Building communities of care for those affected by addiction

By Fr Stephan Alexander

General Manager, CCSJ and AMMR

Regular readers of this column will recall that the Catholic Commission for Social Justice (CCSJ) recently published a Pastoral Guide for Parish-led Crime Prevention and Community Transformation. It encourages every parish to establish a Parish Social Justice Ministry and a Crime Prevention and Community Care Committee. Both bodies call on parishes to know their communities, recognise where people are struggling, and respond together.

Research data indicates that many people in our communities are struggling with addiction or substance use disorders. Others face pressure to carry drugs or become involved in criminal activity. Many of these are young people between the ages of 18 and 29.

Addiction is a social justice issue. Society largely treats it as a criminal or moral failing for marginalised groups, rather than a public health issue or a treatable medical condition that can affect anyone. It is deeply tied to systems of inequality, discrimination and lack of access.

Marginalised communities and low-income neighbourhoods often face higher rates of addiction but have fewer pathways to treatment and recovery. Structural barriers such as inadequate or absent healthcare, housing instability, criminalisation and lack of mental health support make it harder for those most affected by addiction to get the help they need.

This reality was among the issues discussed at a workshop I attended from September 15 to 18. Entitled ‘A Faith-Based Response to Drugs and Youth Criminal Recruitment’, the workshop was hosted by the National Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Programme (NADAPP) and facilitated by the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) of the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the Latin American Pastoral Network for Accompaniment and Prevention (PLAPA). Participants from faith communities in Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, St Vincent, El Salvador, and the UK attended.

The training challenged us to see the whole person. It warned against dichotomising or approaching treatment from a single perspective and instead emphasised integrating biological and spiritual approaches.

Learning about the impact of psychoactive substances on the brain and body helped us understand that adolescents are particularly vulnerable because the parts of the brain involved in judgement and impulse control are still developing. Substance use during these years can have lasting effects. The information also highlighted the vulnerability of young males to substance use disorders, as young men consistently show higher rates of addiction than females.

The sessions also emphasised the spiritual, psychological, and social dimensions. Substance use disorders can strain a person’s relationships and deepen isolation. Fear of judgement may prevent someone from asking for help. Criminal recruiters can exploit a young person’s need for money, protection, or belonging. If we respond only to the behaviour we see, we may miss the suffering beneath it and the support needed to address it.

Faith and science have important contributions to make here. Health professionals can help us understand substance use disorders and provide appropriate care. Faith communities can offer patient listening, belonging, spiritual accompaniment, and family support.

The training invited us to begin with what we hold in common: the belief that every person has dignity and deserves care. It called this shared foundation a “doctrine”, something we can name together even when our beliefs and areas of expertise differ.

From that common ground, we can build a network in which parishes accompany people, connect them with qualified help, and remain beside them throughout their recovery.

This is where the ministries proposed in the CCSJ guide can make a difference. They can help parishioners understand the realities people in the community face, build relationships with local services, and create ways for families to seek help without fear of shame or punishment.

They can also bring people together around prevention by listening to people’s stories, strengthening community bonds, and ensuring that those at risk are neither ignored nor left alone. The CCSJ will continue to promote these ministries and remain available to support their formation in all parishes.

The CCSJ will also continue to work in collaboration with NADAPP and our colleagues who attended the training. Together, we will create a network to help members of our parishes and other faith communities better understand substance use and youth criminal recruitment and learn how to respond with greater understanding and care. I invite anyone who wishes to take part in this work to contact the CCSJ.

There is a place in this effort for people of every faith and for all people of goodwill. We can begin by listening to vulnerable people in our communities, learning what they face, and helping them access the support they need. No person should be reduced to the difficulties they are experiencing.

Every person living with a psychoactive substance use disorder retains the dignity God has given them. May the way we welcome and accompany them make that dignity visible.

The CCSJ asks for your support. Please donate:

Catholic Commission for Social Justice

Account #: 290 458 025 501

Bank: Republic Bank Ltd.

or you can contact us at:

[email protected]