Grace and Healing: The Church in Opioid Crisis
Title: Grace and Healing: The Obligation of the Church in the Opioid Crisis
Date: Saturday, November 6
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Location: Central Association of the Miraculous Medal (475 E. Chelten Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19144)
God is love. These three words summarize what constitutes the deepest desire and longing in all human beings – namely, to love and be loved by our Creator, and to claim that love as both our identity and the source of our human dignity. Yet so often it is our own distractions and unnatural attachments to things, substances or behaviors that prevent us from developing a true intimacy with God and others.
Join us on November 6 as we journey to discover the ‘blockages’ that prevent us from developing our own intimacy with God. We will explore how our Spiritual Ancestors struggled with their own disordered attachments and unruly desires. Then, using prayer, small group reflection, and Lectio Divina we will reflect upon our personal spiritual journeys and identify things in our lives that might distance us from God’s abundant grace.
We will also discuss the very real obligation the Church has to serve those who suffer from these attachments, particularly as they pertain to substance use disorders and the current opioid epidemic. What are pragmatic steps that we, as a community in Christ, can take to help the suffering?
The goal of the retreat is for participants to recognize the distractions and attachments in each of their lives so that they might better understand the plight of our brothers and sisters who suffer from all sorts of addictions, and may better see the face of Christ in all who are sick and suffering.
Fee: $25 per person (Continental Breakfast and Lunch included)
Registration Deadline: Thursday, November 4th at 4 p.m.
Keaton Douglas, the Executive Director of the I THIRST Initiative, a Mission of the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity, is a consultant, educator, counselor, and frequent guest speaker in the field of addiction and recovery, particularly as it pertains to the interface of Catholic spirituality and recovery. She is the creator of the I THIRST Initiative – (The Healing Initiative – Recovery, Spirituality, Twelve step), a comprehensive program which focuses on spirituality in the prevention, treatment and aftercare of those suffering from substance use disorders and their families. Keaton holds a Bachelor of Science from Georgetown University, in Washington, D.C., and an M.A. in Theology from the Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology at Seton Hall. She is also a CCAR (Connecticut Community Addiction Recovery) Recovery Coach. Keaton has one grown son, Michael, and she and her husband, Tom, live on a small horse farm in Sussex County, New Jersey.
For more information about Keaton Douglas or the IThirst program, please visit https://ithirstinitiative.org.
