STEP ONE –
Feb. 5, 2026 – David wanted to convey a message of hope. “Most people when they’re faced with an addiction whether it’s a big one — you know alcohol, drugs, lust, gambling, whatever — get to a point where (they’re) desperate and there’s no hope,” David said. “Because most people don’t believe that there’s somebody else out there that’s just like them … There’s a program that is established that has gotten millions of people to recovery. There’s hope.” Learning to surrender, over and over again, is how David Smock maintains his sobriety.
Smock describes himself as a recovering alcoholic and drug addict. He grew up in a household of alcoholics, and his painful childhood left him seeking ways to numb his feelings. But his addictions only brought more shame and unrest, he said.
“My first act of surrender was the realization that I was out of control,” he said. “It was the pain that caused me to see I needed help, and I had nothing to lose by going to a meeting.”
Smock and his wife, Jill, parishioners at Our Lady in Festus, shared their testimony of addiction and recovery as part of “Freedom in Christ,” a morning of reflection on disordered attachments and addictions hosted by the Southern Vicariate of the Archdiocese of St. Louis on Jan. 31.
