Prayer for the Canonization of Matt Talbot

[Colin]

Matt Talbot's life as a labourer who was overburdened by addiction and guilt gradually grew in awareness through the gift of grace and the Holy Spirit that a life of meekness and humility of heart will lead to rest for our souls, and towards a better world where all self destructive drive will come to an end, where people will live in harmony of body, mind and spirit, in harmony too with each other, with creation and with God.

By following the example of Matt Talbot you tell the world that there is more to life than "sex, and drugs and rock n roll," that there is hope for every broken heart and that by God's love his kingdom comes into our hearts, our homes and our world. (Matt Talbot way)


Official Prayer for the Canonization of Matt Talbot

Lord, in your servant, Matt Talbot you have given us a wonderful example of triumph over addiction, of devotion to duty, and of lifelong reverence of the Holy Sacrament. May his life of prayer and penance give us courage to take up our crosses and follow in the footsteps of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Father, if it be your will that your beloved servant should be glorified by your Church, make known by your heavenly favours the power he enjoys in your sight. We ask this through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Asking Matt's Help in the Presence of the Lord

Gentle Matt, I turn to you in my present needs and ask for the help of your prayers.
Trusting in you, I am confident your charitable and understanding heart will make my petitions your own.
I believe that you are truly powerful in the presence of Divine Mercy. If it be for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
the honour of Mary, our Mother and Queen and the deepening of my relationship with them, show that your goodness towards me, in my daily struggles, equals your influence with the Holy Spirit, who is hidden and at home in my heart.
Friend of pity, friend of power, hear, oh hear me in this hour, gentle Matt, please pray for me .

 

[Colin]

Matt Talbot's Life in Verse

The Servant Of God.​

[Matt Talbot]

​

Silhouetted beneath the shimmering January moon,​

a lone pilgrim, his bare knees,​

kissing the penitential cold of granite stone,​

awaits entry to the re-enactment of the perpetual drama.

​

Not so alas in his youthful days,​

for those hands now clasped in prayer,​

with reckless ease were wrapped around​

the “drink”, and all it’s snares, ​

from tavern to drunken tavern,​

stumble, stagger, fall,​

when the demons cravings had stripped him bare,​

‘twas then You gave the call.

​

With hands buried deep in penniless pockets,​

on Newcomen bridge he took his stand, ​

pleading eyes from sunken sockets, ​

awaited in vain a welcoming glance. ​

A mother’s prayers had at least been answered, ​

from the debts of despair a glimmer of light, ​

a bitter experience of human friendship​

shattered, he sighed, and sought comfort in flight.

​

By the fireside she sat, when she heard him exclaim,​

“Mother, Mother, I’m home”​

startled, she cried,“Matt, what is it, what’s wrong?”​

“I’m taking the pledge”, he intoned.​

“Go now in God’s name, but only if you intend to keep it”​

for she well knew his heavy load,​

“I’ll go in God’s name” as he took​

his first faltering steps down the straight and narrow road.

​

“Bless me father for I have sinned”, a new life of grace lay ahead,​

three months, six, finally for life,​

many tears of repentance were shed.​

Temptation, isolation, discouragement, pain,​

the chains of indulgence proved strong, ​

but his spiritual food, now his daily diet,​

proved strongest as the battle raged on.

​

Instead of drink, now Matt consumed,​

the fruits of kindred souls,​

Augustine, Wisdom, the book of Psalms,​

Our Lady, many secrets to Matt did unfold.​

Fasting, solitude, almsgiving, prayer,​

as he rises from his wooden bed​

four hours sleep, his vigil he’d keep,​

eternity, to lay down his head.

​

To the casual eye in the builder’s yard,​

nothing unwonted seemed done,​

to the wiry little man who carried and fetched,​

in wind, rain, and sun.​

But deep within the Master’s hand,​

to reshape and rebuild had begun,​

‘till out of the debts, came the constant refrain,​

“Thy will, Thy will be it done”.

​

Down Granby Lane, on the seventh of June,​

this foot soldier stumbled and fell,​

of the milling crowd that gathered around,​

his identity no one could tell. ​

In Jervis Street Hospital, bound in chains of love,​

laid bare, this pilgrim who carried the hod,​

Providence’s design would reveal in good time, ​

he was truly a Servant of God.

