He found God in a Toronto jail and then dedicated his life to helping others.

The Oakville community is mourning the loss of Rev. Peter Watters.

The retired associate pastor of St. Andrew church and former Oakville councillor died at Wyndham Manor on New Year’s Day.

He was 92.

Watters spent nearly 30 years serving the area as a Roman Catholic priest and more than 50 years helping others stay sober.

The longtime Oakville resident arrived at his calling via a very dark and winding road.

Watters lived in Oakville nearly his entire life, moving here in 1940 at the age of 12.

He came from a poor family and was forced to drop out of school in Grade 8 to find work.

He started drinking at 14 and in his 30s lost a successful Oakville paint and wallpaper business because of his addiction.

Watters’ drinking got so bad he became homeless in Toronto for a time.

“I was bumming nickels and dimes, living in alleyways, eating at the missions,” said Watters in a 2011 interview with the Toronto Star.

On Jan. 31, 1961, Watters ended up in a Toronto jail after crashing a vehicle into a streetcar.

It was here that Watters said he turned to God for help, praying on his knees to be relieved of his obsession to drink.

He began going to Alcoholics Anonymous, something he continued to do for many years.

“I celebrated 50 years,” said Watters in 2011.

“Fifty years and I’m still active. I wouldn’t trade that for anything else. That’s an important part of my life.”

Watters not only attended meetings but became a leader in AA, through which he travelled the world helping hundreds, if not thousands of people.

He rebuilt his life by starting a profitable business, producing a religious reader.

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He was also elected to Oakville town council and then became the first chair of the Halton Catholic District School Board.

In 1978, Watters made a big change and gave away his business and home to enter the seminary at age 50.

He was ordained four years later.

Watters would go on to serve as pastor of several parishes in the Diocese of Hamilton.

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During those years he counselled people for a variety of addictions including alcohol, drugs, gambling, sex, and pornography.

In 2001 he moved to St. Andrew church in Oakville, where he remained until his retirement in 2011.

In 2002, Watters was awarded the Caring Canada Award from former governor-general Adrienne Clarkson.

“I lost myself, but then I found myself again,” said Watters in 2011 as he prepared for retirement.

“God’s been good to me and I’ve had a wonderful life, but it’s time I had a little rest.”

Watter’s visitation will take place Monday at St. Andrew church from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.

A mass and Christian burial will take place at St. Andrew church on Tuesday at 10 a.m.

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