Saint John Vianney was born in 1786 and grew up loving the Catholic faith. He strongly believed priests were heroes.  He studied to be a priest, but during the French Revolution, he was drafted to be in Napoleon’s army. 

He was able to escape after being injured with help from a person he met in church who led him into hiding. 

After the war, he was able to return and continued his studies to be a priest.

He eventually became the parish priest in Ars. Realizing right away that many were indifferent to the Catholic Faith. He taught against the sins he saw and spent long hours in the confessional. Many days were between 11-16 hours long. He became known as the Cure’ de’ Ars because of the spiritual transformation he accomplished in Ars and the communities around it. 

He quickly became well known and pilgrims would visit. 

He died around 1869. 

Feast Day: August 4th

Patron of: Parish Priests

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