“Lord, grant that I be treated tomorrow the way I treated others today.” Are you a creative Catholic? “The Catholicpunk Manifesto” is my new book exhorting Catholics to apply their faith to change the culture for the better! Know someone, perhaps yourself, who might like Catholic devotionals for alcoholics? Please take a look at my …
What do you think of death? Is it something to be feared, avoided and denied? Like many people do you ignore it and hope it never bothers you? I have had a relationship with death stretching back to my childhood. Not that I lost anyone close to me during that time, but I feared that …
One of my least favorite 12 Step meeting topics is “gratitude”. Not that I am ungrateful for anything in sobriety, for I have plenty to be grateful for. My main issue whenever this topic is brought up is that quite often the attendees just launch into a list of the things they are grateful for. …
I received an email from Bryan P. of the Calix Society of Tampa Bay. Bryan tells me that he founded the chapter about one year ago and membership is struggling to grow. If you live in the Tampa, Florida area and are interested in joining, contact info is available in the chapter’s website: Calix Society …
I think it was nearly 5 years ago when I stumbled upon the notion of just ruling out the idea that drinking is an option. In the “One Day at a Time” concept of 12 Step Movements, you will just take the notion of not drinking, but just for today. “Today, I will not drink.” …
Everyone who has a decent prayer life goes through periods when they just have a difficult time praying. By “prayer life” I don’t mean saying 1 or 2 prayers and that’s it. I mean daily Mass readings, Bible study, rosary devotion and whatever else that constitutes a greater-than-normal attention to the interior life of the …
There is a death beyond which you cannot imagine. There is a thing which can kill you forever and from which there is no relief. That thing is mortal sin. Mortal sin is that sin in which you cut yourself off from God completely, from which there is no eternal life if you die with …
A realization came to me at work some time ago (I think last summer, 2008). It was a bad day at work, and I was wondering about why we have to endure certain things. I know I’ve written a great number of times about the need to accept suffering as evidence of our willingness to …
Continue reading ‘Happiness from People, Places and Things’ »
Perseverance will see you through. Too many people give up and cave in to despair or pressure and never see it through their pain and suffering. Problems never seem to be solvable while you’re going through them, but when they’re done you’re stronger as a result. There are wishes during the experiences for the gentle …
One thing that has gotten me through trials, at least since sobering up, is that God has a purpose for me. I am reminded of this passage from Jeremiah: Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed …