Role of the Eucharist in Matt Talbot’s Life.

Daily communion and Eucharistic Adoration were key in Matt Talbot's life.

The Bread of Angels

By Fr. Joseph Esper

https://www.catholicjournal.us/2018/08/24/the-bread-of-angels/

"In 1856 a boy named Matt was born to a poor family in Ireland, the second of 12 children. His father was a laborer with a fierce temper and a fondness for alcohol; his mother was a hardworking, saintly woman who tried to ensure her children grew up to become good Catholics. Matt never had much of an education; at the age of 12 he got his first job—working in a wine bottling store. Soon afterwards he came home drunk for the first time; the beating administered by his father had little effect, for Matt kept on coming home intoxicated every day. Before long he was a hardened alcoholic, but he was always kind and helpful toward his family and friends, and, in spite of his drinking, was capable of working hard. Matt held a series of jobs and was well-liked by everyone; he spent most of his paycheck buying drinks for himself and his buddies. He attended Mass each Sunday but didn’t receive Holy Communion or otherwise practice his faith. Through it all, his mother continued praying for his conversion.

One night, after being unable to get a drink because he was broke, and not finding anyone willing to buy a drink for him, Matt wandered the streets of Dublin, deciding it was time to give up alcohol. He was tormented by thirst and the agony of alcohol withdrawal; he went to a church, hoping to receive Communion, but the church was still locked. Matt collapsed, and as he lay there, he begged God for the grace to overcome his addiction. As worshippers arrived for the early Mass, they were disgusted to see a drunk lying on the doorstep of the church—but, unseen by them, a miracle of grace was taking place. God heard Matt’s prayer; at the age of 28, he was given the strength to turn away from alcohol for the rest of his life. Matt went home and told his mother he was going to take the pledge; she was happy but told him not to do so unless he really meant it. Matt did mean it, and he pledged to give up drinking for three months; those were the hardest twelve weeks of his life, but he persevered. After this success, he took the pledge for a full year, and when the year passed without him having a drop of alcohol, he took the pledge for the rest of his life—and he lived up to that promise.

For the rest of his life, Matt was a quiet, humble, friendly, hard-working Catholic, quick to share a smile, a laugh, and a helping hand. He not only swore off drinking, but also cursing and foul language; he became known for speaking his mind in a respectful way, for acts of charity, and for a quiet but profound commitment to his Catholic faith. The prayers of his mother helped him convert, but it was the Eucharist which made it possible for him to persevere in his new way of life. Each morning he attended 5am Mass before starting work at 6am; during his lunch hour he would visit a nearby church, and after work he frequently made a Holy Hour or went on short pilgrimages to nearby parishes. Because of his genuine conversion and his heroic virtues, the Church has given him the title Venerable Matt Talbot, and Ireland awaits and prays for his eventual beatification and canonization as a saint (Tonne, Vol. 10, #99; Ball, Modern Saints, II, p. 361). It was the Eucharist that helped Matt Talbot leave behind the way of death and instead travel the path of eternal life—and Jesus wants us to travel this path, too.

Every one of us has to choose between the values of this world, and those of the Kingdom of Heaven. We know the right choice—but that doesn’t mean it’s easy for us to follow through on it. In the Letter to the Ephesians (5:15-20), St. Paul had to warn his converts to watch carefully how they lived, to avoid religious ignorance, and not to get drunk on wine, but to be filled with the Holy Spirit. That seems like very basic, obvious advice—but even Christians can be tempted and led far astray from the truth. In the Book of Proverbs (9:1-6), we’re advised to “forsake foolishness [and] advance in the way of understanding,” but we’ll never be able to do this on our own; we need Christ’s help. That’s part of what Jesus meant (Jn 6:51-58) when He proclaimed that those who feed on Him have true life. Certainly, He was referring to eternal life in Heaven, but He also meant being spiritually alive while here on earth. Only if we allow Jesus to live within us here and now can we hope to live with Him eternally—and it’s the Eucharist that most fully allows this to happen

A Protestant minister named Keith, and his wife Renee, started attending Catholic Mass when they were away from home for a few months, though, of course, they couldn’t come forward for Holy Communion. Keith later wrote, “One Sunday during the Liturgy of the Eucharist while Communion was being distributed, I started to cry. I couldn’t explain it. At this time, I did not understand the teaching on the Real Presence [of Jesus], but my soul did. My soul was starving for the Bread of Angels” (W. Keith Moore, “Keeping Jesus at the Center,” Coming Home Network Newsletter, August 2009). Happily, Keith and Renee went on to become Catholic—a trend that’s become far more common than most people realize—and so their deepest spiritual hunger was satisfied.

Sometimes it takes an outsider like Keith to remind us as Catholics how privileged we truly are: we have the opportunity to receive the actual Body of Christ every time we attend Mass while in a state of grace, thereby being filled with the life, and the saving and transforming power, of Jesus Himself. When our time comes to be judged by God, and we’re reviewing each moment of our lives with Him, we will regret the times we missed Mass, the times we were distracted while receiving Holy Communion, and the times we failed to give sufficient thanks for this great gift; we will also rejoice over the times we received this Sacrament worthily, the times we truly opened our hearts to the Eucharistic Lord, and the times we allowed His presence to strengthen, nourish, and enrich us.

The Eucharist is more than we can comprehend, more than we can understand, and certainly much more than we can ever deserve—but Jesus yearns to give Himself to us in this manner, and nothing pleases Him more than having us come forward for Communion with genuine gratitude and love. Whether we’re a great sinner needing to be turned into a great saint, like Venerable Matt Talbot, or an average Catholic simply trying to make it through another week, each one of us needs the spiritual life Jesus offers in this Sacrament. He promises that if we eat His Body and drink His Blood, we will remain in Him and He in us—and His promise deserves all our faith, all our gratitude, and all our trust."

How the Eucharist helps the lonely and the desperate

One of Matt Talbot's quotes is "How can anyone be lonely, with Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament?"

How the Eucharist helps the lonely and the desperate 

by Eve Tushnet

posted 14 Dec 2017

www.catholicherald.co.uk/issues/december-15th-2017/how-the-eucharist-helps-the-lonely-and-the-desperate

Difficult circumstances seem to make the Eucharist all the more powerful.

"...Earlier this year, I interviewed some homeless and formerly homeless people for America magazine. Two of the Catholic interviewees described the way their experience with homelessness drew them to the Eucharist. Greg C said that when he was living in his car, he sought out churches “that had 24-hour Adoration, so it wouldn’t be suspicious that I had my car there… Going to Adoration felt like coming home, even though it’s not where I slept.”

Eleanor (a pseudonym) noted that she became Catholic in part because: “Having been so totally and utterly failed, misunderstood and maligned by 99 per cent of the people I loved – Evangelical Protestants and Catholics alike – I really just wanted Jesus. The Eucharist was suddenly that much more necessary and beautiful.”

The Third Sunday of Advent’s readings emphasise that God comes to the powerless and the suffering. He will overturn the hierarchies of our world: “He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty” (Luke 1:53).

I have only anecdotal evidence to suggest that people on the margins of society often have an especial devotion to the Eucharist. I do think there’s something about the experience of marginalisation or powerlessness itself – an experience most of us have had in different contexts – which makes the poignancy and majesty of Christ’s gift of Himself in the Eucharist shine forth more brightly. Eleanor suggests that the Eucharist helps us to know and love Jesus even when many of His followers abandon or harm us.

One other theme my interviewees raised was the fear of how others would see them – alongside the terrible fear of becoming totally invisible. One man, John William Brandkamp, summarised what many of my interviewees said in different words: “I desperately want to be seen, and I desperately do not want to be seen.” In this situation Eucharistic Adoration allows you to turn your gaze towards Christ and know that He sees you without judging you. You don’t have to worry about what He’s thinking about you. You don’t have to worry that He’ll discreetly edge away from you if you look rough or miserable, if you are a more butch woman or a more feminine man.

There is a peace in the Eucharist which is for you, an intimacy even when you feel friendless. He knows you when you are keeping secrets for fear of how others will react to you; knows you, with a knowledge which is only loving.

The Eucharist shows God Himself in a shockingly powerless form. Not only does God overthrow the mighty and exalt the humble – He Himself becomes about as humble as it’s possible to be. His Body is as broken as our heart feels. He places Himself literally in our hands, entrusting Himself to us even though we know we are not trustworthy. It is His might which makes this possible. It is the infinite power of the Lord which makes it possible for Him to become, like us, so weak.

