The Olive Branch: hope and healing from drug addiction
(Vatican Radio) The importance of bringing a message of hope to the margins of society.
That theme has been at the heart of the words and actions of Pope Francis since the
start of his pontificate. The Church, he says, must be “a field hospital”, offering
healing, acceptance and inclusion to all people who’ve been hurt, helping them recover
their dignity and realize their full potential.
That attitude is also central
to the work of a detox and recovery community for people with addictions, based in
the Wirral district of Liverpool in northern England. While providing a live-in support
programme for men struggling to become drug-free, The Olive Branch also offers individuals
the opportunity for a deeper journey of healing, to really recover from their addictions
and, in turn, offer help to others.
Director Damien Prescott knows all about
that journey of recovery: he himself struggled with alcohol and drug addiction for
many years before finding someone to help him on the road to redemption as he describes
the experience. He sat down with Philippa Hitchen to share his story, in the hope
that it may provide inspiration for others……