Category Archives: Courage

Divine Mercy Sunday 2025

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(NOTE: This is combined from previous posts on Divine Mercy Sunday)

This Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday. I do hope that you take advantage of the tremendous source of healing, forgiveness and grace that this day brings. It is a feastday established by Pope St. John Paul II in 2000 when he canonized a Polish nun who had received messages (or “interior locutions”) from Jesus in the 1930’s. (These are an accepted part of Catholicism, although not binding upon the faithful. Apparitions like those at Lourdes and Fatima and messages such as those received by Sr. Faustina (now Saint Faustina) do not add anything new to God’s Revelation to humanity. They are merely signs that the Good Shepherd is doing His work and is reminding us of certain necessary things. Quite often apparitions and locutions occur during critical moments in human history, indicating that the Lord’s “sheep” are going astray and He is coming after them.)

Jesus’ messages to St. Faustina concern God’s immense love for people and His boundless “ocean of Mercy” to which we are all entitled. No matter how dirtied we are by the sins of our past, when we dip into the ocean of Mercy we are scrubbed clean. God’s mercy is available to us for the asking, and is the source of immeasurable graces.

The devotion and practice of Divine Mercy is critical, I think, to anyone in recovery. It fixes our brokenness and mends our wounded souls. It teaches us that God is a loving Father, that Jesus is our brother and the Holy Spirit our infallible guide.

It was important to me, and critical in my recovery and how my Catholic Faith became more important than the Twelve Steps in maintaining my sobriety.

I had drifted away from the Catholic Church in 1987 thinking that religion was just human nonsense designed by the powerful to control people. I never doubted or disbelieved in God’s existence, as I’ve always regarded atheism as a supremely irrational and stupid human notion. I did feel, nevertheless, that religion was pointless. Anyway, to make a long story short, I drank to excess, abused it, and ended up returning to live with my Mom for 10 years. Originally I was to be her caregiver (my alcoholism was manageable), but for a while I was the person being cared for. (See also Drunkalogue.) My Mom watched EWTN a lot. Aside from the Daily Mass, from which I got a daily injection of Truth and sensibility from the sermons, she also watched the “Chaplet of Divine Mercy” each morning. She eventually taught it to me, particularly around Divine Mercy Sunday.

I think it was her daily praying of the Chaplet that brought me back into the Church. It also was, and continues through this day, to be a source of healing and mercy.

This is important to us Catholic alcoholics and addicts. We are so broken and wounded from our past. For many the past is just too much and they never fully escape from its haunting.

The all-encompassing nature of Divine Mercy heals our souls and enables us to draw upon the endless reservoir of God’s Mercy. It is a tremendous aid in our spiritual growth and progress. It led me back into the Catholic Church, with Her fullness of the Gospel Truth and the sacramental life and graces. It helps you to achieve a more fuller life.

To whet your appetite, the following are two important excerpts on Divine Mercy Sunday from St. Faustina’s Diary, “Divine Mercy in My Soul,” where she wrote down her spiritual experiences during the 1930s when Jesus was communicating with her by interior locutions (the numbers refer to the paragraphs in the Diary where they can be found.)

300 ... on this day, tell the whole world of My great mercy; that whoever approaches the Fount of Life on this day will be granted complete remission of sins and punishment. Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My mercy. Oh, how much I am hurt by a soul’s distrust! Such a soul professes that I am Holy and Just, but does not believe that I am Mercy and does not trust in My Goodness. Even the devils glorify My Justice but do not believe in My Goodness. My Heart rejoices in this title of Mercy. 699 … My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come forth from the very depths of My most tender mercy. Every soul in its relation to Me will contemplate My love and mercy throughout eternity. The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy.

