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  • Writer's pictureProfiles in Catholicism
    • Nov 11, 2020
    • 22 min read

Substance Use and Abuse

Updated: Nov 12, 2020


A Message from the Editor

There are two pandemics that affect us globally – Addiction, and Covid-19.- both of which we cover extensively

We have interviewed some of the experts on Addiction to provide some insight into the causes and treatment of various forms of addiction.There are books, articles, and videos that we hope will provide greater insight into this challenge that affects our families, friends, neighbors, and so many other whom we do not know and hopefully pray for.

​Our mission includes helping people with cancer. Please read my interview with my friend Alwin Rex whom we have been trying to help for many months. I hope that our readers will consider sending him a donation. We have used the link to his PayPal account many times and it has been very helpful in sending a donation.

I was deeply saddened to learn of the Vienna Terror Attack. My mother was born in Vienna and I have relatives there.

The release of The McCarrick Report is making headlines all over the world and we have several reports on this including the full text of the report. I asked Father Hans Zollner, S.J. to update his interview with a comment and he wrote “Without the courage and determination of victims the report would not have been come about. In my eyes, this is an attempt by the Holy See to acknowledge and remedy the dismay and distrust many in the US Church have felt due to the McCarrick case. It is also an implementation of the principles of transparency and accountability from the February 2019 summit. The report is an unprecedented step, but I can't imagine it will be the last.”

The World celebrated the election of Joe Biden as President of the United States. In London they set oft fireworks, In Paris, all the church bells rang. In Chicago, they kept honking car horns for hours.

We ask all of our readers to pray for the end of religious hatred and terrorism in Europe.

In our December 1 issue we will be addressing African Challenges.

​Prayers

Prayer to St. Jude to End Addiction

God of life, You made me in Your perfect image, to live in Your love and to give You glory, honor and praise. Open my heart to Your healing power. Come, Lord Jesus, calm my soul just as you whispered “Peace” to the stormy sea.

St. Jude, most holy Apostle, in my need I reach out to you. I beg you to intercede for me that I may find strength to overcome my illness. Bless all those who struggle with addiction. Touch them, heal them, reassure them of the Father’s constant love.

Remain at my side, St. Jude, to chase away all evil temptations, fears, and doubts. May the quiet assurance of your loving presence illuminate the darkness in my heart and bring lasting peace. Amen.

A Quote to Remember

“Every drug addict has a unique personal story and must be listened to, understood, loved, and, insofar as possible, healed and purified. We cannot stoop to the injustice of categorizing drug addicts as if they were mere objects or broken machines; each person must be valued and appreciated in his or her dignity in order to enable them to be healed. The dignity of the person is what we are called to seek out. They continue to possess, more than ever, a dignity as children of God.” by Pope Francis

Prayer to End Human Trafficking.

Lord Jesus you taught us the value of human life, the dignity of every person,

You said, like Isaiah, you came to bring good news to the poor,

To set captives free,

To lift up the oppressed,

To give sight to the blind,

May we not be blind but inspired by your words and action,

to support the children, and free all the captured slaves,

the victims of the people traders, bought and sold as objects by the

human traffickers, may we set them free and end the scourge of human trafficking in your name.

Lord Jesus May your spirit be upon us. Amen by Father Shay Cullen Profiles in Catholicism

O God, you sent your Son, Jesus Christ, among us to lead us back to you. Through the priestly ministry, Fr. Nikolaos gives glory to your name, and leads the faithful in Lyon into an encounter with you through Word and Sacrament. We pray for him, that you may wrap your healing arms around him as he recovers from this terrible act of violence. May he find strength in the prayers of the community he serves, and the Church universal, and may his sufferings be joined to Christ on the cross, for the salvation and sanctification of the world. May Mary, the Mother of God, and health of the sick, intercede for him. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

by Deacon Andrew Matijevic Profiles in Catholicism

A Prayer for Those Who Died and Were injured in the attack at Afghanistan university

