Breaking Enabling Cycles

Father Frank shares a story that highlights how the struggles of addiction know no social boundaries, and how important the role is for family and friends to stop enabling unhealthy behavior as a critical step in breaking this destructive cycle and allow room for healing to begin. 

Believe in the Power of Hope!

Transcript

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SPEAKER_01 0:32

Welcome to another edition of Hopecast. My name is Father Francis Pizzarelli. I'm the founder and executive director of Hope House Ministries. You know, as I think about the many young men that have come my way, and I think of the countless stories of change and transformation, so many of them come to mind. But some stick out more than others. A while back, a young man who was born into privilege reached out to me from Florida. His parents finally stopped enabling him. And he was sleeping under bridges. And he finally got tired of it. He was a heroin addict. He was finally willing to commit to long-term treatment. So he came from Florida. The first few months, like many men with his profile, were not easy. But he began to really look at himself and look at the reasons that he made poor choices. And look at how he could change his life for the better. When you're at Hope Academy, you have an opportunity when you reach a certain level in the program to go back to school. Your choice is suffered community college or St. Joseph's University. I happen to be a professor there, and thanks to the Sisters of St. Joseph, have a number of scholarships. And so this young man uh qualified for the scholarship. And he hadn't been in school. He basically flunked out each time he attempted because of his drug use. He went to school, he did extraordinarily well, graduated at the top of his class, then went to law school locally and was the valedictorian and shared his story. He is now a practicing attorney. He met his wife while he was with me. She's a social worker, and they have three beautiful children. He continues to give back by coming around and intermingling with the men and not being afraid to share his story. His parents are forever grateful because they had a son that they thought was dead, and they now have him back. Their family that was fractured is now whole. And every time I see them, they say thank you. And I say thank you to them for breaking the cycle of enabling, for being open to supporting and doing the hard stuff because love is hard. But this young man is an extraordinary example of tenacity, of renewed hope, that change does happen and transformation is possible. I share his story when I can, because I think it touches many other men who really feel so shackled to their addiction and so hopeless to know that hope does spring eternal and it is there, but you have to reach for it.

SPEAKER_00 4:03

I see the world through the eyes of a child.