Much of this you can obtain at other times of the year; you can receive a plenary indulgence by going to Confession just before Mass, as well as on other designated days (Holy Days of Obligation.) A plenary indulgence is, according to the website of the Catholic Bishop’s of the United States:

“Furthermore, for reception of a plenary indulgence, which grants the remission of all temporal punishment due to sin, in addition to this good work or act of devotion, the Church specifies four conditions: (1) sacramental confession, (2) reception of Holy Communion, (3) prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father, and (4) complete detachment from all sin, even venial sin. It must not be thought, however, that such acts of ours are somehow of themselves sufficient to earn the remission of the temporal punishment for sins. Our efforts, themselves the work of God’s grace, express our openness to receive God’s mercy. In the work of our salvation, it is always God’s grace that is primary, with a power that far exceeds all our efforts.”

Courtesy: USCCB

The key elements of the Divine Mercy Devotion are:

Please click on each of those links to learn more! You can also click on this: Divine Mercy to explore anything else I wrote on it.

The Divine Mercy Devotion, and Divine Mercy Sunday, are perfect for those of us broken, bruised, and wounded by life, our sins, and our addictions. Throw yourself into the arms of God’s Merciful Love. 

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 novel on St. Dismas

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I have a devotion to St. Dismas, the “Good Thief” who snatched Heaven in his dying moments. He repented and as was recorded in the Gospel of St. Luke in Ch 23 verses 42-43:

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

 I have written about him a few times due to a promise I made to him to make him better known.

I was watching various YouTube videos when I chanced upon this one:

It’s a video from EWTN’s program “Vaticano” in which writer Tony Gratacós was interviewed for a novel he wrote on St. Dismas. from the show notes:

Who was the Good Thief beside Jesus at Calvary? In this powerful interview, bestselling author Tony Gratacós reflects on Saint Dismas—the first saint, promised paradise by Christ Himself. From spiritual darkness to redemption, Dismas took a leap of faith in the final moments of his life. Through storytelling and Scripture, this episode explores how even in suffering, grace breaks through. A moving Lenten reflection on mercy, hope, and the mystery of salvation.

The self-published novel, “A Thief’s Song” is available through Amazon. Click on the image (or if that doesn’t work, go here: “A Thief’s Song” on Amazon.6172Up1+e9L. SL1499 .

I have not read it, so this is not a review or endorsement. I may buy it when my disposable income permits it.

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!!)

Novena for alcoholics to St. Onesimus begins!

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From an upcoming book I am writing:

St. Onesimus was mentioned in St. Paul’s Letter to Philemon. He was a slave who escaped and was later baptized, and served St. Paul before being sent back to his master. St. Onesimus’s faith in the Gospel of Jesus, preached by St. Paul, overcame an obvious reluctance to return to Philemon. His story can inspire alcoholics and addicts, who often struggle with doing what they often rather not do. St. Onesimus should be considered the patron saint of those who need courage to overcome their reluctance or natural aversion to doing something. 

And since his feast day is February 16th, this means that a novena to him begins either today, February 7th, or tomorrow, the 8th. Here is a prayer that In wrote for that “upcoming book.”

St. Onesimus, disciple and servant of St. Paul, you discovered the liberating graces of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Asked to return to a situation you would rather have avoided, please intercede on behalf of all alcoholics and addicts and show them how the courage of the Gospel can give them the strength and fortitude to do the rightful things they’d rather not do.

From an earlier post on St. Onesimus: 

In St. Paul’s Letter to Philemon, the Apostle reveals that Onesimus, a slave of Philemon who escaped, possibly with stolen property of his master’s, has been with him for some time and has been of valuable service. Onesimus has also been baptized and as such is now a brother in Christ to Paul and Philemon, as the latter is also a Christian. However Paul is convinced that due to the Christian charity that Philemon has shown in the past, he will take back Onesimus and greet him as a brother, equal in dignity and will not punish Onesimus or re-enslave him.

And so Onesimus is sent back to Philemon by Paul, with this Letter as a sort of greeting and passage.

