New Slavery, New Freedom A Pastoral Message on Substance Abuse

New Slavery, New Freedom: A Pastoral Message on Substance Abuse, November 29, 1990

This 1990 US Catholic Conference pastoral message, "New Slavery, New Freedom: A Pastoral Message on Substance Abuse," frames addiction as a moral, social, and public-health crisis that enslaves persons and undermines human dignity while also pointing to recovery and the Church’s role in healing and advocacy. It combines personal testimony, epidemiological claims of the era, theological reflection, pastoral guidance, and concrete recommendations for parish, diocesan, and national responses.

Core messages

• Addiction is a form of modern slavery that attacks human dignity, isolates people spiritually and socially, and damages families and communities.
• Recovery has a spiritual dimension: humility, confession, community support, and sacramental life are important in healing.
• The Church is uniquely positioned to help because of proximity, presence, and pastoral resources; pastoral ministry can mean the difference between life and death.
• Response must be comprehensive: prevention (especially in families and schools), treatment, rehabilitation, pastoral care, advocacy for public funding and humane policies, and cooperation with other faith and civic organizations.
• Criminal-justice-only approaches are insufficient; social and economic causes (poverty, lack of opportunity, marginalization) must be addressed alongside supply-reduction efforts in ways that avoid militarization or harmful crop-eradication strategies abroad.

Practical parish-level actions recommended

• Integrate prayer, liturgy, and sacramental outreach for those affected by addiction; include special petitions and diocesan days of prayer.
• Host and support self-help groups (AA, NA, Al-Anon, Alateen, Adult Children of Alcoholics, etc.) by making parish facilities available.
• Provide adult education, parent groups, and substance-abuse curricula in parish schools and religious education.
• Train pastors, teachers, and parish staff to recognize early signs, make referrals, and support families; involve families in treatment and aftercare.
• Offer tangible recovery supports: childcare during meetings/treatment, job-search help, social reintegration assistance, and parish accompaniment for people returning from treatment.
• Model responsible alcohol use at parish events and work ecumenically with other congregations and community organizations.

Diocesan and national recommendations

• Each diocese should adopt a clear substance-abuse policy and expand Catholic Charities, health, and social-service programming for prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation.
• Prioritize outreach to poor and minority communities and develop drug-free workplace policies and employee assistance programs in church institutions.
• Advocate for public policies that guarantee access to affordable, appropriate treatment for all, including pregnant women and mothers.
• Favor international development and cooperation over militarized or purely eradication-focused supply-side programs.
• Encourage media and entertainment industry efforts to reduce glamorization of substance use.

New-Slavery-New-Freedom-A-Pastoral-Message-on-Substance-Abuse.pdf