Saint John Vianney, known popularly as the Curé d’Ars, lived his life as a parish priest. He did so in such an exemplary way that the Church designated him the patron saint of parish priests. Most priests live their lives, and give their lives, by service to the People of God as pastors of parishes. This pastoral work, which is vitally important, doesn’t bring with it a lot of recognition. Many retired priests of my acquaintance, in fact, are a bit dismayed at how quickly they are forgotten.
Apart from the celebration of the sacraments, most parish pastoral ministry happens with people who need it, with those who are temporarily, chronically, or terminally ill, or with those who are troubled in some way, maybe depressed, struggling with substance abuse, or who just can’t seem to catch a break in life or with those who are having relational difficulties, or people struggling with their faith.
What all these situations call for is presence, availability, and accompaniment. To do these things requires tremendous trust in God, a deep prayer life, and a lot of patience. All clerics- bishops, priests, and deacons- are formed to have a deep devotion to our Blessed Mother. It is fitting that the Curé d' Ars was named Jean-Marie. The Church, after all, is our Mater et Magistra- our Mother and Teacher. It’s not saying anything controversial to insist that pastoral ministry has both a paternal and maternal dimension. Above all, one is orders needs to love love those he’s called to serve. That is what makes the Sacrament of Orders Holy Orders.
John Vianney’s priestly ministry took place in the aftermath of the French Revolution. This revolution had decimated the Church in France tearing apart dioceses and parishes. As a simple parish priest, Vianney saw one of his major tasks as catechizing his parishioners. He also spent a lot of time in the confessional, making the Sacrament of Penance frequently available.
He became so well known as a confessor that during the last ten years of his life, it is estimated that some 20,000 people a year came to him for confession. It was not unusual for him to spend 16-18 hours a day hearing confessions. A woman whose husband has committed suicide wanted to approach Vianney to ask him about her husband’s fate. But the line to see him was hours long and she could not get to him. Just as she was ready to give up, the Curé had a moment of mystical insight and shouted over the crowd to her “He is saved!” Sensing that woman still doubted, the priest said “I tell you he is saved. He is in Purgatory, and you must pray for him. Between the parapet of the bridge and the water he had time to make an act of contrition.”
Vianney also saw to the care of the poor in his large rural parish, working to help meet the basic needs of the poorest of his parishioners.
Saint John Vianney heard the call of the Lord issued in today’s Gospel and became a dedicated laborer, absolving sins, healing the sick, and casting out demons. His own encounters with the powers of darkness are quite stunning. Like Ezekial, Vianney’s famous homilies and sermons, which were printed and widely circulated in France even during his lifetime, called people back to the Lord and called them back to the practice of Christian virtue.
Judging from the number of people who came to him for confession, his message of repentance resonated with many thousands of people responding, he touched many hearts and helped turned countless people toward God. Repentance, confession, and contrition seem like good things to be reminded about on a Friday, which remains, even now, a day dedicated to penance- though this isn’t widely understood or practiced.
Despite the fruitfulness of his parochial ministry, Vianney yearned for the contemplative life of a monk. Four times he tried to run away from Ars with the intention of joining a monastery. The last time in 1853, was only six years before his death. As I tell our deacons and some of our priests, if you don’t think about simply quitting occasionally, you’re not taking your ministry seriously enough. By contrast, if you think about it all the time, you have a problem. Parish ministry is very challenging at times, one must be firmly rooted in Christ to withstand the winds that sometimes blow.
Vianney was well-known for his stamina, his perseverance, and his dedication. On this score, it seems relevant to note that he had a great devotion to Saint Philomena, considering her to be his Guardian. This martyr lived in the late third and early fourth centuries. Her remains were discovered in Rome in 1802. She was the daughter of a king in Greece. The king had converted to Christianity. At the age of about 13, Philomena took a vow of virginity for Christ's sake. When Emperor Diocletian threatened to make war on her father, he took his family and went to Rome to beg the emperor for peace.
As it is told, no doubt some of it legendary, Diocletian fell in love with the beautiful young Philomena and, when she refused to be his wife, he subjected her to a series of torments: scourging, from whose effects two angels cured her; drowning with an anchor attached to her (two angels cut the rope and raised her to the river bank); and being shot with arrows (on the first occasion her wounds were healed; on the second, the arrows turned aside; and on the third, they returned and killed six of the archers, after which several of the others became Christians). Finally, the Emperor had her decapitated.
So, on this day when the Church remembers the life and priestly ministry of Saint John Vianney, let us invoke his intercession for all parish priests, for all pastors of our diocese, for Fr. Andrzej, our pastor. May Saint John Vianney’s intercession inspire and strengthen them to continue their labor in that part of the Lord’s vineyard entrusted to each of them.
No comments:
Post a Comment