I’ve always been intrigued by this. Imagine you’re Onesimus. You’ve been a slave. There must have been a reason why you escaped. Was Philemon cruel? Or did you just have an instinctive aversion to being considered property of another? You just saw an opportunity to leave and took it? Anyway, the punishment for escaped slaves was most likely death. Probably painful and not quick if you’re also guilty of theft. And now your new friend, whom you’ve been serving and who has treated you like an equal, a person, is sending you back to your old master. With full confidence that Philemon’s Christianity is all that is standing between you and a painful termination.

Would you want to return?

I didn’t think so. Me neither.

But Onesimus did. He probably did not go willingly, but apparently his faith in the Gospel of Jesus that Paul preached was enough to convince him that it is the right thing to do. So Onesimus’ faith overcame his possible very strong natural lack of inclination to return.

I think for that reason St. Onesimus should be of interest to alcoholics and addicts. Not that he was one, but we all do not want to do the things that we have to. Our addictive personality may make this disinclination stronger in us than in most people. “Normal” people can overcome unwillingness seemingly by just going ahead and doing the thing. But we have to use our spiritual toolkit to convince ourselves to “get going” and do the thing. We have our daily meditations, slogans and other aids to get us to do things that other people just do.

St. Onesimus can be our aid in this. Although I don’t think he is the patron saint of anything, he should be the Patron Saint of People Who Really Do Not Want to Do the Things That They Really Have to Do. ( I have to find a shorter, catchier term. “Patron Saint for People Who need Courage?” Still rather long…)

Read more on Saint Onesimus at SQPN.

Onesimus

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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!!)

Announcing a Miraculous 54 Day Rosary Novena for Alcoholism and Addiction Recovery (and other sins!)

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I know Ordinary Time has just begun since the Advent/Christmas season ended with yesterday’s celebration of the Baptism of the Lord. However, I’d like to give you a heads up about a Lenten observance you may be interested in.

Lent begins on March 5th this year. Last year I prayed two successful Miraculous 54 Day Rosary Novenas. So I got to thinking, “Lent is 40 days, Sundays are not counted towards those forty. But if you did add them, that would make it close to 50…which is almost 54 (NOTE: My train of thought sometimes takes a while to build up steam)  hmm, what if I were to count 54 days starting on Ash Wednesday; when would that end?” And so I broke out the 2025 calendar, and starting on March 5 with “1,” I continued until I got to “54” and do you know what day the number 54 fell on? 

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY!!!!!

I don’t think that’s a coincidence. The very Sunday when the floodgates of God’s unfathomable ocean of Mercy open up and spill out over every sinner who in humility begs for forgiveness  is very day the completion of the Miraculous 54 day Rosary Novena ends! 

Think about that. Are you still trapped in the miseries of alcoholism and drug addiction? Or, do you know someone who is? This may be the perfect time for deliverance from that slavery. And it may not even be for alcoholics and drug addicts. Sex and porn addicts, take comfort! Your deliverance may be at hand! You will be beseeching the Blessed Virgin Mary, the very Mother of Purity, for her intercession to liberate you from lust! How can she not help you?

So, get the word out. Start preparing. Get in the spirit by ramping up your own Rosary devotion. (Need help? There’s this book: The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts) Start working on your examination of conscience. We’re supposed to do that every evening before bedtime (just a review of our day and where we might have offended God or not done His will; but we do a more detailed one just before going to confession. Here’s great guide to Confession, complete with an Examen.) If you are a Twelve Stepper, now’s a good time to do (or repeat) your 4th Step Inventory and find someone to do the 5th Step with.) Try doing the 10th Step throughout your day.

To sum it all up, this Lent of 2025 could be the season when you finally become free of your deepest, darkest character defects. I have loads of things wrong with me, and so I will definitely be doing it.

So, what are the basics of this novena, and is it truly miraculous?

