Known as one of the greatest confessors in Church history, St. John Vianney, whose feast is celebrated on Aug 4, had the ability to lead people who had gone astray back to God through his holiness and power as a confessor, which reason the devil saw him as a threat. This led the devil to harass him, setting his bed aflame, pounding on the walls, and shaking him with terrifying noises. These torments often came the night before a sinner arrived for confession.
The devil told Vianney that if there were three priests like him, all sinners would return to God. Witnesses testified to these harassments of Vianney. Living a life of holiness, he rescued many souls from sliding into hell. His self-denial, fasting, and constant prayers gave him the power to lead souls back to God. Vianney foiled the devil’s work through confession, a powerful weapon against evil.
The devil saw him as a threat because he thwarted his plans to lead people into sin. Despite the pounding on walls, the clatter of pots in the kitchen, the mocking laughter, and even the fire that consumed his bed, Vianney stayed calm, even joking about the devil’s antics.
Known as the Curé of Ars, Vianney spent as many as 16 hours a day hearing confessions. Though not considered academically gifted, he was renowned for his deep devotion to prayer, his life of self-denial, and his tireless ministry to sinners. People from across France, and eventually Europe, came to him to confess and seek spiritual guidance.
Many miracles were also attributed to him, including healings and conversions, which he credited to his devotion to the Virgin Mary and St. Philomena.
Fourth among six siblings, Vianney was born Jean-Marie Baptiste Vianney on May 8, 1786, in France. He was baptized on the same day.
Vianney died on August 4, 1859, at the age of 73. His death was not linked to any specific illness, but to the natural wear and tear on his body after a lifetime of intense spiritual and physical exertion.
He was beatified on January 8, 1905, in the Vatican by Pope Pius X and canonized on May 31, 1925, by Pope Pius XI. Vianney is universally recognized as the patron saint of parish priests, a title bestowed on him by Pope Pius XI in 1925 in recognition of his exemplary life as a parish priest and his dedication to the sacrament of confession.
In 2009, during the Year for Priests, Pope Benedict XVI proclaimed St. John Vianney as the patron saint of all priests worldwide, not just parish priests.
The declaration was made to inspire clergy to renew their commitment to holiness and pastoral charity. Pope Benedict held Vianney up as a model for every priest, calling his life a radiant example of dedication, humility, and tireless service to God’s people.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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