Christmas is a loaded time of year. There are so many expectations attached to this holiday that even in the best of circumstances, it can be hard to make it through the season without a few disappointments. When our families have been affected by addiction or even when our families don’t do their individual work […]
The last two weeks, I’ve been building up to a talk that I initially gave to an audience at Guest House at their annual dinner that highlights the important work that they do with Roman Catholic priests and religious in recovery from drugs, alcohol or mental health issues. Then this week, I gave the same […]
When I learned that my family members suffered from an addiction to drugs and alcohol, I knew 2 things for sure: I knew that their addiction was a spiritual problem and I knew that I could not take this problem to my parish for support. This knowledge left me baffled about what to do next. […]
It’s been a very busy season. In October I was offered a unique opportunity. I was asked to be the keynote speaker for the Bishop’s Dinner honoring Guest House, a treatment center for Roman Catholic priest and religious. This year’s theme was, “Recovery as a Bridge: Engaging Families and Parishes into Recovery.” The morning of […]
A few years ago, I became aware of a parish who’d lost a high school student to overdose. While talking to parents in the area, I learned that this was the third death in a six-month period of time in their Catholic high school due to the effects of drugs and alcohol. I decided to […]
I remember the day that I showed up for my first ever 12-step meeting. I was early. No-one was there yet. I sat nervously outside the basement door of the Episcopal Church dreading the next hour. I did not want to be there. I did not want to be a member of this club. One […]
My beloved readers, I know that most of you have been negatively affected by drugs and alcohol and so let me ask you to please indulge me in this post. For the sake of growth, I’d like for you to read it with an open mind. I grew up in a small town in a […]
I used to watch the reality television program, “19 Kids and Counting.” Could you really disconnect from society and be as happy and successful as they appeared to be? Could you develop a system of rules that would keep everyone in line and insure success in the family? Well, it would certainly be nice if […]
I realize that I am a day late for the feast day of Ignatius Loyola, still, let me share a few perspectives of Ignatian spirituality that have been helpful to me in my recovery from the addictions of others and in my addictions from my own harmful ways of being. I hope that you will […]
My sisters came to my house a few weeks back to make strawberry jam. There are three of us. My oldest sister, Jane is 11 years older than me. My sister Joy is 8 years older than me. It wasn’t until we were adults that they felt less like second-mothers and more like sisters. I […]