Santi e Beati
Saint Charles Houben - Miracle Worker
Father Charles of St. Andrew, also known as Saint Charles of Mount Argus and as John Andrew Houben in secular life, was born on December 11, 1821, in Munstergeleen, in the Diocese of Ruremond, Holland, the fourth of eleven children, and was baptized the same day with the name John Andrew. He received his First Communion on April 26, 1835, and the sacrament of Confirmation on June 28, of that same year.
John began his formal education in Sittard and then in Broeksittard. In 1840, he had to interrupt his studies to enter the military. It was during this latter period that he first heard about the Congregation of the Passion. At the end of his military service he completed his studies and requested to be admitted to the Congregation. He was received by Blessed Dominic Barberi, Passionist, and entered the Novitiate in the Belgium city of Ere, near Tournai on November 5, 1845. In December of that same year he was vested with the Passionist Religious Habit and given the name of Charles of St. Andrew. Having completed the canonical year of Novitiate he professed his First Vows on December 10, 1850. At the conclusion of his studies he was ordained to the Priesthood by Bishop Labis, the ordinary of Tournai.
Immediately he was sent to England where the Passionists had founded three Monasteries and it was here that, for a period of time, he undertook the ministry of Vice - Master of Novices in the Monastery of Broadway. He also did parochial ministry in the Parish of St. Wilfred and neighboring areas until 1856, when he was transferred to the newly established Monastery of Mount Argus, on the outskirts of Dublin.
Charles Houben lived almost the remainder of his life in this retreat and was greatly loved by the Irish people to point that they referred to him¬ a native of Holland ¬as Father Charles of Mount Argus. He was a particularly pious priest. He was outstanding in exercising obedience, in the practice of poverty, humility and simplicity and to an even greater degree, to devotion to the Passion of the Lord.
Due to his poor mastery of the English language, he was never a formal preacher and he never preached missions. Rather he very successfully dedicated himself to spiritual direction, especially through the sacrament of Reconciliation.
The fame of his virtue was such that great crowds of people would gather at the Monastery to seek his blessing. There are also numerous testimonies to the outstanding miraculous cures that he worked to the extent that even during his lifetime he was known as a miracle worker.
Precisely because of this fame that extended throughout all of Great Britain as well as in America and Australia that in 1866, in order to afford him some rest, he was transferred to England where he lived for a time in the communities at Broadway, Sutton and London. There he ministered as usual and there too, inside and outside the monastery, he was sought by the faithful, both Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
He returned to Dublin in 1874, where he remained until his death that took place at dawn on January 5, 1893.
During his very solemn funeral that was attended by people from all of Ireland there was definite proof of the popular devotion that had surrounded him throughout his life. In a newspaper of the time we read: "Never before has the memory of any man sparked an explosion of religious sentiment and profound veneration as that which we observed in the presence of the mortal remains of Father Charles." The Superior of the Monastery wrote to his family: "The people have already declared him a Saint."
The cause of his Beatification and Canonization was introduced on November 13, 1935, and on October 16, 1988, Pope John Paul II proceeded with the beatification of the one whom everyone called the Saint of Mount Argus.
The miracle that led to his canonization was obtained through his intercession on behalf of Adolf Dormans of Munstergeleen, the birthplace of the Blessed. The diocesan inquiry super miro was also undertaken in the Diocese of Roermond from November 6, 2002 until February 19, 2003, at which time the validity of the miracle was recognized by a Decree from the Congregation for the Causes of Saints on November 7, 2003.
The medical consulta was convoked in November 2005, and following the investigation of the matter, the members unanimously expressed that the cure of Mr. Dormans of "perforated, gangrenous appendicitis with generalized peritonitis that was multi-organically compromising and included extenuating and prolonged agony" was "not scientifically explainable".
The theologian consultors, in the particular Congress of February 21, 2006, and the Ordinary Congregation of Cardinals and Bishops of December 12, 2006, also gave their unanimous approval of the supernatural aspect of the said healing.
The Decree concerning the miracle was given in the presence of Pope Benedict XVI on December 21, 2006. Charles was canonized by the named Pope on the following June 3, 2007. His remains are found buried in a sarcophagus inside the Mount Argus Church, Dublin.
