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diff --git a/30879.txt b/30879.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8e1a2aa --- /dev/null +++ b/30879.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2292 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Life of Blessed John B. Marie Vianney, +Curé of Ars, by Anonymous + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Life of Blessed John B. Marie Vianney, Curé of Ars + With a Novena and Litany to this Zealous Worker in the Vineyard of the Lord + + +Author: Anonymous + + + +Release Date: January 7, 2010 [eBook #30879] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LIFE OF BLESSED JOHN B. MARIE +VIANNEY, CURé OF ARS*** + + +E-text prepared by Michael Gray + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustration. + See 30879-h.htm or 30879-h.zip: + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/30879/30879-h/30879-h.htm) + or + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/30879/30879-h.zip) + + + + + +[Image: Portrait of Blessed John Vianney] +Blessed John B. Marie Vianney +CURE OF ARS + + +THE LIFE OF THE BLESSED JOHN B. MARIE VIANNEY +CURE OF ARS. + +With a Novena and Litany to This Zealous Worker +in The Vineyard of the Lord. + +Compiled from Approved Sources. + + + + + + + +New York: +Joseph Schaefer, +9 Barclay Street. + +Nihil obstat: + THOMAS B. COTTER, PH.D., + Censor. + +Imprimatur + JOHN M. FARLEY, + Archbishop of New York. +October 22, 1910. + +Copyrighted, 1911, by Joseph Schaefer. + + + +PREFACE. + +Spiritual reading has always been encouraged by our Holy Mother +Church, because it strengthens our faith and stimulates us to be more +devout in the practice of our religion. The materialistic tone and +trend of most modern literature, however, makes the reading and +dissemination of Catholic books all the more urgent and necessary at +the present time. + +The mind is moulded largely by reading and good minds were never more +needed than to-day, to combat the effects of the mental poison, which +is daily absorbed by young and old through the medium of degrading +literature. True, there are issued good books and periodicals which +are not strictly religious in tone, but which, nevertheless, have a +salutary influence upon the reader's mind. Their number, however, is +comparatively small. + +Good spiritual reading should not be made merely an infrequent +departure from the reading of every day literature, but should be +indulged in regularly and systematically by the Catholic laity in +general. + +Good books play an important part in fostering the early evidences of +vocation. The youth, under their influence, voluntarily moves nearer +to the goal of his aspirations, unforced by the caprice of the +thoughtless or over-enthusiastic parents. Numerous little incidents +are associated with the life of Blessed Jean Baptist Vianney, which +will help to develop the germ of sacerdotal vocation. + +The young seminarian will find Vianney's life to be a genuine +exhortation which will operate to fortify him in the face of trials +and temptation. + +The priest himself, who aims to acquire all the graces which may bless +the priesthood, may justly take pleasure in imitating the virtues, +zeal, piety and charity of the humble cure of Ars. + +The little volume describes in simple language the life of a man, who, +in our own time, earned by his holiness, acts of self-sacrifice, +self-abnegation and miracles, wrought through the intervention of God, +the blessings of beatification. + +Vianney's life may be read with profit by everyone. The descriptions +of his toils and sufferings in behalf of his fellow-men, and his +efforts to save souls, cannot fail to inspire the reader with +uplifting thoughts. + + ALBERT A. LINGS. + + + +CONTENTS. + +Introduction +Chapter I.--Childhood and Youth of the Saintly Cure + " II.--The Good Pastor + " III.--The "House of Providence" and the Tribulations + " IV.--Pilgrimage to Ars + " V.--Miracles wrought by the Cure of Ars + " VI.--The Interior Life of the Blessed Cure + " VII.--Death and Beatification of the Blessed Cure +Litany and Prayer in honor of Blessed John B. Marie Vianney +Novena + + +INTRODUCTION. + +ON January 8, 1905, John Baptist Marie Vianney, that most humble of +country curates, was admitted by our Holy Father, Pope Pius X, into +the glorious ranks of the beatified of the Catholic Church. And in +very truth that devoted guardian of souls had well merited the exalted +distinction thus conferred; for, during the forty-two years of his +holy life, countless thousands had come under the influence of his +active and untiring zeal, and were guided by him in the way of their +salvation. + +The fame of the gentle "Cure of Ars" has long since passed the +boundaries of his native land, and the fact that his name has been +officially promulgated for veneration is sufficient reason for +presenting this noble personality to the attention of the Catholics of +English speaking countries. We do this with the greater pleasure, +since in thus seeking to promote the honor of the blessed cure we are +at one with our Holy Father, who constantly keeps his statue before +him upon his desk in the Vatican palace. + +Thereby Pius X, himself, manifests his high regard for the blessed one +and confirms the words pronounced shortly before the beatification of +the former humble cure. Upon that occasion the Holy Father said: "We +can hardly give befitting expression to the joy of our soul whilst we +make public the solemn decree which affirms the validity of the +miracles worked by God through the intercession of the venerable John +Baptist Vianney. For our part, during the many years that we have +exercised the pastoral office with affectionate solicitude, nothing +more agreeable has taken place, or could occur, than to behold this +venerable cure elevated to the number of the blessed in the Catholic +Church." + +Vianney was a truly apostolic guardian of souls. And because he lived +so near our own time, the history of his life-work becomes all the +more valuable and interesting. The present sketch, designed only as an +outline, is necessarily brief and gives but a meagre description of +the virtues, the mortifications, the zeal and the ceaseless activities +of the blessed cure. Those desiring a more extended history of the +life of this great man are referred to the work of the Abbe Alfred +Monnin, his friend and fellow laborer. [*] + +Brief and unassuming, however, as this present narration may be, we +put it forth in the hope that it may contribute, in some degree, to +make known the merits of this distinguished servant of God, and in +order that those who read it may be prompted to follow the counsels +and imitate the example of his saintly life. + + +[*] Life of the Cure d'Ars, Burns & Oates, London. For sale by Joseph +Schaefer, 9 Barclay St., New York City. + + + +CHAPTER I. +CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH OF THE SAINTLY CURE. + +JEAN Baptist Marie Vianney, afterwards to become famous as the cure of +Ars, was born May 8th, 1786, at Dardilly, in the South of France, not +far from the City of Lyons, and was the fourth child of humble country +folks. + +His father, Mathieu Vianney, and his mother, Marie Beluse, possessed +some land adjoining their simple dwelling. Despite the fact that they +were not rich they practiced the greatest hospitality toward the poor +and needy. With joyful wonder the youthful Jean beheld, evening after +evening, a number of poor and needy wayfarers entertained at the +family meal. Not infrequently the elder Vianney would bestow his own +share upon some belated arrival. This noble example made a profound +impression upon the boy's pious disposition. Of his own accord he +would go out to greet the needy travelers, opening the door for them +and otherwise assisting them, and would even carry their torn garments +to his mother, in order that she might mend them. By other kindly +service he showed his sympathy with the poor and distressed who made +their way to his father's house. + +Jean had inbibed a love of piety with his mother's milk. The names of +Jesus and Mary were the very first words to pass his baby lips. The +first movement of his little hands, taught him by his mother, was to +make the sign of the cross. Even as a child of four or five years Jean +would retire to a place of solitude where, as the record says, "he +spoke with the angel guardian." + +As he grew up he occupied himself with the work of the farm, minding +the cattle and doing other humble work. When in after years his name +was mentioned with pious admiration by numberless Christians, Father +Vianney was wont to recall his early years, saying: "How happy was I, +when I only had to care for my three sheep and my donkey. Then indeed +I could pray to God according to my heart's desire." + +Just as the boy arrived at the age of reason the churches of France, +in consequence of the outbreak of the Revolution, were closed, and the +priests banished. This was a severe trial for so devout a child, for +at that early age he was sensible of the high importance of the +Apostolic teaching, and in his eagerness to promote the love of God he +gathered the village children about him and preached impressive +sermons to them in his simple but earnest way. + +The young missionary became acquainted in those evil days with many +worthy priests, men who counted the threats and fury of the +revolutionary heroes as nothing, when it was a question of saving +souls and so unnoticed the fervent desire took possession of the boy's +soul that he might one day be a priest and work for the glory of God +and the salvation of souls. It was during those darkest hours for the +Church in France, that Jean, with a number of other children, met in +private to be prepared for the reception of his First Holy Communion. +With what holy rapture did he approach the table of the Lord. That +event was ever held in cherished remembrance by all who participated +in it. + +Many years elapsed from the day the youth received his First Holy +Communion to that other day when he began his studies for the +priesthood. Divine Providence willed, first of all, that his piety +should be trained under the guidance of his good and worthy parents. +His daily work was divided between prayer and work, or, to speak more +correctly, his work was a continuous prayer. The life of his Divine +Master, with its miracles and sufferings, supplied him with +inexhaustible material for meditation. At the close of the day's work +and in the company of his mother and sister Catherine, he read the +Holy Scriptures and the lives of the Saints. + +Being an extremely diligent and painstaking worker, and because of his +uniform meekness of character, he was a great favorite at home as well +as among his companions outside. Even upon boys who took no pains to +be good, Jean's purity of heart made such an impression that they +would cease their disedifying conversation whenever he approached. + +Meanwhile Jean had hoped and prayed that he might become a priest, but +he completed his seventeenth year without having yet begun his +education so necessary to the fulfillment of his desire. Such a result +seemed to be all the more impossible of accomplishment inasmuch as his +father declared point-blank that he had no money to spare for his +son's education. + +In 1805, however, a ray of light appeared. The churches were re-opened +following the conclusion of the concordat, and the Rev. Father Bailey, +one of the zealous missionaries of the period, was appointed pastor of +Ecully, a village adjacent to Dardilly. One of his early works wras +the establishment of a seminary for the education of youth for the +priesthood. With his father's approval, Jean, then 19 years old, +presented himself to Father Bailey. The latter had been aware for a +long time of the young man's great piety, received him most kindly and +admitted him as a student. + +Thus it came about that Jean sat in class with boys much younger than +he was. Had he been under instruction sooner it would not have been so +very hard for him to learn, as he had a fair capacity for ordinary +studies. But because he was only beginning at an age when most youths +have already mastered the rudiments, his studies occasioned him much +trouble; he was slow to learn and what he did learn he retained only +imperfectly. The study of Latin was for him particularly difficult. + +In his need he turned to the Blessed Virgin and to St. Francis Regis, +the Apostle of Vivarais, to whom he had been devoted since childhood. +He undertook a pilgrimage to the latter's tomb at Louvesc to beseech +his help. His faithful confidence was rewarded and from that time on +he experienced fewer difficulties