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• 9/29/2011 10:45 PM Jim S. wrote:
  http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/243411/pope_benedict_visits_drug_rehab_center_pg2.html "those many other institutions throughout the world which work to rebuild and renew the lives of these brothers and sisters of ours present in our midst, whom God loves with a preferential love. I am thinking of groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous as well as the sobriety associations working generously in many communities so as to build up the lives of others." Pope Benedict sees 12-step spirituality as compatible with our Catholic Faith, and so do I. The strength of Catholics in 12 step programs is often dependent on the orthodoxy of the diocese itself, not with the principles of the program itself. Many very faithful and orthodox Catholic leaders know the spirituality of 12 step programs very well and see that it is very much compilable with the traditional teachings of the Catholic Church. Research THE CALIX SOCIETY (a Catholic 12 step program that has been around since 1942) and find out what Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz has to say about it. Read the speech that Pope Paul VI gave to them in 1974. The Archdiocese of LA is not known for its orthodoxy, in fact, some of the most problematic dissenters have been from that diocese. So it doesn't surprise me one bit that Johnny Garcia would have had the experiences he did with Catholics in 12 step programs that he did there. And I'm sure the same is true of that woman who called the show. Go to some AA meetings in a diocese that has a good, solid Bishop and talk with some Catholic "old-timer's" there. I guarantee your experiences with them will be different.
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• 10/13/2011 3:22 PM John wrote:
  Thank you for the comment my brother. Let me point out what else our Holy Father said in this article ""It is the conversions, the rediscovery of God and active participation in the life of the Church which attract even greater attention and which confirm the importance of your work. It is not enough to care for the body, we must adorn the soul with the most precious divine gifts acquired through Baptism." He is referring to the Sacraments. Our Holy Father did not say it was compatible nor would he for the following reasons: The solution to overcoming our bad moral habits and sin is Jesus Christ; the Divine Physician. Jesus instituted Seven Sacraments that are received though His Bride, Holy Mother Church. His priests are the instruments acting in persona Christi that provide us all that we need through the ministry of the Roman Catholic Church. The Church He founded upon Saint Peter (Mat 16:18), our first pope, is the answer. For nineteen hundred years we believed that intoxication was a sin until the twelve steps and disease concept. The devil has done a fine job in leading more souls who struggle with addictions away from the truth who is Jesus Christ; the one and only Savior of the world and of the entire human race. As a result of our concupiscence our passions or emotions are disordered. We need God’s grace to do control our passions and crucify them with Jesus on the Cross. God forgives but nature never forgives. Our passions can only be kept under the control of reason subject to the intellect and will through Sanctifying Grace which only comes from Holy Mother Church. The goal of the devil is to conquer and divide. This is exactly what he accomplishes when children of God reject the fact that we have a fallen nature. Pope Leo XIII in 1884 warned the Church in his Encyclical titled, Humanum Genus, of a society that was surfacing whose principles contradicted the Church in that there was no faith in the consequences of Original Sin which referred to our fallen nature or fomes paccati (concupiscence). These naturalists also saw the education of religion be left to the fixed opinion of the individual, including that there be no obedience to any minister of the Church and that the education and instruction of morals of our children be kept under the control of laymen. What this refers to is no fallen nature and no commandments. The two most important post-baptismal truths we must believe in. This is the foundation of the twelve steps. The Council of Trent says:"This concupiscence, which at times the Apostle calls sin [Rom. 6:12 ff.] the holy Synod declares that the Catholic Church has never understood to be called sin, as truly and properly sin in those born again, but because it is from sin and inclines to sin. But if anyone is of the contrary opinion, let him be anathema.” The Big Book denies the Divinity of Jesus, rejects our fallen nature, and is not centered in obedience to the 10 Commandments. This is problematic for Catholics.
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  1. 10/14/2011 7:35 AM Joshua wrote:
     Johnny, very well said. The following maxim says it all and thus summarizes the whole debate: "Lex orandi lex crendendi. Lex crendendi lex vivendi.” How you pray is how you believe, and how you believe is how you live. Ideas have consequences, and bad ideas have bad consequences.
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