​

Christy Bracken

Official Prayer for the Canonization of Matt Talbot

Lord, in your servant, Matt Talbot you have given us a wonderful example of triumph over addiction, of devotion to duty, and of lifelong reverence of the Holy Sacrament. May his life of prayer and penance give us courage to take up our crosses and follow in the footsteps of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Father, if it be your will that your beloved servant should be glorified by your Church, make known by your heavenly favours the power he enjoys in your sight. We ask this through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Asking Matt's Help in the Presence of the Lord

Gentle Matt, I turn to you in my present needs and ask for the help of your prayers.
Trusting in you, I am confident your charitable and understanding heart will make my petitions your own.
I believe that you are truly powerful in the presence of Divine Mercy. If it be for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
the honour of Mary, our Mother and Queen and the deepening of my relationship with them, show that your goodness towards me, in my daily struggles, equals your influence with the Holy Spirit, who is hidden and at home in my heart.
Friend of pity, friend of power, hear, oh hear me in this hour, gentle Matt, please pray for me

 

[Colin]

WOODEN PILLOW

As sobriety became long-term, instead of easing up a bit, Talbot went deeper into the asceticism of Ireland’s early monks. For years he slept only about three hours a day — and that on a board plank with a wooden block for a pillow — clutching a statue of the Virgin to him so firmly that a relative claimed one side of his face became permanently without feeling. Tenement women up with sick children heard Talbot singing hymns in the middle of the night when he rose at 2 a.m. to pray. (Patricia Treece)


Official Prayer for the Canonization of Matt Talbot

Lord, in your servant, Matt Talbot you have given us a wonderful example of triumph over addiction, of devotion to duty, and of lifelong reverence of the Holy Sacrament. May his life of prayer and penance give us courage to take up our crosses and follow in the footsteps of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Father, if it be your will that your beloved servant should be glorified by your Church, make known by your heavenly favours the power he enjoys in your sight. We ask this through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Asking Matt's Help in the Presence of the Lord

Gentle Matt, I turn to you in my present needs and ask for the help of your prayers.
Trusting in you, I am confident your charitable and understanding heart will make my petitions your own.
I believe that you are truly powerful in the presence of Divine Mercy. If it be for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
the honour of Mary, our Mother and Queen and the deepening of my relationship with them, show that your goodness towards me, in my daily struggles, equals your influence with the Holy Spirit, who is hidden and at home in my heart.
Friend of pity, friend of power, hear, oh hear me in this hour, gentle Matt, please pray for me

 

[Colin]

From struggling against the craving for alcohol and his focus on acts of repentance (in his era, the drinker was seen by most as a willful sinner rather than one worthy of compassion), he moved on to identification with the universal mission of the Church. The same ardor that had put him out front carrying hod and made him single-minded in pursuit of drink now focused on a new thirst — for souls and for God.


“Matt cares nothing for money,” his fellow workers said. And in fact, all Talbot’s money, beyond the rent of the tenement room and the barest of necessities, either became quiet charity to other workmen struggling to support families or went off to works of the Church, particularly the missions. (Patricia Treece)



Official Prayer for the Canonization of Matt Talbot

Lord, in your servant, Matt Talbot you have given us a wonderful example of triumph over addiction, of devotion to duty, and of lifelong reverence of the Holy Sacrament. May his life of prayer and penance give us courage to take up our crosses and follow in the footsteps of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Father, if it be your will that your beloved servant should be glorified by your Church, make known by your heavenly favours the power he enjoys in your sight. We ask this through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Asking Matt's Help in the Presence of the Lord

Gentle Matt, I turn to you in my present needs and ask for the help of your prayers.
Trusting in you, I am confident your charitable and understanding heart will make my petitions your own.
I believe that you are truly powerful in the presence of Divine Mercy. If it be for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
the honour of Mary, our Mother and Queen and the deepening of my relationship with them, show that your goodness towards me, in my daily struggles, equals your influence with the Holy Spirit, who is hidden and at home in my heart.
Friend of pity, friend of power, hear, oh hear me in this hour, gentle Matt, please pray for me

 

[Colin]

Generous in the pub in his drinking years, Talbot had turned from drink at the lack of reciprocal generosity. Now purified of self-seeking, many of his donations and good deeds were done in secret.


But the final word on Matt Talbot should go to his saintly spiritual director. This priest — who loved to go to Talbot’s tenement room to pray with him — told various people about the simple workman whom he said was a saint. By citing Matt Talbot’s heroic virtue, the Church agrees. (Patricia Treece)



Official Prayer for the Canonization of Matt Talbot

Lord, in your servant, Matt Talbot you have given us a wonderful example of triumph over addiction, of devotion to duty, and of lifelong reverence of the Holy Sacrament. May his life of prayer and penance give us courage to take up our crosses and follow in the footsteps of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Father, if it be your will that your beloved servant should be glorified by your Church, make known by your heavenly favours the power he enjoys in your sight. We ask this through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Asking Matt's Help in the Presence of the Lord

Gentle Matt, I turn to you in my present needs and ask for the help of your prayers.
Trusting in you, I am confident your charitable and understanding heart will make my petitions your own.
I believe that you are truly powerful in the presence of Divine Mercy. If it be for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
the honour of Mary, our Mother and Queen and the deepening of my relationship with them, show that your goodness towards me, in my daily struggles, equals your influence with the Holy Spirit, who is hidden and at home in my heart.
Friend of pity, friend of power, hear, oh hear me in this hour, gentle Matt, please pray for me

 

[Colin]

Venerable Matt Talbot Devotional (Kevin O'Hara)




Today, we pray with one voice, asking that each of those suffering from the spiritual death of addiction will be liberated from the bonds of compulsion and craving; that the hold of these harmful behaviors will be released forever.




