John Vianney

John Vianney was a 19th-century French Catholic priest who is venerated in the Catholic Church as a saint and as the patron saint of parish priests. He is often referred to as the Curé of Ars (the parish priest of Ars), internationally known for his priestly and pastoral work in his parish in Ars, France, because of the radical spiritual transformation of the community and its surroundings. Catholics attribute this to his saintly life, mortification, persevering ministry in the sacrament of confession, and ardent devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. His feast day is August 4. Vianney was born on May 8, 1786, in the French town of Dardilly, near Lyon, and was baptized the same day. His parents, Matthieu Vianney and Marie Beluze, had six children, of whom John was the fourth. The Vianneys were devout Catholics who helped the poor and lived a simple life on their farm. Vianney's paternal grandparents once hosted Benedict Joseph Labre, the patron saint of the homeless, who passed through Dardilly on his pilgrimage to Rome in 1770. By 1790, the anticlerical Terror phase of the French Revolution forced many loyal priests to hide from the regime in order to carry out the sacraments in their parish. Even though to do so had been declared illegal, the Vianneys traveled to distant farms to attend Masses celebrated on the run. Realizing that such priests risked their lives day by day, Vianney began to look upon them as heroes. He received his First Communion catechetical instruction in a private home from two nuns whose communities had been dissolved during the Revolution. He made his first communion at the age of 13 in a neighbor's kitchen; during the Mass, the windows were covered so that the light of the candles could not be seen from outside. The Catholic Church was re-established in France in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, resulting in religious peace throughout the country, culminating in a Concordat. By this time, Vianney was concerned about his future vocation and longed for an education. He was 20 when his father allowed him to leave the farm to be taught at a "presbytery-school" in the neighboring village of Écully, conducted by the Abbé Balley. Vianney struggled with his studies, especially Latin, since his past education had been interrupted by the French Revolution. Only because of his deep desire for priesthood did he persevere. In 1806, he was drafted into Napoleon's army for military service. He did not report for duty due to ill health and missed his unit's departure for Spain. He became a deserter under French law and remained liable for conscription until 1810 when deserters were granted amnesty. Meanwhile, he continued his studies under Balley's guidance. In 1812, he began attending a minor seminary at Verrières-en-Forez. In autumn of 1813 he was sent to major seminary at Lyon. Considered too slow by his superiors, he failed to pass examinations required before ordination. He was transferred back to Écully where Balley persuaded Lyon's Vicar general that Vianney's piety was great enough to compensate for his ignorance. He was ordained a deacon in June 1815 and a priest on August 13, 1815 in Grenoble. His first Mass was celebrated on August 15 at Écully. He remained there as assistant to Balley until Balley's death in 1817. He was then appointed parish priest of Ars, a remote village with a population of 230. He was not welcomed by the people initially, as his style was different from that of his predecessor. He lived in poverty and ate little. He spent much time in prayer and penance for the conversion of his parishioners. He became known for his devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and for encouraging frequent communion. Vianney realized that the revolution had ruined the religious spirit of many of his parishioners. He preached against blasphemy, dancing, and working on Sundays. He also established an orphanage for girls, called "The Providence", which also served as a school. He invited the Sisters of Charity of Saint Joseph to run it. Vianney had a great influence on people's lives through the sacrament of confession. His reputation as a confessor and spiritual director spread far beyond Ars. By 1827, he received up to 300 people a day in confession. By 1855, the number had reached 20,000 a year. During the last ten years of his life, he spent 16 to 18 hours a day in the confessional. He often had supernatural knowledge of the sins and problems of those who came to him, and gave them advice and penances that helped them to overcome their difficulties. He also had the gift of healing and performed many miracles. Vianney yearned for the contemplative life of a monk, and four times ran away from Ars, the last time in 1853. However, he was always persuaded to return by his parishioners or by his superiors. He became internationally famous, and received many visitors, including bishops, priests, religious, and laypeople from all over France and abroad. Some prominent figures who visited him were Dom Prosper Guéranger, founder of Solesmes Abbey; Frédéric Ozanam, founder of the Society of St Vincent de Paul; Jean-Baptiste Henri Lacordaire, Dominican preacher; and Louis Veuillot, Catholic journalist. Vianney died on August 4, 1859 at the age of 73. His body was buried in Ars and later exhumed for examination in 1904. It was found to be incorrupt and is displayed in a glass reliquary above the main altar in the basilica of Ars. His heart is kept in a separate chapel and has survived several attempts to destroy it by fire. Vianney was beatified on January 8, 1905 by Pope Pius X, who later declared him patron saint of parish priests in 1929. He was canonized on May 31, 1925 by Pope Pius XI. His feast day is celebrated on August 4 in the Roman Catholic calendar of saints.