During the time of the pandemic quarantine, one of the books I read was “The Curé of Ars: Patron Saint of Parish Priest,” which is about Saint John Vianney and written by Father Bartholomew J. O’Brien.
I began to find an interest in the life of Saint John Vianney when I had two opportunities to venerate his actual heart, which is enclosed in a reliquary. This was a campaign sponsored by the Knights of Columbus that would allow the reliquary to travel to many cities across the United States. It was a very unique experience, and I highly recommend doing an internet search for a picture of the major relic.
Reading the story of Saint Jean-Baptiste-Marie Vianney gave me a sense of what the priesthood truly is and what it really means. At baptism, we are not only cleansed of original sin and brought into the new life of Christ, but we also partake in the priesthood of Jesus Christ. The “Catechism of the Catholic Church” explains that when a person is baptized, they “share in the priesthood of Christ in his prophetic and real mission” (1268). By our baptism, we become part of the “common priesthood” (1286) of Christ by giving witness to the faith in all that we do.
But, when a man is ordained a priest, he is ordained in persona Christi Capitis (the person of Christ the Head) so that Christ may act through the priest to give the faithful, his children, the graces we need to attain supernatural life with Him. Priests are merely an instrument!
When the priest uses the first-person term – during absolution and during the consecration at Mass – he is acting in the name of Christ and not of himself. Priests should not only act in persona Christi Capitis during the sacraments, but must act like Christ in all that they do in and outside of the parish grounds.
Saint John Vianney’s example is how the priesthood should be lived out as Christ intended. His lifestyle was very simple and genuine. He literally “put on Christ” in everything that he did. He gave up most everything he owned to people in need. He even gave up his own bed to someone who needed it more, and he ended up sleeping on the floor using a log as his pillow. He used his very own money to start a school for orphan girls. He also used his money to build up his parish church so that the faithful could have a place to give glory to God.
It was through his lifestyle that he was able to convert the people of Ars, hence the name Curè. He had no tactic or outlined plan to convert people – he just lived the example of Christ, which drew people to conversation. He was a very “real” person because he literally gave himself up –all of himself – to Christ! Nothing he did was of himself, but of God.
For Saint John Vianney, it wasn’t so much his words and knowledge that led people to Ars (even though the Holy Spirit did help him with the knowledge to preach). It was through his very own person that lead people to conversion or to come to him for confession. Because of this, he would be in the confessional for 16 straight hours or more.
All sorts of people came to him for confession, including very high bishops. This goes to show that academics are not a priority to become a priest. God used whatever He gave him as a means to bring people to conversion, in and outside of Ars.
Priests aren’t called to be celebrities; they are called to be instruments of God’s love and mercy to all people.
Through Saint John Vianney’s testimony, it makes saying “yes” to God all the more rich and beautiful because God will use whatever talents He gave each and every one of us to do His will as long as we give Christ our all!
Timothy Mulranen is first theology, Saint Joseph’s Seminary, Yonkers, N.Y.
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