St. Anthony Messenger | August 2012 issue of St. Anthony Messenger magazine

Home

Catholic News

Daily Features

St. Anthony Messenger

Books

Catholic e-Greetings

Parish Newsletters/Services

ARCHIVE

August 2012

Home Page
Ask a Franciscan
On Faith & Media
You & Your Health
Editorial
Followers
Book Corner
A Catholic Mom Speaks
Living Simply
Web Plus

St. Clare's Gamble
Ramona Miller, OSF

Many people thought Clare of Assisi, a noblewoman, was wasting her life by living as a cloistered nun at San Damiano. She proved them wrong.

WEB+

Learn more about St. Clare and the Poor Clares

Visit our St. Clare page.

I'd Like to Say: Religious Freedom Is at Stake
Helen Alvare

An expert on Church and culture explains what's at stake in the dispute between government-funding regulations and the Catholic Church.

WEB+

Information on the U.S. bishops' advocacy on behalf of religious freedom

Faith by Design
James Breig

Interior designers Bob and Cortney Novogratz are known on and off TV for bringing “downtown chic” to drab spaces. But it’s their Catholic faith that brings real color to their lives.

WEB+

The Novogratzes Web site
HGTV's Home by Novogratz

Franciscan Green
Alicia von Stamwitz

Why do Franciscans care about the environment? Father Joe Rozansky lays out the facts.

WEB+

Find maps to local farmers' markets
JPIC documents

Let's Be Civil
Judy Ball

Can voting and holiness go hand in hand? This Duquesne law professor tells us how.

WEB+

Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility

to St. Anthony Messenger Print Edition

Matt Talbot: Matt can be considered the patron of men and women struggling with alcoholism.
<p>Matt was born in Dublin, where his father worked on the docks and had a difficult time supporting his family. After a few years of schooling, Matt obtained work as a messenger for some liquor merchants; there he began to drink excessively. For 15 years—until he was almost 30—Matt was an active alcoholic. </p><p>One day he decided to take "the pledge" for three months, make a general confession and begin to attend daily Mass. There is evidence that Matt’s first seven years after taking the pledge were especially difficult. Avoiding his former drinking places was hard. He began to pray as intensely as he used to drink. He also tried to pay back people from whom he had borrowed or stolen money while he was drinking. </p><p>Most of his life Matt worked as a builder’s laborer. He joined the Secular Franciscan Order and began a life of strict penance; he abstained from meat nine months a year. Matt spent hours every night avidly reading Scripture and the lives of the saints. He prayed the rosary conscientiously. Though his job did not make him rich, Matt contributed generously to the missions. </p><p>After 1923 his health failed, and Matt was forced to quit work. He died on his way to church on Trinity Sunday. Fifty years later Pope Paul VI gave him the title venerable.</p>

We are called to share in the infinite life and love of God. We are called by God to a relationship that is destined to transform us into his likeness, to “divinize” us. This is going to take some stretching, to say the least.

PICKS OF THE WEEK

	Transformation
	Learn about St. Francis's transforming vision with Richard Rohr.

	Readable and practical
	Develop a deeper understanding of what evangelization means to Catholics today!

	Life After Death
	Elizabeth Bookser Barkley leads the grieving forward with a compassionate hand.

	June 13th: The Feast of St. Anthony
	Learn about St. Anthony's life, legends about him, and devotions to him.

	The Good Life
	Learn the cardinal and theological virtues: the roadmap to the good life.

CATHOLIC GREETINGS

	Thank You
	We thank God for family, loved ones, and all that is yet to be.

	Birthday
	When you can’t attend the party in person, your love and prayers sent in an e-card will represent you.

	Father's Day
	Happy Father’s Day from Catholic Greetings and AmericanCatholic.org!

	Father's Day
	Happy Father’s Day from Catholic Greetings and AmericanCatholic.org!

	Encouragement
	Offer a message of encouragement today to a friend or family member.

Come find us at:

American Catholic is for Catholics, all Christians and seekers. Find Roman Catholic Saints, Minute Meditations, Catholic Church Questions and Catholic News. Post Prayer Requests and send Catholic e-cards. Discover Catholic Books, Catholic Audio Books, Catholic Videos, and a leading Catholic Magazine.