"Catholic in Recovery"

"Catholic in Recovery (https://catholicinrecovery.com) is a nonprofit organization that seeks to serve those suffering from addictions and unhealthy attachments (including alcoholism, drug addiction, pornography addiction, sex and relationship addiction, compulsive overeating and food addictions, gambling addiction, codependency and the impact on family, and general fear, control, and anxiety).

The organization was started by the passion of Scott Weeman as he found healing and new life through the help of twelve step recovery and the sacramental love and mercy provided by the Catholic Church. We support parishes and communities with group resources that draw people closer to these two powerful sources of grace. It is the aim of Catholic in Recovery to share the Good News that God can bring about healing and recovery, even in the most hopeless of cases."

A brief video by Scott about Venerable Matt Talbot is available at https://vimeo.com/361074503

A related reference with Scott is at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTuZOYpyKlE

A Poem Honouring Matt Talbot

Martin Jim McFadden wrote Matt and I "in honour of Matt Talbot
who was a great inspiration to me in my battle with the bottle."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH69eLI8uSY

More about his sobriety journey is available at

http://www.martinjimmcfadden.com

 

A Homily that Highlights the Life of Venerable Matt Talbot

In an Easter homily on resurrection by Fr. Dan Fickes at St. Joseph Parish in Avon Lake, Ohio, he discusses the Venerable Matt Talbot, OFS as a former alcoholic who became known as an Irish ascetic revered by many Catholics for his piety, charity and mortification of the flesh. 

This video was posted on Apr 25, 2019 at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwsZkgW0wrc

Meeting Venerable Matt Talbot: Patron of Alcoholics

For readers who are interested in beginning to learn about Matt Talbot (1856-1925), we recommend the website created by Fr. Brian Lawless, Vice-Postulator for the Cause of Matt Talbot, and the Dublin Diocesan Matt Talbot Committee, which is now available at http://mateusztalbot.pl/talbot/index.html or www.matttalbot.ie/

This site includes the following sections:

Story:

Matt’s Early Life

The Dark Years

Matt the Worker

The Road to Recovery

Matt on Strike

Prayer and Spiritual Guidance

Matt’s Ultimate Victory

The Account of Matt’s Holiness Spreads

Videos:

Matt’s Early Life

The Dark Years

Matt’s Conversion

Matt the Worker

Death and Legacy

Prayers:

Prayer for the Canonisation of Matt Talbot

Asking Matt’s Help in the Presence of the Lord

Contact:

Private Message: https://www.facebook.com/VenerableMattTalbot/
E-Mail Message about Matt Talbot mateusztalbot@wp.pl

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/VenerableMattTalbot/

www.twitter.com/venmatttalbot

http://venerablematttalbotresourcecenter.blogspot.com/

An Intercessory Prayer to Venerable Matt Talbot

While holding a first class Venerable Matt Talbot relic,

Father John Paul, E.W.T.N., offers an intercessory prayer for all affected by addictions, especially to alcohol, drugs, pornography or any other affliction at
https://www.facebook.com/ewtnonline/videos/2155200261471425/

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)


 

Matt Talbot's Inspirational Victory Over Addiction

This informative video, published on Sep 16, 2017, features multiple speakers.

"Theme of documentary- The amount of families in Ireland and every other country in the world who are afflicted by an addiction of one sort or another is very high, and addiction more than anything else, destroys families. Many families have lived tortured lives because what do you do when a member of your family gets addicted to alcohol or drugs? The alcoholic or addict usually ends up going t
o any lengths to feed their addiction, to the detriment of the wider family. 

Where do people in such an awful scenario go for help? What do they do? When many of them hear about the inspirational story of Matt Talbot and how he overcame his chronic alcoholism, they’re inspired and encouraged to try and overcome their addiction and begin the difficult journey from darkness to light. Matt Talbot is nowadays the number one patron for countless people all over the world who are suffering from addiction and are struggling to find recovery.

This 50-minute radio documentary investigates: (a)[ Matt Talbot’s inspirational life-example and why his story resonates so strongly with our modern world; and (b). the huge interest nowadays in Matt Talbot in Ireland and abroad. More than anything else, this documentary aims to highlight Matt Talbot’s story of redemption and hope, and in so doing perhaps inspire any listener who’s suffering from addiction, or knows someone suffering from addiction, to follow his example of walking the difficult (but worthwhile) path from addiction to recovery. * 

This 50-minute radio documentary is to be downloaded for non-profit purposes only, in adherence with the universal truth- “What you do for yourself dies with you, what you do for others remains. It is immortal.”

