St. Anthony Messenger | February 2012 issue of St. Anthony Messenger

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February 2012

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Web Plus

St. Cecilia's Fish Fry
Jeannette Cooperman

People have found fellowship in this multicultural parish. Their secret? It's in the batter.

WEB+

Check out more Lenten resources

From Widow's Grief to New Life
Elizabeth Bookser Barkley

Mired in grief over the loss of her husband, this college professor found a kindred spirit in another widow: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

'I Have Called You'
Kristina M. Santos

Life's joys and frustrations are present in God's love at Sunday Mass--even if someone's cellphone is ringing.

Faith in Fiction
Mitch Finley

Deacon Ron Hansen's novels carry themes of his Catholic faith.

WEB+

Trailer for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.

Find links throughout the article to excerpts from Ron Hansen’s works.

Cleaning Our Spiritual Closets
Jeanne Hunt

This Lent, allow prayer, fasting and works of compassion to challenge whatever is keeping you from God.

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.

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