Good and Gracious God, You know the Islamic State group said on a message on the Telegram app that it had targeted "the graduation of judges and investigators working for the apostate Afghan government." Covid 19 restrictions have been eased at the university in recent weeks and students have only recently returned to classes and dormitories. These wonderful men and women were desiring to learn about you and to love you. Please Lord hold them in your embrace. They have fought Afghan and U.S. forces in the country for the past three years. Officials say some fighters have emerged in larger cities like Kabul and have been part of attacks that often resemble those of the Taliban. This group was trying to establish patterns of peace, which is currently involved in peace talks with the U.S.-backed Afghan government, said it was not involved in Monday's attack. Monday's was the second attack at an educational center in Kabul in the past few weeks. A suicide bomber killed dozens of people at a tutoring center on Oct. 24. Help those working for peace continue to do so. Welcome into your kingdom those who suffered and died in establishing peace. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen. by Eileen Quinn Knight, Ph.D. Profiles in Catholicism

A Prayer for Victims of the Vienna Terror Attack

Loving Lord.

Please embrace those who have died in the Vienna terror attack and heal those who have been injured Llet your infinite love protect all those in Vienna and end the terrorism

by Gordon Nary Profiles in Catholicism

A prayer for those murdered in the Nice Cathedral attack

“A New Beginning”

Lord, Lord, Lord!

Three people have come before you:

They came before you in silent prayer and then,

Unexpectedly, like fierce, freak weather,

They came in person –

We beg you to welcome them in all their unexpectedness,

To meet them in their coming and to have mercy on them!

Let them enter your flaming love and suffuse them with

Your heart’s embrace, like coals let them glow with grace

And, like the light on the sea, let them sparkle like stars,

But more brilliantly than the glowing colours of the rainbow.

Lord, Lord! Lord!

Three people were abruptly separated from their families,

You know the shock of the unexpected news of their death,

You know what shock waves spread throughout the country,

Around the world –

We beg you to send your consoling Spirit to comfort and encourage The relatives and those around, enveloping them

In blessings beyond telling, spilling over to all they meet.

Lord! Lord! Lord!

How we need your mercy to pour through the lives of all,

Running, like a flash flood, but staying, like ground water,

Seeping into the hearts that need softening, healing,

Helping us to go beyond recriminations, revenge,

Extremism, discouragement, and despair –

Rebuilding love, forgiveness, dialogue, understanding

And hope:

That today there will be a new beginning

Unfolding in all our tomorrows.

by Francis Etheredge Profiles in Catholicism


Une prière pour les assassinés lors de l'attaque de la cathédrale de Nice

"Un nouveau départ"

Seigneur, Seigneur, Seigneur!

Trois personnes sont venues avant vous:

Ils sont venus devant vous dans une prière silencieuse et ensuite,

De manière inattendue, comme un temps féroce et anormal,

Ils sont venus en personne -

Nous vous prions de les accueillir dans toute leur imprévu,

Pour les rencontrer dans leur venue et avoir pitié d'eux!

Laissez-les entrer dans votre amour flamboyant et imprégnez-les de

L'étreinte de ton cœur, comme les charbons, laisse-les briller de grâce

Et, comme la lumière sur la mer, laissez-les scintiller comme des étoiles,

Mais plus brillamment que les couleurs éclatantes de l'arc-en-ciel.

Seigneur, Seigneur! Seigneur!

Trois personnes ont été brusquement séparées de leur famille,

Vous connaissez le choc de la nouvelle inattendue de leur mort,

Vous savez quelles ondes de choc se sont propagées dans tout le pays,

Autour du monde -

Nous vous prions d'envoyer votre Esprit réconfortant pour réconforter et encourager les proches et ceux qui les entourent, les enveloppant

Dans des bénédictions au-delà de dire, se répandant sur tout ce qu'ils rencontrent.

Seigneur! Seigneur! Seigneur!

