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The book titled Alcoholics Anonymous is in the 4th edition. It has affectionately been called “The Big Book” since early in its publication history in 1939. I never heard any other book referred to as a “big book” without clarifying the fellowship until I came into Catholic in Recovery. Now I hear people banty the term around and then acknowledge they are talking about the Big Red Book or The Big White Book. Sometimes people try to clarify that the AA text is the Big Blue Book. The foundation of the 12 steps is explained very well in the original and also in the AA Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. Both of these volumes emphasize that the steps are applicable to multiple behaviors and relationships. Al-Anon is a program for family (Children, parents, spouses, siblings, cousins etc) and friends of alcoholics and can likewise be applied to relationships with people who have various addictions, compulsions and unhealthy attachments. When Scott Weeman started the Catholic in Recovery fellowship and wrote the book, Twelve Steps and the Sacraments, we have the privilege of being a part of a developing program where we can integrate the steps with a deeper understanding and growth in our faith. Now we have the workbook to help us apply the steps to our lives and recovery. I urge you to go to lots of zoom meetings and if possible, in-person ones. Get comfortable around these people, get contact information and reach out to people. Keep asking God’s guidance and you will get answers. (Sometimes those answers come quickly and sometimes slowly – but keep coming back!)
A saying I heard early in program just popped in my head. Go to 90 meetings in 90 days and if you do not think this is for you, we will gladly refund your misery.
Peace of Christ be with you;
FrancesWhit, great contribution to this discussion. Tim, James and I have talked about this very thing a LOT. The connections we are getting through the morning 11th step meetings and now the Saturday night Big Blue Book Step Family meetings and Speaker meeting are allowing us to meet more faithful Catholics whose prayer life is palpitating. Some are new to recovery and some have many years, but the importance of the basics of the steps combined with our Catholic life is resulting in growth. The workbook was just published and emphasizes not going through this alone and under the guidance of someone who has already worked the Twelve Steps. I have an AA/Al-Anon sponsor who helps me and shares with me, but frankly, I have to push on her to work the steps so we have not gotten very far and she is not Catholic. Sharing with other women I am meeting in CIR zoom meetings and with whom I can relate has been refreshing and strengthening. I have found co-sponsoring to be useful in moving through the steps at a deeper level, and mutually beneficial.
My suggestion is go to in-person (if available) meetings and lots of zoom meetings. Get on a few minutes early for the banter and stay on after for “parking lot” meetings and then listen to the shares and reflections. Contact the people you seem to relate to and just get to know them. Be open to people reaching out to you. Through working the program, God (through Mary, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the angels) will lead you to the person (people) who answer those burning desires – (Things needed and wanted!)
(Obviously, I have difficulty going this deep in the broader AA and other 12-step communities, and it is even more difficult to feed and be fed in those meetings today than it was 30, 40, or even 20 years ago!)
