Matt+K.+-+RFC+-+SP10


 * Father Theobald Matthew**

I was born on October 10, 1790 in Tipperary, Ireland. At age twelve my mother and father sent me to St. Canice's Academy in Kilkenny, Ireland. I spent seven years there with two Capuchin Fathers. In September1807 I attended Maynooth College, the following year I joined the Capuchin Order in Dublin. Once I had completed my studdies I was ordained a priest by Archbishop Murray of Dublin on Easter Sunday, 1814. After spending twelve more months in Kilkenny at the convent I was transferred to Cork where I remained for the next twenty four years organizing schools, industrial classes, and benefit societies. In 1830 I bought eleven acres of land which I called the Botanic Garden; it was to be a cemetery for the poor. This brings me to my most important achievement. In 1838, drunkenness had become widespread. It encouraged rivalries and generational feuds. I didn’t believe in gradual approaches or temporary commitments, I advocated a promise that meant complete commitment. With this in mind I established the total Abstinence Society which relied on one enduring act of will to keep a person sober for life. It was simply called //The Pledge//. It could be made by anybody, either with or without an alcohol problem. On 10 April, 1838 the first meeting took place in my schoolhouse. I took the pledge myself saying "Here goes in the Name of God", I then entered my signature into a large book. About sixty people followed my example that night and signed the book. We held meetings twice a week and after only three months our numbers had grown to 25,000. The number continued to grow, in five months we had reached 130,000. I traveled from place to place to pledge as many people as possible. My journey eventually led me to England where I successfully gave the pledge to 600,000 people within three months. The potato famine struck a great blow to my campaign but I tried to help out in any way I could including donating 600 pounds a month in relief. I then traveled to America for two years securing 500,00 desciples before returning to Ireland. It is said that I gave the pledge to 7,000,000 people.

**Refrences** __Capuchin Fathers__-These two men influenced me greatily during my time at St. Canice's Academy.

**Sources**

"Fr. Theobald Mathew." //Feis Maitiu Corcaigh - Feis Mathew Cork - Feis Maitiu - Feis Matthew//. Web. 25 Feb. 2010. . "Theobald Mathew." //Hall of North and South Americans//. Web. 25 Feb. 2010. . "Untitled Document." //Assumption College: A Catholic College founded by the Augustinians of the Assumption//. Web. 25 Feb. 2010. .