Saint John Vianney, pray for us!

Today we celebrate the Feast Day of Saint John Vianney, patron of priests. Because of his notable holiness, he was ordained a priest in 1815 even though he lacked in his knowledge of religious studies. Three years later he was made parish priest of Ars, a remote French hamlet, where his reputation as a confessor and director of souls made him known throughout the world. He became known as the "Cure of Ars."

At his parish in Ars, he spent 16 to 18 hours a day, hearing confessions and absolving sinners all year round, hot summers and cold winters. He fasted constantly. Ten of thousands of souls were converted to Christ through his heroic efforts. It was said that even the staunchest of sinners were converted at his mere word. Because he was converting so many souls, the demons were constantly attacking him, and on one occasion they set his bed on fire. He was a great mystic and received spiritual gifts from God, such as the discernment of souls and visions. He had tremendous patience and retained a childlike simplicity. He was beloved by the people, became known as a wonderworker and is a living image of the priest after the Heart of Christ.

Saint John Vianney had a great devotion to Saint Philomena who he called his guardian. He erected a chapel and shrine in her honor. In May 1843, he became so ill he thought that his life was coming to its end. He asked Saint Philomena to cure him and promised to say 100 Masses at her shrine. Twelve days later, he was cured and he attributed his cure to her and he promoted devotion to her. Saint Philomena was martyred for Jesus at the age of thirteen by the Roman government. The life of Saint John Vianney was filled with works of charity and love. He died August 4, 1859, and was canonized May 31, 1925.

INTERCESSORY PRAYER: Let us ask Saint John Vianney to give us the grace to go to confession often during our life on this earth so that our love for Jesus will be very pure.

"My little children, your hearts, are small, but prayer stretches them and makes them capable of loving God. Through prayer we receive a foretaste of heaven and something of Paradise comes down upon us. Prayer never leaves us without sweetness. It is honey that flows into the souls and makes all things sweet. When we pray properly, sorrows disappear like snow before the sun." Saint John Vianney

"We should consider those moments spent before the Blessed Sacrament as the happiest of our lives." Saint John Vianney