by Father Robert Lauder
Mark Joseph Williams’ book “Torrent of Grace” (Orbis, 2024) is something special — very special! Autobiographical, Mark’s book tells the story of his being sexually abused as a teenager, of years battling alcoholism, and of his using his wounds to help others. Parts of Mark’s book make difficult reading because he spares no punches in describing his experience of being sexually abused and in describing his experience of having parents who were alcoholics and who physically attacked one another in front of him.
Several times while reading Mark’s experiences, I found myself thinking of my father, mother, and sister, who surrounded me with love during all the time we were a family. Reading the terrible experiences that seemed to be a regular part of Mark’s upbringing, I appreciated in a new way what a great blessing my family was. Anything good about me is due to my experience of being part of a loving family. I hope I never cease to be grateful for the gifts that my father, mother, and sister were in my life.
Trying to solve his problems through alcohol, which Mark tried for years, is completely understandable. Eventually, the “torrent of grace” won out, and now, Mark spends his working hours trying to help others.”
The following succinct statement on the back cover of his book reveals that Mark’s life is ultimately a success story: “Mark Joseph Williams is a forensic psychological clinician with an MS in social work from Columbia University. A clerical abuse survivor, he co-founded Global Collaborative, a survivor-led organization, and represents the Archdiocese of Newark as a special advisor. He also serves on the North American Safeguarding Committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
He and his wife Karen have four grown children and six grandchildren. At the beginning of his book, Mark as the following child sexual violence and child physical and emotional abuse, which may be triggering for some readers. Sensitive topics such as self-harm and addiction are also explored. Reader discretion is advised. If you experience any discomfort or distress, please seek immediate professional medical advice.
Early in the book, Mark tries to state clearly and briefly how he survived and ultimately was healed: “For me, the saving grace was my healing journey in grace itself. God’s loving grace somehow reached me, and in that grace, I somehow found my ultimate spiritual director in the person of the Holy Spirit. My story of grace also includes religious women, family, friends, and the surprise of some good — flawed and holy — priests human like all of us, bonded together by a loving Christ — and all who were people who heard my story and never failed to love me.” (p. x1v).
I am thinking of the countless people who might be helped by reading Mark’s book, especially anyone who has experienced sexual abuse as a child. For those who have been sexually abused when they were children, Mark’s book may be a special grace.
There are so many beautiful, touching sections in Mark’s book that I suspect many who read the book, especially those who have been sexually abused as children and those addicted to alcohol may be moved to tears. Confessing that Abraham Heschel is one of his favorite authors, Mark quotes a beautiful comment of Heschel’s on prayer.
Heschel wrote the following: “Prayer takes the mind out of the narrowness of self-interest and enables us to see the world in the mirror of the holy. For when we betake ourselves to the extreme opposite of ego, we can behold a situation from the aspect of God. Prayer is the way to master what is inferior in us, to discern between the signal and the trivial, between the vital and the will of God, by seeing our fate in proportion to God.
Prayer clarifies our hopes and intentions. It helps us discover our true aspirations, the pangs we ignore, and the longings we forget. It is an act of self-purification, a quarantine for the soul. It gives us the opportunity to be honest, to say what we believe, and to stand for what we say. For the accord of assertion and conviction, of thought and conscience, is the basis of all prayer.”
Re-reading parts of Mark’s book, I was thinking about what category best describes the book. Is it a self-help book? A reflection on addiction? An autobiography? Of course, the book can fit into any of those categories, but more than anything, it is the record of an adventure in grace. The title Mark has given his book is perfect. The book is a testament to the victory of God’s grace.
Father Lauder is a philosophy professor at St. John’s University, Jamaica. His new book, “The Cosmic Love Story: God and Us,” is available on Amazon.com and at Barnes & Noble.