Charles of Mount Argus

Saint Charles of Mount Argus
Photograph of St. Charles wearing the Passionist habit
Born	11 December 1821 Munstergeleen, Limburg
Died	5 January 1893 Mount Argus, Ireland
Honored in	Roman Catholic Church
Beatified	16 October 1988 by Pope John Paul II
Canonized	3 June 2007, Saint Peter's Basilica, Rome, Italy by Pope Benedict XVI
Feast	January 5

Saint Charles of Mount Argus was a well known Passionist priest in 19th century Ireland. He was born Joannes Andreas Houben on the 11 December 1821 in the village of Munstergeleen in the Province of Limburg in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. He joined the Passionists in 1845 at Ere in Belgium. Ordained in 1850, he was sent to England in 1852 and was never to see the nation of his birth again. In 1857 he was sent to the newly founded Mount Argus monastery in Dublin where he became popular confessor and was renowned as healer. He 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 the Netherlands, 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.

He spent most of the rest of his life at Mount Argus where he died on the 5 January 1893. The cause of his Beatification and Canonization was introduced on 13 November 1935, and on 16 October 1988, His Holiness 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 Mr. Adolf Dormans of Munstergeleen, the birthplace of the Blessed. The diocesan inquiry super miro was also undertaken in the diocese of Roermond (Netherlands) from 6 November 2002 until 19 February 2003 at which time the validity of the miracle was recognized by a Decree from the Congregation for the Causes of Saints on 7 November 2003. The medical consulta was convoked on 24 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".

Bust of St. Charles in Munstergeleen

The theologian consultors, in the particular Congress of 21 February 2006 and the Ordinary Congregation of Cardinals and Bishops of 12 December 2006 also gave their unanimous approval of the claimed supernatural aspect of the said alleged healing.

The tomb of Father Charles in Mount Argus Church, Dublin

The Decree concerning the miracle was given in the presence of the Benedict XVI on 21 December 2006. Charles was canonized on 3 June 2007 by Pope Benedict XVI.

See also

• Passionists
• Dominic Barberi
• Dublin

External links

• To Heal the Broken-Hearted: the Biography of Father Charles of Mount Argus
• Charles of Mount Argus at Catholic Forum
• Passionist Province of Saint Patrick (Ireland)
• Passionist community at Mount Argus in Dublin
• Article on the life of Saint Charles
• Table of the Canonizations during the Pontificate of His Holiness John Paul II
• Biography of Fr. Charles of St. Andrew (1821 - 1893)

Persondata
Name	Argus, Charles Of Mount
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	11 December 1821
Place of birth	Munstergeleen, Limburg
Date of death	5 January 1893
Place of death	Mount Argus, Ireland