St John Vianney
.jpg)
Jean-Marie Vianney was a French parish priest who is venerated in the Catholic Church as a saint and as the patron saint of parish priests. He is often referred to as the "Curé d'Ars", internationally known for his priestly and pastoral work in his parish in Ars, France.
St. John Vianney was a Third Order Franciscan; and I believe that appreciating the spirit of the poor man of Assisi is one of the keys to understanding the man who became Patron Saint of Parish Priests. However, in all of his human poverty, like St. Francis, he never doubted the immensity of the treasure that had been entrusted to him. Therefore, we quickly recognize how such a priest would be granted the grace to open up the way of a New Evangelization. A phrase would later be much-repeated: “Ars is no longer Ars!”
Enormous numbers came to that tiny village to receive the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. How insightfully Pope Francis has called this “the Sacrament of the New Evangelization,” giving such great impetus to its celebration by the beautiful initiative “24 Hours for the Lord.” The penitents who find their way to our churches through all the hours of the day and the night are surely an image of the pilgrimage of Ars. Estimates vary, but some suggest that between a quarter and a tenth of the then population of France personally went to Confession in Ars. The visitor was met in the summer months with people sleeping out in the meadows and a never ceasing queue of penitents which demanded the Curé punctually began his day at 1:00 am each morning!
Significantly, catechesis took a central place for the hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, the catechesis that St. John Vianney had given daily and unfailingly from his first week in Ars. There would be a break in confessions at 11 am each day to allow the Curé to give his catechesis. It is a testament to his commitment to the catechetical task, and his sheer perseverance, which began in his first days in Ars with daily catechism for the boys at 6:00 am and for the girls at 11:00 am; he had offered catechism for the adults every Sunday before Vespers in what was initially a largely empty church. In the tradition of catechesis encouraged by the Council of Trent, he knew that his role as a pastor demanded this uncompromisingly of him. Whilst happy to be assisted by co-workers in later years, he nevertheless saw the task of catechizing as a responsibility that could never be entirely delegated. He knew he must, as priest and pastor, give his own witness to the beauty and coherence of the faith. Entering the parish church of Ars today, which remains much as St. John Vianney left it, you will see something unusual: a purpose-built bench and lectern, carefully situated so he would not have his back to the Tabernacle to which he would frequently turn during his catechism classes. It was in this place of catechesis that most of the phrases remembered today were spoken and recorded by his hearers. And the people of Ars would eventually be recognized as being outstanding in their knowledge of the faith.
St. John Vianney has something to teach us about working together. The assistant pastor who was sent to Ars often patronized him and caused him many difficulties. Yet the Curé persevered in this collaboration, refusing (even when the opportunity was offered!) to have his troublesome co-worker removed. The Curé would also struggle to understand some of the administrative decisions of his bishop with regard to the Providence project. This was a project aimed at the Christian formation of the young; by Franciscan inspiration it had relied solely on Divine Providence for its material needs. The Curé would say with honest resignation “I cannot see God’s will in this, but if Monsignor does ….”
Amid the human difficulties we will inevitably encounter, we have in the Curé of Ars an example of the willingness to always work with others in the mission we share, even when we, like him, might not always find this easy. The Curé saw things from a supernatural point of view. He never lost this point of view. Neither must we.
In the last part of this series we will reflect on the catechist’s call to holiness.
Comments
Post a Comment