Aa history Lovers 2004 moderators Nancy Olson and Glenn F. Chesnut page

think of as a failure of willpower is not that at all. It's a disease.

He wasn't saying that you're not responsible for the things that you do when

you're drinking. He was just saying that the way to stop drinking requires a

change of heart.

How did he change his own heart?

As you watch his story unfold, you see all the pieces of his program fall into

place. He would get one piece from talking to another drunk who had gotten

sober. Then when he was in a group of people who didn't want to drink, he saw

that the power of the group was a piece of it. Then he was able to think in

terms of surrendering his power rather than in terms of getting more. It was

as if he was always traveling further from or closer to a drink. Slowly he

began to understand the things that brought him closer and the things that

took him further away.

It's often called a religious program, and specifically Christian. It even

makes forgiveness one of its paragons.

The program of A.A., as written by Bill Wilson and Dr. Smith, only has one

purpose: to get you sober. That's it. To make you a better person, forget it.

That was one of the things he came to understand in those years of trial and

error. It has to be about only one thing.

So within the context of that primary purpose, forgiveness is a way to ready

the heart for the change. Bill himself had a different view of forgiveness.

One thing that's so moving about him is how he treated people who abandoned

him with incredible courtesy and generosity. His parents abandoned him,

financially, emotionally and physically, and they did it with incredible

self-righteousness. Yet he was constantly writing them letters, sending them

checks when he had no money, and inviting them to come and live with him.

That's forgiveness. So as a person, and I guess we can say as a Christian, he

was extremely forgiving, but in the steps of A.A., forgiveness is not meant to

improve your soul, it's meant to get you sober.

But it is in a sense a faith-based program, and one the courts often order

people into.

Well, they do that because it works. It's sort of the best thing we have by

far. In some parts of the country, it's more Christian, because each A.A.

meeting governs itself. So there are some A.A. meetings that are emphatically

anti-Christian and there are some that are emphatically Christian.

But you don't object to it being called religious.

Well, that's another question. I object to that because they object to that.

But I don't represent AA. I'm not an expert. And I would have trouble defining

religion.

Some criticize AA for proclaiming it's the only way to get sober.

But it doesn't. It's like the Christianity charge. It's just not there.

In addition to his work with alcohol, Wilson left his mark on Wall Street. He

essentially invented market research, didn't he?

That's true. While he was drinking.

Did his knack for business continue after he quit drinking?

His business skills were applied to try to make A.A. a going concern. He quit

drinking in 1934, but it really wasn't until 1944 that it was clear that A.A.

was a go. He spent ten years pouring all those skills, the endurance, the

salesmanship, into making A.A. go forward.

And even after he turned it over to its membership, he kept on searching for

some kind of help for alcoholics, looking for a magic bullet. A lot of his

friendship with Aldous Huxley was about what we now call psychopharmacology.

He took LSD, which at the time was not a street drug, but he thought maybe it

could help alcoholics. He thought vitamin B could help. So he continued to do

a lot of searching and experimenting.

Which brings us back to how he viewed alcoholism. He said it was a disease,

and he even looked for pharmacological solutions. But the only remedy he found

was a spiritual one. How many diseases can you say that about?

The relationship with the body and the mind is complicated and mysterious. You

say most diseases aren't spiritual, but many people believe they are. The

question of where does disease leave the body and enter the spirit, or enter

the mind or the brain--that's a question I am not able to answer.

We're living in a 12-Step world now. Yet part of this story is how Wilson's

program was once regarded with suspicion.

When AA was starting, it was thought of in many weird ways. There were years

and years when it looked as if Bill Wilson was going to be the only successful

recovering alcoholic. There's that famous scene where he complains to his

wife, "You know, I've had 40 people get sober and they're all drinking again.

This doesn't work." And she said, "Well it worked for one person--you." There

were years were AA was lucky to be regarded as anything by anyone. I don't

think Bill Wilson could have possibly have envisioned what's happened with

those 12 steps of his. There hundreds of 12-Step programs saving millions of

lives and millions of families in ways that I don't think he envisioned.

Paul O'Donnell is Beliefnet's Culture editor.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

++++Message 1725. . . . . . . . . . . . Sister Ignatia Obituary (1966)

From: Lash, William (Bill) . . . . . . . . . . . . 3/27/2004 8:09:00 PM

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

August 1966 AA Grapevine

For

Sister

Ignatia:

our everlasting gratitude

SISTER MARY IGNATIA, one of the finest friends that we of AA shall ever know,

went to her reward Friday morning, April first, nineteen hundred sixty-six.

Next day, the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine opened their Mother House to

visitors. More than one thousand of them signed the guest book in the first

two hours. These were the first of many who during the two days following came

to pay their respects to Sister.

