GARRISON, NEW YORK — In a hamlet on the banks of the Hudson River 50 miles north of New York City, a group of Franciscan friars are quietly changing lives. The Franciscan Friars of the Atonement operate St. Christopher’s Inn, a ministry in upstate New York dedicated to rehabilitating men in crisis by providing them with spiritual healing.
As part of their mission, the friars also run an on-site substance abuse treatment program licensed by the New York State Department of Health.
There are many substance abuse programs in New York State but St. Christopher’s Inn has something different going for it — namely, God.
According to the St. Christopher’s Inn website, the Graymoor location opened in 1909 and was one of the first places in the United States to start hosting Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings regularly.
St. Christopher’s Inn, which sits on a site in Garrison that the friars call Graymoor, is named after the patron saint of travelers. It seeks to assist people who have hit a bump in the road on their journey through life.
“The central focus of everything we do here is our Catholic faith,” said Father Dennis Polanco, S.A., the president of St. Christopher’s Inn.
“Now, that doesn’t mean we overlook our friends from other faiths. We have respect for the differences in religions, and we accept all religions and people with no religion, for that matter,” he added. “But everything we do as friars is steeped in our faith.”
The friars have a long history of helping people struggling with addictions, particularly alcohol abuse.
The friars started hosting meetings in 1960. The gatherings proved to be so well attended that a new reception center was built the following year to accommodate larger AA groups. By 1968, the inn began offering an alcohol abuse rehabilitation program that included counseling, referrals, and medical treatments. The friars’ mission expanded to drug abuse treatment in the 1970s.
Decades later, the inn still operates according to AA principles — with a special focus on the 12-step program.
One night a week, the men are encouraged to gather in the chapel on campus and live out the 11th step, which involves seeking a closer relationship with God through prayer and meditation.
The program at St. Christopher’s Inn — which runs on an annual budget of $7 million and has been raised almost entirely through donations — helps an estimated 1,200 men a year turn their lives around. The men, who live in a dormitory, can stay for as little as three months or as long as a full year as they undergo medical evaluations, take part in group and individual counseling sessions, and work on the campus, performing tasks such as cooking and cleaning.
The men are looked after by four friars who reside there and are assisted by a staff of 90 employees including 25 substance abuse counselors. Currently, 100 men are staying at St. Christopher’s Inn, but the facility has enough room to accommodate 142 men at a time.
Father Polanco said that the bucolic setting, far from the hustle and bustle of the city, offers men the chance to concentrate on getting well.
“When you’re far from everything, you can see inside yourself and start to heal,” he added.
Ray Carter, who said he has had issues with alcohol for many years, is now four months into a planned six-month stay at St. Christopher’s Inn.
He feels his life has changed already and attributes it to the strong faith component at the facility.
“I do feel that being here has gotten me closer to God and my faith,” said Carter, who is Catholic.
With help from the friars and his counselors, he is starting to realize he doesn’t need alcohol.
“Being here got me out of my comfort zone, and that’s a good thing,” he explained, adding he is looking forward to returning to work as a plumber when he resumes his everyday life.
Greg Goncaleres, an insurance salesman, sought help for issues with crack cocaine and is nearing the end of a three-month stay.
“I felt soulless before I came here,” he admitted. “I have a different perspective now. Just being in the chapel makes you feel different.”