New gadget added for socializing, sharing and chatting

Posted on by

I have just installed a fun new tool to this blog, the “Wibiya Web Toolbar.”

It is an interactive toolbar draped across the bottom if this blog. Right now I have customized it with only a few features, but will add more once I explore the Wibiya site.

Right now, the basics are included. There is a translation app, plus search and share features (so you can share on Facebook, Twitter and such blog posts you might like.)

There is also a CHAT FEATURE! Yes, you can log in using your Facebook, Twitter or tinychat ID and chat with me or any other reader who is logged in! I recommend a Twitter login, as this is a blog mostly about recovery, Twitter allows anonymous user names. A Twitter login ID might be useful as more and more sites will be integrating with Twitter for logins. So even if you don’t “Tweet”, a Twitter login ID might come in handy. And based on what I’ve gleaned so far from the Wibiya site, you can Tweet from my blog so it might be an interesting way to communicate with other readers (aside from the chat feature).

Wibiya can be found by clicking on this link: Wibiya It also happens to be an Israeli invention. Israelis invent cool and useful things: the remote car starter for one, and the car windshield sunshade for another. I’ve never used either, but living in the American Snowbelt, have considered the remote car starter.

One thing to note: I did have trouble installing it using the Firefox browser. Perhaps my privacy and security settings and add-ons interfered. I was successful by installing it using the Opera browser. It does work in Firefox, afterwards.

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!!)

More on Mercy

Posted on by

In a previous post on Mercy I wrote about the devotion known as Divine Mercy. Although I had written about it before (see the “Divine Mercy” labels in the right-hand sidebar) it serves as a sort of formal introduction to a definitive theme for this blog.

This post relates my personal introduction to Divine Mercy, and why I think it is critical to Catholic alcoholics and addicts.

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 the its hauntings.

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.

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!!)

Mercy

Posted on by

One of the things I had not gotten around to during Lent was blog about Divine Mercy. I had intended to write about that around Good Friday to the week past Easter, but didn’t.

To do so then would have been very appropriate, as that time is a wonderful example of God’s Mercy towards us. Jesus, the Incarnate God, dying for our sins so that we may receive eternal life. Now THAT’S mercy.

However, now is also an appropriate time as we are nearing Pentecost, the time when the Church was formally born with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and believer gathered with them. The Church is an ever present sign of God’s Mercy and forgiveness, and a vessel for enabling ourselves to always get back up again when we mess up. We sin, we fall, we confess, we strive to do better.

There are numerous examples of Divine Mercy in Sacred Scripture. But when it is mentioned the term refers to the messages (or “interior locutions”) of Jesus to a young Polish nun in the 1930’s named Sister Maria Faustina Kowalska. 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.

Down along the left sidebar of this blog there are a number of major links regarding Divine Mercy, click on them at your leisure to learn more. I hope to write about Divine Mercy over the years, both drawing on St. Faustina’s Diary (in which she recorded Jesus’ messages) and from Sacred Scripture.

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!!)

Cannonball Awards results

Posted on by

I lost in each category I was nominated in, not bad considering I didn’t campaign!

The Crescat…: drumroll please…

Congrats to the winners.

Now, I must resume blogging.

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!!)

2010 Cannonball Catholic Blog Awards

Posted on by

Voting is open for the 2010 Cannonball Catholic Blog Awards. Sean, over at Catholic Roundup put together this YouTube video:

(Via Ductapeguy.)

Sober Catholic has been nominated for the following categories: Best Under Appreciated; Best Spiritual Treat; Blog That Needs to be Updated More Often. (I’m gunning for the latter!!)

Much thanks to Speramus, over at Speramus (We Hope!) for nominating me. She’s in two categories with me: Best Under Appreciated and Best Spiritual Treat, as well as Most Church Militant and Best New Kid on the Block. If I lose in the categories we’re competing together in, I hope it’s to her! 🙂

Voting is here: The Crescat… : “unleash hell…”

(Via The Crescat.)

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!!)

Good News on the Future of the Catholic Recovery Social Network!