in his studies. When, in after +years, Jean was appointed pastor at Ars, he gratefully remembered the +saint's assistance and brought his statue into the parish church and +zealously promoted devotion to him. + +Hardly had Jean begun his studies when an unfortunate obstacle arose. +Napoleon I, at that time holding the destiny of France in his hands, +needed troops for his Spanish campaign. These were raised by +conscription, and notwithstanding the pleadings of his relatives and +of several influential persons, Jean was drawn for military service. +The sorrow which he experienced at this sudden interruption in his +studies was so acute that he became seriously ill and had to be taken +to the hospital, first at Lyons and later at Roanne, the troops +meantime having departed for the Pyrenees. As a matter of fact it came +about that after a long absence from home, Jean was enabled to return +to his native village without having performed any actual military +services. + +In 1812, after close application to his studies, Jean was so far +advanced as to be permitted to commence the study of philosophy at +Verrieres. He was now in his twenty-seventh year, and there found +himself one of two hundred pupils, all younger than he. Another bitter +trial now awaited him, for, a few weeks afterwards, he was declared +disqualified to take the course in philosophy in the Latin tongue, and +with six other students he had to attend this course in the French +language. + +Not infrequently he was made the butt of his fellow students' +ridicule, yet he was never aroused to anger. Instead, these annoyances +only served to increase his acts of devotion. Still greater trials, +however, were in store for him. Before being admitted into the great +seminary of Lyons to make his preparation for Holy Orders, he was +required to submit to an examination in philosophy. This took place in +the presence of the archbishop and his council. When the questions, +presented in Latin, were put to him his memory wholly failed, and in +sheer confusion he could answer nothing, so overawed was he by the +presence of the distinguished visitors. Accordingly, he alone of all +the candidates was dismissed as unfit to enter the seminary. Imagine +how hard a blow this must have been to Jean. All his work of the +preceding eight years appeared to have been unsuccessful. + +In that time of trial Vianney's confidence in God remained unshaken +and he was rewarded by finding a friend in the person of his old +pastor, Father Bailey, who, better acquainted with the character and +qualifications of his protege, induced the authorities to examine Jean +privately the following day. This examination was held before the +vicar-general of the archdiocese and the regent of the theological +seminary, and was so satisfactory that Jean was now permitted to enter +the seminary for the course of theology, in 1814. + +As an inmate of the seminary his career was remarkable more for the +piety of his life than for the brilliancy of his intellect. The +regent, however, who recognized Vianney's sterling worth, gave him for +his room-mate a fellow student of marked ability who took pains to +assist Vianney in his studies, and thus aided, Jean advanced toward +the time of his ordination. At that time, 1814, there was a great need +of priests and, for this reason, it was planned that Vianney, with +other alumni should receive subdeacon's orders in the approaching +month of July. But the authorities hesitated. How could they admit to +the higher orders one so poorly qualified? This question the +vicar-general saw fit to settle for himself, and, after examining +Vianney thoroughly, he announced with complacency: "You know as much +as many a country pastor." + +The vicar-general, however, had previously conferred with the superior +of the seminary and had asked him: "Is young Vianney pious? Is he +devoted to the Blessed Virgin?" The authorities were able to assure +him fully upon these points. "Then," said the vicar-general, "I will +receive him. Divine grace will do the rest." Thus, on July 2d, 1814, +Vianney received subdeacon's orders and about twelve month's later +those of deacon. In August, of the year 1815, he was raised to the +dignity of the priesthood by the bishop of Grenoble, representing the +archbishop of Lyons, who was at that time in Rome. + +Vianney was then twenty-nine years old. The bishop had expressed the +hope that the newly ordained would prove to be an efficient laborer in +the Master's vineyard. Divine Providence, however, had much more than +this in store for the newly consecrated priest, for he was to become a +model, whom Holy Church was one day to present to the entire clergy of +the Catholic world for imitation. + +The Blessed Vianney, in his humility, constantly realized and lamented +his imperfections. The sublime ideals of the priesthood and in +particular those of a pastor charged with the care of souls living in +the world, were ever present to him. Later in life he declared that a +true pastor should ever be guided by two principles: (1), he should +never permit himself to think that he can accomplish nothing in his +parish, no matter for how long a time his efforts may have appeared +unfruitful and, (2), he should never consider that he has done enough, +no matter how much he may have accomplished. + +In order to perfect himself Father Vianney took another course in +moral theology from the pious and experienced Father Bailey. To him +Jean Baptist Vianney was appointed vicar. He lived with him in the +parish house and took a zealous part in his pastor's practices and +mortifications. They read the breviary together and, during the day, +frequently united in expressions of ardent love to the good God. +Together they spent hours at a time in adoration before the +Tabernacle. In company with his pastor, Father Vianney took his scanty +meal, and his little income passed entirely into the hands of the +poor. Articles of clothing which had been given to him for his own use +went the same way. He was literally possessed of nothing except the +clothes which he wore. With his worthy pastor he made daily visits to +the poor and needy of the village and neighborhood, comforting and +relieving them as much as possible. It took only a short time for his +old friend and pastor, Father Bailey, to realize that he was +entertaining a saint. + +In December, 1817, Father Bailey was taken from his parishioners by +death. It was generally hoped that Vicar Vianney would be his +successor, but God had other designs. Before the question was settled, +death had removed the pastor of the little village of Ars who had only +recently taken charge. Thereupon, the vicar-general of the archdiocese +sent Father Vianney there, saying, as he wished him Godspeed: "My +friend, you are going to a small parish where very little of the love +of God can be seen. You are now to enkindle the flame of Divine +charity there!" + +Most assuredly the vicar-general, in speaking thus, did not dream that +in a few decades the little village of Ars would become a glowing +hearth of Divine love, spreading its warmth over the entire country. + + + +CHAPTER II. +THE GOOD PASTOR. + +WHEN Jean Baptist Vianney entered his parish on that winter evening in +February, 1818, he quickly realized the religious indifference +prevailing there and the contrast in this respect to the kindly and +religiously inclined Ecully. Upon his arrival, no one came forward to +bid him welcome. The very atmosphere of the neighborhood seemed cold +and repellant. + +The people of that place, while not positively bad, were for the most +part indifferent in the matter of their eternal welfare. Daily Mass +was attended by only two or three elderly women. For the most trivial +excuse, men neglected Sunday Mass. Not one of them attended Vespers, +although at the same time the cafes of the village were crowded. Even +the most devout of the women approached the Sacraments but rarely, +while the men, through human pride, neglected to make their Easter +duty. In fact, one of their number begged the pastor to give him Holy +Communion in the sacristy, so that no one might see him. + +Servile work of every kind was done on Sunday, and at harvest time the +carts and wagons were in use during the entire day "carting souls to +hell," as Father Vianney not inaptly expressed it. + +Not in a day were these conditions changed. Such a result required +many years of effort. In time, however, Divine grace triumphed and the +almost unknown parish of Ars became the glorious model for the whole +of France. The spirit of religion was revived, public worship +restored, the Lord's day unusually respected and observed. The parish +formed, as it were, one large-family, in which each member vied with +the other in the service of God. + +What had the young pastor done to thus transform his parish? He did +nothing that any other country pastor may not attempt to do. As his +parishioners did not come to him, he went to them in their homes. He +was not satisfied with one formal visit but called repeatedly upon his +people, as their spiritual or temporal needs seemed to require. He +timed his visits for the most part when the family were assembled for +the noonday meal. He would enter the living room or stand at the +threshold and chat in a friendly manner with the members of the +household. Although invited to partake of of their hospitality he +never accepted the least refreshment, not even a drink of water. He +talked with them about their every day life, their cares and +anxieties, their hopes and disappointments. + +The people soon perceived that Father Vianney was one of themselves +and thus they learned to confide in him and to ask his advice in their +temporal affairs. Then, whenever occasion presented, with great +aptitude he turned the conversation to things supernatural. At the +same time he was never insistent. His manner was always affable, never +impatient, never reproving; even when he might justly have given +reproof. This gentleness in his manner, which, was only the reflex of +the charity in his heart, soon won over his people, who now looked +forward to his visits and considered themselves highly honored when he +called. + +We have already had occasion to notice his defective memory, and how +in consequence he was so greatly impeded in the prosecution of his +studies. This drawback made itself particularly felt when he came to +prepare his sermons. Many a sleepless night did the poor man devote to +the preparation of the discourses to be given to his people. But his +industry, strengthened by the Divine assistance, conquered, so that, +while he never possessed the gift of oratory, he spoke easily, +earnestly and convincingly, and when, in after years, the pilgrims +poured in to Ars, sometimes as many as 20,000 in a single year, he was +able to give his daily instruction from the pulpit without any special +preparation and without the embarrassment which he had experienced at +the beginning of his priestly career. + +In order to make the practice of religion more attractive for his +parishioners, he sought to beautify and decorate the little parish +church. In this work he was greatly aided by Mademoiselle d'Ars, +sister of the Vicomte d'Ars, who himself generously provided the +little church with new vestments and altar vessels. + +With the co-operation of his parishioners, who, day by day were +learning to appreciate their pastor's solid piety, he built two +chapels as an addition to the parish church. One of these he dedicated +to St. Philomena, a youthful martyr, whose relics were recovered at +Rome in the beginning of the nineteenth century; the other was placed +under the invocation of St. John the Baptist, and in it stood the +confessional of the cure of Ars, the "Mercy Seat," as it were, of the +Almighty, at which untold thousands of souls were reconciled to their +Creator. + +Despite the fact that the number of his friends and co-workers +steadily increased, thus evidencing the fruitfulness of his labors, +Father Vianney in truth looked to God alone for success in his +undertakings. He realized that he was engaged with the evil spirit in +a conflict for the souls of his people and he had read in Holy Writ +these words of Jesus Christ: "But this kind (of evil spirit) is not +cast out except by prayer and fasting." (Matthew XVII, 20.) + +Upon one occasion he recalled these words to a fellow priest who was +lamenting that he could obtain no results in his parish, although he +had done all in his power to rouse his people from their indifference. +Father Vianney said to him: "You have done all in your power? Are you +so sure of it? Did you fast and give alms? Did you pray?" + +By these questions Father Vianney indicated