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AN IMPORTANT ANNIVERSARY JULY 31, 2009
It seems in today’s secularized world some may have lost sight of the importance of the sacred priesthood. Yet, it is essential to Christ’s plan for his Church. He willed that his people always have shepherds to guide and care for them. What do priests do? A good way to answer is to recall the extraordinary life and accomplishments of St. John Vianney. John was born in the Dardilly, near Lyons in France, in 1786. The country was in turmoil due to the French Revolution, so he was able to receive almost no education as a youth. Because the Church was persecuted terribly by the revolutionaries, he had to make his First Confession and First Communion, like many others, in secret. His piety was noted from his youth, and so it was no surprise when he began to study for the priesthood at age 18. He first studied under the personal tutelage of the pastor of Ecully, the Abbe Balley. This, however, did not adequately prepare him for formal seminary studies. When he was admitted to the seminary in 1810 he struggled greatly to comprehend the subjects, which were presented in Latin, so had to take supplemental studies in French. In spite of his poor academic performance, he was ordained in 1815, due principally to his profound piety and saintly character. After serving as an assistant to Abbe Balley for three years, he was sent to Ars in 1818. He remained there the rest of his life. When he arrived, he was confronted everywhere with lax and indifferent attitudes toward the faith. He immediately and energetically undertook to call the people back to a fervent and active faith. His efforts met with dramatic success, in no small way because of the secret weapons he employed - constant prayer and fasting. As a pastor, he was totally dedicated to his people. He visited every home. He preached in a very simple, persuasive way that changed many minds and hearts. With the help of Benedicta Lardet and Catherine Lassagne he established a home for girls – La Providence. The instructions in the faith he gave to the girls became so popular that in time the instructions attracted large crowds of adults. Most famously, he proved to be a great confessor. At first people started coming to him from his own parish, then from neighboring parishes, then from other districts. In the winter months he spent up to 12 hours a day in the confessional; in the summer, up to 16. In time, his reputation spread throughout France and beyond, drawing thousands upon thousands of Europeans to confess to him, and forcing the train schedules to adjust to accommodate the crowds. The time he daily spent in the confessional grew to the point that his day there began at Midnight and continued all night and all through the following day, when he would leave the confessional only to celebrate Mass or eat. He would finally retire in the early evening and attempt to sleep. At age 73, finally spent by his penances and exhausting schedule, after serving in Ars for 41 years, he died on August 4, 1859. He was beatified in 1905 and canonized in 1925. Four years later he was declared the patron saint of parish priests. Pope Benedict XVI has now proclaimed him the patron saint of all priests. There is much inspiration we can draw from St. John Vianney. First, it is clear that Christ calls whom he wills to the priesthood, and that worldly measurements of ability and potential are no safe guides to who will achieve greatness in God’s eyes. No young man should ever say, “I’m not good enough to be a priest” or “I couldn’t make it”. If Christ calls, his grace will be sufficient to sustain a man through to ordination, and continue to empower him all his priestly days. Second, bringing about religious conversion in others from a lifeless to a living, vibrant faith is not easy, but it is possible. Prayer, penance, and active proclamation of the gospel are essential elements of success. No one can be converted to the gospel unless it is proclaimed, but no one can proclaim it effectively who has not first taken up the cross of Christ in earnest, and sought to renounce sin and the passing attractions of the world for the superior Christian path of love of God, manifested in the imitation of Christ, who emptied himself out and became a servant of all. Third, although the Church is always blessed by gifted servants and leaders –brilliant theologians, powerful preachers, able administrators, wise counselors, dedicated catechists – the heart of the Church’s power is the holiness of her priests and people. Please join me in praying for the sanctification of all priests, through the intercession of St. John Vianney, during this Year for Priests. Let us pray, too, that our Valley Church be enriched by one new vocation to the priesthood from every parish. +Bishop Raymundo J. Peña last updated 09-Jun-2010 10:44 sitemap |
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