And it is only through His power that we can do as Paul says: “In all circumstances give thanks” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Eucharist means “thanksgiving”, of course. In our hardest circumstances we are given such a simple way to give thanks. There are times when words fail, when prayers don’t come, when you have no idea how to live in gratitude for a life which seems consumed by confusion, injustice or suffering. In those times the silence of the Eucharist can be a great solace. Simply being present with Him is enough.

There have been times when I couldn’t receive Communion – sometimes for dumb reasons, like my schedule went all catawampus and I didn’t fast; sometimes because I knew I carried grave sin I was unwilling even to bring to Confession. It’s awful to feel helplessly shackled in sin.

But I trust that when I went to Mass my willingness simply to be in His presence, even if I couldn’t or wouldn’t receive the deep intimacy He wanted to offer me, was a way of giving as much thanks as I could.

In all circumstances our Thanksgiving awaits us on the altar."

Bread in the Desert and Addiction Recovery

Bread in the Desert 

Cycle A Ordinary Time  Corpus Christi 

by Bishop Robert Barron

June 22, 2014

https://www.wordonfire.org/resources/homily/bread-in-the-desert/933/

Details: "All of us are on a spiritual journey from sin to salvation. Like the Israelites longing for a return to Egypt, many of us occasionally desire our old addictions, providing the anxious ego with comfort and security. Far from Egypt, the Promised Land is the spiritual space of complete dependence upon God. But the Israelites are not there yet. They need to eat the manna from heaven. For Catholics, this is the Eucharist. It is the means to getting God’s divine life within us."

An additional perspective on Bishop Baron's presentation is by Scott Weeman on June 14, 2017 at http://catholicinrecovery.com/bishop-barron-bread-desert-addiction-recover, which is quoted below:

“Few can summarize the spiritual principles that overlap between addiction recovery and nourishment through the Eucharist like Bishop Robert Barron. He speaks to this really well and beautifully connects our journey to the readings for this Feast of Corpus Christi. If you are on the Road to Happy Destiny (active in addiction recovery), I strongly suggest taking fifteen minutes to hear what Bishop Barron has to say. In fact, he ties the act of sin to the same spiritual principles that are applicable to anyone. I believe giving this a listen will enhance your experience as you contemplate the space that God occupies in your life as we lead up to Sunday’s Eucharistic celebration.”

Update:  Suggested reading:  “Transformed and Unified: On the Eucharist and Recovery “ by Scott Weeman on June 18, 2017 at http://catholicinrecovery.com/transformed-unified-eucharist-recovery/

Quotes About Eucharist Adoration

Matt Talbot’s voice is one of many on the importance of Eucharist Adoration. Have you added yours?

Venerable Matt Talbot (1856 to 1925)

Third Order Franciscan known for doing great penances

 
"How can anyone be lonely, with Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament?"

Source: http://www.stfrancisadoration.org/20th%20century%20%281900%20-%201930%29.htm#Ven.%20Matt%20Talbot

Importance of the Blessed Sacrament for Venerables Matt Talbot and Fulton J. Sheen

As these quotes indicate, the Blessed Sacrament was "essential" in the lives of Venerable Matt Talbot and (newly recognized) Venerable Fulton J. Sheen: 

 

"You know that Matt Talbot, the Dublin workingman, found in the Blessed Eucharist his support and his strength?  As a young man he was a slave to drink. He took the pledge and kept it. But who can tell what it cost him? When the temptation was fiercest Matt would make his way to the church and sit there. "I'm safe as long as I stay here"!”

(THREE TABERNACLES (1943) by Rev. Robert Nash, S.J. at http://www.catholicpamphlets.net/pamphlets/Three%20Tabernacles.pdf, page 4-5.)