The Miraculous 54-Day Rosary Novena originated in the late 19th century in Naples, Italy, when a young girl suffering from an illness thought to be incurable prayed to Our Lady for help. Mary appeared to her and promised her healing if she prayed three novenas. The girl did so, and was miraculously healed. In a later apparition, Mary specified that the full prayer should have 3 novenas in petition, and 3 novenas in thanksgiving.

How to pray the Novena:

The novena consists of five decades of the Rosary (one set of mysteries) each day for twenty-seven consecutive days in petition; then immediately five decades each day for an additional twenty-seven consecutive days in thanksgiving, regardless of whether or not the request has been granted yet. (This is where faith comes in; you’re thanking the Blessed Virgin and God for granting the request without first wating for it to be granted. That’s gratitude, too.) 

The first day of the novena always begins with the Joyful Mysteries (regardless of what day of the week the novena is started); the second day, the Sorrowful Mysteries are prayed; and the third day of the novena, the Glorious Mysteries are prayed. The fourth day of the novena starts all over with the Joyful, etc. and continues on in that sequence (Joyful-Sorrowful-Glorious) throughout the 54 days of the novena. The Luminous Mysteries aren’t included only because they did not exist when Our Lady taught this novena to the girl.

There are special additional prayers to begin and conclude it during all the days of petition and thanksgiving, as well as at the end of each decade. Please visit these sites for information on how to pray the Miraculous 54 Day Rosary Novena:

THE MIRACULOUS 54-DAY ROSARY NOVENA courtesy of Roman Catholic Man

How to Pray the 54 Day Rosary Novena courtesy of Hallow

FIFTY FOUR DAY NOVENA  (This is a downloadable pdf file; it also has more prayers than the previous two links. I said my two successful ones using the format given by Roman Catholic Man and Hallow.)

Is this novena truly miraculous? I believe so. I think you do have to follow the format provided by the instructions Inlinked to; I’ve said 54 day rosary novenas in tha past without the special petitions, and the results were not what I hoped for. Faith abides. If you are sincere, and if the petitions are in accordance with God’s will for you, then there should be some positive result. A full healing? Perhaps! Just increased strength and determination to recover? Possibly? Doors opened for you to be admitted to a treatment facility? Maybe! How the petitions are answered is up to God but they could very well include a complete remission of your urges to drink, drug, lust and whatnot.

It is said that the only prayers that God is guaranteed to answer positively are those for a soul’s salvation, since He desires that all be saved. (Even though not all are.) So perhaps connect your recovery to your salvation…. Anyway, Lent is just under two months away so we have time to plan and prepare.

Let this upcoming Divine Mercy Sunday be the best yet! May the ocean of mercy pour down upon you and completely wash away your sins and leave you renewed and refreshed and forgiven! 

Please read these posts on Divine Mercy Sunday:

Divine Mercy Sunday

Divine Mercy Sunday: A great day for those who’ve really messed things up

Sacred Heart and Divine Mercy Sunday

 

Donations to support my work are appreciated

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!!)

“Jesus, what would you…”

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Once or twice a year I spend a month with the devotional book “My Ideal: Jesus, Son of Mary” by Fr. Emile Neubert. (Please see this post: A wonderful book suggestion for you: My Ideal, Jesus, Son of Mary)

One of the things from that book that I wrote down on a 3×5 index card and stuck in a prayer book is the passage:

“Jesus, what would You think; what would You do, if You were in my place? Come, and make me live Your life.”

As I mentioned in the above post, the book is in the style of the Imitation of Christ. The passage I quoted is something that the Blessed Virgin Mary (as depicted by Neubert) suggests we say whenever we are tempted into sinning. I have always found it to be a powerful deterrent to sin; Satan knows this for whenever I think about invoking it, I get a strong feeling to not say it.

The book is available through the Academy of the Immaculate:…

My ideal jesus son of mary...

 

… and Tan Books:

1596 95531.

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 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!!)

