It's Ash Wednesday ⛪ And So Begins The 40 Days of Lent

      One of the typical, and perhaps, most difficult for the folks enjoying pubs, bars and restaurants, is the Lenten Vow to abstain from drinking alcohol for the 40 Days until Easter. One person in Ireland took such a Pledge and it became a lifetime vocation. He never drank again! So, it's fair to say that making a Lenten Vow of Sacrifice can help change a life!

     The Irishman was the Venerable Matt Talbot, who has yet to be canonized. Matt pledged and told his mother that he would abstain from drinking for a long abstention period. She didn't really believe him though, and replied, "If you're going to make the Pledge, you had better keep it.” Talbot was a notorious drinker and known throughout the streets of Dublin as being a conniving and miserable drunk. Some say he stole coins from a blind man on the street and bought his next round of drinks with the blind man's money. Another tale tells of Matt Talbot stealing the fiddle of a street musician, taking it to a Pawn Shop and using the money the shopkeeper gave him for the fiddle to spend it on that day's drunken binge. 

     Matt Talbot did fulfill his Pledge to abstain from drinking, and then continued it for 40 years. Today, we celebrate Matt Talbot, patron of Dublin, Ireland. He is Invoked for Recovery from the disease of Alcoholism.

    Many Talbot Houses of Recovery have been established in Australia, Canada, Europe and America and thousands of Alcoholics attribute the Miraculous Intercession of Matt Talbot as the guiding force behind beating their addiction to alcohol. Matt has helped thousands connect mind, body, and spirit to recover from the disease of Alcoholism. And as for Matt Talbot finally getting the recognition he deserves to be canonized; it seems Pope Francis might be considering 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.

     There's hope Venerable Matt Talbot will be canonized soon. So many alcoholics, their families, friends and neighbors would reap great reward if the Pope would just recognize that curing someone in the throes of the disease, Alcoholism, is just as significant as another person attaining canonization for their disease being cured by intercession.

     Matt Talbot has saved countless Alcoholics, their families and businesses, and helped them overcome addiction. In this era, when addictions are killing millions of people, why is the Catholic Church and Pope Francis I so slow and motionless about elevating Matt Talbot and letting him be declared a saint? If there's a reason, there's a bunch of us Roman Catholic Alcoholics who would appreciate being able to ask Saint Matt Talbot for help and intercession as we continue our Recovery and also when we try to help others fight addiction. It is worth it, we are worth it and so are the millions of Alcoholics and addicts looking for help and inspiration.