"How can anyone be lonely, with Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament?" 

http://www.stmonicaadoration.org/20th%20Century%20Saints.htm#Ven.%20Matt%20Talbot

"The secret (to my preaching) is that I have never in fifty-five years missed spending an hour in the presence of our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. That's where the power comes from. That's where sermons are born. That's where every good thought is conceived."

http://www.stmonicaadoration.org/Saints%201.htm#Archbishop%20Fulton%20Sheen

The pearl at all costs

Joseph Lee L'Heureux

January 18, 2012

South Peace News

High Prairie, Alberta, Canada

http://www.southpeacenews.com/newsdesk/volume50/120118/religous.html

I have frequently been asked why go to church daily?

It’s not the church, it’s the Mass and it’s the Eucharist of Thanksgiving! It’s receiving the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, daily.

It’s the pearl at all cost. Jesus told these parables, “The kingdom of God is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:45-46)

The previous parable was about a hidden treasure. When he found it he hid it and sold everything he had in order to buy the field. (Matthew 13:44)

Just ask any recovering alcoholic or drug addict, one who is sober and clean for 5-10 years and more; sobriety and sanity are a pearl of great cost. Take that even one step further and one who knows personally His Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, then that’s the treasure at all cost.

Maria Goretti, of Italy, known to have a pious nature, found in prayer and chose to give up her life rather than submit to the affections of an unwelcome suitor. She died of stab wounds inflicted by her over a zealous suitor.

She was 12 years old.

Many years later after his long jail sentence, the suitor became a monk. He was in the front row at her beatification. He had found that pearl in prayer and Eucharist.

Matthew Talbot, an Irishman, discovered alcohol at an early age. By the age of 14 he was an alcoholic. Before the age of 20 he had stolen the cup from a musical blind man’s monkey to feed his addiction. In his late twenties, after many years of badgering, his mother asked him to attend Mass and Eucharist with her daily for one year and give up “the drink” as the Irish like to call it. He agreed to do this on the condition of “for one year only” [after the initial three months] which she would then agree to leave him alone, and he could go back to drinking.

After one year he continued to go to daily Mass and the Eucharist. When Mass time was moved from 5 a.m. to 6 a.m., which was the same time as his work, he felt his job interfered with the importance of the Mass. He gave up his job at the mill, choosing to live by faith that God would provide enough temporary work.

Talbot had found “the pearl of a great price”.

Jesus said, “I am the bread of life” four times, He repeated this in the Gospel of John. (Chapter 6, Versus 35, 41, 48, 51)

In Verses 32, 33, 50, 51, 58 He repeats this six more times in different ways. Referring to Himself, “the bread I will give is My flesh” (Verse 51) and “this is that bread which came down from Heaven.” (Verse 58)

I’m sure he patted or pointed to His chest when he said these words.

He also said, “My flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.” (Verse 55.)

“Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him.” (Verse 56)

“He who feeds on this bread will live forever.” (Verse 58)

In the other three Gospels, Jesus took bread and blessed it, in an example for His disciples to follow, known as the Last Supper. This was the example of the perpetual bloodless sacrifice we are to practice in remembrance of His great sacrifice offered for us on Calvary, for our sanctification.

Why would I go on so long on this subject?

It’s what the world of addiction needs. You see, to give up one’s deadly addiction and replace it with something to fill the void. Usually it’s work, bingo or gambling or another addiction.

Many people have discovered this pearl at all cost through reading the Holy Scriptures daily. They then went on to share the “Word” or their sobriety with others through service in Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, or other 12-step programs.

It’s much safer and more pleasing to our Higher Power to give oneself in service to others, this is the twelfth step, or service directly to God in worship.

“The Word was made flesh,” St. John says, and “the Word was God” Jesus was and is that Word. (John 1:1-22)

When his disciples speak those words in obedience to His command from His Gospels, they recreate “His flesh and Blood” just like the world was created. (John 1:3 and Genesis 1:3)

That is Emmanuel, “God with us” Let us worship.

His flesh and blood is real food for our journey, by reading His Word “the Bible” daily or partaking in His Body and Blood we nourish our addictive personalities with the positive.

The Blood First Nations band in southern Alberta near Lethbridge drank the blood and ate the heart of the buffalo they had killed for strength and courage. How much more so if they ate and drank the flesh and blood of their Creator and Saviour?

Others have discovered this great treasure sitting and worshiping the Eucharist: the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ in the consecrated bread, his body and blood resting in the tabernacle.

Today there are 45 treatment centers called “Cenacalo” for addicts and alcoholics around the world focused on the real Presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Their success rate is 75-85 per cent of participants. Why?

