6th Day of Lent - Venerable Matt Talbot 🌻 Patron of Dublin, Ireland & Invoked for Recovery
On this 6th Calendar Day of Lent, March 7th, 2022, we celebrate Matt Talbot, patron of Dublin, Ireland and Invoked for Recovery
It is incomprehensible for us to understand why Matt Talbot has been overlooked and has still not been Canonized as a Saint. It is true that from a very early age, Matt was a miserable drunk. He lied. He cheated. He stole money from a blind man on the streets of Dublin just to get completely blitzfaced. Matt was a mess.
Finally, something happened, and Matt Talbot knew he needed to “Take the Pledge,” and give up drinking. He told his Mom, probably the only person who still loved him, and pledged to stop drinking for 3 months. His Mom had heard that empty promise before so she just said, “If you’re going to take the pledge you better keep it!”
Matt managed to quit drinking for the 3 months as he promised and then he told her he would never drink again. He kept his word and stayed sober for the rest of his life, many decades.
Many Talbot Houses of Recovery have been established worldwide and thousands of alcoholics attribute the Miraculous Intercession of Matt Talbot as the guiding force behind beating their addiction to alcohol. Matt Talbot needs “another miracle” to be declared a saint. It’s odd that Matt has interceded and had thousands connect mind, body, spirit and recover from the disease of alcoholism, each arguably being a distinct very real, palpable miracle.
And as for Matt Talbot finally getting the recognition he deserves; it seems Pope Francis is mulling over canonizing Blessed Matt Talbot and making him a saint. In August 2018, Pope Francis visited Dublin, Ireland and visited the tomb of Matt Talbot at Our Lady of Lourdes Church. He is the first Pope to do so.
