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Saint John Baptist Mary Vianney
Patron Saint of Parish Priests
Also known as the "Cure of Ars".
Saint John Baptist Mary Vianney was born in the village of Dardilly in France on 8 May, 1786. He was given the name of Jean -Batiste Marie Vianney. He was the 4th of six children (eight by other accounts) born to his parents, Matthieu Vianney and Marie Beluze, who were poor farmers but very devout Catholics. He was baptized on the same day he was born. Note that the Saint was born just before the French Revolution. He grew up as a farmhand without receiving any formal education. At the age of 13, he received his First Communion secretly in a farm where work continued in order to avoid suspicion. The Church was being persecuted at this time.
John worked as a shepherd until the age of 18, when he began training for the priesthood. He had a great deal of difficulty with his studies, especially Latin which he kept failing. He was eventually ordained because of his goodness and the intervention of Abbe Bailey the Parish Priest of Ecully. After he was ordained, he was assigned to Ecully. In 1818, he was assigned to the parish of Ars, a village not very far from Lyons. It was in exercising his duties as the parish priest of this remote village that Saint John Vianney became known throughout France and the Christian world.
His main mission was conducted in the confessional. Towards the end of his life, he spent sixteen to eighteen hours a day administering the Sacrament of Penance to the thousands who flocked to Ars. He helped to found “La Providence”, a home for orphaned and destitute children.
John was gifted with discernment of spirits. He read souls and was able to reclaim thousands of lapsed Catholics.
He built a shrine to Saint Philomena which became a popular site of pilgrimage. He used to suffer diabolical attacks.
Saint John died at the aged 73 on 4 August 1859 at Ars, France of natural causes. He was buried in the basilica of Ars.
He was beatified on 8 January 1905 by Pope Saint Pius X; canonized on 31 May 1925 by Pope Pius XI.
Saint John Baptist Mary Vianney,
Pray for us!
Patron Saint of Parish Priests
Also known as the "Cure of Ars".
Saint John Baptist Mary Vianney was born in the village of Dardilly in France on 8 May, 1786. He was given the name of Jean -Batiste Marie Vianney. He was the 4th of six children (eight by other accounts) born to his parents, Matthieu Vianney and Marie Beluze, who were poor farmers but very devout Catholics. He was baptized on the same day he was born. Note that the Saint was born just before the French Revolution. He grew up as a farmhand without receiving any formal education. At the age of 13, he received his First Communion secretly in a farm where work continued in order to avoid suspicion. The Church was being persecuted at this time.
John worked as a shepherd until the age of 18, when he began training for the priesthood. He had a great deal of difficulty with his studies, especially Latin which he kept failing. He was eventually ordained because of his goodness and the intervention of Abbe Bailey the Parish Priest of Ecully. After he was ordained, he was assigned to Ecully. In 1818, he was assigned to the parish of Ars, a village not very far from Lyons. It was in exercising his duties as the parish priest of this remote village that Saint John Vianney became known throughout France and the Christian world.
His main mission was conducted in the confessional. Towards the end of his life, he spent sixteen to eighteen hours a day administering the Sacrament of Penance to the thousands who flocked to Ars. He helped to found “La Providence”, a home for orphaned and destitute children.
John was gifted with discernment of spirits. He read souls and was able to reclaim thousands of lapsed Catholics.
He built a shrine to Saint Philomena which became a popular site of pilgrimage. He used to suffer diabolical attacks.
Saint John died at the aged 73 on 4 August 1859 at Ars, France of natural causes. He was buried in the basilica of Ars.
He was beatified on 8 January 1905 by Pope Saint Pius X; canonized on 31 May 1925 by Pope Pius XI.
Saint John Baptist Mary Vianney,
Pray for us!
