Dear Readers,

By now, most of you are aware that the addiction field lost one of its great pioneers with the passing of Father Joseph C. Martin on March 9. Although it has become the norm for me to use this venue to discuss current issues facing the addiction treatment field, I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Father Martin’s life and extraordinary contribution to the addiction field.

Father Martin was born and raised in Baltimore, Md., and in 1948, at the age of 24, was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Baltimore. A moderate drinker at the time, Father Martin was sent to San Francisco, where he completed more rigorous training to become a Sulpician, a member of the highly regarded teaching society within the church. His drinking increased over the next several years, eventually landing him in the Guest House in Michigan, a private recovery sanctuary for Catholic priests. Guest House and its founder, Austin Ripley, would both serve as a model for his own treatment center, Father Martin’s Ashley.

Both Austin Ripley and Dr. Walter Greene had a profound effect on Father Martin, and throughout his career, he credited both men for teaching him what he knew about alcoholism and recovery. In fact, it was Dr. Greene’s educational model on alcoholism that was the basis for Father Martin’s first Blackboard Talk (which later became Chalk Talk) in 1959 at an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting. Blackboard Talk made such an impression, that Father Martin was sought out by other AA groups and eventually hired as a lecturer and educator for the Division of Alcohol Control for the State of Maryland, and was also enlisted by the U.S. Navy in February 1972, to film the talk (which was renamed Chalk Talk).

More than 35 years after its release, Chalk Talk is still being described by addiction experts as one of the most effective and informative descriptions of alcoholism and addiction, to date. Since its inception, Chalk Talk has become the main educational resource on alcoholism for branches of the Federal Government, parts of industry, medical facilities, hospitals, rehabilitation centers and other substance abuse programs.

The popularity of Chalk Talk led Father Martin and Mae Abraham to found Kelly Productions in 1972, a production company in Bel Air, Md., dedicated to educating alcoholics and drug addicts, as well as their families and friends. Kelly Productions has produced more than 30 films and other media on addiction, and continues to operate under Father Martin’s mission. In 1983, Father Martin and Mae Abraham founded Father Martin’s Ashley, a non-profit center in Havre de Grace, Md., dedicated to the treatment of persons with alcohol and drug addictions.

Although he is no longer with us, may Father Martin’s enduring and God-inspired message of hope, love and service to those in need, live on in each of you as you endeavor to ease the suffering of individuals and families who are affected by addiction.


Sincerely,

Stephanie L. Muller
Editor
Counselor,The Magazine for Addiction Counselors
A Health Communications, Inc. Publication

This article is published in Counselor, The Magazine for Addiction Professionals, June 2009, v.10, n.3, pg.7.

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Susan Armour  - Fr. Martin   |98.28.42.xxx |2009-07-15 13:33:18 Just this week I made reference to Fr. Martin on several occasions - and I told his joke "Wherever you find 4 priests, you'll find a fifth!" Chalk Talk was a primary learning tool when I got into this business. Rest in peace, Fr. Martin, and may God grant you rest and let His perpetual light shine upon you. Reply 0   0

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