They are discovering the treasure, the pearl of a great cost, Jesus Christ among His People.

God Bless!

The saints were not always perfect

|

7th Sunday – homily*

Fr. Greg

Posted Monday, February 21, 2011

Source:http://gwcatholicforum.blogspot.com/2011/02/7th-sunday-homily.html


"Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."


The saints were not always perfect. You all know the stories of saints who were big-time sinners -like St. Mary Magdalene, St. Peter, and St Augustine. Here are two more who you might not know. The first is St Mary of Egypt who lived in the fifth century. During her teens and twenties, she didn't treat her body as a temple of the Holy Spirit, as we hear in today's second reading. She dressed immodestly and had many sexual encounters with men. One time, she even used a Church pilgrimage to Jerusalem as a way to hook up with men. It was on that pilgrimage, though, that she saw her sinful life for what it was. With the help of the blessed Mother, she gave her life to God and then lived the remaining years of her life in deep prayer and virtue.

The second is Venerable Matt Talbot who lived in Ireland in the early twentieth century. Matt was a real booze hound. He started drinking when he was 12 and would become the town drunk in his twenties. His alcoholism got so bad that he would sell the shirt off his back for a drink. He couldn't even quit drinking for a day, often. Finally, he made a three month pledge of sobriety that stuck for the last forty years of his life. Like St Mary of Egypt and all the saints, he lived heroic virtue on a regular basis.

So, the saints are not always perfect! Mary, the mother of God, is the only saint who was always perfect. If you're thinking, 'what about Jesus?', well, then, we have problems. Jesus is not a saint -He is God! He made all the saints. One kid in my last parish wanted to have Jesus as his Confirmation saint...oops… But, the saints are not always perfect. So, there is hope for us!

Now, we may not relate to the huge and dramatic sinners who became saints (some of us great sinners do). But, there is a famous quote about saints that could speak to us: "saints are sinners who never stop trying". Saints are sinners who never stop trying. That is us! We are sinners who never stop trying...to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect.

We need to have the correct wisdom in approaching this commandment of our Lord. If we approach "be perfect" with the wisdom of the world (which St Paul writes is foolishness to God), then it's just for us...it's just vanity. The world is trying so hard to make itself perfect. We see this all around us in newspapers, magazines, movies, and TV. People want the perfect body, the perfect face, perfect hair, perfect this, perfect that. And, it's all for them. "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain".

Our approach is with the wisdom of God which calls for us to become fools. We realize first and foremost that God is perfect and we can't be perfect like Him on our own. He is God! He is perfect! We can’t be perfect like Him unless He helps us. And, we only want to be perfect for His sake...not for our own. It's for His glory, not ours. This is foolishness to the world. We are fools for Christ's sake. An example of this in Matt Talbot’s life is the day he stopped by to pray in a church in Ireland. He was desperate for some Adoration as he had fallen in love with the Eucharist. This is true of all the saints. The Eucharist is how they became perfect! Well, Matt couldn't get into the church because the doors were locked. So, he knelt down on the sidewalk, and prayed in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament inside the church. He must have looked like a total fool to those passing by! He was a fool...for Christ's sake. He knew that he needed God to be perfect. And, God helped him to live a heroically virtuous life.

That is the other thing about our approach to "be perfect" - it's so much deeper than the world's approach. The world's perfection is superficial and shallow. The world swims in the shallow end of the pool; we swim in the deep end! We never stop trying to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect in regard to the virtues. We try to be merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful. We try to be loving and kind and generous as He is loving and kind and generous. The Father has given us the Son as the model to follow. If we imitate the Son's virtues, we will be like the Father.

One of the best examples of imitating the mercy of the Son is St Stephen. He was the first Christian martyr. As he was being martyred, he said virtually the same words that Christ said as he was being crucified: "do not hold this sin against them". We all have examples in our lives of how God is calling us to be perfect and holy as He is perfect and holy. Maybe your roommate hasn't spoken to you in weeks; say hello and start a conversation. Maybe there's bad blood with a family member back home. If you need to apologize to them, apologize. If you need to forgive them, forgive. Maybe it's saying hi to people on campus or on the streets. This is what we do as Christians. Jesus wants us to be unusual. Striving for perfection and holiness means doing things that aren't usually done. We won't find perfection until Heaven, but we never stop trying to be perfect in this life.

