The Catholic in Recovery Podcast

In this episode of the Catholic in Recovery podcast, Scott Weeman and Father Sean Kilcawley discuss the importance of letting go of control in recovery, relationships, and our spiritual lives. They reflect on the difference between taking responsibility and trying to control outcomes, how fear and expectations can lead to unnecessary suffering, and why respecting the freedom of others is essential to healthy relationships. They also explore practical ways to surrender control, including setting boundaries, seeking God's guidance, and trusting Him with the results of our actions.

Ann shares how years of alcoholism and codependency were fueled by a lifelong belief that it was her responsibility to hold everything together. Beneath a seemingly successful life, she battled crushing shame, fear, and the mental obsession to drink. Through the grace of recovery, surrendering her will to God, and rediscovering her Catholic faith, she found freedom not only from alcohol but from the burden of self-reliance.

In this episode of the Catholic in Recovery podcast, Scott Weeman and Father Sean Kilcawley discuss the importance of sponsorship in 12-step recovery and how helping others strengthens our own recovery. They reflect on how to know when you're ready to become a sponsor, why sponsors don't necessarily need to share the same faith or life experiences, and how to learn from the guidance of your own sponsor. They also respond to a listener's question about navigating differences in spiritual beliefs, emphasizing the importance of healthy boundaries, humility, and compassion when supporting others on their recovery journey.

In this episode of the Catholic in Recovery podcast, Scott Weeman and Father Sean Kilcawley reconnect after a busy summer and reflect on how God brings healing and freedom through forgiveness, honesty, and surrender. They respond to a listener struggling to access recovery because of disability and limited privacy, offering practical ways to find support and emphasizing the importance of vulnerability and trusted relationships. They also discuss how families can respond when discovering a loved one’s addiction, encouraging compassion, healthy boundaries, and openness to the healing God can bring through recovery.

Kevin shares how years of functioning alcoholism quietly eroded his interior life despite a successful career, family, and outward appearance of stability. Through the support of recovery, a renewed commitment to his Catholic faith, and a life of prayer, confession, and service, he discovered that sobriety involves not only putting down the drink but allowing God to repair and transform the heart. Kevin’s story is a hopeful reminder that lasting peace and freedom become possible when we surrender our lives to Christ and remain teachable in recovery.

Jana shares how a lifelong struggle with perfectionism, an eating disorder, and alcoholism left her trapped in a cycle of obsession, secrecy, and despair despite outward success and accomplishment. Through recovery, the Twelve Steps, and a profound surrender to God, she experienced freedom from the desire to drink and discovered a deep, personal relationship with Jesus that sustained her through grief, illness, and life's challenges. Jana’s story is a powerful witness that lasting serenity and healing become possible when we trust in God’s love and allow Him to restore what addiction has broken.

Lucy shares her lifelong struggle with food addiction, a battle that led to secrecy, shame, serious health consequences, and a profound sense of bondage. After years of failed attempts to control her addiction, a moment of surrender led her to Catholic in Recovery, where she encountered the healing power of the Twelve Steps, authentic fellowship, and a deeper relationship with God. Lucy’s story is a powerful witness to the freedom Christ offers, revealing how God can break even the strongest chains and transform despair into lasting hope.

Bernard shares how a hidden addiction to lust, pornography, and masturbation shaped his relationships, fueled anxiety, and left him spiritually disconnected despite outward success and respectability. Through the Twelve Steps, surrender to God, and ultimately his encounter with Catholicism and the sacraments, he discovered that true freedom comes not through willpower but through a relationship with God. Bernard’s story is a powerful witness that lasting recovery is possible when we allow God to heal our deepest wounds, restore our dignity, and lead us from isolation and fear into peace, purpose, and love.

In this episode of the Catholic in Recovery podcast, Scott Weeman and Father Sean Kilcawley reflect on the parallels between physical rehabilitation and addiction recovery, using Father Sean's experience with physical therapy after a foot injury to explore the importance of humility, honesty, and consistent daily practices. They discuss how objective assessments, accountability, and seemingly small disciplines, whether physical therapy exercises, recovery meetings, or sponsor check-ins—are often the very means by which lasting healing takes place, even when their benefits are not immediately apparent. The conversation concludes by considering how Catholic institutions can better accompany those struggling with addiction and emotional wounds, emphasizing the need for greater formation, compassion, and an integrated approach to healing that addresses the whole person.

In this episode of the Catholic in Recovery podcast, Scott Weeman and Father Sean Kilcawley discuss the complexities of managing addiction recovery alongside mental illnesses, specifically addressing a listener's experience with sex addiction and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). They emphasize that a strong recovery team should include a 12-step sponsor, a therapist, and a spiritual director, and stress the importance of finding specialized help for conditions like OCD or trauma, noting that trauma is often a factor in chronic relapse. The conversation concludes by underscoring the need to prioritize sobriety as the foundation for life, and then systematically address other areas of health—spiritual, physical, financial, and emotional—to achieve a life of purpose, joy, and peace.