Online Recovery (UPDATED)

Posted on February 11, 2014 by paulcoholic

Although many people live for their traditional face-to-face meetings, others prefer the relative privacy and convenience of “at home” recovery through online sites

Here’s a rundown of two of these sites that I’ve joined, with links to my profiles so that if you’d like to join up, you can “Friend me” there.

“In the Rooms” is probably my favorite, as it is a full-blown social network like Facebook. Most addictions with a 12 Step approach have “Fellowships” there that you can also join. One great thing is that there are 12 Step video meetings almost around the clock, so that no matter where you live on Earth, chances are there’s a meeting somewhat convenient to your time zone. There are also hundreds of “Speaker Tapes” of well-known and not-so-well-known recovery speakers for listening or downloading (as mp3 files). “Dr. Paul,” the man who wrote my favorite chapter in AA’s “Big Book,” entitled “Acceptance was the Answer, (formerly “Doctor, Alcoholic, Addict”) is in the Speaker Tape archive! There is a lot of activity on ITR, and so you’re quite likely to find someone to interact with throughout the day. They also have various resource directories for treatment facilities and other things of interest to people in recovery, including a face-to-face meeting directory. I don’t think the latter is as exhaustive or comprehensive like the meeting directory you’d find on the AA main site. But it is a nice touch. Here is my profile on “In The Rooms”.

Another one that I joined based on a recommendation from a friend on ITR is “Hazelden’s Social Community.” Hazelden is the renowned treatment center in Minnesota, as well as the publisher of numerous books and daily meditations for people in recovery. It offers much that ITR has, with its own unique offerings, too. It is rather active, although I do find that site navigation is a little awkward. But I think it is worth learning, and after all, it is run by Hazelden. If you’ve been in recovery for a number of years, chances are you have at least one of their books, probably “Twenty-four Hours a Day.” Here is my profile on “Hazelden’s Social Community”.

So, take a look at them and I hope to see there!

NOTE: This post has been edited to remove the paragraph to the “Sober Recovery” and “OneHealth” (formerly “SoberCircle” and now “Viverae Health.”) sites. Links in the sidebar to them have also been removed.

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!!)

Alcoholism Recovery and the Pro-Life Movement

Posted on January 22, 2014 by paulcoholic

Today, January 22nd, is the “anniversary” of the United States Supreme Court’s decision legalizing abortion. You might be wondering why I would bother blogging about it.

The fact that I am pro-life should be noticeable if you explore the links in the sidebar. There’s a group of “ProLife Links” in the left sidebar, and “Post-Abortion Healing” links in the right. But apart from links in the sidebar and some other acts, what exactly does being Pro-Life have to do with recovery?

If you have been clean and sober for a while, you were once at the “jumping off place,” that point in your drinking where you had a choice. It was either to continue drinking and die, or to stop drinking and live. Although with the latter you may wish for death in the pain and suffering of early sobriety, you managed to persevere and live.

OK, so you already had made the decision to “Choose Life.” Aside from the parallel to a prolife slogan, so what? You chose to live, you chose life. Why would you not wish that for other people? If you chose life for yourself, why not extend that choice in other areas of your philosophy? Choose to have the baby or support those who are having a difficult time with it. Support adoption, or, if you can, adopt a child yourself. And if you cannot, then perhaps support the reform of adoption laws to make it easier for people to adopt. Be against the death penalty (“Thou shalt not kill or commit murder.”). Work for peace. Whatever, but pick the “life” and “living” side of the decision.

Is that easy? Of course not. Perhaps sometimes, but mostly not. Choosing life often takes courage and responsibility and the ability to make tough decisions and sacrifices. But just like you reached out for help at that “jumping off place,” help is available somewhere.

This could very well be an extension of the 12th Step exhortation to “practice these principles in all our affairs.” Granted, this probably wasn’t what the founders of AA thought of when writing the Steps as many “life choices” are “outside issues” and thus not a part of the recovery discussion. But nevertheless, in our own lives and the living out of them, we can consider the implications and apply them where we personally wish to.

