By editor - 06 February, 2013
Bishop Éamonn Walsh launched a pocket booklet of prayers and reflections for those affected by addiction produced by the Irish Bishops Drugs Initiative (IBDI) at the Dundalk Institute of Technology on 6th February 2013.
This prayer book and reflections is intended as a pastoral and spiritual resource that is available through contacting The IBDI, Columba Centre, Maynooth, Co Kildare, or can be ordered through the website www.irishbishopsdrugsinitiative.com.
The IBDI is a cross community support working in over 250 parishes involving over 1000 volunteers, to assist parishes and communities to address the challenges of alcohol/drugs misuse which affects every quarter of the country.
This Sunday 10 February 2013 is Temperance Sunday. Temperance Sunday precedes Ash Wednesday on 13 February, the beginning of Lent.
In his address at the launch, Bishop Walsh welcomed the statement on 4 February by Minister of State for Primary Care at the Department of Health, Alex White, regarding the practice of marketing of alcohol: “The biggest concern is marketing that is visible to children and young people.”
Bishop Walsh stated –
“Society needs to find imaginative ways of protecting children from being used as drinks advertisements on sports jerseys. Only a strong public determination will enable legislators to tackle the many vested interests which gain from this and similar practices. We all need to put our shoulder to the wheel and add real weight to the Minister’s pledge to address minimum pricing for alcohol products and to curb gradually their corporate sponsorship in sport.”
‘Andy’ was six weeks out of treatment when he telephoned on Friday afternoon at 4.30pm: “Can we meet Eamonn, I am desperate and on the drink.” I suggested that we talk when he was sober, to which he replied: “I can only talk when I am drinking.” He insists that we meet in a city centre pub. As Andy looks at his pint he says: “It is poison, it’s killing me, I asked my friends to shoot me but they refused. Can you help me? I hate myself. I am no good.” A week later he phones again to tell me that his GP has a new drug that has worked with ‘heavy drinkers’ allowing them have two or three a few times a week and not want for more. Andy has a long journey ahead. Every reader knows the story, it’s a familiar one, only the names change.
‘Tara’ tells her primary school teacher: “I am ashamed to bring my friends home as I don’t know what state my mother will be in drink or what mess the house will be in.” What a weight on such young shoulders.
The Irish Bishops’ Drugs Initiative new pocket book of prayers and reflections is a reflective resource to give hope, support and the will to carry on, to all who are struggling with misuse of drugs/alcohol, their families, those in treatment, recovery and denial.
Temperance, balance in life, change of heart begins within. This booklet is an aid to inner reflection. It invites us to go into our inner room and “ponder God’s Word in our heart.” Gradually through reflecting on God’s love for each one of us, a person can regain their self-respect and begin “to let go, let God.” Day by day “The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want” comes alive.
The Psalms speak to every mood and life’s happenings. They are the distilled faith-filled prayers that have stood the test of time. This one speaks to the person that feels that they are in the gutter and have reached “rock bottom”:
‘Save me, God, for the waters have reached my neck,
I have sunk into the mire of the deep, where there is no foothold’(Ps:69).
I asked Paschal to write a reflection to help people affected by alcohol/ drugs. The following was among his prayers and reflections:
[quote]My faith waned when life strained
My faith left when I lost hope
My faith in you was all but gone
Until I realized it was you who helped me carry on[/quote]
This booklet may serve some to open wide the “door of faith” (Acts 14:27). In a world of noise, reflection on God’s Word and meditation, allows us to hear the gentle promptings of God in the depths of our heart. It means more of “Speak Lord, your servant is listening”, rather than listen Lord your servant is speaking.
Through listening prayer, the temperate mind and heart gradually emerges. It was through this reflective prayer that Isaiah took courage and faced his fear and sense of inadequacy.
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying,
Whom shall I send? Who will be my messenger?
I answered, ‘Here I am, send me. (Isaiah 6:8)
In his Apostolic Letter to launch this current Year of Faith, Pope Benedict XVI, in urging the opening of the “door of faith”, said: “It is possible to cross the threshold when the Word of God is proclaimed and the heart allows itself to be shaped by transforming grace.” (Porta Fidei, par 1)
The listening prayer releases the “transforming grace” for those struggling with the misuse of alcohol/drugs and other addictive behaviours, those affected and people who see such needs as not their concern.
But what can any of us do? We can join forces and say enough is enough! The time has come for society to no longer stand idly by allowing conditions and practices continue which will expose our young people to a life of unnecessary misuse of drugs or alcohol.
I welcome the statement on 4 February by Minister of State for Primary Care at the Department of Health, Alex White, regarding the practice of marketing of alcohol: “The biggest concern is marketing that is visible to children and young people.”
Society needs to find imaginative ways of protecting children from being used as drinks advertisements on sports jerseys. Only a strong public determination will enable legislators to tackle the many vested interests which gain from this and similar practices.
We all need to put our shoulder to the wheel and add real weight to the Minister’s pledge to address minimum pricing for alcohol products and to curb gradually their corporate sponsorship in sport.
The Irish Bishops’ Drugs Initiative is a cross community support working in over 250 parishes involving over 1000 volunteers, to assist parishes and communities to address the challenges of alcohol/drugs misuse which affects every quarter of the country.
This prayer book and reflections is intended as a pastoral and spiritual resource that is available through contacting The IBDI, Columba Centre, Maynooth, Co Kildare, or can be ordered through the website www.irishbishopsdrugsinitiative.com
