An Informative Booklet About Venerable Matt Talbot

Nearly two years ago, we posted information about a “Profile in Heroic Virtue” article featuring Venerable Matt Talbot by the Dead Theologians Society at http://venerablematttalbotresource center.blogspot.com/search?q=Dead+Theologians+Society.

This society has also published a series of Booklets on the Saints, including a very worthwhile twelve page introduction, including photographs, about the life and inspiration of Matt Talbot. Also included is a catechetical reflection regarding addiction based on Genesis 3. The download pdf is available at  http://www.acnire land.org/dts/dts_matt.pdf.

Interior View of Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Dublin

For those who have not yet visited the Shrine of Venerable Matt Talbot within Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Sean McDermott Street,  Dublin 1, Ireland, click this Google Map link for viewing:

https://www.google.pl/maps/@53.35421,-6.2532498,3a,76.8y,259.67h,81.2t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1s-CKER2AXtxqM%2FVh5MTuNJruI%2FAAAAAAAAF2o%2FZ6WS4FPM27M!2e4!3e11!6s%2F%2Flh3.googleusercontent.com%2F-CKER2AXtxqM%2FVh5MTuNJruI%2FAAAAAAAAF2o%2FZ6WS4FPM27M%2Fw203-h101-n-k-no%2F!7i8704!8i4352

Note: We thank Grzegorz Jakielski for posting this link on February 11, 2016 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Matt-Talbot/304690079653019.

Reminder: 2016 Pilgrimage in Ireland with Venerable Matt Talbot’s Vice Postulator

As we posted last September at http://venerablematttalbotresourcecenter.blogspot.com/search/label/pilgrimage, the Philadelphia units of The Calix Society announced a one-of-a-kind  pilgrimage to Ireland with Fr. Brian Lawless, Vice Postulator for the Cause of Venerable Matt Talbot, which is scheduled for June 19 to June 30, 2016.

If you are interested and have not signed up, the above link has pilgrimage details.

Day of Prayer for Temperance

The complete News Feed is available at

http://www.catholicbishops.ie/2016/02/04/temperance-brings-balance-and-prevents-excess-getting-a-grip-bishop-eamonn-walsh/

Sunday 7 February 2016 is a Day of Prayer for Temperance, a day which offers us an opportunity to reflect on our relationship with alcohol and a day on which we can take time to pray for those who suffer from addiction.

Writing about temperance in the current issue of Intercom magazine Bishop Éamonn Walsh, Vice-chair of the Irish Bishops’ Drugs Initiative said:

We live in a world where many people wish to march to the beat of their own drum. Where freedom and tolerance means, ‘let me do what I want and you can do what you want, as long as it does not interfere with my freedom’. When a society takes down the protective banks so that everyone can be totally free, we could easily become a lazy lake with people floating around doing their own thing but really going nowhere. Once there is a focus in life, floating aimlessly disappears. A purpose develops with its own safeguards, priorities and balance. It is this balance that we associate with temperance. It may demand sacrifices to attain a goal for self or others. Once the habit of temperance is formed in one area of life, it can be drawn on whenever required.

Temperance has an unpopular image, it is perceived as a restrictive, a sort of kill-joy and spoil sport. Nothing could be further from the reality. Temperance brings balance and prevents excess getting a grip. Bad tempered behaviour or intemperate language is neither accepted in sport nor in social behaviour. Society is all too aware of how drugs, including alcohol, have done such damage to sport, recreation, working and family life. It has become so difficult for people to resist the culture of artificial and chemical enhancement for all kinds of performances and entertainment.

See Intercom February 2106 article on Temperance by Bishop Eamonn Walsh at http://www.catholicbishops.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Intercom-February-2016-article-on-Temperance-by-Bishop-%C3%89amonn-Walsh..pdf

Parish Resource for Temperance Sunday

• Father Mathew’s Prayer

Apostle of Temperance Father Mathew (1790-1856) was a Capuchin friar from Tipperary whose 19^thcentury crusade against the abuse of alcohol gained him the title of  “Apostle of Temperance”. Father Mathew’s call to sobriety has relevance to modern Ireland. The cost to the nation by way of, human suffering, abstention from work, criminality and social upheaval is inestimable.

Compassionate Lord and Saviour,
you inspired the Capuchin Friar Theobold Mathew
to show your compassionate face to those addicted
and burdened by the abuse of alcohol or addicted behavior,
and to promote temperance.
May we today, continue to serve our brothers and sisters with love and joy,
And to foster balance, and moderation in our life styles with the help of God.
So, we pray, “here goes in the name of God.”
Amen

First Friday Venerable Matt Talbot Novena Masses

Reminder Matt Talbot Novena and Prayers for Healing   will take place     5th February, 4th March & 1st April 2016 at 7:30 pm  St. Agatha Parish, North William Street, Dublin.      http://www.stagathasparish.ie/