Video Homily About Matt Talbot

Thank you, Paul, for posting this message on your website, http://www.sobercatholic.com/2017/10/29/ewtn-daily-mass-homily-on-matt-talbot/ on 29, October 2017.


“Last Friday I happened to watch the Daily Mass on EWTN. Fr. Joseph Mary had a nice homily on Matt Talbot! He even mentioned that there is a miracle attributed to Matt that is being considered for possible beatification!

He also read two prayers written by Matt:

Oh most sweet Jesus, mortify within me all that is bad, make it die.
and
In company, guard your tongue; in your family, guard your temper; when alone, guard your thoughts.

Fr. Joseph begins talking about Matt at the 5:00 mark, and the prayers he reads at the 10:03 mark. At 10:54 he mentions the story behind the possible miracle.”

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUHBRUUgEVY

Venerable Matt Talbot: A Fool for Christ

In a series of video presentations titled, Fools for Christ: Stories of the Saints, host  Ray Boisvenue, SFO provides an eight minute introduction to the life of Venerable Matt Talbot, which was posted October 2016 at https://vimeo.com/188983314

Informative Programme about Venerable Matt Talbot

              


An informative programme (of 26 minutes) about Venerable Matt Talbot, which was first presented in 2011, is available for viewing during this month of August at http://www.tg4.ie/en/player/home/?pid=4359705028001.  It includes photos, film clips, interviews, ballads, and reenactments.

Image and Video about Venerable Matt Talbot

 

This image of Matt Talbot appears at the beginning of a video posted at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp8yZ35QOB0 on 10 Sept 2015.
 

The video features two stories. The first story is about how Matt Talbot Group 8 Retreats came into being. At 9:32 minutes into this 24 minute video, a presentation about Matt Talbot begins.

Video of Matt Talbot Related Photographs

This 1:41 video of photographs (taken 29/8/15) are from Granby Lane (where Matt died) and his Shrine in Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Dublin.

Ballad of Matt Talbot

Davey Inthevalley wrote and sings this song about "Dublin's beloved Venerable Matt Talbot," which was published on 15 June 2015.

What apparently struck Davey about Matt was that Matt was an ordinary man, a hard worker, and eventually found grace that lead him to true sobriety.

1963 Documentary About Matt Talbot

This 41 minute documentary is unique in that it consists of interviews conducted in 1963 with people who were acquainted with Matt.

Along with a brief text introduction about Matt in English, Polish, and German, it may be viewed at 

https://www.gloria.tv/media/UQJwNmGjkM4.

2015 Documentary on “Matt Talbot – his life and legacy”

 

A new and important documentary on Venerable Matt Talbot, who died 90 years ago on 7 June 1925, can be viewed at http://www.icatholic.ie/matt-talbot-life-legacy/.

It was recorded at the Matt Talbot Shrine in Dublin, with Fr. Brian Lawless, Vice Postulator for the cause of Venerable Matt Talbot, as the presenter.

Introducing Venerable Matt Talbot Via Tellagami

This 15 second Gami video (https://tellagami.com/app/) was published on Apr 10, 2015 by Susan Pombrio. The Matt Talbot image was posted four years ago at
http://venerablematttalbotresourcecenter.blogspot.com/2011/04/venerable-matt-talbot-image.html

 

Recovery and Venerable Matt Talbot

Fr. Louis Scurti, a New Jersey priest and certified marriage & family therapist, discusses the life of Venerable Matt Talbot and recovering from addictions today in this June 19, 2014 seven minute video at

http://www.ehorner.net/frscurti1/?p=345

or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwMEwYhFcy0.

New Venerable Matt Talbot YouTube links

On June 17 & 18, 2013 two new YouTube links were posted by the same source about Venerable Matt Talbot. One is two minutes in duration (The Venerable Matt Talbot - June 18 – YouTube) while the second one, The Matt Talbot Story – YouTube, is nine minutes in length. The script for the latter is from the Wikipedia link for Matt Talbot (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Talbot).

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.

The Secret of Granby Lane

This 1960’s one-half hour syndicated television drama about Matt Talbot at

http://archive.org/details/TheSecretOfGranbyLane

is from an anthology series presented by The Hour of St. Francis. It was produced by Father Hugh Noonan, OFM (1907-1974) of Los Angeles, who had created a radio program with the same name years before. The host of this drama is American actor, Stephen McNally (1913-1994).

 

Although Matt collapsed and died on Granby Lane in Dublin on Trinity Sunday, 7 June 1925, his “secret” in the title was not actually identified until his body was taken to Jervis Street Hospital. 

 

Some comments in reference to this program are available at http://www.reddit.com/r/stopdrinking/comments/1bclu2/perspectives_on_the_secret_of_granby_lane/