My 2015 Resolutions

Posted on January 1, 2015 by Paul

I don’t make resolutions, namely because I’ll never keep them. Except for some fundamental basic convictions, I do not “resolve” to do anything just to start off the year. I also think that making resolutions on January 1st elevates the secular year above the Church’s Liturgical year, which began a month ago with Advent.

If I were to make any, I’d resolve to clean up “unresolved” projects I wanted to do for this blog. In no particular order: blog my way throught Paslm 119, blog my way through the Wisdom Books (a tall order, at least maybe I can make a beginning), finish up the Works of Mercy posts I started in (I think) 2012. If I remember correctly, I mentioned way back in 2007 when I began this blog that I’d write about connecting the Twelve Steps to the Liturgical year. I have notes on that somewhere. Also, some major posts on Confession as encompassing the Twelve Steps. Maybe, just maybe, one post a month on each of the Steps, perhaps “Catholicizing” each. Oh, and the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatious of Loyola. I started something on those a few years ago, but like the rest, never finished as the Exercise are difficult to do on one’s own. I am going to try them again, solo, but based on how my life is currently organized, I may be able to complete them. It has been said that the Twelve Steps are rooted in the Exercises, if so, and if I can complete them, I can focus on them for the future rather than the actual Steps.

But all that is only if I did resolutions. 😉

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!!)

Awestruck’s “Life on the Rock” appearance!

Posted on December 7, 2014 by Paul

I watched on You Tube an episode of EWTN’s show, “Life on the Rock,” which featured the guys behind a new and growing Catholic Social Network, “Awestruck.”

A little bit about Awestruck (from the network’s “About” page):

“The main-stream media is not in the business of promoting the Church nor the message of the Gospel. Giant social networks like Facebook, because of their necessarily inclusive approach, often overstep the mark by tolerating and even promoting content radically opposed to the faith and to good morals. For example: Vimeo and Tumblr are infested with porn and repeated attempts to close a number of hate groups on Facebook have not been successful. This situation calls for a niche social network dedicated to celebrating the faith and promoting the Church. A trusted space where Catholics can feel “at home”, discover trusted Catholic content through our feeds, and have the tools to easily share this content to networks outside of Awestruck. That’s Awestruck in a nutshell.”

The place also has a lot of useful tools and functions for Catholic bloggers and organizations. I’ve written about that here: Awestruck for Catholic Bloggers

I highly recommend and strongly suggest that if you’re Catholic, join up! If you had before, but didn’t do much with it, try again! The place has evolved from what it looked like a few months ago, site functions and navigation are very good. It is a great place to meet and interact with Catholics from around the world! Right here: Awestruck.

The video is here:

And: My Profile.

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!!)

Awestruck Network USA Tour 2014

Posted on October 9, 2014 by Paul

UPDATED (see below after the ~~strikethrough)~~:

Some South African Catholics who’ve started the “Awestruck Catholic Social Network” will be travelling to the USA in November to film a guest spot on EWTN’s “Life on the Rock” show. This is a wonderful opportunity for you all to engage in some Works of Mercy, meet people from a far country and help the Church fill a critical need.

First, a little bit about Awestruck (from the network’s “About” page):

The network was started a few years ago and has grown steadily. One upcoming boost in its global profile and exposure will be their appearance on EWTN next month. And hence the reason for this post.

Norm and Cris (the two “Awestruckers” appearing on the show) will be doing some travelling about the States while here. They are travelling with almost no money – trusting in Divine Providence and remembering that He sent the 12 out with not even a change of cloak!

As we read in the Gospels:

Matthew 10:10 “…no sack for the journey, or a second tunic, or sandals, or walking stick.”

And remember: Matthew 10: 11-13 “Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it, and stay there until you leave. As you enter a house, wish it peace. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; if not, let your peace return to you.

And here’s a biggie: Matthew 25:35 “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me…”

Have you ever read those passages and wondered what you might have done if people sent by Our Lord and Saviour Himself appeared in your town and perhaps your door and needed a place to stay or some other help? Or what if the visitor was Him? Now’s your chance! While not implying that Norm and Cris are the equvalent to the Apostles or Jesus (but they are disciples of Jesus, as are you and I), they are taking upon themselves an enormous challenge in travelling all the way from South Africa to the United States on this mission that benefits the Church and Catholics worldwide.

