All this may be getting to plebeian for the sholars in the gang. It may
also be considered irrelevant by those looking for patron saints. But it
strikes me that some of us non-Romans can get a little useful education
by opening the door a bit wider.

When I was doing one of my annual spiritual roots seminars at the Wilson
House in Vermont, I was blessed to meet an inquiring AA with Roman
Catholic ties who - like myself - was interested in the whole subject of
healing of alcoholism by reliance on the Creator. I believe I made a
Protestant Evangelical out of him before the weekend concluded. But he
made me aware of Matt Talbot and the Matt Talbot movement since he had
attained some 29 years of sobriety and sprang from the Matt Talbot
environment. I let it go because I had not yet embarked on my search for
the healing and cure of alcoholism, both in and out of A.A., and through
the ages - cure by the power of God.

My own work on James, the Roman Catholic "saints," and religious
healings - including alcoholism - inevitably led me back to the picture
today, about which I've already begun extensive research and writing.
Then you folks opened up saints and seemed to bite on Matt. So I hope
the discourse will continue forward through those who can educate us
more on saints, Matt, and healing.

I immediately punched in my favorite search engine Google. I looked up
the following: (1) Calix Society. (2) Calix Society retreats. (3) A.A.
in Ireland. Then I hit pay dirt by clicking on the obvious: Matt Talbot.
I discovered he left the womb in the mid-1800's and passed to his reward
about 1925. You can find the story well covered by pulling up the
subject on Google. I thought several points might be of interest: (1)
Matt was, of course, a drunk. (2) Supposedly he was not much into
religion. (3) He turned to Almighty God for help and received it. (4) He
began attending Mass daily and sang a different tune. (5) Lots of Roman
Catholics get sober by going this route with and without AA. (6) In
1975, the Vatican - or whoever does these things - dubbed Matt
"Venerable." (7) According to the site, this enables him to become
canonized (presumably become a saint) once investigation into the
Miracle question is resolved. (8) I haven't the slightest idea whether
that ultimately would make him a "patron saint" of drunks.

How about contacting a faithful Roman Cathollic Irish priest and asking
him about the patron saint and Matt and his chances. I'd also pursue the
Calix group further because Talbot admirers might be found there. And
then, of course, there's the route we all pursue in scholarly research -
which is to read and study and read and study until we find some facts
which allow us to do further reading and study. If anyone is of a mind
to do this as to a patron saint, I'd be blessed to see the results.

God Bless, Dick B.