We call to you, Lord Jesus, and to the Power upon whom you called, that like the Prodigal Son, these brothers and sisters, held in the grip of death by addiction, will be able to return to a life free from harmful dependence.




Matt Talbot was led out of the despair of dependence, by living and working in prayerful devotion. He was dedicated to helping others. Through abstinence, prayer, the Sacraments, and reading of the Word, he was saved. Today, we ask that each of the addicted be led out of the shadows and into the light of hope.




With the example of this humble servant, and all the Saints who have struggled and prevailed, we ask that our plea for sobriety be heard, and that the energy needed for recovery will be available to all who seek Your help.




Show us the way out of addiction. Lead us to a new life of Faith.
Teach us, through the example of Matt Talbot, to discipline of living addiction free lives.




Send each of those who suffer from addiction behavior the strength and courage needed to overcome dependence. Inspire us to seek abstinence and sobriety in our day to day lives, to live as Matt Talbot lived, by the light of Your Holy Spirit, and the guidance of Your redeeming grace, as we seek the miracle of recovery. We ask this in the name of God, the Most High, Amen.





Say this prayer daily and spend time in meditation each week seeking the intervention and intercession of Venerable Matt Talbot.



Official Prayer for the Canonization of Matt Talbot

Lord, in your servant, Matt Talbot you have given us a wonderful example of triumph over addiction, of devotion to duty, and of lifelong reverence of the Holy Sacrament. May his life of prayer and penance give us courage to take up our crosses and follow in the footsteps of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Father, if it be your will that your beloved servant should be glorified by your Church, make known by your heavenly favours the power he enjoys in your sight. We ask this through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Asking Matt's Help in the Presence of the Lord

Gentle Matt, I turn to you in my present needs and ask for the help of your prayers.
Trusting in you, I am confident your charitable and understanding heart will make my petitions your own.
I believe that you are truly powerful in the presence of Divine Mercy. If it be for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
the honour of Mary, our Mother and Queen and the deepening of my relationship with them, show that your goodness towards me, in my daily struggles, equals your influence with the Holy Spirit, who is hidden and at home in my heart.
Friend of pity, friend of power, hear, oh hear me in this hour, gentle Matt, please pray for me .

 

[Colin]

"My Friend, Matt Talbot"
by Joseph D.
30 January 2014




I went into Our Lady Of Lourdes Church 40 yrs. ago asking for help from Matt . Within 6 months I had stopped drinking and have remained alcohol free since that time. I had to return to the shrine every three days to get a peace of mind as my thinking was in a desperate state. On one such occasion I was not kind in my word as I said "do I have to keep coming back here for the rest of my life, I need help". I got my peace but upon leaving the church what I used to call the machine gun mind came back, racing thoughts that gave no peace. I was sure I was being punished by God for talking up. I met a friend whom that day I had arranged to play table tennis with, the mind was so toxic I could not play. He asked if I would like to chat to a friend of his , I agreed, the moment I went into the place he brought me to my peace came . There was a book there that was given to me and that was my companion for many years and educated me Spiritually. It was the start of a great adventure that is still a work in progress. I have had to face many perils during my sobriety but the peace remains, the education for emotional sobriety is ongoing. The story with Matt had started many years before, he was introduced to me by my father when I was 6 or 7. A brother of mine had died in St Canices school as a result of an accident there, I was three years of age , this was back in 1948. The grief of that event had a big effect on the family , I feel I am still recovering from it. Part of the ritual every Sunday was to visit Glasnevin Cemetery, I used to be terrified of that place. After visiting my brothers grave my father would go to Matt's resting place where people would gather to say the Rosary around 12 oc. He was then moved from the grave to a whitewashed tomb in the centre of the graveyard where again the Rosary was recited . It was a scary place to get to for the doors of other tombs would be open , showing the stacked coffins . When I would get to Matt's place of rest I would feel the fear go . Jump on to when I was 28 and the alcohol that was my friend and which allowed me to survive, no longer worked. I could not trust the living to help thus I arrived at Our Lady of Lourdes seeking solace from Matt , he did not let me down. I always say that I saw Matt's progress in death as he was promoted from the grave to the tomb then from the tomb to his now resting place in the church. God promoted him as he promises to do to the meek and Matt is a great example of the meek who even in death progressed. I am a regular visitor at his tomb to this day for the love that flows there is a river of peace that comes from his heavenly abode in the company of his great love , Christ Jesus.

Official Prayer for the Canonization of Matt Talbot

Lord, in your servant, Matt Talbot you have given us a wonderful example of triumph over addiction, of devotion to duty, and of lifelong reverence of the Holy Sacrament. May his life of prayer and penance give us courage to take up our crosses and follow in the footsteps of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Father, if it be your will that your beloved servant should be glorified by your Church, make known by your heavenly favours the power he enjoys in your sight. We ask this through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Asking Matt's Help in the Presence of the Lord

Gentle Matt, I turn to you in my present needs and ask for the help of your prayers.
Trusting in you, I am confident your charitable and understanding heart will make my petitions your own.
I believe that you are truly powerful in the presence of Divine Mercy. If it be for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
the honour of Mary, our Mother and Queen and the deepening of my relationship with them, show that your goodness towards me, in my daily struggles, equals your influence with the Holy Spirit, who is hidden and at home in my heart.
Friend of pity, friend of power, hear, oh hear me in this hour, gentle Matt, please pray for me .

