CALIX: Catholic support group for recovering alcoholics

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
March 10, 2005

When five recovering alcoholics from Minneapolis formed the Calix Society in 1947, they did so with the idea of substituting "the cup that stupefies for the cup that sanctifies."

Today, this Catholic-based program for recovering alcoholics is an international organization. One of just 23 chapters throughout the United States is based in Sioux City.

Herb, a Catholic from a Sioux City parish and past president of the Calix chapter located here, pointed out that 25 people attend the monthly meetings in Sioux City. A little more than half are recovering alcoholics and the rest are generally spouses.

He pointed out that most of the members use this as something extra to go along with Alcoholics Anonymous. Calix is not intended to replace A.A.

One of the founders of the Calix Society said, "A.A. restores your health and keeps you from an early grave. Calix saves your soul and puts you on the road to heaven."

"A.A. is where you go to get sober, but if you are Catholic and you need something else, Calix is a great spiritual and religious program to help you get back on track," said Herb. "Most alcoholics who come into this program are spiritually bankrupt. They have been there and done that. They have lost a lot of confidence in themselves and in their God. This helps bring them back."

Even the name of the group conveys the significance that the Catholic Church has to its mission as Calix is Latin for chalice.

"It is for Catholics, their families and any others, who are interested in drug addiction and alcoholism," noted Herb, who added that while it is a Catholic-based program it is open to people of other faiths.

Herb has been attending the meetings for more than 20 years. A fellow alcoholic neighbor invited him to a Calix meeting.

"When I got into the program, I didn't like God very well and I don't think that he liked me very well," said Herb. "I needed something like this to help me bring me back to my roots. It really helped. I was floating and very discouraged. After getting into the program, it seemed to ground me in the right place."

He explained that when he first started out in A.A. and this program, he didn't trust anyone. Herb said that is where people tend to come from when they are alcoholics.

"I am not sure if it was the group or the spirituality, but Calix had a moving effect on me," said Herb. He described it as having an immediate impact on his faith life. "I think it was the intimacy of the group and the unity of the Catholic doctrine."

Not only has the program helped him to remain alcohol-free, but he said it has made him a stronger Catholic.

"It gave me a degree of serenity that I sure never had before," said Herb.

His wife also likes the program. He mentioned that his wife believes that Calix is one of the best things that have happened to them.

Herb said that people always hear that God loves them as they are, with faults and all, but in the Calix program it seems to truly mean something.

The monthly meetings are held at Holy Spirit Retirement Home in Sioux City as Father Dennis Meinen is the group's spiritual director. Each meeting held on the second Saturday of the month starts with 7 p.m. Mass in the chapel. Discussion, prayer and refreshments follow the liturgy.

If people are interested in Calix, they can call Father Meinen at (712) 258-9120 or they may opt just to show up at the next meeting. It is open to all area Catholics as well as people of other faiths.