Agony of addicts like Amy Winehouse

Published: August 4, 2011
by PAVAN AMARA

WORSHIPPERS dedicated a special evening mass to Amy Winehouse on Monday as the focus turned to helping those struggling to shake addictions.

Around 50 Catholic parishioners attended Father Tom Forde’s service at Our Lady Help in Lady Margaret Road, Kentish Town, which paid special attention to the tangle of problems faced by drug and alcohol addicts in their battle to overcome substance abuse.

Ms Winehouse died 11 days ago, although it has not been confirmed how. Investigators are still waiting for toxicology reports which could shed more light on the mystery.

Her long-term problems with drugs and drink were well publicised, however, and her father Mitch has already entered into talks with MPs about setting up a rehab centre as a legacy beyond her back-catalogue of chart hits.

Mr Winehouse met with politicians on Monday to discuss how the idea could be funded.

The Amy Winehouse Foundation set up in her name will be dedicated to teenagers struggling with addictions. “We were in the fortunate position of being able to fund Amy to go into private rehab, but this is about people who can’t afford it,” said Mr Winehouse.

The plans will strike a chord with those who listened to Father Tom’s hour-long service on Monday night.

He said: “Everybody’s addicted to something. But when we find ourselves in the territory of drugs and alcohol things get dangerous.

“We run three Alcoholics Anonymous groups here and one Narcotics Anonymous group. They are fantastic.

“I would say to anyone to not give up, but to know we are there to help them if they are struggling.

“For many addicts the problem develops through not having anyone else to depend on apart from the substance, but at AA or NA for the first time they have someone else to depend on.

“It’s like a community. The people who have been through AA or NA are millions of times better than everyone else and I really respect them, because they have to be honest with themselves and make a journey most people don’t have to face. You have to really look at yourself, and look at your mistakes, and that’s an extremely humanising and humbling experience.

“You don’t even have to believe in a higher power. We are here for you, this place is welcome to anyone.”

Father Tom urged addicts to get help with their problems, and paid special tribute to Ms Winehouse during the service.

“We’ve seen untold vigils outside her home,” he said.

“We’ve seen it played out on the screens, we’ve read it all in the newspapers, and heard it retold through conversations.

“During this service, we don’t want to add anything to that. It’s just about saying that nobody knows the inner searching, the pain, the confusion, mistrust, or lack of hope that goes through any of us.

“Amy had a lot of pain and we are giving her up to God to heal that.”

When the service was arranged, it was noted in several places that Ms Winehouse had been Jewish – not Catholic.

But Father Tom said: “She gave a lot to us with her unique voice, but she was also another sister of ours. We are all God’s children, and in the Catholic tradition we pray for anyone in our community – for the dead, for the sick, and for anyone else who needs our prayers.”

Sheila Crosswick, 46, who lives in Gaisford Road, Kentish Town, said: “I hope that everyone finds strength in this service – the strength to say no to those things that are dangerous or may harm them.”

Paul Bensah, 29, who lives in Croftdown Road, Dartmouth Park, said: “Addictions are debilitating, like an illness really. Clearly, she didn’t die in vain. Amy’s death has flagged up the thousands of people sinking under the water with addictions. It’s good to see people starting to care about it.”