St. John Vianney’s life story is one of how determination to serve the Lord triumphed over the many obstacles he met along the way.
Though a very simple and humble person, St. John Vianney became renowned for converting sinners with gentle words. He would spend eleven to sixteen hours per day just to hear confessions and convert sinners.
St. John Vianney was born Jean-Baptiste-Marie Vianney, in Dardilly, France on 8 May 1786, as the fourth of six children of Matthieu Vianney and Marie Beluze. From his devout Catholic family he learned to be deeply religious to an extent where he has been known to practice mortification from his early youth.
When the French Revolution came, many people expressed disapproval of the clergy who were seen as burdens of the state. Masses were declared illegal so John’s family had to attend masses held by priests in secret locations. The sacrifices by the priests, in the eyes of young John, was very heroic and he learned to look up to them. Through these brave priests, John was able to receive the sacraments.
The Catholic Church reestablished itself in France in 1802. In 1806 John enrolled at a school run by M. Balley in a village called Ecully. He had a very difficult time learning there, especially Latin.After some time, Balley recognized his leanings toward a religious vocation, and assisted him in his studies.
By 1809 Napoleon had declared war on Spain, and John was one of those who were conscripted. By some form of divine intervention perhaps, John first missed his regiment’s deployment, then was led to join a group of deserters. A general amnesty for deserters in 1810 allowed him to continue pursuing his studies.
He continued his studies but again faced problems when the major seminary rejected him for being too slow. He was later admitted at the request of Balley, who reasoned out that his piety compensated for his ignorance. He was ordained on 12 August 1815, and said his first mass the very next day. He was assigned as an assistant to Balley at Ecully.
In 1818, a few years after the death of his mentor M. Balley, John was appointed Parish Priest of Ars. It was in this village of only 230 people where John Vianney realized the adverse effect the French Revolution had on religion, spirituality and morals. He found that people, for the most part, did not find religion relevant.
John set out to effect a spiritual renewal by attacking the social ills he saw in his homilies and in the confessional. Soon the effects of his homilies and especially his work in the confessional became so famous that people from other places visited just to have him hear their confessions. This became the focal point of his ministry that the bishop even asked him to forego retreats in order to continue saving lost souls.
St. John heard confessions eleven to sixteen hours each day just to accommodate the pilgrims coming to Ars. In 1843, he became very ill and was only cured through the intercession of St. Philomena, of whom he was a great devotee.
St. John wanted to live the life of a monk, and tried to leave Ars many times, but had to come back. He died in 1859, and was canonized by Pope Pious XI in 1925. His feast day is August 4.
Among the miracles attributed to him were his ability to continue serving despite having very little food or rest, his supernatural knowledge of the future and the past, obtaining for the poor in his care, and the ability to cure the sick, especially children.
St. John Vianney Novena Prayers
Day One:
Saint John Vianney, you were blessed with a loving and devout family who supported your desire to increase your faith and devote yourself fully towards imitating the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. In your quest to pursue your holy vocation, you were not deterred by the many obstacles that came your way. Your strong faith carried you through all of life’s trials to your place in God’s kingdom.
Obtain for me the same courage and faith that allowed you to give all to God without counting the cost. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide me to the right decisions that will best serve God and my neighbor.
Believing in the power of your kind intercession, I humbly ask you to pray for me and the special intention I am hoping God will grant me through this novena. (here mention your special intention)
St. John Vianney, Priest of Ars, pray for our priests, and pray for us. Amen.
Day Two:
Saint John Vianney, you dedicated your life towards saving souls for the greater glory of God. You were even blessed with an almost supernatural ability to obtain funds to help our less fortunate brothers and sisters in Christ. You freely gave of yourself in imitation of the life of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Teach me also to see God in each person regardless of their station in life, and despite any wrongs they may have done to me. Help me to see service to my fellow men as a responsibility that I need to fulfill, to gain a chance to live with you, with our Lord, and all the saints for all eternity.
Believing in the power of your kind intercession, I humbly ask you to pray for me and the special intention I am hoping God will grant me through this novena. (here mention your special intention)
St. John Vianney, Priest of Ars, pray for our priests, and pray for us. Amen.
Day Three:
Saint John Vianney, your successful journey to the priesthood is a testament to your determination to serve our Lord Jesus Christ. Your life as a priest is a shining example of what we should expect from the chosen leaders of God’s flock. Your perseverance in the face of many hardships has saved numerous souls.
