Florida Catholic | Grace is key to freedom from addiction’s ‘prison’

Grace is key to freedom from addiction’s ‘prison’

Tenth anniversary of diocese’s Substance Abuse Ministry is observed at Mass honoring those in recovery and their ministers.

NANCY FLANIGAN | FLORIDA CATHOLIC CORRESPONDENT

Published: 10.08.08

Please call 561-775-9527
to find out how to initiate a

Substance Abuse Ministry
(SAM) team in your parish.

JUNO BEACH | A man from Cape Town, South Africa, said he didn’t mind driving nearly an hour north from his son’s Boynton Beach home to attend a special Mass at this city’s St. Patrick Parish, where worshippers honored those recovering from addiction and those who minister to them.

“I’ve really looked forward to today,” said the retired business consultant. “I’ve been here for two weeks visiting my son. He goes to St. Thomas More. I feel blessed being here today.” (The Florida Catholic is not using his name or the names of others in recovery quoted in this story to protect their privacy.)

The Sept. 28 diocesan Mass celebrated the 10th anniversary of the diocese’s Substance Addiction Ministry and National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.

“When I got to town, my son helped me locate a 12-step meeting,” said the retiree, adding that his son also read about the special Mass and passed along the information to him. “Twelve-step groups are very strong in Cape Town and the provinces.”

Assistance from the diocesan ministry, known as SAM, also is only moments away when it comes to the Diocese of Palm Beach.

“So far, 14 parish-based SAM teams are up and running,” said Debbie Vagenius, who assists her husband, Erik Vagenius, director of SAM, in implementing and training parish-based teams. The diocesan ministry is also a phone call away for anyone seeking guidance, service presentations and referrals, she said.

Debbie Vagenius helped organize the St. Patrick gathering and reception that followed. Her enthusiasm and passion for the SAM ministry prompted at least two Holy Spirit parishioners to find out more about starting a SAM team at their Lantana parish.

“Among the … Florida dioceses, Palm Beach is considered the standard for substance-abuse programs,” Erik Vagenius said about the program, which uses education and on-call crisis line components to assist confidentially people seeking help for themselves, friends or loved ones.

Joe Finley, principal of St. Mark School in Boynton Beach, assists with his parish’s SAM ministry and the education of new team members.

“We formed a SAM team at Ascension parish in Boca Raton in 2002-2003. “It is one of our most successful programs.”

Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito concelebrated the special anniversary Mass with Father Brian Flanagan, pastor of St. Patrick. Father Kevin Nelson, St. Patrick parochial vicar, Deacon Byron Champagne of St. Peter Parish in Jupiter and Father Brian King, the dioceses’ episcopal secretary, also took part.

Bishop Barbarito addressed his homily to the men and women working through various stages of recovery, their families and addiction treatment professionals, referring to addiction as “the prison” and grace as a gift “that frees its prisoner.”

“Christ comes to us in our ‘prison’ and raises us up out of our addictions, our failures,” he explained.

One man at Mass, who said he has been in recovery for the past 20 years, indicated that he was touched by the celebration and Bishop Barbarito’s words.

“Today’s Mass reintroduced me to mine (addiction problems and recovery),” he said.

He indicated that the homily was a reminder that weaknesses can be overcome through the power of grace received through prayer and the Eucharist.

Erik Vagenius said he hopes to present the diocesan SAM program around the diocese during Masses in January, to take advantage of the seasonal crowds here for the winter months. He also said he hopes to gain the support of additional volunteers to help with opening more ministries in the parishes.

Return to Diocese of Palm Beach Front Page