Father Damien on the Curé d'Ars

In a letter written to his brother Pamphile on 23 August 1864, Saint Joseph Damien de Veuster said of his near contemporary, Saint John Vianney,

If Providence were to send us a holy priest like the Curé d'Ars, these stray sheep would soon be gathered in. Among the volcanoes of Puna I should wish above all to have that pure love of God, that ardent zeal for the salvation of souls, with which M. Vianney, the Curé d'Ars, was inflamed.

As I continue to consider yesterday's sad and reprehensible vote by the United States Senate to continue funding Planned Parenthood despite the recent revelations of their despicable practices, I cannot but wonder how the vote might have gone if we had not just one priest like Saint John Vianney, but many (Senator Durbin [D-IL], a Catholic, voted against S. 1881 to prohibit the federal funding of Planned Parenthood).

The holy priest of Ars spent his life crying out to God, saying, "Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned" and himself did penance for sinners both repentant and unrepentant (see Psalm 51:3). Truly, as a nation we have sinned, and sinned greatly, as yesterday's vote clearly shows and we - priests and laity, but especially priests - must follow Saint John Vianney's example and do penance for sinners repentant and unrepentant.

Let us beg the Lord to raise more shepherds after the heart after Saint John Vianney, not just one, but many, so that the stray sheep might be gathered again into the fold of the Good Shepherd.

You should see this performance

Tuesday evening Leonardo Defilippis of St. Luke Productions performed his powerful and moving drama Vianney at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

Several unexpected difficulties kept us working on the set and set-up all afternoon with the only break allowed for a quick bite to eat before the performance.  Several generous volunteers gave freely of their time and stayed with us, working diligently and well; to them, I offer my humble and heartfelt gratitude.

A small crowd came out on a cold night to learn more about the Curé of Ars and all, young, old and in between - greatly enjoyed the performance.  If you haven't yet seen it, you still have a chance to do as Leonardo will be in the area for a few days:

• December 9th @ 7:00 p.m. @ Easter Illinois University Newman Center in Charleston, IL
• December 11th @ 7:00 p.m. @ St. Francis Xavier Church in Jerseyville, IL
• December 12th @ 7:00 p.m. @ St. Angela Merici Church in Florissant, MO

On the back of the program I made, I put the following words:

Pope Benedict XVI has described Saint John Vianney as “the model of priestly ministry in our world” who led the faithful entrusted to his pastoral care primarily through the example of his holy life.  In his life, he lived what he taught his parishioners to pray: “My God, grant me the grace to love you as much as I possibly can.”

Is this not the purpose of these days of Advent?  As we look forward with joyful anticipation to the Lord’s return in glory, we know that he comes to judge the living and the dead.  Saint John of the Cross teaches us that we will be judged according to our love.  Hence it is of great importance that we seek to grow in love in this life, to have an ever-increasing capacity for love.

It is hoped that this evening’s performance of the life of the Curé of Ars will deepen the faith, hope and love of those in attendance so as to celebrate with great joy the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord.  It is only in growing in love of Jesus, who was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, that we can celebrate Christmas with the joy that comes from the Gospel.

It is also hoped that this evening’s performance will spur us on to beg the Lord ever more fervently to give us more priests.  But not only this: it is hoped that we will be led to cooperate ever more fully with the Lord in encouraging young men to ask the Lord if he might indeed be calling them to his service as priests.

Saint John Vianney memorably called the priesthood “the love of the heart of Jesus.”  May he raise up for us more such men who love his heart!

The staff of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, the Office for Catechesis and the Office for Vocations wish you a blessed and holy Advent and a truly merry Christmas!

Coming soon: Vianney!

The Curé of Ars will soon visit the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois to help renew the heart of the Church.

Mr. Leonardo Defilipis, of St. Luke Productions, will present his one man stage production Vianney across the Diocese the week of December 4:

This performance demonstrates the extraordinary life of Saint John Vianney, the patron saint of priests:


When Bishop Paprocki saw this performance, he described it as

A very moving performance of Vianney by Leonardo Defilippis… God has provided a great blessing and inspiration for this production, which I am sure [will] inspire young men to enter the priesthood and seminary and I also strengthen and inspire priests to follow their vocation by the example of the great Curé of Ars.

No registration is needed for the performances and free will offerings will be taken.  Come and experience this powerful drama!

That's how he did it!

From time to time I have wondered have Saint John Vianney could hear confessions for up to sixteen hours a day.

Often enough I simply attributed the claim to pious exaggeration - I mean, really, that would only leave a few hours for sleep, food and other duties - and then I read this in Fr. Rutler's biography of the holy man:

The Curé never left the church before ten and sometimes remained until midnight. He was back at the stroke of one. This means he slept two hours at most before beginning a new day. And he did this seven days a week for thirty years (189).

That certainly is a special grace from the Lord.

In college, I had a professor with a similar grace: he slept only three hours each night.

It is a grace, frankly, I am glad the Lord has not seen fit to grant me; I like my sleep, but not more than about six and a half hours.

On the priesthood

Mahalo to A Catholic Mom in Hawaii.

A Prayer for Parish Priests

I have been working this morning on my talks for this weekend's Great River Teens Encounter Christ retreat #260. In the midst of papers and letters, I found a card given me on the occasion of my ordination to the priesthood that included the following Prayer for Parish Priests by Saint John Vianney:

Pray that God may give to His Church

today many more Priests

after His own Heart.

Pray for all the Priests

under your patronage,

that they may be worthy representatives

of Christ the Good Shepherd.

May they wholeheartedly

devote themselves to prayer and penance;

be examples of humility and poverty;

shining models of holiness;

tireless and powerful preachers

of the Word of God;

zealous dispensers of

God's Grace in the Sacraments.

May their loving devotion

to Jesus in the Eucharist

and to Mary His Mother

be the Twin Foundations of fruitfulness

for their ministry.

Amen.