Recommendation: “From Addiction to Catholicism with Deacon Lou Aaron” on Bear Woznick’s Spirit of Adventure

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This upcoming Monday I will be interviewed by Bear Woznick of Bear’s School of Manliness at Spirit of Adventure Ministries. I’ve listened to his radio show on my local Catholic radio station, but have never viewed the video version. To get into the spirit, I’m spending this weekend catching up and this one from a month or so ago caught my attention:

“From Addiction to Catholicism with Deacon Lou Aaron”

In this heartfelt episode, we sit down with Deacon Lou to explore his personal journey of faith, addiction, and God’s healing power. Raised in the Catholic Church, Deacon Lou shares his struggle with alcoholism, his path to sobriety, and the life-changing moment when he surrendered to God. Through raw and honest storytelling, he opens up about how his faith was rekindled, the power of prayer, and his miraculous recovery from cancer.

Join us as Deacon Lou talks about his call to the diaconate, his deep dive into the writings of the Early Church Fathers, and how his illness became an unexpected blessing, opening doors to new ministry opportunities. His story is a testament to the grace of God and the transformative power of faith. Don’t miss this powerful testimony of hope, healing, and redemption.

It’s really interesting. Deacon Lou is another Sober Catholic (in the sense that he’s a Catholic who’s sober, as far as I know he’s not a reader of this blog) who didn’t need AA. You will have to watch the show to learn more. IT IS REALLY WORTH YOUR TIME!!!!. 

My interview with Bear is about my new book “The Sober Catholic Way.”

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!!)

What I’ve done with my Marian Consecration

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Twenty-two years ago today I made myself the property and posession of the Blessed Virgin Mary when I consecrated myself to her accordng to the method and formula of St. Maximilian Kolbe and so became a member of the Militia of the Immaculata.

This has meant different things to me over the years. For the first decade or so, it was merely a pious devotional act. “I belong to Mary! Yay!” And nothing beyond that. At times, it didn’t mean much of anything and was something on the periphery of my devotional life. 

However, within the past decade it has taken on a more substantive meaning. It had partly to do with the centennial anniversary of the MI in 2017. I became more interested in what it actually meant to be an MI and consecrated to Mary. The sudden availablity of Mary’s Knight,an epic biography of St. Maximilian that I long had my eye on, but had been out of print, helped with that. It is a very comprehensive biography with incredibly detailed information, presented in narrative (it reads like a novel) form. Toss in the Complete Writings of St. Maximilian Kolbe and I was on fire.

This lead to me also consecrate this blog to Mary.

In more recent times my consecration has lead me to try and implement the teachings and life of St. Maximilian Kolbe in my blog and writing as well as to figure out how to work out my consecration in a practical, concrete form. I had written a few posts on ‘Marching Orders from Mary’ which, after a fashion, became fleshed out as a book, ‘Building a Civilization of Love: A Call to Creative Catholics.’

BuildingaCivilizationofLoveCover81224-4.1 copy.

(This is the second version of the book, the earlier version “The Catholicpunk Manifesto,” is now unpublished and pulled from circulation; “Building…” is a revised and retitled edition. The Catholic Punk material is still present, but I’ve added several chapters on Our Lady of Guadalupe, Lourdes and Fatima. Why? Read on…)

I really thought that at this time in my life I should have something to show for it. “It” being my life. Or, more precisely, “it” is more like “proof” that Marian Consecration has made a significant impact and difference in my life. I wanted to show some sign that that Marian Consecration impacted my thinking and that I have something important and useful to suggest and share with others. 

