The Soul of Sponsorship: The Friendship of Fr. Ed Dowling, S.J. and Bill Wilson in Letters

By Robert Fitzgerald, Bill Wilson, Ed Dowling

Book Overview

The Soul of Sponsorship explores the relationship of Bill Wilson, cofounder of Alcoholics Anonymous, and his spiritual adviser and friend, Father Ed Dowling.

Many might consider that such a remarkable individual as Bill Wilson, who was the primary author of AA literature, would be able to deal with many of life's problems on his own. Reading The Soul of Sponsorship will illuminate and answer the question of how Father Ed, an Irish Catholic Jesuit priest who was not an alcoholic, was able to be of such great help to Bill Wilson.
Part of AA's Twelfth Step reminds us "to carry this message to alcoholics," and The Soul of Sponsorship illustrates how sober alcoholics still need the principles of the Twelve Steps brought to them by friends, sponsors, and spiritual advisers. Some of the problems faced by Bill Wilson were:
- depression in recovery
- dependency issues
- whether or not to experiment with LSD
- the place of money and power in AA
- knowing God's plan and will
- learning from mistakes

Father Ed taught Bill the importance of "discernment." In Father Ed's Jesuit tradition, discernment was a gift, passed down to him from St. Ignatius, the founder of the Jesuits, who described his own struggle with discernment in The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. The Twelve Steps of AA and The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius presuppose that there is a caring God whose will can be known. The act of tuning in to God's action at one's center is discernment.
The big question is, how do you know your Higher Power is speaking and revealing Himself through your feelings and desires? For the good of AA and himself, Bill learned to listen to his desires, be aware of his inner dynamics, and tune into the action of God within. Doing this meant learning to recognize and identify his personal movements -- those inner promptings and attractions often called emotions or affections -- which are part of ordinary human experiences.
The person who helped Bill grow in discernment was Father Ed, the Jesuit priest with a cane who limped into the New York AA clubhouse one sleet-filled November night in 1940. The two "fellow travelers," Father Ed Dowling and Bill Wilson, gave each other perhaps the greatest gift friends can give: calling on each to know who he is -- before God.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1568380844
• ISBN13: 9781568380841
• Release Date: July 1995
• Publisher: Hazelden Publishing & Educational Services
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.51 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.4" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Taking Your Program To A New Level

Reading actual letters from their private library collections brings on more awe that "things" are still in place as they are today...it's a miracle!!! If you are ever visiting St. Louis eat lunch at the St. Louis Bread Company (Panera) on Grand Avenue...look across the street and you will see the Queens building still in existence where Father Ed worked. Fasten your seat belt...your program is about to go a step deeper!!!!! I recommend reading "My Name Is Bill" BEFORE reading this book.

A soulful "SOUL OF SPONSORSHIP"

The Soul of Sponsorship: The Friendship of Fr. Ed Dowling, S.J. and Bill Wilson in LettersAn excellent historical portrait of Bill Wilson and his relationship with a spiritual sponsor.

spirituality

I found this book to be of interest in my addiction. It shows that the incurable can be greatly helped in restoring the alcoholic(addict) in returning to a productive life among his fellow man by following a spiritual path.

Deepening my Catholic Sobriety

I read Fitzgerald's book while I was on a 30 day Ignatian retreat, journeying on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola. I have been in the A.A. program for almost a year and somewhere along the line came to sense a connection between the spiritual program of A.A. and some of the roots of my own Catholic tradition. Just as, at 54 years of age, I found myself "ready" for the 30 day retreat, so did I find myself in January of this year "ready" for the gift of the 12 Steps for me. Like the protagonist in Francis Thompson's Hound of Heaven, God and the peace of sobriety FOUND ME. I knew that I had to understand more about how the 12 Step spirituality was in sync with my Catholic faith. This book on the correspondence and long friendship of Fr. Dowling and Bill W. gave me tremendous insight, knowledge and inspiration to help make my own 12 Step Walk one that resonates and deepens my own Catholic Christian journey. It is worth the read!!!

True Friendship - Spiritual Growth

This story has its roots in the friendship of two remarkable men of different backgrounds and experiences. Although, both men thirsted for the 'Direction of God's will' in their lives, they approached it from vastly different experiences. Whether you come to these pages from A.A. or the contemplative prayer of Ignatiun spirituality, this is a must read. We are shown how ones weakness and sortcomings can become overcome and transended by following a 'few simple rules'. the openess of their letters is evidence of the trust and love these two men shared with each other. I do think that a personal understanding of the Tweleve Steps and Twelve Traditions of A.A., as well as the exercises of St. Ignatius would allow a better grasp of this spiritual journey, but is in no way necessary to appreciate the remarkable transformation that these two men achieved with and through each other's friendship and guidance. Much can be absorbed by reviewing these letters and the simple set up that 'Fr. Bob' gives their communications in his explanatory prose. This book allows a hightened understanding of the foundations of A.A. and the rewards of a life based in 'Love and Service', as well as the true nature of discernment.