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 Way of Recovery on Facebook and Google+

Posted on July 2, 2013 by paulcoholic

I have been running the Matt Talbot Way of Recovery email discussion group on Yahoo since December 2011, and like past endeavors of mine to establish a Catholic-based recovery discussion community, it has its busy times and ghost-town echo chamber times. I am debating on whether or not to shut it down. Since it is hardly used, it would be one less thing for me to keep track of. If it was busy, and had other moderators, I’d be keeping it around. So…

There are no immediate plans to do either, but as a way of transitioning to something new, I have done two things: revive the Matt Talbot Way of Recovery on Google+ by soliciting assistance (and getting it!!!!) and inviting people to join; and create a Matt Talbot Way of Recovery Group on Facebook.

There are differences between the two, and these reflect some differences between Facebook and Google+. The Facebook Group is “Secret,” meaning that you cannot find it in Facebook Search, nor can access it via the URL. Only members can see it and see what is posted in it. I decided to create it as a Secret Group as the alternatives may be too “privacy-invasive” and anonymity-threatening to some people. A “Closed” Facebook Group, for example, is searchable and findable by non-members, and non-members can see who is in it. Still, a threat to anonymity as people on Facebook associate with family, friends and co-workers and may still not want the current or past addiction known. So, if you’re on Facebook and would like to join, your alcoholism would still be kept secret from anyone else.

In order to be a member of the Facebook Group, you have to be added to it by an owner/moderator. So far, that is just me, and for me to add you, you have to be my Friend on Facebook. Here I am on Facebook and after getting there, send me a Friend request along with a message as to why you’re befriending me.

The Matt Talbot Way of Recovery on Google+ is a “Private” Community, meaning it is searchable and findable by people looking for such a thing, but non-members cannot see who is in it, nor what is posted there. I tested this by asking my wife to look for it. She found it, but just saw Matt’s picture and the Community name, with an “Ask to Join” button for prospective members to click on.

In order to be a member of the Google+ Community, go here: Matt Talbot Way of Recovery on Google+. Click on the “Ask to Join” button and you’ll be approved (or maybe not 😉 ) by myself or the other guy who moderates it.

Why possibly kill off the Yahoo Group only to create the MTW on FB and G+? I spend a lot of time on the two social networks and it is easier for me to keep an eye on them and participate. If the MTW on these nets follows the path of previous endeavors, I am less likely to shut it down for lack of use. Unless I abandon G+ and FB (unlikely), as long as I am a member, the MTW will remain alive there.

New requests to join the MTW on Yahoo may be met with requests to just join it on FB and/or G+.

If you’re a new member of the MTW on Facebook or Google+, I can use moderating (and promoting) help!

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!!)

Year of Faith

Posted on November 17, 2012 by paulcoholic

On October 11, 2012, the “Year of Faith” began. Announced a few months ago by Pope Benedict XVI, the latest in a series of “Years of…” is intended to aid Catholics in learning more about their Faith. Given the horrific catechesis since the 1960’s and the woeful knowledge of the Faith that too many Catholics now possess, this is long overdue.

The general idea is that Catholics learn about the Faith through reading the Catechism, becoming better acquainted with the Bible, study the documents of Vatican 2 and maybe get involved in whatever Diocesan- or Parish- based programs that are being offered.

I waited a while in blogging about it, as I wanted to see just how well I was doing regarding my own plans. And so here it is.

I am doing two things, and will start a third.

The two things that I am doing are reading a few sections or pages of the Catechism as a part of my Morning Prayer. I had been doing this off-and-on, but since the Year of Faith began, way more on than off. 😉 In the evening I have been reading the Documents of Vatican 2. I have found that they are not as dry or inaccessible as I had thought and am thinking that perhaps if more people actually read them back in the 1960’s, we’d be better off today and could have dispensed with the silly “Spirit of Vatican 2” nonsense long ago.

