Ars – St. John Vianney

St. John Baptiste Marie Vianney was the fourth of six children. He was raised in a Catholic home and the family often helped the poor and gave hospitality to  St. Benedict Joseph Labre, the patron saint of tramps, on his pilgrimage to Rome.

In 1790, the anti-clerical Terror phase of the French Revolution forced priests to to carry out the sacraments in their parish in secrecy or face execution. In order to attend Mass, even though it was illegal, the Vianney’s traveled to distant farms where they could pray in secret. Since the priests risked their lives day by day, John began to look upon priests as heroes.  He received his First Communion and Confirmation catechism in secrecy when he was 13 years old.

In 1802, the Catholic Church was re-established in France and religious freedom and peace spread throughout the country. When he was 20, John started schooling at Écully where he learned math, history, geography and Latin. As his education had been disrupted by the French Revolution, he struggled in his studies, particularly with Latin, but worked hard to learn.

In 1809, John was drafted into Napoleon Bonaparte’s armies. He had been studying as an ecclesiastical student, which was a protected title and would normally have excepted him from military services, but Napoleon had withdrawn the exemption in some dioceses as he required more soldiers.  Two days into his service, John fell ill and required hospitalization. As his troop continued, he stopped in at a church where he prayed. There he met a young man who volunteered to return him to his group, but instead led him deep into the mountains where military deserters met. John lived with them for one year and two months. He used the name Jerome Vincent and opened a school for the nearby village of Les Noes’ children.  John remained in Les Noes and hid when gendarmes came in search of deserters until 1810, when deserters were granted amnesty. Now free, John returned to Écully and resumed his ecclesiastic studies.

In 1812 he attended a minor seminary in Verrieres with Abbot Balley. He was ordained deacon in June 1815 and priest August 12, 1815 at the Couvent des Minimes de Grenoble.  He was appointed assistant to Fr. Balley in Écully. Three years later, when Balley passed away, Fr. Vianney was appointed parish priest of Ars, a remote French hamlet. With help from Catherine Lassagne and Benedicta Lerdet, La Providence, a home for girls, was established.

When he began his priestly duties, Fr. Vianney realized many were either ignorant or indifferent to religion as a result of the French Revolution. He was deeply devoted to St. Philomena and erected a chapel and shrine in her honor. When he later became deathly ill but miraculously recovered, he attributed his health to St. Philomena’s intercession.

By 1853, Fr. Vianney had attempted to run away from Ars four times, each attempt with the intention of becoming a monk but decided after the final time that it was not to be. Six years later, he passed away and left behind a legacy of faith and was viewed as the champion of the poor.

He stayed in Ars for 41 years, until he died. He is always referred to as the Cure of Ars. So great was his sanctity that people from all over Europe came to see him. He used to spend from 16-18 hours in the confessional every day. Heads of the State, army officers, university professors, bishops and priests, all went to him for direction. Toward the end of his life, nearly 20,000 pilgrims visited him every year. His reputation as a confessor and director of souls made him known throughout the Christian world because of the radical spiritual transformation of the community and its surroundings. His life was filled with works of charity and love. It is recorded that even the staunchest of sinners were converted at his mere word. He was one of the most loved priests in the history of the Catholic Church.  Nearly 1,000 people attended his funeral, including the bishop and priests of the diocese.

St. John Marie Vianney’s body is incorrupt along with his heart. His heart is kept in a separate small chapel building, just to the east of the church.