Today we celebrate the life and the heroic virtue of Saint John Vianney, who is one of the most extraordinary priests in the history of the Church. It's difficult to think of a saint who embodied the vocation of the parish priest more completely than him. He was not a brilliant theologian, or an eloquent preacher, or orator, or even a great organizer. In fact, he struggled academically and almost failed to become a priest because Latin was so difficult for him. And I can sympathize. Yet grace transformed what the world saw as weakness into astonishing holiness. And so it's no surprise, my brothers and sisters, that in 1929, Pope Pius XI declared him the patron saint of parish priests. He did this because Saint Vianney showed that the heart of priesthood is not brilliance, but holiness.
His ministry centred on four things: the Holy Eucharist, the confessional, prayer, and sacrifices for others, for souls. He spent himself completely for his people. His little village of Ars had only a few hundred inhabitants, yet eventually over 20,000 pilgrims a year came seeking his counsel. At the height of his ministry, he often heard confessions for twelve to sixteen hours a day, especially during Lent. He famously said, “The priesthood is the love of the Heart of Jesus.” His conviction was that every parish priest was meant to make Christ present through mercy.
Perhaps the most famous stories concern the extraordinary assaults he suffered from the devil. Many nights his bed shook violently. Furniture moved. His room echoed with terrifying noises. Sometimes his bed actually caught fire. He called the devil, almost affectionately, the “Grappin,” the grappling one. Rather than becoming frightened, he would smile and say, “The Grappin is making a great noise tonight. Someone important will come to confession tomorrow.” You see, he believed the devil attacked him because so many souls were escaping his grasp through confession.
Numerous witnesses testified that he often knew sins before penitents confessed them. Yes, much like Padre Pio, who came after him, people would travel hundreds of kilometres to go to confession. Without ever meeting them before, he would gently say, “You forgot one sin,” or, “You have not yet told everything.” This was never to embarrass people. Rather, it encouraged complete honesty and conversion.
His food was astonishingly meagre. Often he lived for days on boiled potatoes, dry bread, or almost nothing at all. Sometimes potatoes would rot before he remembered to eat them. His sacrifices were always offered for the conversion of sinners.
Saint John Maria Vianney gave away everything. He owned almost nothing. Whatever gifts people brought him were quickly given to the poor. He believed a priest should never become attached to possessions, something which is very characteristic of the Franciscan charism.
He tried to run away, and this surprises many people. Several times he secretly left Ars during the night. Why? Because he sincerely believed someone holier should replace him. Each time his parishioners searched until they found him and begged him to return. Humility, not discouragement or abandonment, was at the heart of these attempts.
He founded an orphanage called La Providence. Money constantly ran out, yet somehow food always appeared. Donations unexpectedly arrived at exactly the time they were needed. He trusted completely in Divine Providence, and God rewarded him.
People did not come because he was entertaining. They came because they encountered Christ. Even hardened atheists broke down in tears after confession. Many lifelong enemies were reconciled. Marriages were restored. People left Ars transformed. His confessional became one of the greatest centres of mercy in modern Church history.
Above all, Saint John Vianney had an immense devotion to our Blessed Mother, Mary. He entrusted everything to her. He once said, “The Blessed Virgin is that beautiful creature who never gave the good God the slightest pain.” He constantly encouraged people to pray the Rosary.
Interestingly, though, his most distinctive personal devotion was to Saint Philomena. He attributed many miracles to her intercession. He called her “my dear little saint.” His church in Ars became one of the greatest centres of devotion to Saint Philomena. Whenever something extraordinary happened, he would say, “It is Saint Philomena.” Although later historical questions arose regarding the historical evidence for Saint Philomena's life, the Church has never canonically removed her from private devotion, and private devotion remains permitted.
While there is little evidence that Saint John Vianney had a unique or dominant devotion to Saint Francis of Assisi, compared with his devotion to Our Lady or Saint Philomena, he greatly admired Franciscan simplicity and poverty. His own life mirrored Saint Francis in remarkable ways: radical poverty, joyful simplicity, love for the poor, complete detachment from possessions, long hours of prayer, and penance for sinners. He frequently encouraged humility, which lies at the very heart of Franciscan spirituality.
Although separated by six centuries, it's not difficult to imagine a meeting between Saint Francis and Saint John. Saint Francis loved priests deeply, not because every priest was holy, but because every priest held the Eucharist and brought down God Almighty on each and every one of our sacred altars in every Catholic church. Saint Francis wrote, “If I should happen at the same time to meet any saint from heaven and a poor priest, I would first show honour to the priest.” Francis believed priests deserved reverence because they alone confect the Eucharist.
And how often, and I'm speaking to you now as a priest, do we forget the dignity that was bestowed upon us, and the responsibility?
I think Saint Francis would have recognized in Saint John Vianney exactly the kind of priest he longed for in the Church: poor, humble, detached, completely Eucharistic, burning with zeal for souls, spending himself in the confessional, living for Christ rather than for himself. John Vianney, in turn, would surely have admired Francis's burning love for poverty, the Passion of Christ, and his joyful simplicity. The two saints seemed to meet beautifully in one point. Neither wanted to become famous. Both simply wanted to serve God and to save souls.
My brothers and sisters, through the intercession of both the patron saint of all parish priests, Saint John Maria Vianney, and the founder of the Friars Minor, the Lesser Brothers, Saint Francis of Assisi, may Almighty God bestow on you a special blessing, to give you wisdom to know what should hold priority in our hearts, in our minds, and in our lives.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Add comment
Comments