Pope Francis washes, kisses feet of drug addict

Posted on March 17, 2013 by paulcoholic

I haven’t blogged yet regarding our new Holy Father, Pope Francis. Mainly because I want to get a perspective and a feel for him. So far, I really, really like what I see and I do believe that the Church is in good hands with our new Papa.

I saw a picture this morning while reviewing the Catholic news that, along with other similar ones that depict this man’s humility and service. He’s kissing the feet of a drug-addicted young man. That speaks for itself.

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POPE FRANCIS: 30 Photos and Memes to Love and Share | St. Peter’s List

(Via St. Peter’s List.)

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!!)

Hour of Mercy Blogger

Posted on March 16, 2013 by paulcoholic

In the latest in my never ending and so far futile attempts to blog daily (or at least 3-4 times a week) I’ve decided to become an “Hour of Mercy Blogger.” That is not a formal designation for any group of Catholic bloggers out there, at least not as far as I know, so maybe I’m starting a new Catholic blogging movement. Hey, cool.

What is an “Hour of Mercy Blogger?” It is a blogger who attends or posts to their blog at 3PM, local. Why 3PM? Because that is the “Hour of Divine Mercy.” Jesus died on the Cross at 3PM and that is a time of importance for some Catholics. As best as my schedule permits, I will say The Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 3PM, and then do a blog post. I may only get a draft in and not published, but that’s OK. God in His infinite mercy decided to pluck me from the wastes of alcoholism, and so perhaps during the Hour of Mercy I can get and maintain the inspiration to blog.

And so far, so good. Just finished the Chaplet 20 minutes ago and I figured announcing this plan is a good way to cheat and get Day 1 in. 😉

Divine Mercy is a Catholic devotion and theology that should be of immense interest and use to Catholics recovering from addictions. If there is anything outside the Gospels that can provide the hope and inspiration that God can and will forgive you of the sins of your past, Divine Mercy is it!

NOTE: I have 3 blogs, aside from this one, there is Paul Sofranko Dot Net and The Four Last Things. This “Hour of Mercy Blogging” could be on any of the three.

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!!)

Book Review: Recovery Rosary for Alcoholics and Addicts on Catholic Alcoholic

Posted on February 16, 2013 by paulcoholic

Just a heads up to readers that there is a book review of The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts over at Catholic Alcoholic.

Go here: Book Review: Recovery Rosary for Alcoholics and Addicts

Thanks, Number 9!

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!!)

Growing in holiness during Lent

Posted on February 13, 2013 by paulcoholic

Lent began today. Traditionally, people give up stuff for Lent as a sign of repentance. That’s nice but it may be a downer, especially if it isn’t combined with something that may help you grow in holiness. Giving up something to achieve something is tough. Ask an athlete, especially an Olympian or a champion.

Another option to giving up something is to take up something. Adding something to help you achieve something, like holiness, may be easier. Increase your virtue. This link: Virtues and Vices has a list of the seven deadly vices and the virtues that can help you overcome them.

Serve and volunteer.

Increase your prayer life. Read Sacred Scripture, daily. Attend Daily Mass, if possible. If not, then maybe catch it online at a more convenient time.

And then perhaps maybe someday you can deprive yourself of something, because with the increased holiness, you’re more apt to select a deprivation and combine it with growing in holiness. This can merit itself at other times of the year when you suffer, now you know better how to “offer it up.” 😉

Joel: 2:13:

“Rend your hearts, not your garments,

and return to the LORD, your God,

For he is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love,

and relenting in punishment.”

(Via USCCB.)

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!!)

To Bury the Dead

Posted on February 1, 2013 by paulcoholic

To bury the dead is the last of the Corporal Works of Mercy. It is an act of kindness, and of hope in the resurrection of all when Jesus return to judge the living and the dead.

The graves remind us always of our last end, and that there is an eternity afterwards. Time spent in a cemetery is time well spent both honoring those buried there, as well as reminding ourselves of our own mortality.

Bury the dead. In a metaphorical context applied to this blog, it can also mean to bury our past. Our past is back there, dead, but not forgotten. We no longer live back there, but we can remember the pain.

What do we do with the time remaining? As alcoholics and addicts we had lost considerable time to our addiction. Time can be redeemed by learning from our mistakes and applying that knowledge to the future. It is called “experience.” We can take what we know and teach it to others.

If you click on the image below, you’ll be taken to the “Works of Mercy” store at Artist4God (my wife’s online shop.) Buy anything from the “Works of Mercy” store and a portion of the proceeds go to life-affirming charities.

Bury The Dead Refrigerator Magnets by WorksOfMercy

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!!)

