Bishop Edward Malesic of the Greensburg Diocese has written an open letter calling on everyone to help battle drug addiction throughout the area
In his Pastoral Letter, Bishop Malesic say that people who are addicted to drugs or alcohol “often experience isolation and shame and the feeling that they have lost their human dignity” and that the misunderstanding of how addiction works on someone’s mind is still very prevalent. He also talked about how addiction not only affects the addict, but their family and friends, and how the cycle of addiction can return after some success and hit someone stronger than when they first started.
Bishop Malesic is calling on everyone connected with the diocese to take action against drug addiction, specifically the opioid crisis that has hit the area. Some of the techniques he offers includes reaching out to people and letting them know they are not alone, and that there is help and hope for them to change. As part of that action, the Bishop created a bishop’s advisory group on the drug crisis last fall, and several parishes this summer will host several educational and prayer opportunities. Later this year, Bishop Malesic will provide ongoing parish and school staffs additional educational opportunities related to helping families caught in the opioid crisis.