Marian Consecration via St. Maximilan’s method contains and outward evangelican dimension. That’s the fundamental difference between it and DeMontfort’s. With St. Maximilian’s, you become a tool of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a “pen” or “paintbrush” in her hands. You take your consecration and do something with it to change the world. And in writing that book, “Bulding a Civilization of Love: A Call to Creative Catholics,” I had thought to provide some inspiration and motivation to other Catholic creatives. The book is NOT a ‘how to write,’ or ‘how to do a podcast,’ or anything else like that. It is directed at people who are creatives, have done something about it, but may need encouragement and inspiration to ‘get them through’ tough times when they might doubt their efficacy or purpose. It is also directed at people who aren’t ‘working creatives’ but who have the dream of writing or filming and so forth, but like established creatives, might need a ‘manifesto’ to help them ‘get going.’ (Not to mention page after page at the end of “creative prompts” derived from litanies to St. Max Kolbe. The prompts aren’t just for writers…)

One reason why I unpublished the original version is that it was  made known to me that calling it “Catholicpunk Manifesto” may be offputting. But that also inspired me in another way: I had gotten some ideas on expanding it. Hence, the first half is now on Our Lady of Guadalupe, Lourdes and Fatima. Why? Because in studying their messages and lessons I detected some themes that serve as blueprints for a ‘new world order’ (oh, my!) but based upon Catholic social and moral teachings. Mary, in those apparitions, has the answer to today’s slide towards cultural and social moral decadence and decline, plus the antidote to the negative and demeaning identity politics that are rampant today. I used those chapters to exhort Catholic creatives and creative “wannabes” to apply the lessons the Blessed Mother taught us in Mexico, France and Portugal. 

Again, the book is not a how-to on writing, filming or painting. It assumes you know your craft and how to perfect it. What it hopes to accomplish is to inspire you to more effectively connect your Catholic faith to your creativity and change the world.

For information on how to order, visit: ‘Building a Civilization of Love: A Call to Creative Catholics” or visit my Amazon Author Page. Direct link to Amazon: Kindle version and paperback version.

Thank you!

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!!)

Church in schism? Remember to not leave Jesus because of Judas!

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I ran across some news items today regarding Archbishop Vigano, the former papal nuncio to the US, being charged with schism. I have not mentioned him before on this blog as he’s a little outside its scope, nor will I go into the details about ‘“the why’s” of the charges. For that, you can start with this article from CNA: Former U.S. nuncio Viganò to undergo Church trial for schism, rejecting Pope Francis  | Catholic News Agency.

It is unfortunate, but Vigano seems to have adopted these charges as a badge of honor: Attend a falsis prophetis – EXSURGE DOMINE Ets Foundation (In Italian, but most browsers have a translate function.)

All of this reminds me of a few posts I had written a few years ago about the possibilities of such things ocurring. We will be facing difficult times ahead; perhaps even beginning this year with possible election violence in the US. But concerning the church, there is the still lasting effects of the clerical sex abuse scandal. I am already facing “difficult times” right now that are the result of that scandal. See my Miraculous 54 Day Rosary Novena to save my parish from closure post.

Whether it is declining vocations, sex scandals, or confusion and division in the leadership causing all sorts of problems, we must remember to not leave Jesus because of Judas. (Please read that post! Thank you!)

 

Leaving the Catholic Church is the easy way out. However, if you do that, it is clear you do not realize what you are leaving. Or possibly, you do know, but lack appreciation for the implications of leaving? The Catholic Church is not one denomination amongst tens of thousands. It is the Church that Jesus Christ Himself established. It has the leadership He instituted (Pope, Bishops, priests.) It has the sacraments He instituted. You do not find them anywhere else. (The Eastern Orthodox posess them, but they are schismatic. You can attend their Divine Liturgies and receive their sacraments when no Catholic church is available, but to formally join them is to put yourself in schism. Schism incurs an excommunication, thus placing your  immortal soul in peril.)

Schism isn’t worth whatver is troubling you to ponder committing it. You’ll be taking the wrong side in the Spiritual Warfare (please read that post, too!) that is happening. This may sound weird, but in remaining within the Church, no matter how strong the desire is to leave it, you will receive tremendous graces if the pain and struggle are offered up. Doubly so if you offer the sufferings up for the conversion of  those committing the deeds you want to leave over! 

