On Friday, July 25, Galway Cathedral will host a special evening of prayer to mark the visit of the relics of Venerable Matt Talbot, in this centenary year of his death. The evening is organised with the generous support of the local Knights of St Columbanus and the Third Order of St. Francis of Assisi.
The relics include a first-class relic, Matt Talbot’s rosary beads, and items of personal devotion that speak of a life lived in quiet perseverance and faith.
Fr John Gerard Acton of Galway Cathedral said: “Addiction takes many forms – some visible, some hidden. We see it not only in alcohol or drugs, but in gambling, screens, and the constant need to escape or numb ourselves. Behind it all is pain, often long carried. Families live with it quietly. Many suffer in silence.
“Matt Talbot knew that pain. He lived through it. He turned to God not once, but every day, for strength. His life speaks to those who are still in the struggle – and to those who love them.”
The evening will begin at 6pm with Mass celebrated by Bishop Michael Duignan, followed by veneration of the relics. At 7pm, a talk will be given on the life and witness of Venerable Matt Talbot. At 7:30pm, the Rosary will be prayed, with reflections for those affected by addiction. The Stations of the Cross will follow at 8.00pm. From 9.00 to 10.00pm, a guided Eucharistic Holy Hour will be held, with prayers for healing, strength, and hope.