what were the practices of +his own life, which enabled him to obtain results little short of +miraculous. His charity was boundless. The food, clothing and other +supplies, which the generous Mademoiselle d'Ars sent for the rectory, +as a rule, promptly found their way to the poor and needy. Father +Vianney actually kept for himself only what was barely sufficient to +ward off starvation. Even this modicum was frequently given away, when +a poor man came and asked for food. + +One evening when Mr. Mandy, the Maire of Ars, came to visit the cure, +he found him pale as death and apparently exhausted. Greatly alarmed, +he exclaimed: "Are you ill, Father Vianney?" "Oh, my good friend," the +latter replied, "you are just in time, I have nothing left to eat." +For three days Father Vianney had had no provisions whatever in the +house, having bestowed the last of his potatoes upon a poor mendicant. +He partook daily of but one meal and that consisted generally of +boiled potatoes, which he was accustomed to cook in a quantity +sufficient to last through the week, so that oftentimes by Friday or +Saturday what remained had become mouldy. When his relatives came to +see him, or if he had other visitors, he took pains to have a plain +meal provided for them. Under no consideration would he allow any +mention to be made of his mortification and self-denial. + +As with food so also Father Vianney deprived himself of the various +articles of clothing with which he had been supplied. Being accosted +on his way home by a poor man whose feet were bare and sore, he +divested himself of his own shoes and stockings, gave them to the +mendicant, and returned home barefoot. + +Vianney was wont to declare jestingly that he had never left his +overcoat anywhere. As a matter of fact he did not possess one, thus +fulfilling literally our Lord's words: "He that hath two coats, let +him give to him that hath none!" [*] His colleagues were often +displeased at his poverty-stricken appearance and regarded his shabby +clothes as a reflection upon their dignity. These faultfinders could +easily have learned that the patched garments of the hero of brotherly +love commanded the respect of all who knew Vianney's real character. +Wherever he appeared he was received with the utmost respect and +cordially greeted by all. + +[*] Luke III, 11. + +He offered up to God all his mortifications for the welfare of his +people, increasing these exercises habitually as Easter approached, +and whenever it was a question of touching the heart of a hardened +sinner. He joined prayer to fasting. At two o'clock in the morning he +arose and said the night-office of the breviary. At four o'clock he +entered the church to visit our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and then +said his Mass. After Mass he gave instruction in catechism and heard +confessions. So steadily was he occupied in this work that he seldom +left the church until noon-time. He devoted the afternoons to visiting +the sick and spent the rest of the day in the church, where, to the +edification of all, he held evening devotions in public. + +What could the Lord refuse to such self-sacrificing love? Vianney +himself used to say: "I obtained from Him everything that I wanted!" + +The progress in the spiritual condition of the congregation at Ars +necessarily became known in the surrounding country and Father +Vianney's fellow priests of other parishes begged him to help them in +the pulpit and confessional. These requests Father Vianney never +refused, so that, in the space of two years, he became the real +apostle of the cathedral circuit. So great was the success of his +spiritual labors that the faithful who desired his assistance no +longer waited until he should come again to their parishes, but +themselves visited him at Ars. Soon the high road to Ars was filled +with pedestrians and vehicles carrying a great number of visitors, and +this procession of pilgrims increased when reports were spread of the +miracles which took place at Ars. + + + +CHAPTER III. +THE "HOUSE OF PROVIDENCE" AND THE TRIBULATIONS. + +IN 1825, seven years after Father Vianney had been appointed to the +parish at Ars, he resolved upon a new and important undertaking. He +wanted to bring together in one home all the neglected poor and orphan +children of Ars and the surrounding country, and to provide at one and +the same time for both their physical and spiritual needs. Facing the +village green there stood a desirable house, which he would gladly +have acquired for this purpose. One day he received from an anonymous +donor a considerable sum of money for charitable purposes. He +immediately betook himself to the owner of the house in question, and +without much difficulty was enabled to purchase it. And this was the +beginning of the "House of Providence." + +As directresses for this home he selected two young women of the +parish and placed them in charge, but without imposing upon them any +religious vows. The home soon sheltered many little ones, either +neglected or homeless, who were fed, clothed and cared for, and whose +instruction in the catechism Vianney took upon himself daily. By +degrees the grown up parishioners came to assist at these +instructions, which took the place of those which had been held in the +parish church. + +This home was maintained by Father Vianney for twenty-five years. For +its financial support he made use of the alms given to him, and it +frequently happened that sums of money to be used in charity were +transmitted to him most unexpectedly and at times when the home was in +greatest need. Relief sometimes came in a manner which excludes the +idea of human intervention. Among other incidents observed by many +witnesses it is related that one day there was no flour for the day's +supply of bread and no money with which to purchase any. Everyone whom +Father Vianney approached upon this subject seemed either to be unable +or unwilling to relieve him, so that the cure imagined himself almost +forsaken. + +Never before had he felt so miserable. Then he remembered St. Francis +Regis and deciding to seek heavenly intercession, he took the relics +of the saint and carried them to the store-room, concealing them under +the remnant of grain that lay there. Next day the caretakers of the +home came and again reminded the pastor that there was nothing left to +eat in the house. Father Vianney, weeping, exclaimed: "Then we must +send our poor children away!" Nevertheless he betook himself with one +of the care-takers to the store-room and, with great anxiety, opened +the door, when, behold the store-room which had been empty was found +to be filled with grain. + +It was on such an occasion as this that Father Vianney's sanctity +manifested itself. Instead of welcoming this public miracle with +joyful satisfaction he felt on the contrary, deeply humiliated, +because of his having previously given way to discouragement. He +hastened to the children of the home and exclaimed in self-accusation +"Behold, dear children, I mistrusted the good God. I was about to send +you all away, and for this He has well punished me!" + +The report of this miraculous supply of food was quickly circulated. +The whole congregation visited the store-room; everyone could convince +himself of the truth of the matter. Later, Bishop Devie, of Belley, +inquired personally into the matter and found the facts to be as above +stated. + +Now, great graces in the lives of holy persons are never bestowed +without great trials, and the good cure was no exception to this rule. +During the ten years of his ministry he had suffered from suspicion, +distrust and calumny. His enemies had criticised his actions and had +held him up to derision. He had even been threatened with violence. +Among those who attacked him were some of his own colleagues in the +ministry, who were greatly angered because their parishioners flocked +in numbers to Ars to ask advice and counsel of one whom they had +called the inexperienced and ignorant priest. Of course Father +Vianney's own behavior gave no little reason for their disparaging +opinion of him, for, in his humility, he had several times declared +himself to be a worthless and incapable servant of God, an opinion +which undoubtedly he sincerely held. + +These aspersions from his colleagues were disseminated among the +people, so that many of the faithful, influenced by the mistaken +opinion of their spiritual leaders, took upon themselves the liberty +of defaming their pastor. Some went further and wrote and left at his +door notice containing coarse and dishonorable remarks. To such an +extent had these ideas progressed that some persons attributed the +furrows with which penitential works had seamed the brow of the humble +priest to an immoral mode living. + +With touching patience and resignation Father Vianney bore those years +of bitterness. His zeal never relaxed for a day, and the interior +agony which he suffered was not observable in any of his pastoral +duties. At that time he frequently repeated those memorable and +beautiful words: "We can do more for God when we perform our duties +faithfully, without interior gladness and a certain relish in +fulfilling them." + +The profound repose of his inner life will appear still more admirable +to those who learn what cunning snares were prepared for him at the +same time by the arch enemy of the human race. + +When news of the diabolical visitations to which Father Vianney was +frequently exposed, reached his colleagues, they laughed aloud. They +declared that he was a dreamer, whose brain was disordered. + +With his accustomed composure the humbled cure bore the derision of +his colleagues, and of the faithful who agreed with them. Far from +being weakminded, as his associates represented him to be, Father +Vianney at first refused to believe that it was the powers of evil +that were persecuting him and depriving him of his night's rest in +order to render him unfit for his pastoral duties. When the nocturnal +rappings became more pronounced, he begged some courageous men of the +parish to assist him in discovering the evildoers or thieves, as he at +first considered them, whose purpose he thought was to carry off some +of the costly articles which had been presented for the parish church. +Those men came to keep watch with him, and for many nights in +succession they heard the same sounds which Father Vianney had heard, +without seeing any person or thing to account for them. Like their +pastor they were much wrought up over the strange occurrences. + +One winter's night, however, when the rappings upon the front door +were louder than usual, the cure sprang from his bed and hurried to +the courtyard, believing that he might find traces of the marauder in +the freshly fallen snow. But there were no foot prints to be seen. +Then Father Vianney no longer doubted that it was Satan that was +persecuting him and this conviction removed all sentiments of fear +from his soul, for he knew well how to combat the enemy of God. + +These violent satanic assaults were kept up against Father Vianney for +the space of thirty-five years. That a man so tortured and deprived +continually of his needed rest, so enfeebled by the mortifications +which he imposed on himself, did not die earlier than his +seventy-fourth year, seems almost more miraculous than the +inexhaustible activity of his life. + +Meanwhile his enemies had advanced a step further in their efforts to +render this zealous pastor's position precarious. They calumniated him +to the bishop of the diocese of Belley, to which Ars now belonged, +saying that their pastor was unfit to be entrusted with the care of +souls. The bishop, however, would not condemn the poor priest without +a hearing. He sent his vicar-general to Ars and informed Father +Vianney that in future he must submit to the episcopal jurisdiction +all difficult cases of conscience coming before him as well as the +decision he has passed upon them himself. The investigation was +welcomed by Father Vianney, and he very soon submitted over two +hundred cases. Bishop Devie, of Belley, examined these himself and +found that the decisions reached upon the difficult points (excepting +only two cases in which his opinion differed), were correct. From that +moment he would not suffer anyone to speak, of the cure of Ars as an +incapable pastor. About this time, moreover, the bishop personally +visited Father Vianney at his house in Ars, and found there a zealous +and holy man, instead of the ridiculous figure which the cure's +enemies had made him out to be. Speaking one day to his assembled +clergy, in regard to the cure of Ars, he said: "Gentlemen, would that +you all had a trifle of the