Saint John Vianney

John Vianney grew up in France during the French Revolution. His parents were ordinary farmers who taught him the value of hard work, prayer, humility and charity. From a very early age, John was blessed with a great love for God. He worked many long hours in the fields of the family farm and prayer was a constant part of his day. His parents were generous people, sharing what little they had with others. No beggar was ever turned away from his home.

John was blessed with a generous heart and by the time he was eighteen, he felt called to be a priest. He entered the Seminary and while his love for God burned within his heart, he had a very difficult time with his studies, especially Latin. He was slow to understand new ideas and had a very poor memory. He was often teased by other classmates. Dispite this embarrassment, John Vianney was admired for his piety and humility. He continued to struggle with his studies and his Seminary professors worried that he would not make it as a priest. After six months, John Marie Vianney flunked out of the Seminary. Heartbroken, he did not give up. His love for the Lord and desire to be a priest grew stronger.

John Vianney’s parish priest came to his aid, tutored him privately, and in time John passed his exams. At the age of twenty-nine, he was ordained a priest and while his superiors did not want him to hear confessions, he later became one of the greatest confessors the Church has ever known. He became the pastor (curé) of a small church in Ars ,a little town in France. Slowly his parishioners came to love him for his wonderful example of piety, humility and fairness.

By 1828, people were coming from all around, to the confessional. John Vianney often spent eleven or twelve hours in the confessional. The devil came often to John Vianney, tempting him, disturbing his rest, intruding on his prayers and discouraging him from serving his people.

After forty-one years of an incredible life of fasting, prayer and service to the faithful in Ars, he died on August 4, 1859. (August 4th is now his feast day.) John Vianney was canonized a saint in 1925 by Pope Pius XI, after many miracles were attributed to his intercession. This amazing saint overcame many obstacles to fulfill his calling, to love and serve God.

Please pray for the intercession of St. John Vianney for all priests, and for an increase of vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life within the Archdiocese of St. Louis and all over the world.

source: Shrine of Ars:Official Website/arsnet.org