 

[Colin]

Addictions, like attachments assume several forms. They are not restricted to alcohol, drugs or sex alone. We can be addicted to power, popularity, places, positions and persons as well. Addictions teach us so many important lessons; but most of all, they confront us with our utter helplessness. They mirror to our misery. That can be both so self-revealing and chastening too. The humble confession of our own inability to cope with them by ourselves alone is the absolutely necessary pre-requisite if we are to overcome them and attain the freedom we desire. (Fr Alex Rebello)

Official Prayer for the Canonization of Matt Talbot

Lord, in your servant, Matt Talbot you have given us a wonderful example of triumph over addiction, of devotion to duty, and of lifelong reverence of the Holy Sacrament. May his life of prayer and penance give us courage to take up our crosses and follow in the footsteps of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Father, if it be your will that your beloved servant should be glorified by your Church, make known by your heavenly favours the power he enjoys in your sight. We ask this through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Asking Matt's Help in the Presence of the Lord

Gentle Matt, I turn to you in my present needs and ask for the help of your prayers.
Trusting in you, I am confident your charitable and understanding heart will make my petitions your own.
I believe that you are truly powerful in the presence of Divine Mercy. If it be for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
the honour of Mary, our Mother and Queen and the deepening of my relationship with them, show that your goodness towards me, in my daily struggles, equals your influence with the Holy Spirit, who is hidden and at home in my heart.
Friend of pity, friend of power, hear, oh hear me in this hour, gentle Matt, please pray for me .

 

[Colin]

It takes a lot of honesty and humility to admit that we are helpless. We like to be on the winning side. We like to feel strong and self-sufficient. It hurts our pride to say that we are weak and cannot manage the mess into which we have fallen. It deflates our bloated ego to acknowledge that we need help. We try our very best to save ourselves and we struggle painfully without making any progress. In fact, the more we strive to rise above the tide of our addictions and attachments, the more we seem to slip and sink! (Fr Alex Rebello)

Official Prayer for the Canonization of Matt Talbot

Lord, in your servant, Matt Talbot you have given us a wonderful example of triumph over addiction, of devotion to duty, and of lifelong reverence of the Holy Sacrament. May his life of prayer and penance give us courage to take up our crosses and follow in the footsteps of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Father, if it be your will that your beloved servant should be glorified by your Church, make known by your heavenly favours the power he enjoys in your sight. We ask this through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Asking Matt's Help in the Presence of the Lord

Gentle Matt, I turn to you in my present needs and ask for the help of your prayers.
Trusting in you, I am confident your charitable and understanding heart will make my petitions your own.
I believe that you are truly powerful in the presence of Divine Mercy. If it be for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
the honour of Mary, our Mother and Queen and the deepening of my relationship with them, show that your goodness towards me, in my daily struggles, equals your influence with the Holy Spirit, who is hidden and at home in my heart.
Friend of pity, friend of power, hear, oh hear me in this hour, gentle Matt, please pray for me .

 

[Colin]

Salvation begins when we allow God to enter our lives, when we surrender our addictions and attachments to Him, when we admit our utter helplessness and hopelessness and humbly ask His help. We must stop trying to be our own saviours for that would be as futile as trying to hang on ourselves. The real breakthrough comes when God takes over, when we hand over to Him the messed up tangle of our lives and allow Him with consummate compassion and persevering patience to untie all those tangled knots and set loose our life threads once more! (Fr Alex Rebello)

Official Prayer for the Canonization of Matt Talbot

Lord, in your servant, Matt Talbot you have given us a wonderful example of triumph over addiction, of devotion to duty, and of lifelong reverence of the Holy Sacrament. May his life of prayer and penance give us courage to take up our crosses and follow in the footsteps of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Father, if it be your will that your beloved servant should be glorified by your Church, make known by your heavenly favours the power he enjoys in your sight. We ask this through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Asking Matt's Help in the Presence of the Lord

Gentle Matt, I turn to you in my present needs and ask for the help of your prayers.
Trusting in you, I am confident your charitable and understanding heart will make my petitions your own.
I believe that you are truly powerful in the presence of Divine Mercy. If it be for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
the honour of Mary, our Mother and Queen and the deepening of my relationship with them, show that your goodness towards me, in my daily struggles, equals your influence with the Holy Spirit, who is hidden and at home in my heart.
Friend of pity, friend of power, hear, oh hear me in this hour, gentle Matt, please pray for me .