foolishness about which you make so merry. +It would not prejudice your intelligence in the least!" + +Yet, far more than the protection thus afforded by the bishop, did the +unalterable humility and amiability of Father Vianney bring these +opponents to reason. In the course of a few years this noble character +ceased to have any enemies among the clergy. Laymen likewise stopped +their calumnies, even if they did not cease their ridicule altogether. + +But God had prepared a new trial for His servant. We have already told +how Father Vianney had founded and under great difficulties had +carried on the home for neglected children called the "The +Providence." The time had come when this useful institution was to be +taken from his control. The board of education had found fault with +the home as being neither a regular school nor a hospital. The clergy +criticised its management by lay persons, until at last the bishop was +prevailed upon to put the institution in charge of a religious order, +and the cure, although sore at heart, subscribed to the deed of +surrender in November, 1847. Thereupon the Sisters of St. Joseph from +Bourg were put in charge of the institution, which came to be known as +a "Free School for Girls." Soon it became evident that this blow, hard +as it was, but in which Father Vianney as ever beheld the finger of +God, turned out to his profit, for all the powers of his body and mind +henceforth were devoted to the single purpose of the conversion of +sinners, who kept coming to Ars in ever increasing numbers. + +Before we speak further on this point, we must draw attention to an +event that took place in the year 1843. In May of that year, Father +Vianney became ill as a result of overwork. So serious was his +condition that he received the last Sacraments. There was universal +sorrow in the village and the church was constantly filled with +parishioners who prayed that he might be spared. But the physicians +gave no hope. One of them as he touched the cold hand of the +motionless figure, exclaimed aloud: "He has only a few moments to +live." + +The dying man heard plainly the verdict pronounced over him and at +that same moment, as he afterwards declared, he was seized with such +terror of the supreme judgment of God, that he besought the +intercession of the Blessed Virgin and of St. Philomena, and he +implored the Almighty through them to vouchsafe to postpone the awful +moment of his appearance before Him. His prayers were heard. + +To the great astonishment of those present the vitality of the man, +sick apparently unto death, returned and, on May 19th, Father Vianney +was able to be carried into the church amidst the rejoicings of his +children, and there he prayed at length before the Tabernacle. But at +this time he made a resolution which, earlier, he could not have +carried into effect. His bishop, seeing the great amount of work which +had to be performed at Ars, had sent him an assistant priest, to whom, +in his humility, Vianney considered himself subordinate and, knowing +that there was some one now to take his place, he decided to retire +from his pastoral work and to spend the rest of his "poor life," as he +called it, in some remote monastery. To carry out this purpose he +planned to flee from Ars under cover of the darkness and mist. But his +project was betrayed by his friends at the "Providence" to whom he was +obliged to give necessary instructions regarding the future care of +the children. Great excitement immediately prevailed among the +parishioners and the many visitors, and they quietly surrounded the +rectory in order to prevent his escape. The pastor, however, managed +to elude them and made his way through a path in the garden which had +been overlooked and hastened to his birth-place at Dardilly. + +Thereupon the sheep went in search of their shepherd, but as soon as +they discovered him in his home he fled farther away, they still +following him. At last, moved by the distress which his departure had +caused and the appeals made to him by the inhabitants of Ars to return +to them, he concluded that it was the holy will of God that he should +return and resume the heavy burden of his pastorate, from which he had +hoped to be relieved. All thought they had surely won him back, but +later on the Blessed Vianney made two other efforts to lay down his +pastoral cares and to retire into a monastery, there to work out his +own salvation. But God granted the fervent petition of the people of +Ars and caused these plans to come to naught. + + + +CHAPTER IV. +PILGRIMAGES TO ARS. + +NOT only to the villagers, but in a greater degree to the pilgrims who +journeyed to Ars, Father Vianney's departure would have been +particularly disappointing. As early as the period between 1825 and +1830, these remarkable pilgrimages had taken place. So great was the +multitude of people who kept coming that increased traveling +accomodations had to be arranged between Ars and the outlying country +places. + +The pilgrims arrived from every province of France; others came from +Belgium and England; some from America. At Ars one met bishops and +cardinals, prefects of state, university professors, rich merchants, +bankers, men and women of ancient and noble lineage, side by side with +an innumerable army of priests and religious. As yet the newspapers +had not published any account of the wonders accomplished there. Only +by word of mouth was the fame of the cure made known, and this +unending procession of pilgrims was merely the result of the personal +experience of those who had already come under Father Vianney's +influence. + +With ever increasing wonder the new arrivals observed the great power +which that humble priest exercised over souls. Every day in the aisle +of the church two rows of men, numbering from sixty to a hundred, +awaited their turn to go to confession in the little sacristy. If the +question were put as to how long they had been waiting there the +answer sometimes was: "since two o'clock in the morning," or, "since +midnight, as soon as the cure had opened the church." The stranger +would learn with astonishment that men from the highest walks of life +had frequently waited patiently a whole day and night, not in order to +assist at some great ceremony, but to submit themselves humbly to the +guidance of the cure in the matter of the welfare of their souls. + +The church was equally crowded elsewhere, and it was no unusual thing +to find two hundred women or more waiting their turn to confess their +sins. The spectacle of those men and women absorbed in prayer +continued from hour to hour and from day to day. As a rule Father +Vianney heard confessions daily for sixteen and even eighteen hours +and this almost superhuman practice continued for a period of thirty +years. + +At seven or eight o'clock in the morning the cure said Mass and gave +Holy Communion. After Mass he blessed the articles of devotion +presented to him at the altar rail, as well as the little children +that were brought to him. At eleven o'clock he moved through the +crowded ranks of those present and, ascending the pulpit, he delivered +a plain but impressive sermon on the truths of holy faith. He who +formerly could preach a sermon only under the greatest difficulty, now +manifested an imperturbable calm and assurance, for the Divine grace +so noticeably inspired his addresses that in many cases, according to +the evidence of the different pilgrims themselves, it so happened that +his words touched the very ones who, up to that time, had remained in +their sins, and, his affecting appeal to them to consider the awful +state of their souls, removed the last obstacle to their reconciling +themselves to God. + +At first, indeed, Father Vianney was greatly distressed when +circumstances necessitated his preaching without special preparation; +yet, as in this he saw only the will of God, he abandoned himself with +complete resignation to the Divine plans, and thus became, although he +had no suspicion of it himself, a most eloquent apostle. In his +sermons he was accustomed to recall the scenes of his early life as a +farmer lad, and he employed the analogies and arguments drawn from +external nature and, according to his own statements, it was evident +that there was nothing in the visible world that had not reminded him +of God and of eternity. Besides these expressive comparisons, Father +Vianney's sermons frequently described incidents drawn from his +personal experience. + +Thus, one day, speaking of lukewarm Christians, he said: "You there +behold a tepid soul, which for the most paltry excuse starts to gossip +while praying. Does this soul really offer to God the day's work? Does +it return Him thanks and glorify Him? Without doubt the lips will +speak the words, but for the most part no thought is given to what is +said. The soul never ceases to busy itself with the things that are +only of this world." + +"Again," said he, "we notice a man in church, turning his hat round +and round in his hand. Or, we observe in her home a woman, who said +grace while cutting bread for the children or while putting wood on +the fire, or she interrupts her prayers to call the help." + +As a man of the people, Father Vianney knew that in order to hold +their attention nothing was so serviceable as to give them a faithful +portrayal of every day life. In his discourses he always reverted to +the fundamental truths of faith and placed vividly before his auditors +for their consideration, the four last things. Ever and anon he would +return to the necessity of man's loving God; that this love ought to +be as natural to men as song was to the bird. It was impossible for +him to preach without referring to the unspeakable joys which arise in +the soul of man through a self-sacrificing love of God. + +As soon as the sermon was at an end the people hastened to the village +green, where the good cure was accustomed to pass on the way to the +"Providence" and to his home, delaying on the way to give advice and +consolation to those who applied to him. Everyone called him "Father," +a title readily admitted by all who observed his kindly manner and +still, kinder speech. Father Vianney moved, slowly through the surging +throng and, although he was gentleness itself, yet unabashed and +obtrusive persons were now and again brought to reason by a quiet +though firm answer. + +Many an ingenious reply has been recorded of the good cure. A young +girl who, from spiritual laziness, had submitted the question of her +vocation to the good cure, asked him in a loud tone: "Father, what is +my vocation to be?" To which he replied: "My child, your vocation is +to get to heaven." + +At a glance Father Vianney could recognize innocent souls. It was +often observed how he would say suddenly to certain individuals: "Dear +child, just go home; you have no need of me." Yet sixteen to eighteen +hours daily hardly sufficed to allow him to attend to the distressed +souls who knelt in his confessional, since for these above all God had +sent the cure of Ars. + +Here we arrive naturally at the important subject of the conversions +that took place at Ars. Time and again the noble priest would say: +"Let us pray for the conversion of sinners!" He declared that prayer +for this purpose was one of the most pleasing that could be offered to +the good God. Without cessation he himself prayed with this intention +and took upon himself all kinds of mortification. His petitions +ascended to the throne of God, who, during the thirty years of the +cure's life at Ars, was pleased to send innumerable sinners to Ars to +be reconciled. Many of these sank at his feet already prepared, for +they had heard from others that it was sweet and easy to confess one's +sins to the saintly priest and under his guidance, to repent of them +with their whole heart. + +On one occasion a driver knocked loudly at the door of the cure's +house at midnight and asked that his confession be heard at once. +Without hesitation, Father Vianney arose and went with him into the +church. After he had reconciled him to God Vianney embraced him +cordially and gave him some warm clothing, as he noticed the man was +suffering from the cold. + +With many sinners the workings of grace were decidedly slower. Some +had come to Ars out of curiosity, others to unmask the cure, as they +thought to do, and to make merry over the "gullible crowd" as the +pilgrims were called. But, after closely observing the holy priest for +one or two days, they lost all desire to compare him to a "town +crier," and it was not long before they joined the crowds waiting for +confession. + +With still another class it required a direct call of grace. Like St. +Vincent Ferrer, Father Vianney