A new ministry at St. Juan Diego Parish is aimed at helping people suffering from substance addiction.

“We want to reach out with compassion to the addicted and afflicted,” said the Rev. Michael Decewicz, parochial vicar.

Addiction Recovery Ministry, or ARM, targets people with addiction issues, those in recovery and their families and friends.

It will launch with an Anointing Mass at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 10 at St. Paul Cathedral in Oakland. The schedule of meetings will be released then along with a list of speakers and a ministry website.

Volunteers from the parish have dedicated months to launching the new support sessions, Decewicz said, because they believe it is vital to overcoming the growing problem.

The program will be paid for with money from “The Church Alive Campaign” through the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Costs were not released.

Decewicz said the ministry will consist of AA, NA, ALANON and NARANON meetings on a regular basis. They will meet at John Paul I Center along Ninth Street in Sharpsburg.

There also will be opportunities for education and spiritual enrichment, along with one-on-one ministry.

“This is our response to the epidemic surrounding us,” Decewicz said. “This is a disease, not a moral failure.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pennsylvania was among the top three states with the highest rates of death due to drug overdose, with 44.3 per 100,000 people. Others at the top of the list were West Virginia and Ohio.

Tawnya Panizzi is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tawnya at 412-782-2121, ext. 2, tpanizzi@tribweb.com or via Twitter @tawnyatrib.

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