CATHOLIC SPIRITUALITY AND THE 12 STEPS
WHAT IS WAYPOINT AND HOW CAN IT HELP MY SPIRITUAL LIFE?
Waypoint began at St. Mary of the Mills during Lent, 2022. The program is designed to assist everyone on their journey to holiness. In Waypoint, we apply the 12 steps to our spiritual lives and grow in virtue as Christian disciples. The talks include Scripture, Catholic teachings, and writings of the Saints. Following the talks, we break into small groups to discuss the talk and how we can apply it to our individual lives. The goal of Waypoint is a deeper personal relationship with God. It’s about healing, peace, and growth in discipleship.
Waypoint is now on summer break. We are working on plans to resume talks focused on living out our Baptism as members of the Body of Christ. During our break, we encourage everyone to watch the videos from our last 13 weeks (even if you were present for the meeting or watched them previously). We’ve also provided the talking points from each talk along with the discussion questions.
Until we return, we also encourage you to send us your feedback on Waypoint and provide suggestions for topics for the next part of our journey. If you have any questions about Waypoint, please contact us at: waypoint@stmaryofthemills.org
See Below to Download Resources Watch on YouTube!
IS WAYPOINT FOR ME?
Feeling Defeated?
· Do you dwell on past hurts and failures that you just can’t put behind you?
· Do you bring the same sins to Reconciliation time after time?
· Do you think no one could understand your failures and weaknesses?
Feeling Stuck?
· Do you feel numb, stuck, or overwhelmed?
· Have you given up on your struggles because nothing you tried has ever worked?
Feeling Frustrated?
· Are you exasperated with people and things around you, or with yourself?
· Do you long for “peace amidst the storm?”
Feeling Out of Control?
· Do you worry that some behavior in your life is out of your control?
· Do you feel your emotional responses are out of proportion in certain situations?
Feeling Isolated?
· Do you want real connection, real listening, real sharing?
· Are you looking for encouragement from a group of men, or women like you?
Why does Waypoint have a mountain climbing theme?
Rock climbers link themselves together with ropes and connectors called carabiners. A leader climbs up the rock while a fellow climber holds the ropes secure. The leader places an anchoring device in the rock. Then, the leader holds the ropes secure while the fellow climber ascends. Then that climber becomes the leader and the process repeats. Point by point, anchored to the rock, the climbers work together to support each other and reach the summit. By working together, and taking it one anchor at a time, the climbers are able to ascend together to a place that would have been impossible to reach on their own.
This is what happens in Waypoint: our leader teaches in large group sessions. Then we discuss the teaching together in small groups. We learn from the 12 Steps how to make progress on a daily basis in our Catholic spiritual journey.