had received from God the gift of being +able to read clearly into the conscience of a sinner. Hence almost +every day it happened that one would see him come suddenly out of the +sacristy and advance straight towards a person who had only just +entered the church. With a kind and earnest look he would lead him at +once to his confessional. Many such penitents acknowledged later that +Father Vianney, without more ado, would mention their sins to them +beforehand, reminding them especially of those shameful matters in +their past life which they might have been tempted to conceal. Thereby +he not infrequently removed the last obstacle to complete +reconciliation with God. + +Among others the following incident is well attested. A certain man, +thirty-two; years of age, went to Ars in company with a friend, +intending to ridicule Father Vianney. The man had with him his hunting +dog, having planned to enjoy the pleasures of the chase in the +neighboring fields. At the very moment when the cure was passing +across the village square and through the kneeling multitudes, the two +friends appeared on the scene. Presently Father Vianney found himself +face to face with the curious sportsman pushing through the crowd. +After a hasty glance at the dog running at his side, the cure, without +further ceremony, said to its owner: "Sir, it were to be desired that +your soul were as beautiful as your hound!" The man shamefacedly +lowered his head and, shortly after, moved by divine grace, made his +confession with copious tears and that same year adopted the life of a +religious, in which he persevered until death. + +Upon another occasion, among the curious spectators in the church at +Ars was a highly educated freethinker, a mocker at religion, of the +Voltaire stamp. To please his wife he had accompanied her to Ars, in +order, as he expressed it, to have a look at "the old buffoon." With a +scornful air he surveyed the crowd praying devoutly in the little +church. Suddenly the cure stepped out of the confessional, advanced +towards the new arrival, and, with an imposing movement of the hand, +requested him to go into the sacristy. + +Astonished and confused the unbeliever followed the priest. There +Father Vianney sought to bring him to his knees. The latter declared +that he had no idea of going to confession, and that he did not +believe in it. Father Vianney looked him squarely in the eyes, and +under that piercing glance the freethinker sank upon his knees. Then +Father Vianney described to him his past life, with surprising +accuracy and drew from him the admission that all he had told him was +true. The light of faith was forthwith rekindled in the soul of the +sinner, who, strongly affected, cried out with violent sobs: "My God, +I believe; I adore Thee; I love Thee; and beg of Thee forgiveness!" + +Father Vianney dismissed him with the words; "Dear friend, hold +yourself prepared; the good God will call you to Himself very soon!" +And so it was. Two years later a stroke of apoplexy brought to a +sudden end the convert's life. + +Besides reconciling sinners with God the indefatigable cure was +frequently engaged in the important work of directing souls to the +knowledge and attainment of their vocation and in giving other counsel +valuable in their spiritual life. Seeking such advice there flocked to +Ars, from all parts, bishops and pastors, leaders of religious +communities, fathers and mothers of families, young men and young +girls in great numbers, all eager to obtain the advice of the good +priest. The latter gave his decisions promptly, for he never allowed +himself to forget that sinners were waiting for him at his +confessional. Many who thus applied declared that Father Vianney, +after listening to the first few words, was able to give his advice +upon the matter at issue with the fullest intelligence. + +Upon one occasion a pastor in the diocese of Autun, presented to the +cure for his opinion a very difficult case in moral theology, +involving a question of restitution. He received from him such a +prompt answer, removing all doubt that, astounded, he asked the cure +where he had studied his theology? With a motion of the hand, which +conveyed an advice rather than an answer, Father Vianney pointed +silently to his prie-dieu. + +We have referred to the great number of persons who applied to +the cure for advice concerning the religious vocation, but it +would be a mistake to suppose that the cure advised young persons +indiscriminately to embrace the priesthood or the monastic life. Such +was not the case; on the contrary the cure dissuaded many from +entering the cloister, although the parties themselves felt strongly +attracted to it. In this respect the story of Miss A. C. is +instructive. + +That lady wished to enter a convent. Her father, who had large +property interests in the South of France, wanted her to marry a young +man who would become his successor. They agreed to ask Father +Vianney's advice and to follow it. This was in the year 1858, a few +months before the death of the blessed cure. Father Vianney listened +with his accustomed kindness to the young girl's recital, reflected a +moment and then exclaimed to the surprised young lady: "My dear child, +you ought to marry!" When she referred to her desire to enter a +convent, the cure interrupted her, and said again: "Get married, and +prove to all that your piety is genuine." Miss C. obeyed and, as the +wife of the young man who had asked her hand, was very happy. + +At another time a pastor came to him saying that he desired to become +a Dominican. Father Vianney exclaimed: "No, my friend, this desire is +unfounded; stay where you are." The pastor suggested that as a friar +preacher he could be more successful. The blessed cure replied +immediately: "Where you are placed there is always more to do than you +can really accomplish!" + +More than once the result shows how imprudent it was to disregard the +counsels of that enlightened man. A certain Felix B. from Coblone, +came to Ars on Sept. 8th, 1854, the feast of the Nativity of the +Blessed Virgin. As Father Vianney was passing through the throng, +which on that day was very great, he noticed the young man, and walked +straight towards him. Felix made known to him forthwith his desire of +entering a Trappist monastery. "Very well, dear friend," said Father +Vianney, "carry out your intention and God will bless you!" + +When Felix returned home he felt so faint hearted at the thought of +entering an order of such strict observance that he postponed for two +years his plan of adopting the monastic life. At last, in 1856, as the +call to the life of a religious dominated him, he entered the +community of the "Christian Brothers." + +But this did not bring him the happiness which he had anticipated. He +remained in this congregation for six years, all the while in a state +of unrest and discontent. The more he reflected upon his condition the +more vividly there stood before his spiritual gaze the image of the +cure of Ars (who, meanwhile, had died), and he recalled the advice he +had received but had not followed. + +After a hard struggle with his own stubborn nature, Felix sought +release from the community to which he was attached and asked to be +permitted to enter a Trappist monastery which had recently been +founded in the arch-diocese. This was accordingly arranged. From that +day all unrest vanished and the Trappist monk found peace and +contentment in the life to which he had been advised by the cure of +Ars. + + + +CHAPTER V. +MIRACLES WROUGHT BY THE CURE OF ARS. + +INNUMERABLE were the miracles worked by the holy man whose history we +are relating. They resemble in their marvellous scope and variety, +those of the Divine Master, who foretold the accomplishment of wonders +greater than His own in the ministry of His faithful servants. The +account of the upbuilding of the House of Providence has given us an +insight into the power of the holy man who reproduced the scriptural +story of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. We have there +seen that often many persons were fed when the larder and the granary +were empty. Another phase of the miraculous power of blessed Vianney's +prayer to obtain help in time of need, the results of which often gave +proof of supernatural intervention, is seen in a good work very dear +to him, familiarly known in France as "Fondements." These "Fondements" +referred to the establishment of a fund for the perpetual offering of +the Holy Sacrifice for some desired end. Blessed Vianney established +one thousand annual Masses. The "Fondements" represented a capital of +40,000 francs. Not only did it effect a spiritual good, but going out +to needy priests it created in itself a continuous and generous +contribution to charity. Some of the miraculous interventions of +Providence that touched his heart most deeply are found in his efforts +in this direction. + +We shall cite but one. A member of the household of Providence relates +it: "Once when Father Vianney desired to make a "Fondement" in his +church in honor of the heart of Mary, he prayed: O, my mother! if this +work is agreeable to thee, procure for me the funds to do it. That +same day, after the catechism, he said to us: "I have found 200 francs +in my drawer. How good God is!" "Well," exclaimed Jeanne Marie Chaney, +"since it is miraculous silver, we must keep some of it." "Yes!" +replied the cure, "it is celestial money." Jeanne Marie kept four of +the five franc pieces, replacing them by others. She regretted she had +not done the same with all the pieces. When, a little later, he wished +to increase this "Fondement" Father Vianney prayed again in the same +vein, adding, however, the request that the 200 francs must be given +to him that evening, or the gift would not be considered an answer to +his petition. It was but a little while later, when a benefactor +approached him with an offering of 300 francs. His prayer was +answered. He took only the sum which he had prayed for." It was in the +unceasing war that he waged against the desecration of the Lord's day +that his people beheld frequently their saintly pastor's power over +the elements. We shall cite an instance: + +One Sunday in July there was a full harvest, the wheat bending to the +earth. During the High Mass a violent wind arose and threatening +clouds gathered; a destructive tempest was apparently about to break. +The holy priest entered the pulpit, forbade his people to touch their +crops that day, and promised them a continuation of good weather +sufficient for the gathering in of the harvest. His prediction was +verified; the storm passed over and no rain fell for twelve days. + +In the depths of human souls miracles abounded in Ars. For the +conversion of sinners the holy cure lived; for them he entered upon +his thorny way of heroic penance. His whole life was characterized by +prayer, penance and self-abnegation. All counted as nothing if he +could win the conversion of his parish, dreaming not of a world to be +won from beyond its borders. + +His first great conversion was that of a woman prominent in the +Jansenist sect for her attachment to error and the indiscreet ardor of +her proselytism. She was present during Vespers, in the church of Ars, +on a feast of the Blessed Virgin, in the early days of the cure's +pastorate. To the surprise of all, she entered the confessional after +the service. The words of the holy confessor in the sacred tribunal +finished the work that his very aspect alone had begun. Her conversion +was thorough and lasting. She withdrew from her former associates and +took up her abode in the little village of Ars. + +Another miracle of grace, chosen from many, is the following, briefly +told: + +A learned geologist was led to visit Ars. As a boy he had made his +First Communion during the reign of terror. Left an orphan at the age +of twelve years he was adopted by an army officer, whom he accompanied +to Egypt. His religious experiences had been varied, for he had tested +Mohamedanism, Judaism, Protestantism and had been a disciple of +Chanel, Pere Enfantine and Cabet. On his first visit to Ars he sat +facing the door through which the cure would come to say Mass. His own +words tell the result: + +"His eyes met mine. It was but a look, yet it penetrated to the depths +of my heart, I felt myself crushed under his gaze." After the Mass +this man was drawn by an invisible and irresistible force into the +sacristy, where stood the confessional. The grace of a return to the +faith of his youth was given to him. He died in holy sentiments two +years afterwards. + +Such spiritual marvels, worked by the Blessed Vianney, were of +frequent occurrence. He wept when