Pope Francis Venerates Venerable Matt Talbot's Crucifix Today

On the way to the Pro-cathedral in Dublin, Pope Francis  stopped and venerated relics of the Venerable Matt Talbot in front of the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes at Sean McDermott Street 1 in Dublin today.

A four minute video is available at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmuKAOFJdv0

Pope Francis Venerating Crucifix that belonged to Venerable Matt Talbot. (25th August 2018)


 

"How did Matt Talbot spend his last day of life?"

Today is the 92nd anniversary of Matt Talbot's death.

Without getting into extensive detail as provided in biographies, we post the content from the Dublin Diocesan Matt Talbot Website: http://www.matttalbot.ie/.

 

Matt's Ultimate Victory

“Trinity Sunday, the 7th June 1925, was the hottest day of a heat wave that had gripped the country since the previous week. Matt as usual had attended the 5.30am Mass in Gardiner St. and went to Holy Communion with the men of his Sodality at 8.00am Mass. After Mass he returned to Rutland Street to have his usual meagre breakfast, one of his neighbours thought he looked poorly and advised him to take a little rest. Matt admitted that he was feeling a little weak but a half an hour later Matt came down again; he smiled at his neighbour, said he felt all right and was going on to the 10am Mass in Dominick Street.

He always hurried to Mass. Around two sides of Mountjoy Square, along Gardiner Place, past Belvedere College, down Gardiner Row and along the North side of Parnell Square he was now just a few minutes away from his goal, the Dominican Church. Turning into Granby Lane, a short cut to the Church, he stumbled and collapsed. Passers by came to his aid people coming from an earlier Mass in Dominick called for a priest, a nurse and a Guard were on the scene.

An eye witness account from Noel Carroll, who was a young boy at the time, recalls how his father who was manager of a chemist's shop at Bolton Street, would generally attend the 10am Mass on Sunday mornings in Dominick Street. On some Sundays he would take Noel along with him. Though he was only eight and a half years at the time he remembers that Sunday morning June 7th 1925 very well.

He describes how it was a very sunny morning as he and his father turned into Granby Lane they noticed a lot of excitement centred around a man lying on the ground. Noel's father, being a chemist, went over to give First Aid; Noel observed his father as he opened the stud of the man's shirt-collar. By now a large crowd had gathered. The chemist instructed the people to stand back. As they did Noel got a good look at the man. He had no collar or tie, and wore a grey suit. Noel recalls that as the man closed his eyes and died the bell for Mass had begun to ring it was about 9.40am. It is quite conceivable that the last sound which Matt heard was the Vox Dei, the voice of God's call to the Banquet of the Eucharist, a call that Matt had been so faithful to during his life now beckoned him to its fulfillment in heaven. If Matt had known that morning what was going to happen he would not have worn the chains. Little did he realise that they would be the way in which God would reveal the hidden aspects of his life of holiness to the world.”

161st Anniversary of Venerable Matt Talbot's Birth

Matthew was born on this date, 2 May 1856, at 13 Aldborough Court, Dublin, Ireland, the second eldest of ten surviving children of Charles and Elizabeth Talbot.

Whereas very few people outside his family knew of his birth, people around the world after his death would begin to learn of Matt's early life of alcoholism and later, by the grace of God, his holy life of more than four decades.

160th Anniversary of Venerable Matt Talbot’s Birth

Matthew was born on 2 May 1856 at 13 Aldborough Court, Dublin, Ireland, the second eldest of twelve children of Charles and Elizabeth Talbot. He was baptized three days later at St. Mary's Pro-Cathedral.

Reflection on Venerable Matt Talbot's Death and Legacy

Each of us will have a different way of reflecting on Matt Talbot’s death and legacy today, the 88th anniversary of his death.

One approach is to read http://www.matttalbot.ie/ultimate-victory.htm and the following two Dublin Diocesan Matt Talbot Website pages and/or play the "5. Death & Legacy" video at  http://www.matttalbot.ie/videos.htm and then record your reflection in a “Matt Talbot Journal.”

 

We have pasted the third page of the recommended reading below:

Matt sets before us a radical example which demonstrates that ordinary people can do extraordinary things. His life is a witness to the fact that people can by God's grace and their own self acceptance say no to that which leads to addiction or addictive behaviours and that in the meantime our communities must never lose hope and must continue to care for them.

Maybe it is because of this that so many have come to love and admire Matt Talbot. Matt's friend Paddy Laird always found it extraordinary that there were only seven people at Matt's funeral, but upon making public his life story hundreds of thousands have come to see him as a hero and a beacon of hope.

People need heroes, not in the sense of comic book or movie superheroes with superhuman powers, not pop stars or celebrities all art and pizzazz but with little or no moral substance. No what we need are ordinary people who against extraordinary odds do the right thing, like saying no to addiction or compulsion. Matt Talbot understood this and he would say to others, "If I can do it so can you with the grace of God".

Matt example has inspired many institutions, movements and individuals around the world giving hope of recovery to those who are willing to accept their weakness and need. Such people stand as beacons in our world to the truth that we can overcome addiction rise above our weakness and achieve great things even sainthood.

Jesus said, "Come to me all you who labour and are overburdened and I will give you rest shoulder my yoke and learn from me for I am meek and humble of heart and you will find rest for your souls" Matt 11:28-30.

Matt Talbot's life as a labourer who was overburdened by addiction and guilt gradually grew in awareness through the gift of grace and the Holy Spirit that a life of meekness and humility of heart will lead to rest for our souls, and towards a better world where all self destructive drive will come to an end, where people will live in harmony of body, mind and spirit, in harmony too with each other, with creation and with God.

By following the example of Matt Talbot you tell the world that there is more to life than "sex, and drugs and rock n roll," that there is hope for every broken heart and that by God's love his kingdom comes into our hearts, our homes and our world.

At this time when so many of our communities are affected by the scourge of alcohol and substance misuse, God has chosen Matt to be set before us as a model of temperance and a source of strength and support to all who suffer from addiction or additive behaviors.

Matt Talbot ascetic and urban spiritual mystic, who overcame addiction by the Grace of God, his higher power, whose faith was nourished by his extraordinary love of the Eucharist and his sublime devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Christ told his followers, "You therefore must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect," Matt 5:48. When Matt found sobriety through prayer, his desire for drink was replaced by a desire for Christian perfection.

85th Anniversary of Venerable Matt Talbot's Death

Today is the 85th anniversary of the death of the Venerable Matt Talbot, although his "Remembrance Day" is typically noted on June 19.

"Lord, as you did with Venerable Matt Talbot, help us to overcome all attachments and addictions that are self-destructive. Make us a new creation. Amen."

(This prayer is posted at http://www.flickr.com/photos/guadalupehouse96734/4657670366/.)

Today in Irish History: Matt Talbot's Death

"June 7, 1925 - Death of Matt Talbot. With the help of a priest friend, Matt overcomes chronic alcoholism and models his life on that of the monks, who lived in Ireland in the 6th and 7th centuries. It is a tough programme of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. He gives away most of his wages every week to the poor at home and abroad. He is also keenly aware of his fellow workers struggle for social justice. A loyal member of Ireland's Transport and General Workers Union, a Union leader, Stephen McGonagle, describes him as "a beacon of light to Irish workers". After a life of heroic perseverance, he dies suddenly on the way to Mass. A candidate for canonization, his statue stands at the south end of the Liffey, by the bridge named after him."

Source: http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/02Hist/6June.html

Matt's birth is not listed, however, in "Today in Irish History" for 2 May 1856.