Finally, the commandment to be perfect is the culmination of the Sermon on the Mount to this point. We've been hearing the Sermon the last several Sundays, starting with the Beatitudes. Jesus has laid out how we will be happy in this life. Happiness is fulfilled in being perfect...in living holiness. When we live perfection and holiness, we live happiness.

*Note: We appreciate homilists like Fr. Greg who include aspects of Matt Talbot’s life, both for those who know of him and those who do not.
We have added the title of this homily for posting purposes.

Breaking the bonds of addiction

In our earlier posting today titled, "Matt Talbot as an image of liberty," Fr. John Bonavitacola refers to a recent book by Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia, Let the Oppressed Go Free: Breaking the Bonds of Addiction (2009, Basilica Press).

Here is part of an interview by Lou Baldwin with Cardinal Rigali about this book:

“I found it (Q & A format) quite satisfactory,” Cardinal Rigali said. “The text itself could be quite precise because the questions were precise. That way we got around excessive generalities. The formula is something like the ‘Baltimore Catechism;’ there is something to be said about that.”

His particular topic, the Cardinal said, was chosen by him in consultation with Basilica Press.

“This is something that is very relevant and useful, and I was hoping by writing it I could make a contribution that could help people in their lives. I’ll be very pleased if it will get into the hands of people it will help or those who will help them.”

Although the Cardinal’s book cites such traditional addictions as alcohol and drugs, others noted didn’t exist a decade or two ago; for example, online shopping and cyber-pornography. This leads to the question, is today’s environment more conducive to addictive behavior than in the past?

“I believe today’s environment is much more challenging,” the Cardinal said. “Technology, for its many blessings, does present special difficulties. In that sense you can say the environment is more conducive to addictive behavior.”

As addiction is acquired, he said, “freedom is wounded.” It is important to try to ward off addiction long before it takes place because once it takes hold free will is gone.”

Addiction, he said, “actually leads to slavery, and in doing so we have tremendous violence done to one of our greatest gifts, which is the gift of free will.”

In the book the Cardinal advocates the use of spiritual advisors, prayer and the sacraments of penance and the Eucharist for those fighting addictions.

“Prayer is extremely important in overcoming addiction and avoiding addiction to begin with,” he said. “For those who are in the household of our faith, penance and Eucharist are so important. Their value, their power, can never be over-estimated.” To try to overcome addiction through willpower alone is absolutely insufficient. It is not only problematic it is impossible.

Cardinal Rigali likened this approach to the heresy of Pelagianism which said man can ascend to God by his own power.

“Just as that was successfully debunked over the years we know that in addictions you cannot raise yourself up by your own power alone,” he said.

Willpower is to be absolutely cultivated but it is to be combined with natural and supernatural means.

One of the natural means prominently covered in the book is the Twelve Step Program. It was originally designed to overcome alcohol addiction but has since been adopted for many other addictions.

“A very important principal of the Twelve Steps is to speak of the power of God or at least of a Higher Power, and that’s something essential to overcome addictions,” the Cardinal said. “It is a great thing that it is so recognized now, if not universally recognized, certainly greatly recognized, the need to rely on the power of God and His help through which we receive grace and strength.”

There are natural helps and supernatural helps, and “the Church draws our attention to this and says, ‘Don’t be discouraged. God’s love abides with His people.’ For those who have slipped into addictions it is possible, with God’s help, to overcome them,” Cardinal Rigali said.

“Let the Oppressed Go Free” is the seventh book in The Shepherd’s Voice Series, according to Alan Napleton, President and CEO of Basilica Press and is available through its distributor, Catholic Work
(800-932-3826) or through religious bookstores.

Following upon the early positive reception of the book, there will be a conference based upon the book and its topic of addictions through the lens of Catholic teaching."


Note:  The homily and remarks by Cardinal Rigalis at this conference can be found by clicking:November 5, 2010: "Let the Oppressed Go Free: Breaking the Bonds of Addiction" Remarks to Conference Participants

November 5, 2010: "Let the Oppressed Go Free: Breaking the Bonds of Addiction" Homily During Mass for Participants ]

A review of this book by Professor Oliver Morgan of the University of Scranton can be found at:  Let the oppressed go - Page 1 of 7 Let the oppressed go free ...