This takes guts and heroism. Cape Town is nearly 8,000 miles (14,000 km) from New York City. A long trip, and they’re traveling another few thousand after arriving!

~~Their itinerary:~~

~~Arriving in the US on 5 November – first stop New York City for 3 nights.~~
~~Flying to Pittsburgh, PA on 8 November for 2 nights to visit the nearby Franciscan University of Steubenville.~~
~~Leaving for Dallas, TX on 10 November and staying for 1 night.~~
~~Onward to Birmingham, AL and EWTN on 11 November for 3 nights.~~
~~Then on to Atlanta, GA on 14 November from where Cris will return to Cape Town.~~
~~Norm to remain for the night of 14 November in Atlanta from where he will leave for home on 15 November.~~

~~***The guys are really needing some help in Pittsburgh/Steubenville, Dallas and Atlanta. Anyone around those places who can support their cause with beds and meals?***~~

UPDATE: They have places to sleep in all of their stops, although Dallas had to be dropped. But there is still the issue of money, for some meals and also some travel expenses.

So, since some of their material needs are being met (beds) can you help out financially? You can do this by several ways:

joining up at Awestruck and providing a financial contribution through a PayPal button. How to join? Again, quoting from their network on signing up: “Join thousands of fellow Catholics. The easiest way to register is to simply “Login with Facebook”, then, access all sites on the network, make friends, follow feeds, create open or closed social networks for your parish/group/organization, discover, post and share from the stream at will.” But you needn’t use your Facebook login (I didn’t, I registered and created an account separately. But that’s easy, too!) Awestruck is found here: “Awestruck”.
If you’re not willing to join Awestruck, you can send a donation to me through PayPal, my donation button is near the top of the blog, you can’t miss it. Please just make a notation as to what it is for (the “Awestruck Tour” will do). I will then transfer it along to them ASAP.

And if you do join, you can find me here and send a Friend Request: My profile.

This endeavor has a Group on Awestruck that you can join and learn more or give advice:
Awestruck USA Tour 2014

I sincerely hope that if you are reading this you can do several things:

Support Awestruck in some way, either by sending a financial contribution to their PayPal
and/or by helping out the intrepid Awestruck travellers in some way.
Just joining the network, help it grow by spreading the word about it
Make use of it in some way! Make it an integral part of your online life!

Finally, a greeting from Awestruck:

“Awestruck will be shooting a “Life on the Rock” show on 13 November at EWTN Studios, Birmingham which will be aired on 10 December 2014!
We are extremely keen to meet up (socially) with any Awestruckers along the way. Coffee anyone?”

Coffee?!?!? Did someone mention coffee?????

Special thanks to Awestrucker Ana St. Paul for some of the information for this post. (I hope you didn’t mind my copy/pasting of your stuff. 😉 )

Let me know what you can do via the comments or by email (sobercatholic at gmail dot com).

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 Paul

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!!)

Being Fat, Dumb and Happy for Jesus

Posted on December 1, 2013 by Paul

Way back in the day when I lived in California I was introduced to the phrase “fat, dumb, and happy.” It is said after you’ve eaten a particularly large and sumptuous meal. I have no idea if that saying is a “California-ism,” but that’s where I first heard and used it.

The thought ocurred to me after overeating this past Thanksgiving holiday that maybe we can be “fat, dumb and happy” for Jesus. Here’s how:

Become fat: gorge yourself on Sacred Scripture, the Catechism and the Sacraments. Read the Bible daily, soak up the Word. Go to Mass daily (if possible) and visit the Blessed Sacrament whenever you can. If a parish nearby has Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration, sign up for a Holy Hour. Go to Confession at least once a month. I go every 2-3 weeks.

Be dumb: Be a fool for Christ. Be counter-cultural. The World has a different understanding on what it meands to be “counter-cultural,” but true counter-cultural attidues and actions run against the World’s transient values and morals. No better way that to live out the prophetic call of the Gospel message. Be Christian. The World will think you’re an idiot, but so what?