On Monday at high noon the Cathedral at Cleveland could barely seat its

congregation. Friends in the city and from afar attended the service. The

Sisters of Charity themselves were seen to be seated in a body, radiant in

their faith. Together with families and friends, we of AA had come there in

expression of our gratitude for the life and works of our well-loved Sister.

It was not really a time for mourning, it was instead a time to thank God for

His great goodness to us all.

In its affirmation of the faith, the Mass was of singular beauty; the more so

to many, since it was spoken in English. The eulogy, written and read by a

close friend of Sister's, was a graphic and stirring portrayal of her

character, and of her deeds. There was a most special emphasis upon the merits

of AA, and upon the part co-founder Dr. Bob had played in Sister's great

adventure among us. We were assured as seldom before that those who dwell in

the fellowship of the Spirit need never be concerned with barriers, or with

boundaries.

For those thousands of men, women and children whose lives had been directly

touched and illumined by Sister, it would perhaps not be needful to write this

account of her. Of Sister, and of the Grace she brought to all these, they

already know better than anyone else. But to the many others who have never

felt her presence and her love, it is hoped this narrative may be something

for their special inspiration.

Born in 1889 of devout and liberty-loving parents, Sister entered into this

world at Shanvilly, County Mayo, of the Emerald Isle. The famed poet Yeats,

born nearby, once remarked that the strange beauty of County Mayo had been

specially designed to raise up poets, artists, heroes and saints. We can

little doubt that even when Ignatia was aged six, and her parents had

emigrated from Ireland to Cleveland, she was already beginning to manifest

many a sterling virtue.

Soon the child began to reveal unusual musical talents, both of piano and

voice. A few years later she was seen giving lessons at the home of her

parents. During 1914, she became possessed of a great desire to become a

religious. In this year she joined the Community that many of us AAs know so

well - the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine. There she continued her

musical education and her teaching.

But even then, as ever since, Sister was frail, exceeding frail. By 1933 the

rigors of her music teaching had become too great. She had a really serious

physical breakdown. Her doctor put to her this choice: "You will have to take

it easy. You can either be a dead music teacher or a live Sister. Which is it

going to be?"

With great good cheer, so her Community says, Mary Ignatia accepted a much

quieter and less distinguished assignment. She became the registrar at St.

Thomas Hospital in Akron, Ohio - an institution administered by her Order. At

the time it was wondered if she could manage even this much. That she would

live to the age of seventy-seven was not believable; that she was destined to

minister to 15,000 alcoholics and their families in the years to come was

known only to God.

For a considerable time Sister serenely carried on at the admissions desk in

St. Thomas. It was not then certain she had ever heard of AA. Though Group One

at Akron, and Group Two in New York had been in slow and fitful growth since

1935, neither had come to public notice.

AA's sudden growth

However in 1939 the scene changed abruptly. In the spring of that year the AA

book was first printed, and Liberty magazine came up with an article about our

society in the early fall. This was quickly followed by a whole series of

remarkable pieces which were carried by The Cleveland Plain Dealer on its

editorial page. The newspaper and the mere two dozen AAs then in town were

swamped by frantic pleas for help. Despite this rather chaotic situation, the

Cleveland membership burgeoned into several hundreds in a few months.

Nevertheless the implications of this AA population explosion were in some

ways disturbing, especially the lack of proper hospital facilities. Though the

Cleveland hospitals had rallied gallantly to this one emergency, their

interest naturally waned when bills often went unpaid, and when ex-drunks

trooped through the corridors to do what they called "Twelfth Step" work on

sometimes noisy victims just arrived. Even the City Hospital at Akron, where

Dr. Bob had attended numerous cases, was showing signs of weariness.

In New York we had temporarily got off to a better start. There we had dear

old Dr. Silkworth and, after awhile, his wonderful AA nurse "Teddy." This pair

were to "process" some 12,000 New York area drunks in the years ahead, and so

they became, as it were, the "opposite numbers" to the partnership of

co-founder Dr. Bob and Sister Ignatia at Akron.

Much concerned that, hospital-wise, his area might be caught quite unprepared

to cope with a great new flood of publicity about AA, Dr. Bob in 1940 decided

to visit St. Thomas and explain the great need for a hospital connection that

could prove permanently effective. Since St. Thomas was a church institution,

he thought the people there might vision a fine opportunity for service where

the others had not. And how right he was!

Sister Ignatia learns of AA

But Bob knew no one in authority at the hospital. So he simply betook himself

to "Admissions" and told the diminutive nun in charge the story of AA,

including that of his own recovery. As this tale unfolded, the little sister

glowed. Her compassion was deeply touched and perhaps her amazing intuition

had already begun to say, "This is it." Of course Sister would try to help,

but what could one small nun do? After all, there were certain attitudes and

regulations. Alcoholism had not been reckoned as an illness; it was just a

dire form of gluttony!