By contemplating on your life, may I be imbued with the same determination to be the best that I can be in the many roles I play in life. Let everything I think, say or do benefit my neighbor and lead me ever closer to our Heavenly Father.
Believing in the power of your kind intercession, I humbly ask you to pray for me and the special intention I am hoping God will grant me through this novena. (here mention your special intention)
St. John Vianney, Priest of Ars, pray for our priests, and pray for us. Amen.
Day Four:
Saint John Vianney, when you saw social ills and sin in your parish, you sparked moral and spiritual renewal through your homilies and work in the confessional. Your unrelenting efforts to win back souls to God’s grace has caused many to repent. By your soft words you were able to convert many sinners like me.
Pray for me that God may bless me with the same outrage for sin and for me to have the compassion for sinners that you did. Let me choose my words carefully, lest I cause injury to my brothers. Inspire me to regularly seek reconciliation with our Heavenly Father through the worthy reception of the sacraments,
Believing in the power of your kind intercession, I humbly ask you to pray for me and the special intention I am hoping God will grant me through this novena. (here mention your special intention)
St. John Vianney, Priest of Ars, pray for our priests, and pray for us. Amen.
Day Five:
Saint John Vianney, God’s grace saw you through all the trying moments of your life. Inspired by the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, you sacrificed your entire life in order to serve him fully. Your complete trust and surrender to His will allowed you to enter priesthood in spite of the many trials you had to endure.
Obtain for me the same complete trust in the will of God, that will allow me to see hardships and trials as sacrifices I need to joyfully accept in His name. Let my anxieties and uncertainties be replaced by great faith in our Heavenly Father who is the source of all that is good.
Believing in the power of your kind intercession, I humbly ask you to pray for me and the special intention I am hoping God will grant me through this novena. (here mention your special intention)
St. John Vianney, Priest of Ars, pray for our priests, and pray for us. Amen.
Day Six:
Saint John Vianney, you rejoiced at every opportunity to spend time in prayers and contemplation. Your dedication was such that, had it not been for practical considerations, your bishop would have granted your wish to be a monk.
Teach me the power of prayer, that I may slowly understand God’’s will for me. Obtain for me the conviction that through fervent prayer, nothing is impossible.
Believing in the power of your kind intercession, I humbly ask you to pray for me and the special intention I am hoping God will grant me through this novena. (here mention your special intention)
St. John Vianney, Priest of Ars, pray for our priests, and pray for us. Amen.
Day Seven:
Saint John Vianney, in life you have shown your veneration of the Blessed Sacrament. To this end you spent long hours in the confessional to help the faithful become worthy to receive the holy sacraments.
Obtain for me the fervent desire to always remain worthy to receive the holy sacraments that I may also one day be rewarded with God’s favor, and spend life in His kingdom with all the saints for all eternity.
Believing in the power of your kind intercession, I humbly ask you to pray for me and the special intention I am hoping God will grant me through this novena. (here mention your special intention)
St. John Vianney, Priest of Ars, pray for our priests, and pray for us. Amen.
Day Eight:
St. John Vianney, you lived a simple and austere life, preferring to store riches in heaven. You never turned your back to any of the poor people needing your assistance.
Pray that the Holy Spirit enlighten me and remain with me always so that I too may learn to forego material possessions to earn God’s grace. May I always value my spiritual health over all the wealth in the world.
Believing in the power of your kind intercession, I humbly ask you to pray for me and the special intention I am hoping God will grant me through this novena. (here mention your special intention)
St. John Vianney, Priest of Ars, pray for our priests, and pray for us. Amen.
Day Nine:
St. John Vianney, you never let an opportunity to enlighten people and save souls pass you by. Through your efforts, many people have experienced moral and spiritual renewal.
Pray that God grant me the same zeal to make His love known to all my neighbors, so that all of us may learn to despise all forms of sin. Let all my actions reveal an awakened love of God by through my interactions with my fellow men.
Believing in the power of your kind intercession, I humbly ask you to pray for me and the special intention I am hoping God will grant me through this novena. (here mention your special intention)
St. John Vianney, Priest of Ars, pray for our priests, and pray for us. Amen.
Patronages
St. John Vianney is the patron saint of all priests. He is also asked for intercessory prayer for healing, miracles and impossible causes.
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