Comment nous avons besoin de votre miséricorde pour se répandre dans la vie de tous,

Courir, comme une crue éclair, mais rester, comme l'eau souterraine,

Infiltrant dans les cœurs qui ont besoin d'être adoucis, guéris,

Nous aider à dépasser les récriminations, la vengeance,

Extrémisme, découragement et désespoir -

Reconstruire l'amour, le pardon, le dialogue, la compréhension

Et l'espoir:

Qu'aujourd'hui il y aura un nouveau départ

Se déployant dans tous nos lendemains.

par Francis Etheredge Profiles in Catholicism

A Prayer for the Victims of Violence in France

O Blessed Virgin Mary, bright dawn of the new world, Mother of France and of all, to you do we entrust the cause of life. Look down, O Mother, upon the men and women who are victims of brutal violence. Grant that all who believe in your Son may proclaim the Gospel of life with honesty and love to the people of our time. Obtain for the world the grace to accept that Gospel as a gift ever new, the joy of celebrating it with gratitude and the courage to bear witness to it resolutely. So may we build, together with all people of good will, the civilization of truth and love, to the praise and glory of God, the Creator and lover of life.

Eternal rest grant unto the victims of violence, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them’ Adapted from JPII"s closing prayer of his encyclical on the Gospel of Life by Father Mark White

Prayer for America

When victory brings a leader with integrity and intent,

it brings hope of action into the fading light,

and dispels the hatred and anger of the night.

A leader who will right the many wrongs, undo the havoc and

end the chaos, call for healing and making peace,

so enemies can be reconciled and happiness increase.

Let calm and harmony come to tame the waves and stormy sea,

Lord let the power of your presence truly be.

More love in a loveless land to bring unity and end

exclusion and racist crime.

Let the leader bring peace and justice in due time.

May the healing now begin, and end the widespread sin,

With equality and respect, let dignity grow,

like the flowers in a garden where the pure waters flow.

Inspire us all to protect the vulnerable and grow back trust

bring honor to a nation damaged but soon to be renewed

and life again in the community of nations approved. Amen

by Father Shay Cullen Profiles in Catholicism

Interviews

Addiction Articles/Commentaries


Featured Report

General Articles/Commentaries


Featured Report

Featured Report

Featured Report

General Violence Challenges

Please support one of our organizations, colleagues, and friends who need help

  • Please send a donation for help save the life of my close friend Alwin Rex in India. Please read the article How do we love our neighbor as ourselves? and send a donation of $10.00 or more to help cover his healthcare costs to PayPal link : https://www.paypal.me/AlwinRex Thank you Gordon Nary Editor, Profiles in Catholicism

  • Please help Francis Otieno care for children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa who are also starving. He desperately needs your donations. Thank you Gordon Nary Editor, Profiles in Catholicism

  • Donation request for mentally retarded children in India When Children are Set Free by Father Shay Cullen Preda Foundation Father Shay Cullen established The Preda Foundation in Olongapo City in 1974 and has being rescuing enslaved children and women from sex slavery and children from jails. He has been nominated four times for the Nobel Peace Prize, and received other human rights awards. Saikou Kambi, a 7-year-old boy in The Gambia who fell from a mange tree, was seriously injured and later died . We a hope that some of our readers will make a donation to cover his medical expense. Donations should be sent to Heidi Troyer via PayPal to her email address-heiditroyercrossclub16@gmail.com. She will foreword it on it on to Saikou’s pastor, and funds donated that exceed his medical expenses will go to help support his family

Book Reviews/Commentaries

Film Reviews/Commentaries

  • Clouds Reviewed by Paul O'Donnell Religion News Service

  • Two Crowns Reviewed by Brad Miner The Catholic Spirit

  • Francesco Reviewed by Joshua J. McElwee National Catholic Reporter

  • Mangrove Reviewed by Paul Donovan Independent Catholic News

  • Honest Thief Reviewed by Joseph Mcaleer CNS/Pilot

  • Suspiria Reviewed by Jason McCreery, SJ The Jesuit Post

  • The Good Lord Bird Reviewed by Rob Weinert-Kendt America

Television Reviews/Commentaries

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Feasting with the Saints

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