Saint Charles Houben - Miracle Worker
Father Charles of St. Andrew, also known as Saint Charles of Mount Argus and as John Andrew Houben in secular life, was born on December 11, 1821, in Munstergeleen, in the Diocese of Ruremond, Holland, the fourth of eleven children, and was baptized the same day with the name John Andrew. He received his First Communion on April 26, 1835, and the sacrament of Confirmation on June 28, of that same year.
John began his formal education in Sittard and then in Broeksittard. In 1840, he had to interrupt his studies to enter the military. It was during this latter period that he first heard about the Congregation of the Passion. At the end of his military service he completed his studies and requested to be admitted to the Congregation. He was received by Blessed Dominic Barberi, Passionist, and entered the Novitiate in the Belgium city of Ere, near Tournai on November 5, 1845. In December of that same year he was vested with the Passionist Religious Habit and given the name of Charles of St. Andrew. Having completed the canonical year of Novitiate he professed his First Vows on December 10, 1850. At the conclusion of his studies he was ordained to the Priesthood by Bishop Labis, the ordinary of Tournai.
Immediately he was sent to England where the Passionists had founded three Monasteries and it was here that, for a period of time, he undertook the ministry of Vice - Master of Novices in the Monastery of Broadway. He also did parochial ministry in the Parish of St. Wilfred and neighboring areas until 1856, when he was transferred to the newly established Monastery of Mount Argus, on the outskirts of Dublin.
Charles Houben lived almost the remainder of his life in this retreat and was greatly loved by the Irish people to point that they referred to him¬ a native of Holland ¬as Father Charles of Mount Argus. He was a particularly pious priest. He was outstanding in exercising obedience, in the practice of poverty, humility and simplicity and to an even greater degree, to devotion to the Passion of the Lord.
Due to his poor mastery of the English language, he was never a formal preacher and he never preached missions. Rather he very successfully dedicated himself to spiritual direction, especially through the sacrament of Reconciliation.
The fame of his virtue was such that great crowds of people would gather at the Monastery to seek his blessing. There are also numerous testimonies to the outstanding miraculous cures that he worked to the extent that even during his lifetime he was known as a miracle worker.
Precisely because of this fame that extended throughout all of Great Britain as well as in America and Australia that in 1866, in order to afford him some rest, he was transferred to England where he lived for a time in the communities at Broadway, Sutton and London. There he ministered as usual and there too, inside and outside the monastery, he was sought by the faithful, both Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
He returned to Dublin in 1874, where he remained until his death that took place at dawn on January 5, 1893.
During his very solemn funeral that was attended by people from all of Ireland there was definite proof of the popular devotion that had surrounded him throughout his life. In a newspaper of the time we read: "Never before has the memory of any man sparked an explosion of religious sentiment and profound veneration as that which we observed in the presence of the mortal remains of Father Charles." The Superior of the Monastery wrote to his family: "The people have already declared him a Saint."
The cause of his Beatification and Canonization was introduced on November 13, 1935, and on October 16, 1988, Pope John Paul II proceeded with the beatification of the one whom everyone called the Saint of Mount Argus.
The miracle that led to his canonization was obtained through his intercession on behalf of Adolf Dormans of Munstergeleen, the birthplace of the Blessed. The diocesan inquiry super miro was also undertaken in the Diocese of Roermond from November 6, 2002 until February 19, 2003, at which time the validity of the miracle was recognized by a Decree from the Congregation for the Causes of Saints on November 7, 2003.
The medical consulta was convoked in November 2005, and following the investigation of the matter, the members unanimously expressed that the cure of Mr. Dormans of "perforated, gangrenous appendicitis with generalized peritonitis that was multi-organically compromising and included extenuating and prolonged agony" was "not scientifically explainable".
The theologian consultors, in the particular Congress of February 21, 2006, and the Ordinary Congregation of Cardinals and Bishops of December 12, 2006, also gave their unanimous approval of the supernatural aspect of the said healing.
The Decree concerning the miracle was given in the presence of Pope Benedict XVI on December 21, 2006. Charles was canonized by the named Pope on the following June 3, 2007. His remains are found buried in a sarcophagus inside the Mount Argus Church, Dublin.