Dr. Bob then told Sister about an alcoholic who then was in a most serious

condition. A bed would simply have to be found for him. Said Mary Ignatia,

"I'm sure your friend must be very sick. You know, Doctor, this sounds to me

like a terrible case of indigestion." Trying to keep a straight face, Dr. Bob

replied, "How right you are - his indigestion is most terrible." Twinkling,

Sister immediately said, "Why don't you bring him in right away?"

The two benign conspirators were soon faced with yet another dilemma. The

victim proved to be distressingly intoxicated. It would soon be clear to all

and sundry that his "indigestion" was quite incidental. Obviously a ward

wouldn't do. There would have to be a private room. But all the single ones

were filled. What on earth could they do? Sister pursed her lips, and then

broke into a broad smile. Forthwith he declared, "I'11 have a bed moved into

our flower room. In there he can't disturb anyone." This was hurriedly done,

and the "indigestion" sufferer was already on his way to sobriety and health.

Of course the conspirators were conscience-stricken by their subterfuge of the

flower room. And anyhow, the "indigestion" pretense simply couldn't last.

Somebody in authority would have to be told, and that somebody was the

hospital's Superior. With great trepidation Sister and Dr. Bob waited upon

this good lady, and explained themselves. To their immense delight she went

along, and a little later, she boldly unfolded the new project before the St.

Thomas trustees. To their everlasting credit they went along too - so much so

that it was not a great while before Dr. Bob himself was invited to become a

staff physician at St. Thomas, a bright example indeed of the ecumenical

spirit.

Presently a whole ward was devoted to the rehabilitation of alcoholics, and

Sister Ignatia was of course placed in immediate charge. Dr. Bob sponsored the

new cases into the hospital and medically treated each, never sending a bill

to any. The hospital fees were very moderate and Sister often insisted on

taking in patients on a "pay later" basis, sometimes to the mild consternation

of the trustees.

Together Ignatia and Dr. Bob indoctrinated all who cared to listen to the AA

approach as portrayed by the book Alcoholics Anonymous, lately come off the

press. The ward was open to visiting AAs from surrounding groups who, morning

to night, told their stories of drinking and of recovery. There were never any

barriers of race or creed; neither was AA nor Church teaching pressed upon

any.

With infinite tenderness

Since nearly all her strenuous hours were spent there, Sister became a central

figure on the ward. She would alternately listen and talk, with infinite

tenderness and understanding. The alcoholic's family and friends received the

very same treatment. It was this most compassionate caring that was a chief

ingredient of her unique Grace; it magnetically drew everyone to her, even the

most rough and obstinate. Yet she would not always stand still for arrant

nonsense. When the occasion required, she could really put her foot down. Then

to ease the hurt, she would turn on her delightful humor. Once, when a

recalcitrant drunk boasted he'd never again be seen at the hospital, Sister

shot back, "Well, let's hope not. But just in case you do show up, please

remember that we already have your size of pajamas. They will be ready and

waiting for you!"

As the fame of St. Thomas grew, alcoholics flocked in from distant places.

After their hospitalization they often remained for a time in Akron to get

more first-hand AA from Dr. Bob, and from Akron's Group Number One. On their

return home, Sister would carry on an ever mounting correspondence with them.

We AAs are often heard to say that our Fellowship is founded upon resources

that we have drawn from medicine, from religion and from our own experience of

drinking and of recovery. Never before nor since those Akron early days have

we witnessed a more perfect synthesis of all these healing forces. Dr. Bob

exemplified both medicine and AA; Ignatia and the Sisters of St. Augustine

also practiced applied medicine, and their practice was supremely well

animated by the wonderful spirit of their Community. A more perfect blending

of Grace and talent cannot be imagined.

It should never be necessary to dwell, one by one, upon the virtues of these

magnificent friends of AA's early time - Sister Ignatia and co-founder Dr.

Bob. We need only recollect that "by their fruits we shall always know them."

Passing of Dr. Bob

Standing before the Cleveland International Convention of 1950, Dr. Bob looked

upon us of AA for the last time. His good wife Anne had passed on before, and

his own rendezvous with the new life to come was not many months away.

Ten years had slipped by since the day when he and Sister had bedded down that

first sufferer in the St. Thomas flower room. In this marvelous decade Sister

and Dr. Bob had medically treated, and had spiritually infused, five thousand

alcoholics. The greater part of these had found their freedom under God.

