My Dear Friends,

This week we celebrate the feast day of St. John Vianney, also known as the Cure of Ars, and the patron saint of parish priests. He lived in Ars, France after the French Revolution in the 1800’s. There were times when St. John Vianney would spend sixteen to eighteen hours every day in the confessional, depending on the need. People came from all over France to confess to him because of his reputation for holiness. When he first arrived in Ars, the church was in shambles and no one came to Mass. He began by cleaning up the church and by offering adoration. Slowly people started to return to the church.