The following item appeared in a parish newsletter. Perhaps we can suggest that such an item about Matt Talbot be included in our parish newsletter/bulletin.
Venerable Matt
Talbot
By Fr John
Newsletter for 5th June 2011- St Agnes’ Parish
Newsletter for 5th June 2011- St Agnes’ Parish
Crumlin, Dublin 12
Last Sunday
morning a woman who was attending Mass here in St Agnes approached me after one
of morning Masses. She was from Donegal and was visiting family in the area.
She asked about Matt Talbot and she expressed a wish to visit his tomb. I
directed her to Sean McDermott
Street.
I feel that he
seems to be remembered more in other parts of the country and in the USA especially,
then in his native city. On Tuesday next {7th June} we will be recalling the
anniversary of his death. He died suddenly on this date in 1925 in Granby Lane on his
way to Mass in Dominick St
Church. Within a few
short years of his death his reputation as a saintly man and especially as a
patron and protector of those suffering from all forms of addiction, and their
families was established.
From his early
teens until the age of 28, Matt was a hard drinker. Perhaps if he was living in
our age his problem would have been hard drugs.
After his conversion, he led a life of prayer, devotion to the Mass and the
Blessed Virgin and he gave away all he had to help the poor. He never wrote a
religious book or founded a Religious Congregation.
He was devoted to prayer and penance, and his little room at 18 Rutland St was his monastic cell.