How YOU help Bill and others like him in recovery …

My parents were salt of the earth Catholics.

Although Dad was a professional football player and entrepreneur, he never missed his annual retreat at Our Mother of Sorrows Passionist Retreat Center in West Springfield, Massachusetts. Mom was also deeply devoted to her faith. She raised three children and taught at a parochial grammar school for many years.

My siblings and I were blessed to be raised by the parents we had.

But I got away from my religion due to alcoholism.

Although I was a successful attorney with a wonderful wife and family, my disease overtook so much of my life — including my spiritual life. The road to recovery was an arduous one, but eventually, I joined my wife for Mass one Sunday on vacation in Maine. That was a key turning point on my journey back to living fully in faith.

In 2001, while still practicing law and with newfound faith in God’s plan for my life, I founded Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, a non-profit organization that helps members of the Connecticut legal community overcome personal, mental health and addiction problems.

With God’s strength, I used my name publicly and openly in acknowledging the disease of alcoholism and encouraging as many people as I could to step out of the shade of shame and into the light of recovery.

Led by others in recovery, the retreat workshops and AA meetings are restorative. Fr. David and Fr. Terry do an outstanding job of welcoming ALL (and I mean ALL) to enjoy Masses, beautiful music, and time to rest and reflect. The “miracles” you see around the room continue to nourish my soul and inspire me!

My life has come full circle, and I understand in the deepest way why Dad never missed a retreat. I don’t intend to miss one either. I am happy to have supported the Resilience Fund and am grateful to everyone who is praying for and helping Holy Family during the pandemic.

Thanks to donors like you, members of this community have found strength to persevere through online programming during the pandemic. Matt Talbot Recovery Retreats are open to all people, from all backgrounds, regardless of whether or not they are a member of a church.