followed by a longer version that fleshed out the details. But then I decided this morning during a feeling-sorry-for-myself pity party that the longer version is itself a summary of an even much longer version that’s been lurking in my head for 15 or so years. That being a book on the topic of “The Sober Catholic Way of Sobriety.” Or something like that. I shall begin working on that right away. I do not know when it will be finished.

The summary of the ‘Sober Catholic Method’ or ‘Way’ or ‘whatver’ is:

Wow, that’s a long list, Paulcoholic? Isn’t a Twelve-Step program simpler? Yeah, maybe. But doing the above has kept this sick puppy sober for over 20 years and I knew that AA couldn’t. Some people demand happiness in this life and they find it often by avoiding suffering all costs and more and more turn to things which can only be called ‘addictions.’ Whether it is the typical alcohol or drugs, or an inordinate attraction to the self, or to the Internet and social media, or  to fandoms (pop culture things like TV franchises, movies, comics or other entertainment stuff.) Someone may not be an alcoholic or a drug addict, but I betcha they’re ‘addicted’ to something. You need a lot of tools to crowd all that stuff out or at least keeping them in their proper perspective is an attribute of the Sober Catholic Method. Or Way. Or whatever… 😉 So this all could be a wholistic approach to dealing with life in general and addictions in particular.

There are probably books or devotions that should be on there, but this my list. Yours may be slightly different. Anyone who takes a look at the list will arrive at the conclusion that it is simply a decent Catholic lifestyle. We are all supposed to go to Mass, Confession, and live the Gospel life which is learned by studying the Bible, Catechism, lives of the Saints and their teachings along with a few particular devotions to assist us on our way – to help us ‘stay on the beam.’ So be it. What makes it a ‘Sober Catholic Way?’ Life hasn’t been perfect for me nor am I a serene, happy saint-to-be. Life sucks at times, and I am often cranky and melancholic. But God never promises happiness and peace in this life. Only in the life to come. This should help me get there.

If you’ve appreciated this blog as well as this post, you can PayPalMe a non-tax deductible donation (my real name is Paul Sofranko, like the destination link says.) I will greatly appreciate every donation. (I do have plans for the money; plans to buy software which will help out in the production and marketing of self-published books. I figure that if I can raise sufficient funds through the kindness of strangers, then I’ll feel responsible and actually start working on the planned books. More on that later. )

 Or, you can just buy a lot of my books I’ve already done:

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!!)