‘God was the most important part of my recovery journey’
By Wendy Shaw
A business consultant from Northern Tasmania, whose faith in God was crucial to his alcohol recovery, has been awarded a St Vincent Pallotti Scholarship for Lay Ministry.
Launceston Catholic parishioner Jason Bresnehan, 55, said the scholarship would support the promotion of his new ebook, A Catholic Gospel Journey – Through the Lens of Alcohol Recovery 2026.
Mr Bresnehan said the scholarship success was ‘deeply affirming’.
“The scholarship has inspired me not only to complete the ebook but also to pursue a print edition,” he said.
“The imprimatur of the award has already opened doors. I’ve begun working with St Pauls Publishing India, the team behind God’s Word, a daily liturgical companion.”
Mr Bresnehan said his ebook offers reflections on all 53 Gospel readings of the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar (52 Sundays plus Good Friday).
Each reflection integrates the Gospel message with the lived experience of alcohol recovery, drawing on the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and Catholic spirituality.
“It’s designed to resonate with those in recovery, their families, and support networks,” he said.
The 2026 work is a follow up to his previous ebook,A Catholic Liturgical Journey Through the Lens of Alcohol Recovery – Volume I: July and August 2025.
Mr Bresnehan explained the inspiration for this.
“When I decided to do something about my alcoholism I went through AA,” he said.
“A big part of AA is that you have to have a higher power – and that is non-denominational – but I went back to my Catholic faith and what I found is that the central-most part of alcohol recovery is that it is a spiritual malady and so God was most important part of my recovery journey.
“Then because I am a business consultant by trade, one of my skills is the way that I articulate difficult concepts. I then decided to look at the 12 AA steps, and I looked at the scriptures … and I realised many of the moral lessons in scripture are easily transferable to alcohol recovery.
“That inspired me to start dissecting the first and second readings of the Gospel on a Sunday to see if I could write an interpretation of that for alcohol recovery.”
He could, and is now well on the way to completing the new ebook.
Mr Bresnehan said he would welcome support from donors towards the publication of the print edition.
“This project is squarely aimed at helping addicts and alcoholics in their God-based recovery journey,” he said.
Go to bresnehan.com to find out more.
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Republished with permission: Archdiocese of Hobart Catholic Standard VOL12: ISSUE 10 /33RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME / 16 NOVEMBER 2025
About Jason Bresnehan
Jason is a writer and recovery advocate whose work explores the intersection of Catholic faith and the lived experience of addiction. His books and essays weave scripture with the rhythms of everyday life, showing how grace can surface in the most ordinary encounters.
Through A Catholic Gospel Journey – Through the Lens of Alcohol Recovery and related projects, Jason offers reflections that connect the Sunday readings to the struggles and victories of recovery. His approach is rooted in clarity, rhythm, and respect for tradition, while remaining accessible to those navigating the challenges of addiction and renewal.
Founder of the Hadspen Foundation, Jason is committed to building frameworks for spiritual recovery that are both repeatable and personal. His writing is guided by discernment, narrative cadence, and the belief that doctrine should support—not overshadow—the human story.