Prayer for Virtue

Posted on January 28, 2013 by paulcoholic

Prayer for Virtue (St. Thomas Aquinas, Feast Day: 28 January)

O Almighty and all-knowing God, without beginning or end, who art the giver, preserver, and rewarder of all virtue:

Grant me to stand firm on the solid foundation of faith, be protected by the invincible shield of hope, and be adorned by the nuptial garment of charity;

Grant me by justice to obey thee, by prudence to resist the crafts of the Devil, by temperance to hold to moderation, by fortitude to bear adversity with patience;

Grant that the goods that I have I may share liberally with those who have not, and the good that I do not have I may seek with humility from those who have;

Grant that I may truly recognise the guilt of the evil I have done, and bear with equanimity the punishments I have deserved; that I may never lust after the goods of my neighbour, but always give thanks to thee for all thy good gifts…

Plant in me, O Lord, all thy virtues, that in divine matters I might be devout, in human affairs wise, and in the proper needs of the flesh onerous to no one…

And grant that I may never rush to do things hastily, nor balk to do things demanding, so that I neither yearn for things too soon, nor desert things before they are finished.

Amen

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!!)

Dying, One Day at a Time

Posted on January 23, 2013 by paulcoholic

Quite often you read or hear about how we Christians are supposed to keep our “eyes on the prize.” In other words, be mindful of death. (In Latin, that is “Memento Mori.”)

We should try to keep our minds on our ultimate goal, Heaven, and remember that we will be judged upon our death. Doing this may help us become focused and get our act together concerning whatever it is that God placed us here for.

We all probably fall into the trap of thinking that death is far off. And so the urgency to “become focused and get our act together” may not always be there. There is a way, however, to keep it in mind every day. Borrow a powerful tool from the Twelve Step movements and combine it with the realization that death may come at a moment’s notice.

Any day may be our last. Today, even.

So, taking the “powerful tool from the Twelve Step movements,” which is the philosophy of “One Day at a Time” and merging it with the possibility that each day may be our last, may help us to realize that sense of urgency. We each have a specific mission that God placed us here for, a mission that we are each uniquely qualified to do. We do not have all the time in the world to do it. “One day at a time” helps us cope with that falsely satisfying feeling that we have years ahead of us. We may only have today. This sort of turns around the 12 Step basis of “one day at a time,” which is intended to help people in recovery with the idea that they have to be clean and sober for the rest of their lives, which may be for a long time. That may be hard to fathom, but just focusing on today is do-able. “Just for today, I can stay away from the drinking or the drugging.” So, “Just for today,” is all that I may have left. What can I do?”

So, each day when we wake up, we should think, “Today may be my last day alive. What must I do today in case that were to become true? What can I do to mitigate any accounting I may have to make before the Lord?”

And then we should, to borrow a phrase from Pope Blessed John Paul II, “Arise, and let us be on our way,” and set out to achieve something.

NOTE: This was originally published at The Four Last Things: “Dying, One Day at a Time”

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!!)

Visit the Imprisoned

Posted on January 22, 2013 by paulcoholic

Matthew 25:36: “…in prison and you visited me.’”

“Imprisoned” can mean many things. It may oftentimes mean the literal imprisonment of those who have committed crimes. “You do the crime, you do the time.” And so people regard with indifference or contempt those who are in jail.

While by no means suggesting that those in prison do not deserve their punishment, many in jail have repented of their crimes and corresponding sins. The intransigent and unrepentant, well, their place is deserved. But for those who have come to terms with the reality of what they did and why they are in prison, their spiritual needs must be met. There are plenty of opportunities for people in communities all over to visit those in prison and minister to them. Participate in a prayer group or Bible or Catechism Study. Whatever, just show them that there are people on the “outside” who haven’t forgotten them. One good organization is “Kairos Prison Ministry International”:

There are other forms of imprisonment. Addiction is a prime example and perhaps the reason why you are reading this blog.

I wrote a poem, it was triggered by an old AA friend from my old hometown who was picked up for DWI for the umteenth time:

Alone in Jail

I sit in the cell, trapped.

Trapped in the prison of my mind.

I wish to scream “Let me out!”

But the mind has no voice, silenced by shame.

My prison, and I am my jailer, and I have lost the key.

Perhaps you can be the key to let the prisoner of addiction out of their jail cell. Reach out and extend help. If they take the help, follow through! If they reject it, wait and offer it again when they are ready.

Although it may not seem like it, another way for people to be imprisoned is overt attraction to the things of “the world.” Be it money, power, lust, fine clothes and an outward appearance (at the expense of the inward appearance), such things imprison you as they get in the way of your true self. They are hardly satisfying. Do they help you in your relationship with God?

Visit the imprisoned key chains by WorksOfMercy

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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Pope Francis washes, kisses feet of drug addict

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Hour of Mercy Blogger

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Book Review: Recovery Rosary for Alcoholics and Addicts on Catholic Alcoholic

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Growing in holiness during Lent

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To Bury the Dead

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Prayer for Virtue

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Dying, One Day at a Time

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Visit the Imprisoned

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