St. John Mary Vianney, Confessor (8 August) ~ Dom Prosper Guéranger

About this sermon

“Ever since the Sun of Justice vanished from men’s view, the heaven of Holy Church has been illumined through the centuries by the shining light of countless saints.” In this reading for August 8, we contemplate the extraordinary life of St. John Mary Vianney, the humble Curé of Ars, whose priesthood transformed an obscure French village into one of the great centers of Catholic pilgrimage. Born into a devout Catholic family in 1786, the young John Vianney displayed an intense love for God from childhood. While tending his family’s animals, he would place his little statue of Our Lady in a tree, kneel upon the grass, and pray. He even gathered other children together and taught them what he had learned from his mother — anticipating the catechetical apostolate of his later priesthood. St. Pius X beatified him in 1905, and Pope Pius XI canonized St. John Mary Vianney on May 31, 1925. 🙏 ST. JOHN MARY VIANNEY, PRAY FOR US Pray for our priests. Pray for holy vocations. Pray for sinners. Pray for fathers and families. St. John Mary Vianney, pray for us and for all priests! 00:00 St. John Mary Vianney — The Liturgical Year 00:19 The Saints as Lights in the Church 00:49 The Little Village of Ars 01:28 Childhood and Christian Family 02:30 Charity to the Poor 02:55 Birth of the Curé of Ars 03:12 A Mother Teaches Her Son the Faith 03:52 Young Vianney the Shepherd 04:26 His Childhood Devotion to Our Lady 05:28 The French Revolution and Persecution 06:42 His Secret First Holy Communion 07:35 “If I Were a Priest, I Could Win Many Souls” 08:37 Beginning His Studies for the Priesthood 09:10 His Great Academic Struggles 10:31 Pilgrimage to St. Francis Regis 10:53 Napoleon and Military Conscription 12:37 The Rosary and the Mysterious Stranger 14:02 Vianney Becomes “Jerome Vincent” 15:36 Amnesty and Return Home 16:30 Seminary and His Struggle With Latin 17:21 Ordination to the Priesthood 17:29 “Oh, How Great Is the Priest!” 18:14 His First Priestly Assignment 19:17 Death of His Beloved Mentor 19:41 Appointment to Ars 22:27 The Spiritual Desolation of Ars 22:42 “You Will Put Some Love Into That Parish” 23:05 The Journey to Ars 24:20 Vianney Begins Transforming His Parish 24:50 Prayer and Extraordinary Penance 26:18 Beautifying the House of God 27:33 Battling Religious Ignorance 28:13 Why Vianney Preached So Loudly 28:46 Fighting the Profanation of Sunday 30:35 His Battle Against Worldly Amusements 31:44 Persecution and Slander Against the Curé 33:19 Vianney Becomes Parish Priest 34:15 Schools and the Providence Orphanage 35:21 The Transformation of Ars 35:53 Love for the Sacred Liturgy 36:49 St. John Vianney’s Devotion to Our Lady 37:51 The Fury of Hell 38:14 Extraordinary Demonic Disturbances 39:21 The Attacks Begin at the Presbytery 40:50 The Devil’s Attacks Intensify 41:05 The Devil Sets Fire to His Bed 43:15 Victory Over the Attacks 43:49 His Great Battle Against Sin 43:56 The Miracle of the Confessional 44:26 Pilgrims Flood Into Ars 46:33 11–12 Hours a Day Hearing Confessions 46:41 The Great Pilgrimage to Ars 48:00 A 20-Hour Working Day 48:42 Miracles of Grace in the Confessional 49:03 His Extraordinary Insight Into Souls 50:20 St. John Vianney’s Prophecy Concerning England 50:49 His Devotion to St. Philomena 51:44 Healing Through St. Philomena 52:25 His Longing for Solitude 53:14 Attempts to Leave Ars 54:21 He Resolves to Die as Curé of Ars 54:36 His Profound Humility 55:50 The Legion of Honor 56:37 Forty-One Years of Priestly Sacrifice 56:59 The End Approaches 57:32 His Final Days in the Confessional 58:12 “How Good God Is!” 58:52 Death of St. John Vianney 59:16 The Triumphant Funeral 59:37 Beatification by St. Pius X 59:54 Canonization by Pope Pius XI 1:00:36 The Souls Shining in Heaven https://sensusfidelium.com/the-liturgical-year-dom-prosper-gueranger/august/august-8-john-mary-vianney-confessor/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 ✝️ SUPPORT THE MISSION 🙏 Donate https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 📬 Free Catholic Newsletter https://sensusfidelium.com/newsletter/ 📰 Read on Substack https://sensusfidelium.substack.com/ ──────────────────── 📺 WATCH & READ 📺 Sensus Fidelium App https://sensusfidelium.tv/ 📚 Sensus Fidelium Press https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ 👕 Official Merchandise https://sensusfidelium.com/merchandise/ ──────────────────── 🤝 PARTNER WITH US 📣 Advertise on Sensus Fidelium https://sensusfidelium.com/advertise-with-sensus-fidelium/ 🎤 Invite Steve Cunningham to Speak https://sensusfidelium.com/speaking/ ⛪ Parish Formation & Consultation https://sensusfidelium.com/for-parishes/ ──────────────────── 🌎 CATHOLIC COMMUNITY ✝️ Trusted Catholic Businesses https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 #StJohnVianney #CureOfArs #TheLiturgicalYear #SaintJohnVianney #DomProsperGueranger #CatholicPriesthood #CatholicPriest #PrayForPriests #CatholicSaints #SaintOfTheDay #CatholicConfession #SacramentOfConfession #StPhil