 

[Colin]

There is at times a misplaced emphasis on ‘will power’. No one denies the fact that God needs our co-operation and will not save us against our will. Centuries ago, Augustine had remarked: He who created you without you, will not save you without you!” We need the will to do what lies in our power or powerlessness, to collaborate with God’s grace. But more than mere will power we need His power. We might battle and kick against the goad and still find ourselves shackled like slaves. When we feel despondent, discouraged and defeated by our own powerlessness in the face of so many addictions, we need to listen to and reflect on those comforting and consoling words of the Lord to St. Paul: “My grace is enough for you: for power is at full stretch in weakness” (2 Cor 12:9). Total surrender to the Lord of power brings not only serenity and security but also stamina and strength. (Fr Alex Rebello)


Official Prayer for the Canonization of Matt Talbot

Lord, in your servant, Matt Talbot you have given us a wonderful example of triumph over addiction, of devotion to duty, and of lifelong reverence of the Holy Sacrament. May his life of prayer and penance give us courage to take up our crosses and follow in the footsteps of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Father, if it be your will that your beloved servant should be glorified by your Church, make known by your heavenly favours the power he enjoys in your sight. We ask this through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Asking Matt's Help in the Presence of the Lord

Gentle Matt, I turn to you in my present needs and ask for the help of your prayers.
Trusting in you, I am confident your charitable and understanding heart will make my petitions your own.
I believe that you are truly powerful in the presence of Divine Mercy. If it be for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
the honour of Mary, our Mother and Queen and the deepening of my relationship with them, show that your goodness towards me, in my daily struggles, equals your influence with the Holy Spirit, who is hidden and at home in my heart.
Friend of pity, friend of power, hear, oh hear me in this hour, gentle Matt, please pray for me .

 

[Colin]

( Putting together the whole of what Fr Alex Rebello said in one piece )

Addictions, like attachments assume several forms. They are not restricted to alcohol, drugs or sex alone. We can be addicted to power, popularity, places, positions and persons as well. Addictions teach us so many important lessons; but most of all, they confront us with our utter helplessness. They mirror to our misery. That can be both so self-revealing and chastening too. The humble confession of our own inability to cope with them by ourselves alone is the absolutely necessary pre-requisite if we are to overcome them and attain the freedom we desire.

But it takes a lot of honesty and humility to admit that we are helpless. We like to be on the winning side. We like to feel strong and self-sufficient. It hurts our pride to say that we are weak and cannot manage the mess into which we have fallen. It deflates our bloated ego to acknowledge that we need help. We try our very best to save ourselves and we struggle painfully without making any progress. In fact, the more we strive to rise above the tide of our addictions and attachments, the more we seem to slip and sink!

Salvation begins when we allow God to enter our lives, when we surrender our addictions and attachments to Him, when we admit our utter helplessness and hopelessness and humbly ask His help. We must stop trying to be our own saviours for that would be as futile as trying to hang on ourselves. The real breakthrough comes when God takes over, when we hand over to Him the messed up tangle of our lives and allow Him with consummate compassion and persevering patience to untie all those tangled knots and set loose our life threads once more!

There is at times a misplaced emphasis on ‘will power’. No one denies the fact that God needs our co-operation and will not save us against our will. Centuries ago, Augustine had remarked: He who created you without you, will not save you without you!” We need the will to do what lies in our power or powerlessness, to collaborate with God’s grace. But more than mere will power we need His power. We might battle and kick against the goad and still find ourselves shackled like slaves. When we feel despondent, discouraged and defeated by our own powerlessness in the face of so many addictions, we need to listen to and reflect on those comforting and consoling words of the Lord to St. Paul: “My grace is enough for you: for power is at full stretch in weakness” (2 Cor 12:9). Total surrender to the Lord of power brings not only serenity and security but also stamina and strength.


Official Prayer for the Canonization of Matt Talbot

Lord, in your servant, Matt Talbot you have given us a wonderful example of triumph over addiction, of devotion to duty, and of lifelong reverence of the Holy Sacrament. May his life of prayer and penance give us courage to take up our crosses and follow in the footsteps of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Father, if it be your will that your beloved servant should be glorified by your Church, make known by your heavenly favours the power he enjoys in your sight. We ask this through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Asking Matt's Help in the Presence of the Lord

Gentle Matt, I turn to you in my present needs and ask for the help of your prayers.
Trusting in you, I am confident your charitable and understanding heart will make my petitions your own.
I believe that you are truly powerful in the presence of Divine Mercy. If it be for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
the honour of Mary, our Mother and Queen and the deepening of my relationship with them, show that your goodness towards me, in my daily struggles, equals your influence with the Holy Spirit, who is hidden and at home in my heart.
Friend of pity, friend of power, hear, oh hear me in this hour, gentle Matt, please pray for me .

 

[Colin]

It wouldn’t take much for us to come up with a list of woes that plague the world: War, famine, drug abuse, violence, and sexual abuse are just the first items that come to mind. In one way or another, we all feel the effects of these woes. Even if our lives are trouble free, just dwelling on global tragedies like grinding poverty, human trafficking, or ethnic wars can make us anxious. And then there are the times when we face painful difficulties in our own lives or those of our loved ones: a broken marriage, a wayward child, or an incurable illness.