sinners refused to weep, and they +left his feet like other Augustines, to comfort the mother bowed down +with sorrow because of their sins. One young man, long lost to his +God, had been induced to go to Ars, before leaving for the army. The +holy priest singled him, out among the crowd, and beckoned to the +young man, who was seized with a sudden trembling. The sacristy door +closed upon them and a miracle was wrought there and then on one who +had lost his faith, his honor and his home. He came out in tears, +remained at Ars to make a retreat, and entered an austere religious +order to end his days in heroic penance. + +Such are the types of miracles of the spiritual order, the dearest to +him, worked by the holy pastor of Ars, whose worst reproach to the +hardened sinner was: "What a pity it is! At the hour of death God will +say to you: "Why have you offended Me. I who have loved you so much."" + +The power to lay bare the hidden sins which the cure's unknown +penitent concealed from him, stands forth prominently in his life +story and wrought many conversions. So, too, that other power, which +divined the future misuse of recovery and sent back the pilgrim, +helped, not bodily, but with the healing of patience and resignation, +under some long borne affliction. Again, the similar power to see the +future augmentation of holiness in a soul under physical affliction +and God's will that no cure be wrought; and still another, to see some +impending cross awaiting at home a pilgrim, of whom humanly speaking, +he knew nothing, and to hasten his departure; or to know by interior +sight alone, a cure wrought at a distance. Surely miraculous gifts and +all were possessed by the holy cure. + +BODILY ILLS MIRACULOUSLY CURED. + +Through Father Vianney were affected cures of the mentally afflicted, +of paralytics from birth or accident, of sufferers from cancer and +bronchial affection. There are those whose tongue had never spoken, +whose ear had never heard, whose eye had never seen until the holy +cure's word had gone forth: "Make a novena to St. Philomena; I will +pray with you." + +A nervous malady racked the being of Mademoiselle Zoe Pradille and +deprived her of the power of walking, of kneeling, of reading and +listening to reading and of eating without excruciating pain. Expert +medical treatment was secured at home and a thorough test was made of +health resorts, all without avail, until at last the pilgrimage was +made to Ars and the novena was said, resulting in a complete cure as +attested to by a physician who had known the case well for six years +out of the eight which the patient had suffered. + +A house, during its course of removal, fell and buried under the ruins +a little child and her grandmother. The mother of the little one +escaped and ran about distracted, while the fruitless search went on. +Some one ran to make the accident known to Father Vianney. He knelt +first in prayer, then hastened to the spot, blessed the ruins, and +stood by encouraging the workmen, who were making the search. The +grandmother was rescued unharmed. The child was found after a longer +imprisonment in the ruins. She showed not the slightest sign of +injury. + +A member of the cure's household gave an old cap that the cure had +worn to a poor woman, as an alms. The beautiful thought came to her: +"The holy cure is a saint. If I have faith, my child will be cured." +The boy had an abscess on the head. She put the cap on him. That +evening, when she uncovered him to dress the wound, she found that the +sore had disappeared. The child had been cured. + +"To-day," one wrote from Ars, "we have had a very remarkable cure. It +is of a young nun from the Alps whose tongue had been completely +paralyzed for three years, after her recovery from typhoid fever. She +could converse only by writing on a slate. The day on which she +finished her novena, just as she was about to make her thanksgiving +after Holy Communion, she felt that her tongue was articulating the +acts. She now can speak. I have seen and heard her." The cure of her +home parish and the physician who attended her in her convent, +testified to her recovery. + +One of the remarkable cures, instantly and publicly effected in +presence of all the pilgrims, was that of a young man from Pud de Dome +who could walk only with difficulty and with the aid of crutches. + +"My Father, do you think I will leave my crutches here?" was his +oft-repeated question during the novena. On the feast of the +assumption he intercepted the holy priest as he came from the +sacristy into the crowded church for the evening exercises and again +put the question. + +"Yes, my friend, if you have faith," was the reply. Instantly the +power was given to the young man to walk unaided, and he hastened to +St. Philomena's chapel to leave his crutches there. His gratitude was +the life-long consecration of himself to God in the institute of the +Brothers of the Holy Family. + +Miracles of this kind caused the priest considerable embarrassment. He +sought to hide from the public eye the marvelous results of his +God-given power manifested daily in his parish, His "dear little St. +Philomena," who never failed him in his hour of need, heard many +plaints from him in which he charged her with working the marvels that +were effected through his ministry. Such was the humility of the +"wonder-worker" of our own age. + +The gift of a medal of St. Philomena was often the preliminary +manifestation of miraculous power. This gift was followed by a request +that a novena be made to the saint, Father Vianney promising to pray +also. The result was frequently the desired miracle, which was in +reality the outcome of the cure's powerful pleading with God. +Nevertheless, it could easily be laid at the door of his "dear little +saint." This was especially so on occasions when the sufferers were +not brought to the village or when the cures did not take place until +the afflicted ones were far distant from the ordinary scene of the +miracles. + +A noteworthy instance, in which the good God seemed, as it were, to +play into Vianney's hands at times, by allowing St. Philomena to have +the full credit of the miracle, was that of the poor wandering +musician. He came to the holy cure begging the latter to heal his lame +child. After persuading this man to go to confession he blessed him +and sent him home, making him promise to mend his evil ways and to +cease carrying on an abuse against which the priest waged a relentless +war, namely, the village dances, which were held on Sundays and +festivals. + +When the musician entered his home, he broke his violin and cast the +pieces into the fire, to the great dismay of his wife, who saw their +family means of sustenance consumed. But his lame child, crying out +with joy, leaped across the room to welcome his father. The child was +completely cured. + +Father Vianney's tenderness was once deeply stirred at the sight of a +mother bearing on her back a paralyzed boy of eight years, a cripple +from birth. The cure was apparently turning a deaf ear to the mother's +repeated appeals for the cure of her child, content with giving them a +glance of pity and sympathy and a blessing. Yet, as the result seems +to show, his soul must have spoken some word to the soul of the child, +audible to none other. At night the mother left the church with a +disappointed heart. + +While undressing her little son, in a lodging near by, the boy told +her she must go out early in the morning to buy him a pair of new +shoes. "For," said he, "Father Vianney promised that I would walk +to-morrow." Not a word had been spoken to the child, but his mother did +his bidding, and put the new shoes on him. The miracle, delayed in the +crowded church, was wrought at the moment in the lowly lodging room. +The child, crippled from birth, ran to the church, crying: "I am +cured, I am cured." + +The miraculous power of the cure's sanctity which, during thirty +years, attracted considerable attention, could have been welcomed by +him for one reason alone, that it helped so much in the aim of his +life--the conversion of sinners. That it was the reward not only of +his simple faith but of the heroic and unceasing penance which he +performed in order to secure the salvation of souls, seems implied in +words of his own. + +A friend in the priesthood once said to him, when a much needed sum of +money had come in an astonishing way: "Tell me, Father Vianney, the +way to work miracles." The holy man, with a serious air, replied: "My +friend, there is nothing which disconcerts the devil so much, and +attracts the graces of God, more than fasting and prayerful +watchings." His life, it may be truly said, was one incessant prayer +and vigil. A simple peasant has beautifully said: "It is not +astonishing that he works miracles. He is a servant of God. God obeys +his servants." "They tell us of marvelous things that took place +here," said a pilgrim who but echoed the words of many, "but the grand +miracle of Ars is the life, so penitent and laborious, of the cure." No +miracles showed more clearly his extraordinary gifts and graces than +the power which his spirit possessed over his poor emaciated body; and +no miracle was greater than his absolute control over his physical +state when he seemed on the verge of dissolution, a control that +enabled him to bear the over-powering burden of his incessant labors +for souls, without sinking under the load. A miracle alone can explain +this extraordinary existence. + + + +CHAPTER VI. +THE INTERIOR LIFE OF THE BLESSED CURE. + +IN the preceding chapters we have recounted many things both edifying +and interesting in the external life of the pious cure. But for a +better knowledge of his noble personality we must look into his inner +life. Many readers of these lines have doubtless asked themselves how +the cure, in his unremitting labors for others, could have bestowed +the necessary care upon his own soul. + +Let it be understood that the very moment when the cure seemed to have +any leisure for himself, he was more actively engaged in the business +of his own spiritual welfare. Then were displayed those beautiful +virtues which showed him to be an example of charity and meekness, of +voluntary sacrifice and humility. The very glow from his clear eyes +revealed the genuine piety by which he was animated. To all who +approached him, Father Vianney showed a befitting attention and +respect. Indeed, with increasing years, he was even more affable than +before. + +And yet to what trials was not his patience subjected? Almost daily, +as he passed through the village square, people would crowd about him, +tug at his soutane and ask questions, which were oftimes trivial, if +not foolish. Father Vianney never met importunate persons with so much +as a harsh word or a frown. His unchanging kindness toward all earned +for him in his life-time the title of the "Good Cure." He was ever +considerate of his co-workers, striving to spare them every irksome +duty. In order to show his affection he distributed among them his +personal belongings, including crosses, medals and relics, which he +dearly prized. + +For many years before his death he possessed absolutely nothing. He +had sold his furniture, books, etc., and had given the proceeds to the +poor. The purchasers generally were glad to have him use the articles +for which they had given him the money. + +Lenient as Father Vianney was towards others, he was correspondingly +severe with himself. He was extremely hard upon his own body, which he +referred to as his "corpse." After his superiors had prohibited some +of the rigorous mortifications to which he was accustomed, he devised +other forms of self-denial in respect to his daily food. + +During the last decade of his life he was required, by order of his +superiors, to take, every morning, at least a cup of milk and a roll. +Brother Jerome, who waited upon him, observed that the cure, with his +usual desire to practice penance, first ate the dry bread and then +drank the milk. + +For many years Father Vianney suffered from violent pains which +frequently compelled him to shorten his addresses in the pulpit and +sometimes even caused him to collapse. If, on such occasions, he were +questioned about his illness his only answer was: "Yes, I am suffering +a little." Terrible indeed must have been his torture when we consider +that his emaciated body, racked with pain, was confined for sixteen or +seventeen hours a day, during so many years, in the narrow space of +the confessional. + +In the winter he suffered greatly from the cold. The north-west wind +blowing over the bleak region of the Jura mountains, whistled through +the door of the church, which could not