In thankful recollection of this great work, we of AA presented to the Sisters

of Charity -of St. Augustine and to the Staff of the St. Thomas Hospital a

bronze plaque, ever since to be seen in the ward where Sister and Dr. Bob had

wrought their wonders. The plaque reads as follows:

IN GRATITUDE

THE FRIENDS OF DR. BOB AND ANNE S.

AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATE THIS MEMORIAL

TO THE SISTERS AND STAFF OF

ST. THOMAS HOSPITAL

AT AKRON. BIRTHPLACE OF ALCOHOLICS

ANONYMOUS. ST. THOMAS HOSPITAL BECAME

THE FIRST RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION EVER

TO OPEN ITS DOORS TO OUR SOCIETY.

MAY THE LOVING DEVOTION OF THOSE WHO

LABORED HERE IN OUR PIONEERING TIME

BE A BRIGHT AND WONDROUS EXAMPLE

OF GOD'S GRACE EVERLASTINGLY SET

BEFORE US ALL.

Visitors at St. Thomas today often wonder why this inscription says not a word

about Sister Ignatia. Well, the fact was, she wouldn't allow her name to be

used. She had flatly refused; it was one of those times when she had put her

foot down! This was of course a glowing example of her innate and absolutely

genuine humility. Sister truly believed that she deserved no particular

notice; that such Grace as she might have could only be credited to God and to

the community of her sisters.

This was indeed the ultimate spirit of anonymity. We who had then seen this

quality in her were deeply affected, especially Dr. Bob and myself. Hers came

to be the influence that persuaded us both never to accept public honors of

any sort. Sister's example taught that a mere observance of the form of AA

anonymity should never become the slightest excuse for ignoring its spiritual

substance.

Following Dr. Bob's death, there was great concern lest Sister might not be

allowed to continue her work. As in other orders of the church, service

assignments among the Sisters of Charity were rather frequently rotated. This

was the ancient custom. However, nothing happened for a time. Assisted by

surrounding AA groups, Sister continued to carry on at St. Thomas. Then

suddenly in 1952, she was transferred to St. Vincent Charity Hospital at

Cleveland, where, to the delight of us all, she was placed in charge of its

alcoholic ward. At Akron a fine successor was named to succeed her; the work

there would continue.

The ward at "Charity" occupied part of a dilapidated wing, and it was in great

need of repair and rejuvenation. To those who knew and loved Sister, this

opportunity proved a most stimulating challenge. The Charity trustees also

agreed that something should be done. Substantial contributions flowed in. In

their spare hours, AA carpenters, plumbers and electricians set about redoing

the old wing - no charge for their services. The beautiful result of these

labors of love is now known as Rosary Hall.

Again the miracles of recovery from alcoholism commenced to multiply. During

the following fourteen years, an astonishing 10,000 alcoholics passed through

the portals of "Rosary Hall" there to fall under the spell of Mary Ignatia,

and of AA. More than two-thirds of all these recovered from their dire malady,

and again became citizens of the world. From dawn to dark Sister offered her

unique Grace to that endless procession of stricken sufferers. Moreover, she

still found time to minister widely to their families and this very fruitful

part of her work became a prime inspiration to the Al-Anon Family Groups of

the whole region.

Notwithstanding her wonderful workers within the hospital, and help from AAs

without, this must have been a most exacting and exhausting vocation for the

increasingly frail Sister. That she was providentially enabled to be with us

for so many years is something for our great wonder. To hundreds of friends it

became worth a day's journey to witness her supreme and constant

demonstration.

Toward the close of her long stewardship there were brushes with death.

Sometimes I came to Cleveland and was allowed to sit by her bedside. Then I

saw her at her best. Her perfect faith, and her complete acceptance of

whatever God might will was somehow implicit in all she said, be our

conversation gay, or serious. Fear and uncertainty seemed entire strangers to

her. On my leave-taking, there was always that smiling radiance; always her

prayerful hope that God might still allow her a bit more time at Rosary Hall.

Then a few days later I would learn that she was back at her desk. This superb

drama would be re-enacted time after time. She was quite unconscious that

there was anything at all unusual about it.

Realizing there would come the day which would be her last, it seemed right

that we of AA should privately present Sister with some tangible token that

could, even a little, communicate to her the depth of our love. Remembering

her insistence, in respect of the Akron plaque, that she would not really like

any public attention, I simply sent word that I'd like to come to Cleveland

for a visit, and casually added that should her health permit, we might take

supper together in the company of a few of her stalwart AA friends and

co-workers. Besides, it was her fiftieth year of service in her community.

On the appointed evening, we foregathered in one of the small dining rooms at

Charity Hospital. Plainly delighted, Sister arrived. She was barely able to

walk. Being old-timers all, the dinner hour was spent in telling tales of