“Curé of Ars”, patron of pastors of souls

Jean-Baptiste-Marie Vianney, more commonly known as the “Curé of Ars”, is the patron saint of all the pastors of souls. Today, August 4, we celebrate the 154th anniversary of his death. To commemorate his entrance into heaven, we dedicate a few lines to honor his life and teachings, as we reflect on the relevance of his message in our personal lives today.

In a world that is so radically changed, how could a modern priest and lay faithful imitate and find a good example in the life of this 18th century parish priest?

Born in the small town of Dardilly, near Lyons (France) on May 8, 1786, Jean-Baptiste-Marie Vianneybelonged to a family which, in the words of Benedict XVI, “was poor in material possessions but rich in humanity and in faith” (General Audience, August 5, 2009). He spent so many years of his childhood and adolescence working in the fields and tending the flocks that at 17 he was still illiterate.

Yet, material poverty and the lack of proper education did not deter him from learning what matters most in life – his relationship with God – thanks to the intense religious atmosphere he breathed at home. Since his youth he desired to follow God’s will by becoming a priest. But he found it very hard to achieve it.
Indeed, after so many ordeals and misunderstandings, he received the priestly ordination on August 15, 1815, from the hands of Msgr. Simon, Bishop of Grenoble, “with the help of far-sighted priests who did not stop at considering his human limitations but looked beyond them and glimpsed the horizon of holiness that shone out in that truly unusual young man” (Ibid.).

One may rightly say that the pastoral methods of this saintly parish priest of Ars, a very small town east of France, might hardly appear suitable to the contemporary social and cultural conditions and challenges. But taking the Curé of Ars as an example of priestly zeal and pastoral charity does not mean merely replicating what he has done or reproducing whatever charism or characteristic he personally possessed which are unrepeatable.As Benedict XVI noted, “there is nevertheless a lifestyle and a basic desire that we are all called to cultivate”: his humble faithfulness to the mission entrusted to him, his constant and trustful abandonment to God’s Providence, his personal and intimate friendship with Jesus in prayer, sacraments, and penance.

The Pope-Emeritusemphasized that “It was not by virtue of his own human gifts that he succeeded in moving peoples’ hearts nor even by relying on a praiseworthy commitment of his will; he won over even the most refractory souls by communicating to them what he himself lived deeply, namely, his friendship with Christ. He was ‘in love’ with Christ and the true secret of his pastoral success was the fervor of his love for the Eucharistic Mystery, celebrated and lived, which became love for Christ’s flock, for Christians and for all who were seeking God” (Ibid.).

Thus, as we commemorate today the figure of St. John Mary Vianney, we admire, not just aremarkable figure of the 18th-century spirituality, but also a humble pastor of souls whose message and examples are extremely timely.
On Tuesday evening, February 9, 1818, while on his way to his new parish assignment, Fr. Jean-Baptiste came across a shepherd boy and asked him where the town of Ars is located. The boy, named Antoine Givre, pointed out to him the little town which was disappearing in the darkness. The new parish priest said to him, “Thank you. Since you showed me the way to Ars, I will show you the way to Heaven”.

May we continue to reflect on the life and teachings (especially the homilies) of this great saint so we may be guided in our quest for our eternal home.