St John Baptist Vianney

St John Baptist Vianney (1786-1859)

The patron saint of priests, St John Marie Baptist Vianney, whose feast we celebrate today, was born in Dardilly, France on May 8th, 1786. He was meant to be a holy priest, even though he had a very tough time in his studies, especially Latin. When he was ordained, he was sent to a little town in France called Ars, which was very liberal and had no faith at all. The bars and taverns were always filled with people, while the churches were always empty. However he gently changed the whole town as people went to confession, attended Masses and with his patience and holiness, transformed a simple town into a pilgrimage site. He was known as the Cure of Ars and used to spend hours hearing confessions from people travelling many miles from neighboring towns and villages. He died in Ars on August 4th, 1859, aged 73. John Baptist Vianney was canonized in 1925 by Pope Pius XI. He was made the patron of all parish priests during the Year of the Priest. These are some of his popular quotes:

"Prayer is nothing else than union with God. When the heart is pure and united with God it is consoled and filled with sweetness; it is dazzled by a marvelous light."

"Man has a noble task: That of prayer and love. To pray and love, that is the happiness of man on earth."

"When we pray properly, sorrows disappear like snow before the sun."

"I tell you that you have less to suffer in following the cross than in serving the world and its pleasures."

"Prayer is to our soul what rain is to the soil. Fertilize the soil ever so richly, it will remain barren unless fed by frequent rains."