The third thing that I will be doing harkens back to the reason I started this blog way back in 2007. That is to reach out to Catholics who have fallen away from their Faith due to their alcoholism and/or subsequent participation in a secular or non-denominational recovery programs. Too often in my experience in Twelve Steps I have witnessed Catholics leaving the Church due to their exposure to non-Catholic spirituality and the effects of “indifferentism.” Indifferentism is the sin that “it doesn’t matter what you believe in, as long as you believe in something.”

And so I will try and delve into the core values of this blog and its primary purpose. I will endeavor to link things like Scripture and the Catechism to recovery, more so than perhaps I have done. Not that I have strayed away from that, but I think I can do better than I have been.

At any rate, I hope to make it more obvious to Catholics in recovery the very existence of this blog, and to perhaps bring more of them along for the ride.

Here are some excellent web resources to help your Year of Faith journey:

Home Page of the Year of Faith

Catechism of the Catholic Church – Table of Contents

The Holy See – The Roman Curia – Congregations – Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

The Holy See – Archive

Aleteia (Beta): Seekers of the Truth

BIBLIACLERUS

Inter Mirifica.net – Catholic Mass Media Directory

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!!)

54 Day Rosary Novenas

Posted on August 25, 2012 by paulcoholic

The Rosary has been an important part of my devotional and spiritual life ever since I sobered up and reverted to the Church in 2001/02. I have said it daily (most of the time 😉 ) and have even used it as a part of Novena prayers.

One thing I hadn’t done until this year was say a 54-day Rosary Novena. This is mainly due to my feeling that normal novenas take a lot out of me. I don’t know why, maybe it is the stress of maintaining it daily for 9 days. This is any novena, Rosary or otherwise. There is an irrational fear that if I skip a day, the prayers and petitions are wasted (I don’t think they are.)

And a ROSARY Novena, not just for the usual nine days, but FIFTY-FOUR?!?!?!? Seemingly impossible! Out of the question!

But I tried it earlier this year, twice. And some strange things happened, both times it felt easy. No stress or strain of just getting through nine days. It was as if I was sailing through the days. Also, although the petitions have not been fully answered, yet (they’re doozies), I do feel that movement is being made and that things are sorting out towards resolutions that I will be happy with. God’s will works in mysterious ways.

So, what exactly is a 54 day Novena? It is simply saying three consecutive Rosary Novenas in petition for a favor or intention, (that’s 27 days) followed by three consecutive Rosary Novenas in thanksgiving for whatever God’s will was in regards to the petition (there’s the other 27 days. Total: 54).

This means it is an act of faith and trust, you are thanking God for His response without waiting to see what His answer is.

I am starting another 54 day Novena. There is a critical US Presidential election this year (every US Presidential election has seemed “critical,” at least going back to 2000. I really am starting to think that democracy is overrated and that we should take a look at a monarchy again). Without divulging who I’m voting for, I have created “Events” in Facebook, Google+ and ProLifeBook, listing the Novena and how to say it.

Here’s the text of the Event:

“For Catholics and other interested Christians: September 14th is the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross (a/k/a the Exaltation of the Cross). This is a fitting day to begin a 54 day Rosary Novena for God’s will to prevail in the upcoming USA Presidential election, which is November 6th, (54 days after the Novena begins.)

If you do not know how to pray a 54 day Rosary Novena, it is simple: you pray 3 consecutive 9 day Rosary Novenas in petition for some favor or intention, followed by 3 consecutive 9 day Rosary Novenas in thanksgiving for God’s answer (whatever it might be.)

This means it is an act of faith and trust, you are thanking God for His response without waiting for it.

If you do not know how to pray the Rosary, here is a handy link: How to Pray the Rosary. You can also download a PDF image file here: How to pray the Rosary PDF. In addition, here is a link showing how the Rosary is rooted in Sacred Scripture: Scriptural Rosary.

This event is also listed on Facebook; on Google+; as well as on ProLifeBook

So, if you are on those social networks, invite friends and spread the news!!”

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!!)

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