Posted on by

For all those who have been awaiting information regarding the future of Catholic Recovery: It appears that we will survive on into the future! Ning has announced new pricing plans in the aftermath of their decision to phase out all free networks. Upon preliminary review, it appears to be affordable. There may be some changes to various features, such as photo and video uploading, but the basic things people use will remain. Members and interested readers will be kept posted in the “Site info” forums of CR about any changes. Details need to be examined, but we’re not going anywhere!

Please see the following articles:

Announcement of new pricing plans

(Via About Ning.)

Introducing Ning Pro, Ning Plus and Ning Mini

(Via Ning Blog.)

FAQs

(Via About Ning.)

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!!)

All things work for good for those who love God

Posted on by

A nice Facebook friend pointed out this passage from Sacred Scripture a few weeks ago when I was stressing out over Ning’s decision to phase out free social networks :

Romans 8:28: “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”

(Via USCCB.)

If we work for God, and not ourselves, if the good things we do are for the glory of God and aid in building up His Kingdom on Earth, then they will succeed. Their success might be in a form or result other than what we would have scripted, but success in some manner is inevitable.

Patience, persistence and Faith are key. Grace is needed, too.

I was listening last night to Fr. Benedict Groeschel en route home from work on WLOF: the Station of the Cross and he was talking about grace, that freely given, unmerited supernatural gift from God which enables us to accomplish God’s will. Without it, we can do nothing.

John 15:5: “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.”

Psalm 127:1: “Unless the LORD build the house, they labor in vain who build.”

We can ask for it. It is freely given to us, but we can still ask for the graces needed to “get us going” and do what we are called to do. Grace may be the thing we need to defeat obstacles in our path, whether self-inflicted character defects that prevent us from being productive, to those obstacles inflicted upon us by others.

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!!)

More on the Future of Catholic Recovery

Posted on by

This is an edited version of an email sent out to all members of Catholic Recovery on April 18th concerning the possible shutting down of CR:

Ning, the company that provides the technology and templates for the creation and maintenance of this and other Ning social networks, will be announcing a new pricing structure as of May 4th and will no longer be hosting any free sites.

There will be at least a 10 week grace period for Network Creators to assess the new pricing policy. After that period, Network Creators will have to pay to keep their network going. The current fees for maintaining a Ning network do not seem all that large, and indications are that Ning may be flexible in its pricing options due to Network size, etc. However, due to the economic situation, I cannot guarantee continued support beyond the 10 week (or so) grace period until I see these pricing options. I will do my best to evaluate them and see how they fit into my budget, but there may be a need to involve financial assistance from willing members. This does NOT mean that you will have to pay to become or remain a member. Membership will always be free. It only means that I will accept assistance from any member willing to provide it.

Several members have come forward with alternative hosting options, so some help may be on the way. Sufficient to say, this network will be around through the Summer of 2010, at least. Afterward, if the new pricing structure is unaffordable, or we cannot find a new host, the site will probably shut down.

Now would be a good time to recruit new members or try to increase the site’s activity!

From the Ning Blog:

Ning Blog » Mythbusters: Three Things We Aren’t Doing on May 4

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!!)

Catholic Recovery may be shutting down

Posted on by

NOTE: This post is now basically obsolete. Please see Good News on the Future of the Catholic Recovery Social Network!

I just posted this in an email to all network members, as well as on the Facebook Page and Group locations. Just including it in a post here (slightly edited) in case emails have changed.

Dear CR members:

I have just learned that Ning, the company that provides the technology and templates for the creation and maintenance of this and other Ning social networks, will be shutting down all free sites as of May 4th.

After that date, Network Creators will have to pay to keep their network going. I am not sure that I can do that at this point in time. The current fees for maintaining a Ning network (listed in the Mashable article below) do not seem all that large, but indications are that those costs will be rising for those interested in paying. Due to the economic situation, I cannot guarantee continued support beyond that date.

So as it stands now, I am not interested in paying, so unless there is a change in Ning policy, the Catholic Recovery Network will close on or after May 4th.

