Today Is the Memorial of St

Today is the memorial of St. John Marie Vianney, the patron of parish priests. Today is also the first Friday of the month, a day in which we offer reparation for sins committed against the Heart of Jesus.

Seldom has a priestly life been so holy, so self-sacrificing, so fruitful of good for the salvation of souls as the life of the Cure of Ars in France. He was born not far from Lyons, of simple and devout parents. Very early his pure heart experienced a burning desire to consecrate himself to God in the priestly vocation, and to win very many souls for our dear Lord. His talents were very meager, but his diligence and piety helped him to overcome all obstacles.

After attending seminary, but with great difficulty with studies, especially Latin, he found himself before a seminary review board.

The Vicar General, Father Courbon, asked these questions about John

Vianney: Is he pious? Has a devotion to Our Lady? Does he know how to say the rosary? The answer to all questions was, “yes”, and so, he said, “I will summon him for ordination and the grace of God will do the rest.”

Three years after his ordination was transferred to Ars. When he was near Ars, he happened to come across a young boy. He told the boy, “You show me the way to Ars, I will show you the way to heaven.” When he arrived, he discovered a run down church and rectory. The people were ignorant of their faith and the town had become noted for its revelry, drinking and dancing. There were dances most every Sunday. Few people were interested in coming to his Masses. He began to visit every home in his parish to find out where the people were in their faith.

When he would offer Mass, he would open the doors of the church, so that people passing by would hear what he had to say. He warned them over and over that if they continued the way they were going, they would end up in hell. But he also explained to them the great love of God and His infinite mercy in confession.

He realized that Gods help was His first great need. Throughout the entire day he knelt before the Blessed Sacrament and prayed for his wandering sheep. Eventually, the people tried to get rid of him, and signed a petition, asking the bishop to transfer him. St. John

Vianney in his humble way asked to sign it too.

Ironically, after many years, the people and grown to love and cherish their parish priest. But, he believed God wanted him to be in a monastery, doing penance for his sins. So, he left the little town of

Ars only for the people of the town to find him and bring him back.

The people were astonished at his devotion when he celebrated daily Mass. His love for the poor and the sick, his mild words to everyone soon won for him all hearts. He invited them to pray to attend Holy Mass, in the evening to recite the Holy Rosary, which he faithfully lead. He introduced a Eucharistic confraternity. He strove to eliminate the dangers to which the people were exposing themselves by their weekly dances.

He gave Catechism classes to adults and children, and opened an orphanage. He did severe penances, fasted everyday. His mortified life made a deep impression upon them. He practiced rigorous mortification, fasted almost constantly, and slept on a board.

He lived a very poor life, often eating only potatoes, but encouraged wealthy parishioners to purchase expensive vestments, statues, and a tabernacle, and spent lots of money remodeling the church with magnificent altars of the saints believing Our Lord deserved the best.

God gave him the ability to read the hearts, which caused him to spend 16 to 18 hours in the confessional. People from all over Europe traveled to Ars so that he would hear their confessions. By

1828, the number of pilgrims was estimated at 20,000 per year.

Numerous conversions occurred and many sick persons were miraculously restored to health. These cures, the humble pastor attributed to St. Philomena, who was venerated at his church.

Because of the many conversions, the devil reeked havoc on him, often times, making loud noises, and physically attacked him. One time the devil even set his bed on fire.

He had a tremendous love and devotion to the Blessed Virgin

Mary and had apparitions of Our Lady. He also had a deep devotion to the Blessed Eucharist, and spent hours praying before Our Lord in the tabernacle. At the end of every homily, he pointed to the tabernacle saying, “There is Jesus, who loves you so much!”

At the age of seventy four, he was completely worn out and collapsed on the last of May in 1859. He died peacefully in the Lord without any agony on Aug. 4th, in 1859, was canonized in 1925, and in

1929 declared patron of all priests.

42 years after the death of St. John Marie Vianney, his body was exhumed, and found incorrupt, with his heart perfectly preserved. The following words of St. John Vianney seem prophetic. “The priesthood is the love of the Heart of Jesus. When you see the priest, think of Our Lord Jesus Christ.”

On this First Friday of the month, I encourage you to pray and sacrifice yourself for priests. Let us close with this prayer for priests by St. Therese: O Jesus, Eternal Priest, look down with love upon Thy priests. Fill them with burning zeal for the conversion of sinners. Keep them within the shelter of Thy Sacred Heart. Keep unstained their anointed hands. which daily touch Thy Sacred Body. Keep unsullied their lips purpled with Thy precious Blood. Keep pure and unearthly their hearts sealed with the sublime marks of Thy glorious Priesthood.

Let Thy holy love protect them from the world's contagion. Bless their labors with abundant fruit, and may the souls to whom they minister on earth be one day their joy and consolation in heaven. Amen.