The famous “Cure d’Ars” was born at Dardilly near Lyons in France in 1786 to Matthieu Vianney and Marie Beluze. He was ordained a priest after the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars, and spent his life as a pastor in an obscure village (Ars) in Central France, converting sinners and guiding souls to God. His reputed sanctity drew crowds of people from all parts to seek help and spiritual comfort from him. He died in 1859, was beatified by Pope Saint Pius X in 1905 and was canonised by Pope Pius XI in 1925.
Almighty and merciful God, by whose working blessed Jean-Baptiste Marie became a marvel of pastoral solicitude and constant ardour in prayer and penitence, grant, we beseech you, that we, after his example, and through his intercession, may be enabled to win to Christ the souls of our brethren and with them attain to everlasting glory. Through the same ...
