The following is a Letter to the Editor of The
Irish Catholic published on 15 October 2015 at http://irishcatholic.ie/article/papal-trip-ireland-should-include-matt-talbot-shrine
The Irish Catholic
The Irish Catholic
Dear Editor,
Your front page story in last week’s The Irish Catholic
(08/10/2015) focused on a possible papal visit to Ireland in 2018 and the places
that may be included in his itinerary. (See http://irishcatholic.ie/article/pope-hand-picked-ireland-hope-2018-visit)
Pope hand-picked Ireland in hope of
2018 visit
Francis has a ‘special affection’ for
Ireland
If he were to come he should also visit the Shrine of Matt
Talbot. This was actually included in John Paul II’s own itinerary, but due to
logistic reasons, he was just driven past the church. The disappointment of the
locals is still very palpable today, 36 years later. (See http://venerablematttalbotresourcecenter.blogspot.com/2015/10/pope-john-paul-ii-crowd-waiting-at-matt.html)
Though situated right in the heart of Dublin, the North inner
city is a marginalised community having to endure the social stigma attached to
it. However there are many positive elements to be found there which are often
overlooked.
In the words of Archbishop Diarmuid Martin: “Inner city Dublin
has a great history of people looking after one another, especially when times
are hard. This community has shown that it has extraordinary resources of
goodness and caring and courage.”
Pope Francis loves the deprived and marginalised, and would
feel very much at home visiting such a community to which Matt Talbot belonged.
Moreover, Matt would be very much to the heart of Pope Francis, since he is a
clear “witness of the mercy and tenderness of the Lord”.
The Pope’s visit will highlight the World Meeting of Families;
in the inner city he will surely meet many resilient families, as the archbishop
himself affirms: “There are great families in this parish. There are great
mothers and grandmothers, who when things went wrong kept families
together.”
If the Pope were to visit Matt Talbot’s Shrine he would surely
also visit his own Jesuit Community in Gardiner street, and pray at the shrine
of Venerable John Sullivan. Holiness touches the lives of all people, whatever
their background!
Yours etc.,
Richard Ebejer SDB,
Our Lady of Lourdes,
Sean McDermott Street, Dublin.
Site of the Matt Talbot Shrine