be kept closed owing to the +constant stream of penitents passing in and out. In summer, conditions +were worse, if that were possible, for on account of the location of +his confessional, only the air from the farther side could reach it +and that was heated and stifling because of the many persons who were +gathered there. Frequently, when Father Vianney left the confessional, +he was unable to stand erect, being obliged to support himself by +leaning against the seats or pillars of the church. + +After a day of such work and suffering he was surely entitled to a +full night's rest. But no, he often said that with one hour of sound +sleep he found himself quite refreshed. Even this one hour, however, +was hardly ever allowed him. Like one grievously sick he breathed +painfully as he lay on his miserable couch of straw. A cough +unceasingly racked his body. He arose every night four or five times, +in the hope of getting some relief by walking up and down. When at +last thoroughly exhausted he slept only for a short time. When the +hour for rising had come, this poor, feeble septuagenarian with a +heroic effort tore himself away from the rest which he had hardly +enjoyed and began the work of another day as long and as trying as +that which had gone before. + +To these corporal sufferings was added spiritual anguish of the +bitterest kind. In his own life the cure was a saint, chaste, +magnanimous and faithful, and yet, day after day, he had to listen in +the confessional to an endless recital of sins against those virtues. +Loving God as he did, with his whole soul, he could not but suffer +when listening to the recital of most grievous offences committed +against the Divine Majesty. His heart was torn thereby and not +infrequently his anguish manifested itself in a flood of tears. + +One day while giving instructions in catechism, he cried out: "There +is no one in the world more unhappy than the guardian of souls. How +does he spend his time? In hearing how the good God has been offended +and His love rejected! Like St. Peter the poor priest is ever to be +found in the court of Pilate. The Divine Saviour is always before his +gaze, derided, scorned and reviled. Some sinners are spitting upon His +countenance, others rain blows upon His defenceless head; still others +crown Him with thorns and scourge Him until the blood flows. He is +buffeted about, thrown on the ground and trampled upon. He is +crucified and His heart is transpierced. Alas! had I known what it +meant to be a confessor, instead of going to a seminary I would rather +have fled to a Trappist Monastery." + +It would have been some consolation and encouragement if the poor +cure's humility had allowed him to rejoice at the tremendous success +of his spiritual labors. But no matter what wonderful effects his +ministry produced, he always regarded himself as most incapable of +discharging his priestly duties as they should be performed. With +unaffected sympathy did he speak of his "poor soul," his "poor corpse" +his "poor sins" and his "poor misery," praying that God in His +goodness would bear with them. Without his humility, Father Vianney +undoubtedly would not have become a saint. How otherwise could he have +withstood for years the enthusiastic veneration of the thousands who +were the witnesses of his holy life. + +One day, when Bishop Devie, of Belley, in the ardor of conversation, +gave him the title of the "holy cure," Father Vianney in despair +ejaculated: "Oh, what a misfortune for me! Your reverence even is +deceived in me." He was more than surprised when, in August, in the +year 1855, he was nominated a "Knight of the Legion of Honor." Of +course he never wore the badge nor availed himself in any way of the +distinction. Against the onrush of a multitude of corporal and +spiritual anxieties and cares he sought consolation in prayer. + +It has remained almost completely a secret what supernatural +consolations were vouchsafed to the blessed cure. On that subject he +always preserved a strict silence. He prayed practically throughout +the whole night, for his sufferings, as mentioned above, allowed him +only a few minutes rest at a time. What he recommended to others in +the catechism lessons, he himself constantly practiced. He was wont to +say, for instance: "See now, dear children, should you wake up during +the night, go quickly in spirit before the tabernacle and say to our +Saviour: "Here am I, O Lord, I adore Thee, I praise Thee, I thank +Thee, I love Thee and with the Angels let me keep Thee company."" + +During the day all his spare time was devoted to prayer. In visiting +the sick his thoughts were always with God. But his prayers were of +the most simple kind. He favored simplicity in every action. + +In the church, before the Blessed Sacrament, the pious cure's sense of +the Real Presence was so vivid that a colleague, who noticed his +radiant look, regarded him with astonishment, thinking Father Vianney +with his corporal eyes, beheld some one there. This intuition of the +Divine Presence the pious man referred to, one day, saying: "That is +faith when we speak to God as a fellow man!" + +Despite the ardor of his desire for God's blissful vision, he had to +struggle for many decades in the exile of this life, persevering in +work and prayer. Only when his venerable age and increasing +infirmities disabled him from further laboring in the conversion of +sinners, did our Divine Lord see fit to take this soul to Himself. The +cure was then in his seventy-fourth year. + + +CHAPTER VII. +DEATH AND BEATIFICATION OF THE BLESSED CURE. + +IT was in the summer of 1859, that the venerable cure showed that his +energies were nearly spent. He was then heard repeatedly to exclaim: +"Alas, the sinners will kill the sinner." + +On Friday, July 29th, after having as usual spent from sixteen to +seventeen hours in the confessional, he returned to the rectory +completely exhausted. He sank into a chair saying: "I can do no more." +The priest who saw him, immediately put him to bed. On the following +morning his illness was so pronounced that a fatal termination was +feared. In the village and among the numerous visitors to Ars the +greatest sorrow was felt. For three days the church was crowded with +the faithful, praying that their cure might not be taken from them. + +The cure did not join his prayers to those of his people for he felt +that his last hour was approaching. On Friday evening he received the +last sacraments. He shed tears of love when the Holy Viaticum was +brought to him and as Extreme Unction was being administered. For the +last time he blessed all who were present as well as his whole parish. +On Wednesday morning he smilingly acknowledged the greeting of his +bishop, who had hurried to his bedside. On Thursday, Aug. 4th, at two +o'clock in the morning, while his friend and assistant, the Abbe +Monnin, was saying the prayers for the dying and had just uttered the +words: "May the holy Angels of God come forth to meet him and conduct +him into the city of the Heavenly Jerusalem," the loving soul left his +frail body to be received, as we may devoutly hope, into the presence +of the Divine Master, whom he had served so long and so faithfully. + +The demise of the good cure was immediately made known to the +sorrowing community. On Saturday of that week the interment took +place. Almost six thousand persons, many of whom came from afar, +attended the funeral. Three hundred priests accompanied the remains to +the grave. The bishop of Belley, in his eulogy, selected his text from +the office of the feast of the Saints and Confessors: "Well done, thou +good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of thy Lord." All +present understood the sentiments which prompted the selection of that +particular text and trusted that their hope would not be disappointed. + +Rarely has a process of beatification been set in motion so quickly as +was that of John Baptist Vianney. Hardly forty-five years had elapsed +since the remains of the deceased were laid at rest, under the pulpit +of his parish church, when the Holy See announced its decision +permitting the beatification process to be introduced. + +As early as Oct, 3d, 1874, Pope Pius IX, after examining the various +writings and biographical notices relating to the deceased and +published by reliable contemporaries, conferred on the humble cure the +title "Venerable Servant of God." On June 21st, 1896, Pope Leo XIII, +presiding, the last session of the commission took place, which was to +pronounce upon the saintly merits of the venerable cure. The favorable +conclusion which everyone expected was announced by Cardinal Parocchi. +On Aug. 1st, of that year, Pope Leo XIII, issued a decree reciting the +honors paid to the humble cure of Ars and his own personal admiration +for his exalted virtue. + +Seven years later, in 1903, the same Pope called a session of the +commission to consider the testimony and reports relative to the +miracles which had taken place at the tomb of the departed. This +session, however, was not held, for on the day which had been +appointed the venerable pope lay at the point of death and soon after, +viz., on July 20th, of that year, the Catholic world had to mourn the +passing away of its spiritual head. + +The happy distinction, however, of being able to glorify the humble +country curate had been reserved by God for one who himself had been +formerly a plain country curate. On Aug. 4th, 1903, at the very hour, +when at Ars they were celebrating a solemn High Mass on the +forty-fourth anniversary of the death of John Baptist Vianney, another +solemn ceremony was taking place at Rome, viz., the election of the +former village cure of Salzano, later Cardinal Sarto, patriarch of +Venice, to the Papacy, who chose for himself the title of Pius X. + +As early as Jan. 26th, 1904, the new supreme pontiff presided at that +session of the cardinals over which his illustrious predecessor had +intended to preside. Two cases in particular were presented for +examination. One was a question of the sudden cure of the youthful +Adelaide Joly, and the other, that of little Leo Roussat. The latter, +after a violent attack of epilepsy, in the year 1862, had to be +carried to the grave of the late cure. One of his arms hung crippled +at his side; his power of speech was gone, and his breathing so +difficult that he was unable to retain the saliva in his mouth. After +a short time spent in prayer at the grave of the cure he was removed. +The hand formerly crippled was now able to give alms to the poor and +the boy recovered the use of his limbs and walked about. At the +conclusion of the novena he was able to speak without further trouble. + +In Feb., 1861, the girl Adelaide, owing to a malignant swelling of the +arm, had been given up as incurable by the doctors in the Lyons +hospital. Then one of her relatives who possessed a piece of linen, +which had belonged to the cure of Ars, laid it upon the affected arm. +In prayer they besought the intercession of the venerable servant of +God to obtain relief for the suffering girl. To the astonishment of +the doctors the swelling was suddenly reduced in a few hours and the +arm was restored to its normal condition. + +After the counsel of cardinals had pronounced a favorable opinion in +respect to the miraculous nature of these cures, a papal decree, dated +Feb. 21st, 1904, declared these facts sufficiently established to +justify the beatification of the venerable man. + +The Holy Father himself gave unrestrained expression to the joy which +he felt when he was enabled to admit into the ranks of the blessed one +who, according to his own words, had been for many years a shining +example to him. + + + +LITANY AND PRAYER +IN HONOR OF +Blessed John B. Marie Vianney. +CURE OF ARS. + +(FOR PRIVATE DEVOTION.) + +Lord, have mercy on us. +Christ, have mercy on us. +Lord, have mercy on us. +Christ, hear us. +Christ, graciously hear us. +God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us. +God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us. +God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us. +Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us. +Holy Mary, pray for us. +Blessed John Marie, pray for us. +B. J. M., endowed with grace from thine infancy, pray for us. +B. J. M., model of filial piety, pray for us. +B. J. M., devoted servant of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for +us. +B. J. M., spotless lily of purity, pray for us. +B. J. M., faithful imitator of the sufferings of Christ, pray for us. +B. J. M., abyss of humility, pray for us. +B. J. M., seraphim in prayer, pray for us. +B. J. M., faithful adorer of the Most Blessed Sacrament, pray for