If you are on Facebook, CR has a Group and a Fan Page. If you’d like, we can continue there. Just type in the Facebook search box “Catholic Recovery” to find the Page, or “Catholics in Recovery (Alcohol and Addictions)” to find the Group. There is an issue with anonymity. Although FB was strict about it in the past, they do not seem to be that way now: you CAN create another profile for anonymous purposes. Perhaps if you’d like to continue on FB, you can re-create your CR username there. This may not be a change in policy, just that they may no longer be able to police the 350-400 million members.

There are always my blogs: http://sobercatholic.blogspot.com and http://the-four-last-things.blogspot.com where people can meet up in the comment section. I think there are “social networking” type widgets and add-ons that I can install to establish more of a community there. I do not make any money off of either blog, I used to run Google Ads, but canceled them when I wasn’t able to control the content. I may add Catholic advertisement soon.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions: feel free to contact me thru CR or thru this blog.

Here is additional info:
Ning blog article on the closing of free social networks:

Ning Blog » An Update from Ning

Mashable article on the Ning system shutting down free social networks:

Ning: Failures, Lessons and Six Alternatives

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!!)

I met up with St. Maximilian Kolbe while I was offline

Posted on by

A wonderful thing happened while I was offline with a dead hard drive a week ago: I rediscovered the joy of reading books. Actually sitting down in a comfortable chair and digging into paper and softcover and getting prompted to read another person’s life. Notice I said “prompted to read” and “another person’s life”, for I felt that I was lead by the Holy Spirit during that “unfortunate week” to explore more fully a favorite saint of mine: St. Maximilian Kolbe.

I’ve read 2 biographies when my Mac was dead, and finished a third after its resurrection after Easter. I just started a fourth.

Who is St. Maximiliam Kolbe? He was a man who used the latest technology available to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the masses, in order to win the world to Jesus through a strong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

From a blog post of mine from 2007:

“St. Maximilian Kolbe was a Polish Franciscan priest who was executed at the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz in 1941. He offered himself up in place of another man, who survived the death camp and lived to see Fr. Kolbe’s canonization…

…St. Kolbe also founded the “Militia of the Immaculata” a Catholic organization dedicated to evangelizing the world. It is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. All of its members are consecrated (sworn ‘by blood’ to belong to) the Virgin. I am a member…

St. Kolbe, due to the nature of his execution, is one of the patron saints of addicts. Although he was not an alcoholic or an addict, he died by lethal injection in a cell.”

To me it is a stretch to regard him as a patron of addicts as, like I stated, he was neither an alcoholic nor an addict. I think it may be due to the unavailability of saints who were decidedly alcoholics and addicts that some devotees “reach” a little and have adopted him. Not that St. Maximilian would mind, if it were God’s will that he be such a patron and if it helped spread the Good News to those who needed it, then he’d willingly submit.

I think it may be more accurate to regard him as a patron of Addiction Recovery, due to the following line from one of the biographies I read:

“St. Maximilian would propose a spirituality of an interior “holocaust” in order to burn away sin and imperfections to let love triumph.” (From Kolbe: Saint of the Immaculata; Kalvelage, Francis M, F.I., editor. Franciscans of the Immaculate, New Bedford, MA; 2001. site: MaryMediatrix )

Isn’t that what we are doing when we enter our recovery? We “burn away sin and imperfections” to allow our truer selves through. We “let love triumph” for as much as we were self-centered during our addictions, we are more apt to turn towards others and act with compassion after our recovery begins.

Love was what St. Maximilian was about, serving others selflessly and finally paying the ultimate price: sacrificing himself for another man.

While we may not be called to be martyrs in the usual sense, those of us in recovery may be more ready to sacrifice ourselves for others in some manner. We have already “died”, inasmuch as our old addictive self perished in the interior “holocaust” of conversion and recovery.

I have a medal of St. Maximilian Kolbe, and on it he is identified as the “Saint of Addiction Recovery.” There is a prayer on it which reads:

“Give me the strength to overcome my habits, clear vision to righteousness, and the will to overcoma all obstacles.”

There is an excellent biographical summary here:

Saint Maximilian Kolbe

(Via SQPN Saints Index.)

I have written about him before:

Feast of St. Maximilian Kolbe

St. Maximilian Kolbe Novena for Alcoholics and Addicts

Consecration Anniversary

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!!)