ACCOMPANYING ONE ANOTHER

On the Journey through “Addiction to Recovery”

(AOA) “ACCOMPANYING ONE ANOTHER” on the Journey through “ADDICTION TO RECOVERY” – St. Joan of Arc Parish Family will soon be offering a Christ centered ministry of spiritual support (AOA) for anyone on their journey through addiction to recovery or anyone accompanying a loved one on their own journey.

Without replacing existing support groups, such as: Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Al-Anon or Nar-Anon, in anyway, our AOA meetings will follow the powerful “Twelve Steps” that lead towards recovery – and will be open to any person affected by this disease.  Each AOA meeting will be centered on open & confidential discussions about where we are along our respective journeys, and will begin and close in prayer.

All are Welcome! 

Weekly meetings are held in the St. Joan of Arc School Cafeteria on Sunday evenings from 7:00pm to 8:15pm.  Our school cafeteria is located at: 101 Evans Road, Marlton NJ 08053, and parking will be at the rear entrance to the school cafeteria.

To have a conversation, please contact Dan at aoa@stjoans.org 

or Elaine at aoa@stjoans.org 

MISSION STATEMENT

Accompanying One Another (AOA) is a “Christ centered” ministry offered by St. Joan of Arc Parish, committed to providing spiritual support and hope for all people in their journey through addiction to recovery.  The AOA ministry is committed to working together to help all whose lives are affected by alcohol and drug addiction including those directly affected by addiction and anyone accompanying a loved one on their own journey.  In addition to raising awareness about the disease of addiction, we are readily available to help anyone affected by addiction — to listen in a nonjudgmental way and to provide a safe and confidential support network.

“Suffering With Others

Compassion means to become close to the one who suffers.  But we can come close to another person only when we are willing to become vulnerable ourselves.  A compassionate person says ‘I am your brother, I am your sister, I am human, fragile and mortal just like you.  I am not scandalized by your tears nor afraid of your pain.  I too have wept.  I too have felt pain.’  We can be with the other only when the other ceases to be ‘other’ and becomes like us.

When I reflect on my own life, I realize that the moments of greatest comfort and consolation were moments when someone said ‘I cannot take away your pain, I cannot offer you a solution for your problem but I can promise you that I won’t leave you alone and will hold on to you as long and as well as I can’.  There is much grief and pain in our lives, but what a blessing it is when we do not have to live our grief and pain alone.  That is the gift of compassion.”

“Here and Now” by Henri J.M. Nouwen