At parish, author to discuss relationship between priest, A.A. co-founder

Author Dr. Dawn Eden Goldstein will discuss and sign copies of her book, Father Ed: The Story of Bill W.’s Spiritual Sponsor, on June 16 at St. Lawrence the Martyr Church at 6:30 p.m. in Chester.

Author Dr. Dawn Eden Goldstein will discuss and sign copies of her book, Father Ed: The Story of Bill W.’s Spiritual Sponsor, on June 16 at St. Lawrence the Martyr Church at 6:30 p.m. in Chester. The book chronicles the special friendship between Jesuit priest Father Ed Dowling and Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) co-founder Bill Wilson.

Goldstein’s Christopher Award-winning, first biography of Father Dowling (1898–1960) details how spiritual guidance and sponsorship deeply influenced the life of Wilson, helping him overcome depression in his life while also catapulting further awareness of the Alcoholics Anonymous program.

Goldstein, who has a doctorate in sacred theology from Illinois’ University of St. Mary of the Lake and in 2022 earned a licentiate in canon law from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., approached St. Lawrence the Martyr pastor, Father Nicholas Bozza, to gauge if there might be interest in her giving a talk on her book. There indeed was. Goldstein’s stepfather and mom are parishioners of St. Lawrence the Martyr.

Deacon Bill DeVizio, of the parish, considers St. Lawrence the Martyr parishioners extremely fortunate that the award-winning author, whose works are published in multiple languages around the world, offered to visit the congregation.

He said, “We jumped at the opportunity because it is rare to get somebody of this caliber that is willing to come to a small country church and give a talk.”

Deacon DeVizio is approaching his eighth year serving as a deacon at St. Lawrence the Martyr, and with the congregation being a community where strong relationships are developed, he and his fellow deacons have arranged and scheduled events like this to continue to do just that.

DeVizio said, “We’ve had presentations on social justice, and we’ve had people give witness talks; inspiring talks that are obviously related to our Catholic faith, but inspire people to go beyond the every day.”

Goldstein said of her interest in Father Dowling, “I was moved to discover that there was this gentleman who was not an alcoholic, who yet came to devote 20 years of his life — the last 20 years of his life — to a friendship with A.A. co-founder, Bill Wilson, and to help popularize A.A. particularly among clergy, who were suspicious of it because it professes to be a spiritual program.”

It was a book Goldstein had always wanted to write.

“I always wanted to write a book about a great subject that would go in-depth and move people and really make some contribution to people’s understanding of what it means to be a good human being,” she said. “I feel that if this were the only public accomplishment that I did with my life, I would feel like it was a very good life and that I did everything I wanted to do. That is not to say that I do not have plenty more that I want to do; I do, and I hope the Lord grants me more time and more opportunities. But it really says all the things that I would want to say because Father Ed was this incredibly multifaceted person.”

Father Ed: The Story of Bill W.’s Spir­it­ual Sponsor is available at bookstores and online via Amazon and Orbis Books.