Yet in the midst of all these difficulties, God wants us to know that he is with us. He wants to tell us that he suffers with us and that he wants to help us by affirming his love for us. In fact, we could make the case that God’s love is most present to us as we work through the difficulties and sufferings we all (From Hope Does Not Disappoint in The Word Among Us magazine ) .


Official Prayer for the Canonization of Matt Talbot

Lord, in your servant, Matt Talbot you have given us a wonderful example of triumph over addiction, of devotion to duty, and of lifelong reverence of the Holy Sacrament. May his life of prayer and penance give us courage to take up our crosses and follow in the footsteps of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Father, if it be your will that your beloved servant should be glorified by your Church, make known by your heavenly favours the power he enjoys in your sight. We ask this through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Asking Matt's Help in the Presence of the Lord

Gentle Matt, I turn to you in my present needs and ask for the help of your prayers.
Trusting in you, I am confident your charitable and understanding heart will make my petitions your own.
I believe that you are truly powerful in the presence of Divine Mercy. If it be for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
the honour of Mary, our Mother and Queen and the deepening of my relationship with them, show that your goodness towards me, in my daily struggles, equals your influence with the Holy Spirit, who is hidden and at home in my heart.
Friend of pity, friend of power, hear, oh hear me in this hour, gentle Matt, please pray for me .

 

[Colin]

It wouldn’t take much for us to come up with a list of woes that plague the world: War, famine, drug abuse, violence, and sexual abuse are just the first items that come to mind. In one way or another, we all feel the effects of these woes. Even if our lives are trouble free, just dwelling on global tragedies like grinding poverty, human trafficking, or ethnic wars can make us anxious. And then there are the times when we face painful difficulties in our own lives or those of our loved ones: a broken marriage, a wayward child, or an incurable illness.

Yet in the midst of all these difficulties, God wants us to know that he is with us. He wants to tell us that he suffers with us and that he wants to help us by affirming his love for us. In fact, we could make the case that God’s love is most present to us as we work through the difficulties and sufferings we all (From Hope Does Not Disappoint in The Word Among Us magazine ) .


Official Prayer for the Canonization of Matt Talbot

Lord, in your servant, Matt Talbot you have given us a wonderful example of triumph over addiction, of devotion to duty, and of lifelong reverence of the Holy Sacrament. May his life of prayer and penance give us courage to take up our crosses and follow in the footsteps of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Father, if it be your will that your beloved servant should be glorified by your Church, make known by your heavenly favours the power he enjoys in your sight. We ask this through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Asking Matt's Help in the Presence of the Lord

Gentle Matt, I turn to you in my present needs and ask for the help of your prayers.
Trusting in you, I am confident your charitable and understanding heart will make my petitions your own.
I believe that you are truly powerful in the presence of Divine Mercy. If it be for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
the honour of Mary, our Mother and Queen and the deepening of my relationship with them, show that your goodness towards me, in my daily struggles, equals your influence with the Holy Spirit, who is hidden and at home in my heart.
Friend of pity, friend of power, hear, oh hear me in this hour, gentle Matt, please pray for me .

 

[Colin]

It wouldn’t take much for us to come up with a list of woes that plague the world: War, famine, drug abuse, violence, and sexual abuse are just the first items that come to mind. In one way or another, we all feel the effects of these woes. Even if our lives are trouble free, just dwelling on global tragedies like grinding poverty, human trafficking, or ethnic wars can make us anxious. And then there are the times when we face painful difficulties in our own lives or those of our loved ones: a broken marriage, a wayward child, or an incurable illness.

Yet in the midst of all these difficulties, God wants us to know that he is with us. He wants to tell us that he suffers with us and that he wants to help us by affirming his love for us. In fact, we could make the case that God’s love is most present to us as we work through the difficulties and sufferings we all face (From Hope Does Not Disappoint in The Word Among Us magazine ) .


Official Prayer for the Canonization of Matt Talbot

Lord, in your servant, Matt Talbot you have given us a wonderful example of triumph over addiction, of devotion to duty, and of lifelong reverence of the Holy Sacrament. May his life of prayer and penance give us courage to take up our crosses and follow in the footsteps of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Father, if it be your will that your beloved servant should be glorified by your Church, make known by your heavenly favours the power he enjoys in your sight. We ask this through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Asking Matt's Help in the Presence of the Lord

Gentle Matt, I turn to you in my present needs and ask for the help of your prayers.
Trusting in you, I am confident your charitable and understanding heart will make my petitions your own.
I believe that you are truly powerful in the presence of Divine Mercy. If it be for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
the honour of Mary, our Mother and Queen and the deepening of my relationship with them, show that your goodness towards me, in my daily struggles, equals your influence with the Holy Spirit, who is hidden and at home in my heart.
Friend of pity, friend of power, hear, oh hear me in this hour, gentle Matt, please pray for me .

