Catholic & in Al-Anon

  • Thread starter Thread starter JenDox
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
J

JenDox

Guest
I am Catholic, I love the Church! I am also a member of Al-Anon, I have been in the program just over a year.

The Al-Anon program is a spiritual program. I have learned, grown, and healed a lot in the program and I see the glorious value in it! HOWEVER, I am very uncomfortable with the spiritual relativism in the program. One is discouraged to say specifics about “The God of your understanding” (ack- even that phrase bothers me!). But so, so, often, oh so often I want to say the Truths in which I have been taught by Holy Mother Church!

I have tried to start an online “Catholics in Recovery” group and have not had success. If you’re in AA or Al-Anon and Catholic, what do you think of this idea? Do you have the same concerns?

One last important thing. I have been searching and praying for a Catholic sponsor. It is very important to me (for the reasons above) to have a solid Catholic help me through the program and through the steps. I haven’t found anyone (sometimes God’s timing is not my timing- haha). Any advice/guidance on that would be appreciated too.
 
Hi,

I know exactly what you mean. I was married to an alcoholic and after we separated I went to Al-Anon meetings - at a couple different places. I was disappointed too,and I found it to be very depressing dealing with those people. I wanted to reach out to someone - but everyone at the meetings I attended would have just sucked me under.

The first meeting I went to there were about 15 people, but they were all very confused people. (my counselor says that these were pretty dysfunctional groups) Not that I am condeming them at all - when alcoholism is in your life it messes everything up. But the lady who was in charge was about 45 years old and still would not admit that there was a God. She was alright with calling it a “higher power” but not God. She said that up to just a few years ago she never even realized or acknowledged that there was a “higher power”.

I was mortified.:crying: I was going there for help and guidance. I would have loved to find a friend. But these people were a lot worse off than I was - at least I hope so. (maybe I am just messed up in a different way).

Many, many times I wished that I could attend a group of nonjudgemental Catholics for discussion. A Catholic Al-Anon group would be great, but I would take any type of Catholic spiritual discussion group. But I can’t find one in my area…I don’t know if that means the Catholics in my area are pretty much under control of their lives or if they don’t talk about it, or if they have support somewhere else. These forums are as close as I can get. I have 1 other person who I can talk to about spiritual things, but they are very busy and I am very needy. Much needier than they have time for :o

I can offer to talk, but I can’t promise that I have any answers.🙂

Terry
 
You might want to check out Fr. Emmerich Vogt, OP and his program at www.12-step-review.org . His roots are in Al-Anon, but he’s definitely Catholic. Great stuff!

Kathy
 
I’ve just learned to separate AA from my Catholic faith. AA is intentionally non-denominational. It is intended to appeal to and help the widest range of people possible. Many AA members grew up feeling abandoned by God, and even a belief in some sort of higher power takes them years to come to terms with. So, I don’t talk about the Eucharist in AA meetings, and I don’t talk about AA with my Catholic friends. It works better for everyone involved…and one of the main things that I learned in AA was that there are many other people involved other than myself! 🙂
 
JenDox said:
Thanks everyone!

KathyA- I really really really (did I say really?) liked the site www.12-step-review.org Thank you so much for the reference! 🙂 😃 👍
Click to expand...
I’m happy to help. Fr. Emmerich gave a mission at our parish and was just awesome, so I don’t hesitate to recommend him whenever I get the chance. 😃

Kathy
 
JenDox said:
I am Catholic, I love the Church! I am also a member of Al-Anon, I have been in the program just over a year.

The Al-Anon program is a spiritual program. I have learned, grown, and healed a lot in the program and I see the glorious value in it! HOWEVER, I am very uncomfortable with the spiritual relativism in the program. One is discouraged to say specifics about “The God of your understanding” (ack- even that phrase bothers me!). But so, so, often, oh so often I want to say the Truths in which I have been taught by Holy Mother Church!

I have tried to start an online “Catholics in Recovery” group and have not had success. If you’re in AA or Al-Anon and Catholic, what do you think of this idea? Do you have the same concerns?

One last important thing. I have been searching and praying for a Catholic sponsor. It is very important to me (for the reasons above) to have a solid Catholic help me through the program and through the steps. I haven’t found anyone (sometimes God’s timing is not my timing- haha). Any advice/guidance on that would be appreciated too.
Click to expand...
What do you want in a sponsor, I have much back ground about alchohol etc having been married to a “dry alcoholic” and also having counselled them for some years. I am a very strong Catholic.

God bless
littleone
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top