So please, don’t take the road of schism, it may seem the right thing to do, but often the Devil presents things wrapped in pretty packages that seem all right and propoer. But they conceal the damantion that could result.

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!!)

ANNOUNCEMENT!! NEW BOOK!!!! “The Catholicpunk Manifesto: ‘Creatives of Catholicism, unite! You have everything to gain, especially souls!'”

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I hinted at being busy with a new project that interfered a bit with posting to this blog. Well, I HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT!!!! I have written a new book. It isn’t recovery related, but it can be useful to you if you’ve sobered and cleaned up and now want to know what to do with the rest of  your life. It was inspired by some thinking done over the past few years, and was the subject of two recent blogposts, which  this book combines and greatly expands upon.

 

A N N O U N C I N G :

 

The Catholicpunk Manifesto: “Creatives of Catholicism, unite! You have everything to gain, especially souls!”

From the book description:

“The Catholicpunk Manifesto is a call to arms, or rather, a call to pens, paintbrushes, and video cameras, for creative Catholics to take up St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe’s call to infiltrate pop culture and help alleviate the ills that pervade contemporary society. St. Maximilian saw back in the 1920s how the use of cinema, radio, and mass-market books was corrupting society. He thought that those same tools could be used as a force to counter this corruption. The Catholicpunk Manifesto tells how the teachings of the Catholic Faith can be used to provide a road map out of our current morass and a blueprint to build a more just and fair society constructed according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy and other elements of traditional Catholic Social Teachings (CST).

A Catholicpunker is someone who Catholicpunks. Catholicpunk is, to borrow from the Manifesto:

“…a literary and artistic form that seeks to mak

e use of Catholic Social Teachings to lead the world away from the cliff of self-destruction it is heading towards…

The ‘-punk’ suffix as typically used in literary and artistic forms suggests a countercultural, anti-establishment, and anti-authoritarian ethic.

Think of ‘cyberpunk,’ ‘steampunk,’ ‘solarpunk,’ and so forth.

Therefore, ‘Catholicpunk’ utilizes countercultural values in opposition to secularist and modernist mores and values. It is anti-establishment inasmuch as it defies the increasingly centralized authority of modern governments and the intrusive reach of corporations and is anti-authoritarian based on Catholicism’s traditional opposition to dictatorships.

Catholicpunk addresses how the future might look if humanity survives the contemporary social and moral collapse plaguing the Western world and the poverty and oppression prevalent in the Global South and the East. Catholicpunk illustrates how applying CST solves major contemporary challenges made by globalism, militarism, and the anti-life and sexual libertine agendas. When Catholicpunk emphasizes sustainability, it will be with an eye towards responsible management of resources so that there will be plenty for future generations, and not through restrictions on population such as aggressive birth control and abortion agendas. People from womb to tomb will be viewed as resources to be cherished and valued, not as parasites or polluters.

Catholicism is the purest form of counter-cultural expression there is today. Catholicpunkers capitalize on this… and inspire people and give them a way out.”

Are you a creatively inclined Catholic? Are you an aspiring writer or musician, do you write poetry in secret, do you want to go to Hollywood and sell a spec script for millions, or did you draw on walls when you were little and never could color within the lines but loved drawing and coloring anyway, despite the critical opinions of others?”

Then you need to be a Catholicpunker, find other Catholicpunkers and mutually support one another in Catholicpunking! Buy and read one another’s works, listen to Catholicpunk music, watch Catholicpunk videos, support Catholicpunk painters, and so forth.”

This book can hopefully inspire you to get going and start creating and applying your Catholic faith to your works! Become a Catholicpunker!”

It’s available for $5.99 through this link: The Catholicpunk Manifesto. It will be available as a paperback within a few weeks (updates on that as I get them) and also through other online vendors. When those are completed, I’ll post updates. 

The book has it’s own Page: The Catholicpunk Manifesto Page on Paul Sofranko Space.

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!!)