 

[Colin]

This truth is spelled out most clearly in St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Reflecting on his own experience, even as he sketches out God’s overall plan of salvation, Paul wrote: “Affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Romans 5:3-5).



In these few verses, Paul reveals how God’s love helped him grow in holiness during his own times of trial. Paul discovered the liberating truth that God’s love is the one constant, guiding us through the storms of life, all the while making us like Jesus. Let’s take a closer look at these verses, examining three distinct ways that God’s love comes to us as we deal with suffering and affliction.(From Hope Does Not Disappoint in The Word Among Us magazine ) .

Official Prayer for the Canonization of Matt Talbot

Lord, in your servant, Matt Talbot you have given us a wonderful example of triumph over addiction, of devotion to duty, and of lifelong reverence of the Holy Sacrament. May his life of prayer and penance give us courage to take up our crosses and follow in the footsteps of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Father, if it be your will that your beloved servant should be glorified by your Church, make known by your heavenly favours the power he enjoys in your sight. We ask this through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Asking Matt's Help in the Presence of the Lord

Gentle Matt, I turn to you in my present needs and ask for the help of your prayers.
Trusting in you, I am confident your charitable and understanding heart will make my petitions your own.
I believe that you are truly powerful in the presence of Divine Mercy. If it be for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
the honour of Mary, our Mother and Queen and the deepening of my relationship with them, show that your goodness towards me, in my daily struggles, equals your influence with the Holy Spirit, who is hidden and at home in my heart.
Friend of pity, friend of power, hear, oh hear me in this hour, gentle Matt, please pray for me .

 

[Colin]

Love’s Three Effects. Before we look at these specific verses, it’s helpful to see that Paul himself prefaces them with uplifting, inspiring truths: We are justified by faith, we have peace with God, we are surrounded by his grace, and we even have the promise of eternal life with him (Romans 5:1-2). So it is critical for us to know that God’s love is at work in us even before we face any afflictions.



This is why Paul is able to say that we can endure any affliction that comes our way. It’s true that the trials of life can present serious challenges to our faith. They can lead us to question whether God is just or kind. We may even ask whether God is punishing us for some unknown sin. But because we are already in Christ, these trials also have the potential to help us push on with our faith. They can become opportunities to reassert our trust in the Lord regardless of what we are experiencing. As we take on this perspective, we find God’s love strengthening us, encouraging us to persevere, and even giving us supernatural strength to continue.(From Hope Does Not Disappoint in The Word Among Us magazine ) .

Official Prayer for the Canonization of Matt Talbot

Lord, in your servant, Matt Talbot you have given us a wonderful example of triumph over addiction, of devotion to duty, and of lifelong reverence of the Holy Sacrament. May his life of prayer and penance give us courage to take up our crosses and follow in the footsteps of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Father, if it be your will that your beloved servant should be glorified by your Church, make known by your heavenly favours the power he enjoys in your sight. We ask this through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Asking Matt's Help in the Presence of the Lord

Gentle Matt, I turn to you in my present needs and ask for the help of your prayers.
Trusting in you, I am confident your charitable and understanding heart will make my petitions your own.
I believe that you are truly powerful in the presence of Divine Mercy. If it be for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
the honour of Mary, our Mother and Queen and the deepening of my relationship with them, show that your goodness towards me, in my daily struggles, equals your influence with the Holy Spirit, who is hidden and at home in my heart.
Friend of pity, friend of power, hear, oh hear me in this hour, gentle Matt, please pray for me .

 

[Colin]

Paul says next that endurance through trial can have a positive effect on our character. When we persevere through our afflictions, we give the Lord the opportunity to shape our character. We grow in virtues such as kindness, compassion, loyalty, honesty, and obedience. What’s more, the character that is formed by our perseverance is not just any good character. It’s the very character of Christ. We begin to think and to love as Jesus did. Just as Jesus stayed close to his Father despite his many trials and difficulties, we too can stay close to him. And just as Jesus “learned obedience” through his suffering, we too can grow in godly virtue as we face our own sufferings with endurance and faith (Hebrews 5:8).



Finally, Paul tells us that there is a relationship between godly character and the virtue of hope. We all learn far more about ourselves—our strengths and our weaknesses—during times of stress than we do when life is going well. So when we see our character being transformed and built up in the midst of trial, we also see hope for our lives. We see that we are passing the test and that Jesus has not abandoned us. We grow in confidence. We see light at the end of the tunnel. We know that God is working in us, that we will make it through this trial, and that we will be better off for having gone through it.




All of this comes to us—amazingly, miraculously, and simply—because God has poured his love into us. It comes to us because he never stops pouring out his love. (From Hope Does Not Disappoint in The Word Among Us magazine ) .