Source of interview: http://cst-phl.com/cardinal-rigalis-new-book-tackles-the-problem-of-addictions-p1086.htm. 

We greatly appreciate all of this information being available online.

Saints and the Eucharist

"The instinct of faith: The saints and the Eucharist"

By Susan Brinkmann

The Catholic Standard & Times
Issue of March 2, 2006

Shortly after the death of her husband, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton sought a moment of comfort in her local church. Not yet Catholic, she took a seat in St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in New York City.

She later wrote to a friend: “I got in a side pew in which I was positioned in such a way that I was facing St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church in the next street. And I found myself speaking to the Most Blessed Sacrament in the Catholic Church, instead of looking at the naked altar where I was.”

Long before she became a saint, or even a Catholic, Elizabeth Ann Seton already had an instinct for God in the Eucharist.

“The saints were fully aware that Christ in the Blessed Sacrament was a reality,” writes the Catholic author and speaker Louis Kaczmarek, “that in the Blessed Sacrament, His heart is living, beating, waiting. …”

Kaczmarek’s book, “Hidden Treasure,” captures some of the most remarkable examples of that instinct in the souls of our best- known saints.

St. Ignatius of Loyola would pray for two hours after Mass. No one was permitted to speak to him during that time unless it was absolutely necessary — which it frequently was. Father Lewis Gonzales, who worked under the saint, said: “As often as I went to him at that time … I always saw his face shining with an air so bright and heavenly that, quite forgetting myself, I stood astonished in contemplating him.”

St. Rose of Lima was so in love with Jesus in the Eucharist that when she knelt before Him, one could see a kind of fire in her eyes. Afterward, asked to describe what was happening to her during these intense moments of prayer, she would stammer and say there were no words to express it. She said she “seemed to pass entirely into God,” and described herself as being so inundated with happiness that nothing in life could compare to it.

The raptures of St. Philip Neri before the Blessed Sacrament were even more extraordinary. Sometimes, he would be so filled with divine love and joy that he would roll upon the floor exclaiming “Enough, enough, Lord! I can bear no more.”

Friends once scolded St. Thomas More for wasting so much time going to Mass every day. “Your reasons for wanting me to stay away from holy Communion are exactly the ones which cause me to go so often,” he told them. “I have very much important business to handle; I need light and wisdom. It is for these very reasons that I go to holy Communion every day to consult Jesus about them.”

Centuries later, Bishop Fulton J. Sheen would have the same answer for why he was so successful in his various ministries. It was not because of the time he spent at work, he said, but because of the hour a day he spent in front of the Blessed Sacrament.

Many of our saints relied on the instinct of faith to tell them God was really present in the Eucharist.

St. Louis IX, the devout, Catholic king of France, was once interrupted by a messenger who cried, “Your majesty! Hasten to the Church! A great miracle is occurring there. A priest is saying holy Mass, and after the Consecration, instead of the host there is visible on the altar Jesus, Himself, in His human figure. Everybody is marveling at it. Hurry before it disappears.”

As Kaczmarek describes it, the saintly monarch turned to the messenger and said, in part: “Even if I saw Jesus on the altar in His visible form … I should not be more convinced that I am now that He is present in the consecrated Host. The word of Christ is sufficient for me. I need no miracle.”

He was not the only king to be convinced of the Real Presence. St. Wenceslaus, the King of Bohemia, was so enamored by the gift of the Eucharist that he insisted on making the altar bread with his own hands: Not only did he mix the proper ingredients, he personally directed the plowing, cultivating, sowing and reaping of the field where the grain was grown. He ground the grain himself, sifted out the finest particles of flour, baked the bread, and then presented it to the local priests.

But it is not only great clerics or saintly political figures that have had an instinct for the Eucharist.

Consider Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, a simple Mohawk maiden who converted to the faith in the mid-17th century. She would kneel in the snow for two hours every morning before the church opened for Mass. She received the Lord with such reverence and bliss that people actually fought over who would sit next to her.

