Earlier this week as the 49th International Eucharistic Congress was ending in Quebec City, Canada, Pope Benedict XVI announced that the 50th International Eucharistic Congress would be held in the city of Dublin, Ireland, in 2012. This is the second time that Dublin will host the congress; the Irish hosted the 31st congress in 1932. (http://www.zenit.org/article-22985?l=english)
Just prior to the first congress held in Dublin in 1932, the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Rev. E. J.Byrne, D.D., had initiated the Cause for the Beatification of Matt Talbot in November, 1931. Attending this congress was Jean Cardinal Verdier (1864-1940), Archbishop of Paris, who knew of Matt Talbot. During his visit to Dublin, Cardinal Verdier "...knelt and prayed in the room in No. 18 Upper Rutland Street where Matt Talbot had kept vigil with Jesus down many years and, deeply moved by his experiences, had kissed the floor..." (Glynn, 1942)) Cardinal Verdier's concern about alcoholism was apparent early in his tenure as Archbishop when he ordered all French priests to conduct an extensive survey into any alcoholism existing in their parishes. (Time Magazine, July 14, 1930)
Although the theme for the 2012 IEC in Dublin has not been set at this time, it would seem appropriate that Venerable Matt Talbot might be officially or unofficially noted in some way since Eucharistic adoration was especially important to Matt. Even during the times he was hospitalized for heart disease prior to his death, Matt spent much time in Eucharistic adoration in the hospital chapel. In addition, Matt had noted on more than one occasion that he found it difficult for anyone to be lonely, especially when one could spend time before the Blessed Sacrament.
References:
Glynn, Sir Joseph A. Life of Matt Talbot. The full text is available online at
Time Magazine. "Cocktails, Confidence, Aberration.," July 14, 1930, found at http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,739775,00.html