Official Prayer for the Canonization of Matt Talbot

Lord, in your servant, Matt Talbot you have given us a wonderful example of triumph over addiction, of devotion to duty, and of lifelong reverence of the Holy Sacrament. May his life of prayer and penance give us courage to take up our crosses and follow in the footsteps of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Father, if it be your will that your beloved servant should be glorified by your Church, make known by your heavenly favours the power he enjoys in your sight. We ask this through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Asking Matt's Help in the Presence of the Lord

Gentle Matt, I turn to you in my present needs and ask for the help of your prayers.
Trusting in you, I am confident your charitable and understanding heart will make my petitions your own.
I believe that you are truly powerful in the presence of Divine Mercy. If it be for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
the honour of Mary, our Mother and Queen and the deepening of my relationship with them, show that your goodness towards me, in my daily struggles, equals your influence with the Holy Spirit, who is hidden and at home in my heart.
Friend of pity, friend of power, hear, oh hear me in this hour, gentle Matt, please pray for me .

 

[Colin]

Ever-Increasing Hope. Let’s be clear: Paul is not just speaking about a step-by-step psychological process in which one virtue leads naturally to another. And neither is he speaking only about the value of noble determination—although it does play a part. More than these, he is speaking about the power of God’s love, which helps us hold our ground and even grow closer to Jesus as we face life’s trials.



So what is this “hope” that doesn’t disappoint? At its core, it’s faith that Jesus is in charge of the whole universe. It’s faith that God has a good and loving plan for our lives. It’s faith that Jesus will come again to bring us into his kingdom. It’s faith that we will be with him in heaven. “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). We put our faith and our hope in Jesus because we believe that he is faithful and loving. We believe that he will never abandon us.




Paul is not saying that the only way to grow in hope is through affliction and suffering. But he is telling us how to deal with the afflictions that come our way. He is giving us a strategy to help us see our way through difficult times—a strategy that both helps us endure with faith and that gives us the extra benefit of building us up in Christ. As we learn to rely on God’s love, which is constantly flowing to us, we can find the strength we need to persevere. It is his love that will sustain us, and it is his love that will shape us. It is his love, and only his love, that will move us to place our hope in Jesus and in his plan for our lives. (From Hope Does Not Disappoint in The Word Among Us magazine ) .



Official Prayer for the Canonization of Matt Talbot

Lord, in your servant, Matt Talbot you have given us a wonderful example of triumph over addiction, of devotion to duty, and of lifelong reverence of the Holy Sacrament. May his life of prayer and penance give us courage to take up our crosses and follow in the footsteps of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Father, if it be your will that your beloved servant should be glorified by your Church, make known by your heavenly favours the power he enjoys in your sight. We ask this through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Asking Matt's Help in the Presence of the Lord

Gentle Matt, I turn to you in my present needs and ask for the help of your prayers.
Trusting in you, I am confident your charitable and understanding heart will make my petitions your own.
I believe that you are truly powerful in the presence of Divine Mercy. If it be for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
the honour of Mary, our Mother and Queen and the deepening of my relationship with them, show that your goodness towards me, in my daily struggles, equals your influence with the Holy Spirit, who is hidden and at home in my heart.
Friend of pity, friend of power, hear, oh hear me in this hour, gentle Matt, please pray for me .

 

[Colin]

God’s Love Poured into Our Hearts. “Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Romans 5:5). Everything we have looked at so far depends on this one sentence. Without this outpouring of divine love, Paul’s line of reasoning cannot stand. He is not saying that affliction has the power in and of itself to transform us into the character of Christ. It’s the experience of God’s love that enables us to endure, to form a godly character, and to learn to live in real, lasting hope.



In your mind’s eye, try to picture God’s love as a steady, heavy downpour of rain. It’s not a light drizzle. It’s not an occasional sprinkling. It’s a constant showering of love, ministered to us by the Holy Spirit. It’s an outpouring of divine grace that comes to us like “water upon the thirsty ground, and streams upon the dry land” to refresh us and give us hope and courage (Isaiah 44:3).



We may think we don’t deserve such love. We may think that God has only a small amount set aside for us. We may even think that he will love us only if we are able to get rid of our sins. But none of these thoughts makes sense when we look at this one sentence from St. Paul. If God is constantly pouring out love over the whole world, why would we ever think he would exclude us ? (From Hope Does Not Disappoint in The Word Among Us magazine ) .



Official Prayer for the Canonization of Matt Talbot

Lord, in your servant, Matt Talbot you have given us a wonderful example of triumph over addiction, of devotion to duty, and of lifelong reverence of the Holy Sacrament. May his life of prayer and penance give us courage to take up our crosses and follow in the footsteps of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Father, if it be your will that your beloved servant should be glorified by your Church, make known by your heavenly favours the power he enjoys in your sight. We ask this through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Asking Matt's Help in the Presence of the Lord

Gentle Matt, I turn to you in my present needs and ask for the help of your prayers.
Trusting in you, I am confident your charitable and understanding heart will make my petitions your own.
I believe that you are truly powerful in the presence of Divine Mercy. If it be for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
the honour of Mary, our Mother and Queen and the deepening of my relationship with them, show that your goodness towards me, in my daily struggles, equals your influence with the Holy Spirit, who is hidden and at home in my heart.
Friend of pity, friend of power, hear, oh hear me in this hour, gentle Matt, please pray for me .