Young Matt Talbot, known as the “saint in overalls,” also knelt outside the doors of his church for hours every morning. Once inside, he would prostrate himself on the floor in the form of a cross before entering his pew. Every Sunday, he spent seven hours in Church without moving, “his arms crossed, his elbows not resting on anything, his body from the knees up as rigid and straight as the candles on the altar,” Kaczmarek writes. He did this every Sunday for 40 years.

The instinctive understanding of God’s presence in the Eucharist was also what made St. Peter Maldonado Lucero fight to the death to protect the Blessed Sacrament in 1937. A promoter of nocturnal adoration in Mexico during a time of great persecution of the Church, Father Maldonado was in hiding, like most priests at the time, and would spend many hours in front of the Blessed Sacrament.

When he was finally discovered by the authorities, rather than allow the soldiers to desecrate the Blessed Sacrament, he put the sacred Hosts in a pyx and held it close to his chest. The soldiers beat him with their rifles, screaming blasphemies at the “thing in his chest.”

According to Kaczmarek’s account, they beat him until all of his teeth were broken, his left eye destroyed, his right arm fractured and a leg dislocated. In spite of his agony, he held onto the pyx with what was left of his might.

Finally, his persecutors cut the cords of his hand with a knife so he could no longer clasp the pyx and it fell to the ground. One of his tormentors, a dormant Catholic, was so moved by the priest’s heroic faith in the Blessed Sacrament, he hurriedly consumed the hosts rather than let them be desecrated.

Even the sinful can have an instinct for God. Charles de Foucald, who was declared blessed in November 2005 by Pope Benedict XVI, is a perfect example.

Born into great wealth, he once described himself as being so wicked he was only one step away from insanity. One day, while on a religious quest, he stopped in St. Augustine’s Church in Paris where he experienced a profound conversion of heart during the consecration of the Mass. From that day forward, he was a changed man and the Eucharist became the center of his life.

He never stopped encouraging people to seek and find God in the tabernacle, and composed a prayer to say for that purpose: “Oh Jesus present in the Blessed Sacrament in our churches, You give us solace and refuge; You give us faith, hope, love and hospitality. You build for us an inner retreat, an ardent repose. Help us to seek You and find You in the tabernacle.”

Source: http://www.cst-phl.com/060302/ninth.html

2012 International Eucharistic Congress

Earlier this week as the 49th International Eucharistic Congress was ending in Quebec City, Canada, Pope Benedict XVI announced that the 50th International Eucharistic Congress would be held in the city of Dublin, Ireland, in 2012. This is the second time that Dublin will host the congress; the Irish hosted the 31st congress in 1932. (http://www.zenit.org/article-22985?l=english)

Just prior to the first congress held in Dublin in 1932, the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Rev. E. J.Byrne, D.D., had initiated the Cause for the Beatification of Matt Talbot in November, 1931. Attending this congress was Jean Cardinal Verdier (1864-1940), Archbishop of Paris, who knew of Matt Talbot. During his visit to Dublin, Cardinal Verdier "...knelt and prayed in the room in No. 18 Upper Rutland Street where Matt Talbot had kept vigil with Jesus down many years and, deeply moved by his experiences, had kissed the floor..." (Glynn, 1942)) Cardinal Verdier's concern about alcoholism was apparent early in his tenure as Archbishop when he ordered all French priests to conduct an extensive survey into any alcoholism existing in their parishes. (Time Magazine, July 14, 1930)

Although the theme for the 2012 IEC in Dublin has not been set at this time, it would seem appropriate that Venerable Matt Talbot might be officially or unofficially noted in some way since Eucharistic adoration was especially important to Matt. Even during the times he was hospitalized for heart disease prior to his death, Matt spent much time in Eucharistic adoration in the hospital chapel. In addition, Matt had noted on more than one occasion that he found it difficult for anyone to be lonely, especially when one could spend time before the Blessed Sacrament.

References:

Glynn, Sir Joseph A. Life of Matt Talbot. The full text is available online at

http://www.archive.org/stream/MN5135ucmf_8/MN5135ucmf_8_djvu.txt

Time Magazine. "Cocktails, Confidence, Aberration.," July 14, 1930, found at http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,739775,00.html

and in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Cardinal_Verdier