Be happy: Living the Gospel is “joyful,” and that is something Pope Francis seems keen on getting across. Jesus is our brother, God our Father, how can that not make us happy? We know we’ve won, all that remains is the mopping up action of winning souls for the Lord and building the Kingdom of God on Earth. We know we will prevail in the end. Again, how can we not be happy? Am I always happy? No! I’m a weak, flawed, fallible human! Daily living gets me down. But oftentimes I rise above it. Perhaps not often enough.

So, start now! Let’s start a Movement! Be Fat, Dumb and Happy for the Lord!

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!!)

Reader help (no longer) needed to support Sober Catholic (UPDATE)

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Paul

UPDATE: Thanks to a few readers and friends, I have received enough in donations to renew the hosting account, as well as the domain names, for three years. I am very grateful to them that they think enough of this work. So, the Sober Catholic bleg drive is over. If you were thinking of donating, but hadn’t yet, please consider some other worthy blogging endeavor, or contribute to your parish. Perhaps your parish has a website? Maybe they could use financial help with their hosting fees.

I am asking for help from readers. The various fees associated with running and maintaining this blog are due for renewal in a month, namely for web hosting and domain name registration, and I need your assistance as we cannot afford to pay them…

Bloggers sometimes bleg (“bleg” means “blog beg”) when money is needed. It could be for any reason. My wife and I have incomes, live frugally, make do with what we have and are grateful for them, but we have had some financial hits recently and the cost of renewing Sober Catholic is coming at a bad time.

So, if you appreciate the work behind this blog, the PayPal “donate” button is way over in the upper left hand corner of the blog, where it says, “Please consider donating, if you like this work.” It’s between the blog title and the “Follow me on Twitter” widget. Nearly $300 is needed (if we were to renew for the most “cost effective” term of 3 years.) Any amount donated in your one-time gift would be appreciated. If you don’t like to use PayPal, you can email me at sobercatholic at gmail dot com to obtain other contact info (or use any method in the How to find and contact me Page.) Prayers are, of course, also appreciated!

We have explored other hosting options, there are none really cheaper. In anticipating a probable common reaction, “Why don’t you just move to a free host?” That is an option of last resort, and one that I am unwilling to do for several reasons:

1) Traffic and readership would be lost. Sober Catholic was originally hosted for free, and when I went to a paid hosting service many people did not follow along, despite numerous notices left up at the old site. Also, links everywhere point to this location.

2) Paying for a host rather than going free establishes “brand name” credibility if your blog is about a service. If I only had a personal blog about my own joys and sorrows, thoughts and opinions, that would be free. But I feel that Sober Catholic deserves its own location. I don’t feel that Sober Catholic is completely mine, it also belongs to those who appreciate it and have been helped by it. I do have 2 other blogs hosted on this account, but Sober Catholic is the only reason the account exists.

3) Having its own location guarantees independence; one isn’t subject to the whims and decisions of a free host. There is greater control over what one can do if the hosting is paid for by the owner or from revenue that is generated.

As I said above, any help to defray or cover the cost is greatly appreciated. Every donation adds to the total.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Paul Sofranko (a/k/a “paulcoholic”)

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!!)

UPDATE: I WILL be on the “On Call Show with Wendy Wiese”, for Wednesday, May 1st

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Paul

UPDATE: Wendy Wiese contacted me and rescheduled me for next Wednesday. I was supposed to be on April 16th, but I cancelled a few days earlier as I was getting sick.

I will be on the “On Call Show with Wendy Wiese”, Wednesday, May 1st at 1PM CT (2PM ET)!

A description of the show, from Relevant Radio:

“Wendy Wiese keeps a variety of professionals On Call™ from an array of specialized fields to support you as you live out your “domestic Church” – helping you to keep your faith at the fore in your everyday life. Focusing on the important issues that families face through the lens of our Catholic faith, you’ll hear topics ranging from Post-Abortion Syndrome, eating disorders, pornography addiction, or substance abuse to Spiritual Direction. Our experts address issues that affect normal, everyday families, and they strive to help our listeners with their own struggles – you are the most important part of the conversation. Tune in for useful information and practical advice from a Catholic perspective.“

If it goes well, I’ll be a recurring guest.

For more information, here’s the show’s website: “‘On Call’ with Wendy Wiese” and Facebook Page: “‘On Call’ with Wendy Wiese Facebook Page.

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 Paul

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!!)