us. +B. J. M., ardent lover of holy poverty, pray for us. +B. J. M., tender friend of the poor, pray for us. +B. J. M., penetrated with the fear of God's judgment, pray for us. +B. J. M., fortified by Divine visions, pray for us. +B. J. M., who wast tormented by the evil spirit, pray for us. +B. J. M., perfect model of sacerdotal virtue, pray for us. +B, J. M., firm and prudent pastor, pray for us. +B. J. M., inflamed by zeal, pray for us. +B. J. M., faithful attendant on the sick, pray for us. +B. J. M., indefatigable catechist, pray for us. +B. J. M., who didst preach in words of fire, pray for us. +B. J. M., wise director of souls, pray for us. +B. J. M., specially gifted with the spirit of counsel, pray for us. +B. J. M., enlightened by light from Heaven, pray for us. +B. J. M., formidable to Satan, pray for us. +B. J. M., compassionate with every misery, pray for us. +B. J. M., providence of the orphans, pray for us. +B. J. M., favored with the gift of miracles, pray for us. +B. J. M., who didst reconcile so many sinners with God, pray for us. +B. J. M., who didst confirm so many of the just in the way of virtue, +pray for us. +B. J. M., who didst taste the sweetness of death, pray for us. +B. J. M., who dost now rejoice in the glory of Heaven, pray for us. +B. J. M., helpful to all those who invoke thee, pray for us. +B. J. M., patron of the clergy, pray for us. +Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord. +Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, Hear us, O Lord. +Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us, +O Lord. +Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. +_V._ Pray for us, Blessed John Marie, +_R._ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. + +LET US PRAY. + +Almighty and merciful God, who didst make the Blessed John Marie +admirable in his pastoral zeal and in his constant love of penance, +grant us the grace, we implore Thee, to win for Christ, by his example +and intercession, the souls of our brethren, and to attain with them +everlasting glory.--O, Bl. John Marie, incomparable laborer in the +field confided to thee, obtain for the Church the realization of +Jesus' desire. The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few. Pray +to the Master of the harvest to send faithful laborers into His +vineyard. O, Bl. John Marie! Intercede for the clergy. May thy +patronage, and thy prayer multiply the real vocations to the +priesthood. May the Holy Ghost grant thee emulators; may He give us +Saints! Through Christ, our Lord. Amen. + + + +NOVENA +IN HONOR OF +BLESSED JOHN BAPTIST VIANNEY. + + +FIRST DAY.--FAITH. + +On this first day of the novena we shall consider the faith of this +holy man. A lively faith is necessary in order to please God. We +believe every word which God has spoken by His Holy Church. We must +practise this faith also in works. Faith without works is dead. +Without works it would be only an empty assertion that we believe. In +a firm unflinching faith Blessed Vianney lived and died and became a +saint. + +PRAYER FOR FAITH. + +Pour into my soul, O God, through the intercession of the Blessed +Vianney, pastor of Ars, a deep lively heartfelt faith! That faith will +be my salvation, as it was the salvation of all the saints who are now +in Heaven. Amen. + +[Then is said the Litany to the Blessed Vianney and the prayer. In +these days of frequent Communion, it were well if Holy Communion could +be received at the beginning of the novena and also at the end. Better +still, if it could be received every day during the novena.] + + +SECOND DAY.--CHRISTIAN HOPE. + +Consider the blessings of Christian hope. It is a trust in God, in His +Providence, a lively, filial, trustful submission to the will of God, +knowing that God will ordain things to His greater glory and to our +spiritual benefit. What consolation is found in a Christian hope! How +sweet it is! We cannot be disappointed if we trust in God, Who cannot +deceive. Hope is our spiritual life and the principle of our active +perseverance in it. How dreary is the world without hope! How glorious +life becomes with hope! God puts hope into our hearts. + +PRAYER FOR HOPE. + +Give me, O Lord, that hope which raised the spirit of Blessed Vianney, +that hope which gave him patience in long suffering. He did all with +the hope that Thy glory would be enhanced. Infuse into my heart the +desire to do good work for Thy sake. + +[Here say the litany and prayer to the Blessed Vianney.] + + +THIRD DAY.--THE LOVE OF GOD. + +On the third day we shall consider the love of God. We must love God +above all things, live in love, continue in love unto the end. Love +the Son of God, Jesus Christ, love the Church, the Spouse of our Lord. +The love of God will bring us to Heaven. God will give us everything +if we love Him. It is so reasonable to love God; in fact, man is a +fool if he does not love God. It is our religion, our happiness and +our supreme blessing. It is our very Heaven, here upon earth. The +happiness of Heaven, commenced in this world even imperfectly, will be +continued for all eternity, if we persevere to the end. + +PRAYER FOR THE LOVE OF GOD. + +O my God, I love Thee with my whole heart, and above all things +because Thou, O God, art the Sovereign Good and for Thine own infinite +perfections art most worthy of all love. + +[Litany and prayer to the Blessed Vianney.] + + +FOURTH DAY.--THE LOVE OF OUR NEIGHBOR. + +This day will be given to the consideration of the love which we +should have for our neighbor. Let us impress the love of our neighbor +deeply on our mind. It is so very important. It is second only to the +love of God. You cannot do anything pleasing to God unless you do it +out of a motive for the love of God or for our neighbor. Those have +been the greatest human beings who loved God above all things and +their neighbor as themselves. + +PRAYER TO OBTAIN THE LOVE OF OUR NEIGHBOR. + +My dear Jesus, lover of all mankind, teach me to love my neighbor as +Thou didst love even Thine enemies. Blessed Vianney was Thy faithful +follower in the practice of this virtue. He loved the souls of men. +Let me also imbibe, from a devotion to him, the same love for souls. + +[Litany and prayers to Blessed Vianney.] + + +FIFTH DAY.--HUMILITY. + +The great virtue of our blessed saint was humility. Let us try to +imitate and understand this virtue. We will find some good souls who +never think much of themselves. They want to be always in the +background. They do not want to be considered at all. Nevertheless +they are always doing good. These are precious in the sight of God. + +PRAYER FOR HUMILITY. + +O sweet and humble Jesus, give me also the precious virtue of +humility, which Thou didst give so abundantly to Thy servant Vianney, +so that I also may be pleasing in Thy sight and pleasing before man. +No virtue is so attractive as humility. Thou, O Lord, exaltest the +humble. To be great in Thy sight and approved by Thee is the object of +my desire. + +[Litany and prayers to Blessed Vianney.] + + +SIXTH DAY.--LOVE OF POVERTY. + +Love of poverty is an active sincere love. The lack of possessions, +the desire not to have any, giving to the poor what we have, or what +we do not need, is poverty. Practice self-denial. Save to give to the +poor, to build hospitals, orphan asylums, churches. Have Masses said +for the poor suffering souls in Purgatory. + +PRAYER FOR POVERTY. + +Thou hast said, O Lord, "Blessed is he who understands the poor." Let +me have that knowledge. It is the practical way to show my love for my +neighbor in distress. Let me also, like Thyself, be a good Samaritan, +doing good and relieving want. Not only should I be poor in spirit, +but I must also love to be poor in fact, for the poor are the brethren +of Christ. + +[Litany and prayers to Blessed Vianney.] + + +SEVENTH DAY.--MORTIFICATION. + +This day shall be devoted to the virtue of mortification. Put away the +comforts of eating and drinking, the extravagance of living, personal +luxuries. Live simply and like a poor man. Be simple in dress, but be +well dressed. Be abstemious at your table. Especially guard against +over indulgence in drink. Abstemiousness in drink is a very +commendable virtue. Deny yourself many things that are unnecessary. Do +not yield to all the promptings of the appetite. Be temperate. + +PRAYER TO OBTAIN THE GRACE OF MORTIFICATION. + +Thou hast commanded the mortification of the flesh from the beginning, +O Lord. From the beginning, the desires of the flesh have been the +bane of a good life. When shall Thy grace, O Lord, inspire me with +some degree of that firmness and faithful adherence to Thee. Suffer +not my heart to be overcome by that inconstancy which is so natural to +it, nor allow my life to be a perpetual succession of evil practices +and infidelities. Grant that my heart may be all Thine, at all times +and forever. And that by mortification I may merit eternal happiness. + +[Litany and prayers to Blessed Vianney.] + + +EIGHTH DAY.--PRAYER. + +We must pray all the time. Every act must be a prayer. The spirit of +prayer must be in our whole Christian life. We must pray if we want to +do anything great in the spiritual life. A life without prayer is a +most barren period of time. Prayer is the intimate converse with God. +Our Saint was always intimately united to God in prayer. Blessed +Vianney never ceased praying. + +PRAYER FOR A TRUE SPIRIT OF DEVOTION. + +How sweet, O Lord, to breathe only Thy love and to say to Thee with my +whole heart: My God and my all! Grant that words may enter into my +soul! do then, impress them upon my mind and my heart so that I may +understand and practice them. Let me be devoted to prayer. Make it a +delight to converse with Thee. Let me pray for everything I need and +before every undertaking, so that with prayer every work may begin and +with prayer be happily ended. Thou art my Saviour. May I possess Thee +in prayer here on earth and mayest Thou be my portion for all eternity +in Heaven. + +[Litany and prayers to Blessed Vianney.] + + +NINTH DAY.--DEVOTION TO MARY. + +On the last day of the novena we must try to learn and begin to +cultivate a devotion, which appeals to the heart of every Catholic, +that is, the devotion to the Mother of God. What is a Catholic life +without love to Mary! How dark and dreary is a life without the +spiritual consolation of the Communion of the Saints! In short, have a +great devotion to Mary. Pray to her with confidence like one that has +a right to be heard and a right to address her. Love Mary with the +sincerest affection. Let not a day pass without having said a prayer +to her. Say your beads every day. Wear the scapular in her honor. Go +to Confession and Holy Communion on her feast days. Perform many +little acts of religion from the motive of love to the Blessed Virgin. + +PRAYER TO MARY. + +My dear Saviour, Jesus Christ, Son of the Virgin Mary, grant me the +grace to love Thy mother. This grace is such a distinction, a grace of +salvation, which I must have by all means. Hail holy queen, Mother of +Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor +banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning +and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn thou, most gracious +advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us, and after our exile show +unto us the fruit of thy blessed womb, O most loving, most pious and +sweet virgin Mary. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be +worthy of the promises of Christ. + +[Litany and prayers to Blessed Vianney.] + + +PRAYER TO BLESSED VIANNEY. + +I thank Thee, my God, for the grace of this novena to Thy blessed +servant, Vianney. I beg of Thee, first, that I may learn the singular +virtues of this blessed man--his piety, mortification, poverty, love +of God and our neighbor. Let me become, in this way, a useful member +of the human family. I have, O Lord, prayed to Thy blessed servant +Vianney, that he may pray for me and my intention. (Here mention the +intention.) + +Many graces have been known to have been granted to those who have +prayed with this spirit. Even miracles have been wrought by Thee, O +God, in approval of this devotion. Encouraged by the merits of the +life of the Blessed Vianney, I beg Thee, O Lord, to obtain for me the +grace and favor of this novena, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. + +_Conclusion of the Novena._ + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LIFE OF BLESSED JOHN B. MARIE +VIANNEY, CURé OF ARS*** + + +******* This file should be named 30879.txt or 30879.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/0/8/7/30879 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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