The Difference Between A Drunk Show And A Real AA Meeting – Fr. W.

About This Speaker Tape

Tom W., a Catholic priest, recounts his sobriety since August 1976. His early life was marked by a pattern of 'crash and burn' cycles, finding temporary life only in the classroom or when busy. His alcoholism was deeply intertwined with family dynamics, comparing it to a 'rhinoceros in the living room.' Sobriety forced him to confront deep emotional wounds, like his mother's criticism, and the difficulty of admitting his true struggle.

He found structure in AA meetings, noting the difference between the initial, performative gratitude and the genuine connection found in shared struggle. The core of his recovery centers on the difficult work of the Fourth and Fifth S.—admitting wrongs—and the realization that true faith requires leaving the familiar, much like Abraham leaving his home for an unknown, hostile land. He concludes that the process itself, even the pain, is a blessing.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:00 Introduction; stating sobriety since August 1976.
• 0:58 Discussing the 'severely mother conflicted' label and the necessity of personal inventories.
• 3:35 Recalling the family's euphemisms for alcoholism, comparing it to a 'rhinoceros in the living room.'
• 11:35 The initial experience of AA, feeling like an outsider, and the shock of the applause.
• 17:20 The discussion on the three phases of alcoholism: fun, fun plus problems, and finally, problems.
• 23:00 The difficulty of the Fourth and Fifth Steps, and the initial fear of vulnerability.
• 36:00 The discussion of the 'Higher Power' business, contrasting initial belief with the reality of addiction.
• 43:00 The Genesis story analogy: leaving the familiar for a dangerous, unknown land, mirroring sobriety.