St John Vianney – Aug 04 – Homily – Fr John Lawrence

 

Fr John Lawrence gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Aug 04, 2023, on the life of St John Vianney, the Cure of Ars, patron saint of parish priests, who, through prayer and penance, turned around a defunct parish into a major place of pilgrimage.

St. John Mary Vianney was born on May 8, 1786, during a tumultuous time in France marked by revolution. Despite facing immense challenges such as lack of education, family responsibilities, and being drafted into Napoleon Bonaparte's army, his faith remained steadfast. He was ordained a priest in 1815 after receiving private theology lessons. In 1818, he was assigned to Ars, a spiritually desolate village. Despite his humble background and lack of education, he showed immense zeal for God's service and through prayer, fasting, and devotion, gradually brought the villagers back to faith.

Vianney was criticized for his lack of scholarly credentials, yet by 1830, he became a center of pilgrimage attracting hundreds daily. His ministry, marked by his tearful confession sessions and prophetic insight, had transformative impacts on people's lives. He credited miraculous healings to St. Philomena, built a chapel in her honor, and encouraged prayer to her. Despite his desire for a more contemplative life, his bishop recognized his immense impact and refused to let him leave Ars.

In his later years, Vianney devoted up to 18 hours daily to confessions, with visitors reaching 20,000 a year by 1855. In his final year of life, he saw an astonishing 100,000 pilgrims. He passed away on August 4th, 1859, and was later beatified in 1905 and canonized in 1925 by Pius XI, who made him the patron of parish priests. P

00:00 - Introduction - St. John Mary Vianney
00:19 - Early Life and Religious Education
01:37 - Call to Priesthood and Challenges Encountered
02:54 - Journey to Becoming a Priest
03:37 - Early Years of Pastoral Service
04:36 - Transformation of the Church in Ars
05:56 - The Later Years and Pilgrimages to Ars

Ave Maria!

Mass: St. John Vianney - Mem - http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=3946
Readings: Friday 17th Week of Ordinary Time - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/080423.cfm
1st: lev 23:1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34-37
Resp: psa 81:3-6, 10-11
Gsp: mat 13:54-58

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=691&r=1460

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