FOR YEARS, STEVEN CASWELL lived in a quiet prison of addiction. His struggle centered on online pornography; a habit he tried countless times to overcome on his own.
He set boundaries, made promises and sought self-help resources, yet he always found himself falling back into the same destructive cycle.
“Things finally changed when I surrendered it all to God,” Caswell said.
Today, Caswell, a longtime parishioner at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Irvine, oversees four active recovery groups in the Diocese of Orange through Road to Purity, a national Catholic ministry dedicated to healing men and women suffering from pornography and sexual addiction.
He now serves as the nonprofit’s director of clergy and community partnerships, helping parishes, priests and ministry leaders build faith-based recovery programs rooted in Catholic teaching and emotional healing.
BUILDING A FOUNDATION FOR FREEDOM
Caswell’s path toward healing began unexpectedly. After years of frustration and isolation, he was introduced to Dann Aungst, a Catholic husband and father who founded Road to Purity in 2016 after finding freedom from his own long-term addiction.
“Two long, honest conversations with Dann helped me start building a foundation that I never had before,” Caswell recalled. “For the first time, someone understood both the spiritual battle and the emotional wounds beneath the addiction.”
Beginning as a volunteer, Caswell eventually moved into part-time work and then into his current full-time role three years ago. His work now brings him into regular contact with clergy, ministry leaders, married couples, donors and individuals.
“This ministry is about hope,” he said. “Our culture has normalized pornography and sexual sin to the point where many people feel trapped and hopeless. But God’s grace is stronger than any addiction.”
Raised Catholic in Southern California, Caswell drifted from his faith for several years, a period that deepened his struggle. His return to the Church became the turning point that led him to confront the wounds driving his addiction and to discover the possibility of real transformation.
“I’ve seen men and women experience renewal that can only be described as miraculous,” he said. “Marriages restored, identity healed, vocations rediscovered, hearts set free. Road to Purity exists to remind people that no matter how far they’ve fallen, healing and holiness are possible.”
THE POWER OF PERSISTENCE
When Caswell first acknowledged the depth of his struggle, he spent weeks searching for a program that was both affordable and authentically Catholic. He found the landscape surprisingly limited — until a friend connected him with Road to Purity.
The nonprofit offers its online programs free of charge, along with weekly virtual meetings and in-person support groups in multiple states. Its two primary programs are Restoring God’s Foundation, a structured online healing process, and the Simon Community, a network of weekly virtual support groups. Four in-person groups currently operate within the Diocese of Orange, serving men from various parishes.
“The biggest challenge is often facing the underlying wounds and lies that drive the addiction,” Caswell explained.
“Most people want to stop the behavior, but they haven’t addressed the deeper pain beneath it.”
He emphasized that recovery is not an instant fix.
“Healing is about persistence, accountability and inviting God into the wounded places,” he shared. “Freedom takes time — but it’s real.”
A ministry serving the nation What began as a small outreach from Aungst’s personal experience has grown into a national nonprofit serving Catholics across the United States. Road to Purity now provides:
· Online recovery programs that integrate Catholic spirituality with trauma-aware healing
· Weekly virtual meetings for men at all stages of recovery
· Training and formation for clergy, deacons and parish leadership
· In-person support groups operating in multiple dioceses
· Spanish-language resources, translation support and bilingual content development
· Resources for marriages, couples and families affected by pornography
· Clergy Formation Enhancement, a developing initiative equipping priests to accompany those struggling with sexual addiction
Because the ministry is donor-supported, all major programs remain free, allowing individuals and families to seek help without financial barriers. Its materials, videos and training content are used by parishes, retreat centers and diocesan offices around the country.
“Many people think they just have a ‘porn problem,’” Caswell explained. “But the behavior is usually a symptom of deeper wounds — shame, loneliness, trauma and disconnection from God. Road to Purity helps people address all of that in a comprehensive, faith-centered way.”
LIVES TRANSFORMED
Participants often describe Road to Purity as the first program that integrates both the Catholic sacramental life and the emotional, psychological work necessary for long-term change.
Josh, a participant who struggled with pornography for more than 20 years and lives with bipolar disorder and complex trauma, said the ministry gave him tools he had never found elsewhere.
“The Catholic dimension of this program makes it different from others,” he said. “Mary and the saints add a level of spiritual warfare that you absolutely need when fighting sexual addiction.”
Another participant added simply: “This program saved my life.”
A third man shared that within months of joining, he went from viewing pornography five times a week to none. “Now I’ve been free for over two months and counting,” he said.
A MESSAGE TO ANYONE STRUGGLING
Caswell’s advice to those battling sexual or pornography addiction is simple and compassionate.
“First: you are not alone, and you are not beyond God’s mercy. This addiction thrives in shame.”
He encourages anyone struggling to speak with a trusted person, return to the sacraments and get connected with a faith-based support community.
“Take the first courageous step,” he said. “God will do the rest.”