50 ans de sobriété active

in "The Star", 3 juin 2011 (Toronto, Canada)

Catholic priest Fr. Pete Watters has been sober for 50 years. He says belief in a higher power, God, is essential to getting sober in Alcoholics Anonymous. Photographed at St. Andrew Church in Oakville on June 3, 2011.

Le prêtre catholique Pete Watters, 82 ans (sobre depuis janvier 1961)

A fêté son 50° anniversaire à Oakville (Toronto)

A "voyagé" Bill W. pendant 7 ans

“People and agencies can help,” Watters says, “but the only one who can restore that person to permanent sobriety is God. But that’s the God of your understanding — that can be anything you want.”

In AA God can be interpreted as an acronym for “good, orderly, direction,” or as something that can be found in nature, a set of ethical principles, or even in the courage of fellow AA members.

But it’s essential to turn yourself over to something or someone other, says Watters. “If you don’t believe in any power greater than yourself, you are on your own.”