Born in France in the late 18th century, he was one of four children, and his parents, Matthew and Marie, were deeply involved in their faith and had a great love for the poor. 

At one point, his grandparents gave aid to St. Benedict Joseph Labre, Patron Saint of the homeless. 

John was not quite five when France was seized by the Reign of Terror. Though it was illegal and punishable by death, his parents continued to take the family to masses that were held in secret. 

In 1802 Napoleon Bonaparte re-established The Church and his family was able to openly follow their faith. 

From a young age, John had longed to be a priest but the journey was very hard and his studies had been disturbed by the French Revolution. 

Finally and after many interruptions, he was ordained in 1815. 

Three years later he became pastor of a parish in Ars, where he found a community that had grown lukewarm in its faith. 

He began to fast and do penance in the hope they would return to The Church with a newfound love and devotion. 

John helped establish a home for girls. And, he became an outstanding preacher. 

By the 1820s his reputation had grown far beyond the borders of his town, and not long after, tens of thousands came to hear him and to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. He was an incredible confessor. 

During the last ten years of his life, John Vianney spent up to 18 hours a day hearing confessions, becoming known as the Cure of Ars. 

At one point a woman, whose husband had taken his own life, tried very hard to meet with John because she was so worried about his soul. But the lines were so long that she became discouraged and was about to give up. Then, Vianney, sensing she was there, cried out, ”He is saved.” And then, to make sure she heard him, repeated it: “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.” 

John Vianney also had a great devotion to St. Philomena and had a chapel and shrine erected in her honor. 

He was acutely aware of his religious calling and once said: “If we really understood the priest on earth, we would die: not of fear, but of love.” 

He is the Patron Saint of priests and died on this day in 1859. 

St. John Vianney and all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, please pray for us.