Saint Charles of Mount Argus
Saint Charles of Mount Argus (born John Andrew Houben, December 11, 1821 AD in Munstergeleen, Limburg, Netherlands; died January 5, 1893 AD in Dublin, Ireland) was a Dutch Passionist priest who spent most of his priestly ministry in Dublin, Ireland, where he was renowned for his gift of healing and for hearing confessions for extraordinarily long hours. He was beatified in 1988 and canonized in 2007. His feast day is January 5.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Charles of Mount Argus
| Saint Charles of Mount Argus | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | January 05 |
| Profession | Passionist priest; confessor; spiritual director |
| Rel. Affiliation | Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ (Passionists) |
| Patronage | Ireland; the sick; those seeking healing; confessors |
| Attributes | Passionist habit; stole; sick person receiving blessing |
| Birthplace | Munstergeleen, Limburg Province, Netherlands |
| Death Place | Mount Argus, Harold's Cross, Dublin, Ireland |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes; died peacefully after years of illness |
| Primary Shrine | Mount Argus Church, Harold's Cross, Dublin, Ireland — his relics enshrined in the church; pilgrimage destination |
| Liturgical Class | Optional Memorial |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Biography
John Andrew Houben was born in 1821 in the Dutch village of Munstergeleen (now part of Sittard-Geleen in Limburg) into a large Catholic family. He joined the Passionist Congregation and was ordained a priest in 1852, taking the religious name Charles of Saint Andrew. He was sent to England and then in 1857 to the Passionist monastery at Mount Argus in Harold's Cross, Dublin.
Except for a period in England (1866–1874) during which his superiors sent him away partly because his fame was drawing such crowds that the order worried about the situation, Charles spent the remainder of his life at Mount Argus. He became renowned throughout Ireland for two things: the extraordinary duration of time he spent in the confessional (sometimes ten to fifteen hours a day), and the healings attributed to his prayer and blessing of the sick.
People came from all over Ireland — on crutches, in carts, as the very ill — seeking his blessing. He gave each person unhurried, compassionate attention. His gentleness and patience were said to be inexhaustible. He combined the Passionist spirituality of the Passion of Christ with a warm pastoral ministry to the poor and sick of Dublin.
Charles suffered from poor health throughout his life, especially in his later years. He died peacefully on January 5, 1893, at Mount Argus. The news of his death spread immediately through Dublin; enormous crowds came to venerate his body. He was buried at Mount Argus.
Pope John Paul II beatified him at Phoenix Park in Dublin on October 16, 1988, during the papal visit to Ireland. Pope Benedict XVI canonized him on June 3, 2007.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Munstergeleen, Limburg Province, Netherlands
Death location: Mount Argus, Harold's Cross, Dublin, Ireland
Notable location: The monastery where he lived and ministered for most of his life; site of his death and his shrine; a major pilgrimage site in Dublin (Mount Argus Passionist Retreat Centre, Harold's Cross, Dublin, Ireland)
Notable location: His birthplace; now part of Sittard-Geleen; commemorated in his home parish (Munstergeleen, Limburg, Netherlands)
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Parishes
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Shrines
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Known shrines
- Mount Argus Church, Harold's Cross, Dublin — the Passionist church where he ministered and is enshrined; a major pilgrimage site in Dublin.
Feast day
January 5
Veneration
Saint Charles of Mount Argus is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church with a feast day on January 5 (Optional Memorial).
Prayers
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