Friday, June 18, 11th Week in Ordinary Time
Venerable MATT TALBOT (Ireland, 1856-1923), Ex-Alcoholic, Lay Franciscan
Born in Dublin to a working-class family, with a father and brothers who were heavy drinkers, Matt himself
became an alcoholic when he started work at 15 as a messenger for a liquor merchant. He remained an active
alcoholic until he was about 30. One day, he decided to take 'the pledge' to renounce drinking for three months,
while doing penance and going to daily Mass. He renewed the pledge every three months, and eventually for life.
He joined the Franciscan lay order in 1890, read widely under the guidance of a spiritual adviser from a Dublin
college, worked hard as an unskilled construction laborer, and shared his wages with needier persons. He died
of a heart attack on his way to Mass one day. Under his clothes, they found a chain around his waist and cords
around his arms and legs, which he apparently wore as an act of mortification. His story became widely known
and was used by the Church and civic groups to promote temperance among the Irish. The young Karol Wojtyla
wrote a paper about him. Six years after Matt's death, the Dublin Archdiocese started investigating his life
to promote his cause for sainthood. Paul VI recognized his heroic virtues and proclaimed him Venerable in 1973.
Although he is not a saint yet, he is considered in the Anglo-Saxon Catholic world as the patron of alcholics.
Readings for today's Mass:
www.usccb.org/nab/readings/061810.shtml
There is no papal story in today's OR, nor any particularly interesting cultural article.
THE POPE'S DAY
The Holy Father met today with
- Cardinal Ivan Dias, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
- H.E. Hans-Henning Horstmann, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of German, and his wife,
on a farewell visit.
- Cardinal William Joseph Levada, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
(weekly meeting)
VESPERS ON JUNE 28
The Vatican announced that the Holy Father will preside at Vespers on June 28, at 6 pm,
at the Basilica of St Paul outside the Walls, on the eve of the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul.