Why is the Catholic Church called “Catholic”? Catholic comes from the Greek word meaning universal. It contains the universality of the Gospel and Apostolic truths, and is applicable to all people in all times and for all things. Today’s Second Reading from the Office of Readings of the Liturgy of the Hours is explains it thusly:

From the Catechetical Lectures of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Lecture 18, paragraph 23, link found here:

It is called Catholic then because it <!–140 –>extends over all the world, from one end of the earth to the other; and because it teaches universally and completely one and all the doctrines which ought to come to men’s knowledge, concerning things both visible and invisible, heavenly and earthly<!–31-2301–>; and because it brings into subjection to godliness the whole race of mankind, governors and governed, learned and unlearned; and because it universally treats and heals the whole class of sins, which are committed by soul or body, and possesses in itself every form of virtue which is named, both in deeds and words, and in every kind of spiritual gifts.

That is why it is catholic, and why all human recovery programs should be secondary, to this, you primary weapon.


"The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts"

and "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics"