Nine Days with the Curé of Ars MAGNIFICAT
The Joy of a Priest, the Joy of a Saint “A good pastor, a pastor after God’s own heart, is the greatest treasure that the Good Lord can grant to a parish, and one of the most precious gifts of divine mercy.” Saint John Vianney In the eyes of society, and perhaps even in our own, the Curé of Ars, John (or, in his native French, JeanMarie) Vianney, was unimportant. So why talk about him? Christians know that if the Church has proclaimed this man “the patron saint of all parish priests in the universe,” then he must be no ordinary figure. By an act of faith, Catholic disciples know that there must indeed be something to discover here. And by accepting this process of discovery, we have already begun to understand the secret of the Curé of Ars. From the beginning of his priestly vocation to our present day, John Vianney has always been met with contradiction, disdain, and indifference. Others before him had experienced this phenomenon, a burial before finally breaking forth into the fullness of light. Others after him have lived through it too: Padre Pio, Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, and Mother Teresa, for example. The heart of spiritual combat is conflict, and the desert. If we take only a broad, superficial look at the life of Saint John Vianney, we will be most struck by his (sensational) battles with demons, his mortifications, his struggles in his studies, the jealousy of some around 2
him, and the objections of the “partiers” of his age, to name a few points. But all these are only consequences or reflections of the deeper interior life of the Curé of Ars. In this novena, we invite you to deepen your relationship with God in nine stages. With Saint John Vianney, let us take the time to rediscover our unique place before the Lord. Leading people to God is the mission of every priest, but it is the specialty of priests’ patron saint, the Curé of Ars! This is a formidable mission. It is also a powerful one, making us grow in mercy and giving us a taste of God in the power of the Resurrection. It is a redemptive mission to “put joy in our hearts” (cf. Ps 4:7-8). Moreover, the word “joy” (in French, bonheur, also meaning “luck” or “good favor”) appears ninety-five times in one short compilation of the thoughts of John Vianney, edited by Father Bernard Nodet1, whose the quotes from this book are taken. How could John Vianney have lived as he did had he not been carried by the joy of living with God, even as he faced so many setbacks, anxieties, and dark nights? In these desolations, the saint in the making was being shaped by Christ, who was letting Jean-Marie journey with him. The Curé of Ars said it himself: “What a joy it is to love you, Lord, and to be loved by you!” Father Rémi Griveaux Pastor and Rector, Sanctuary of Ars 1. Bernard Nodet, Jean-Marie Vianney, Curé d’Ars. Sa pensée, son cœur, 1958, Xavier Mappus ed., Paris. A prayer to the Curé of Ars can be found inside front cover. 3
FIRST DAY The Grace to Marvel at God’s Works In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Hymn For the beauty of the earth, For the glory of the skies, For the love which from our birth Over and around us lies: Lord of all, to you we raise This our hymn of grateful praise. For the beauty of each hour Of the day and of the night, Hill and vale, and tree and flower, Sun and moon, and stars of light: Lord of all, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise. At that very moment he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I give you praise, Father, Lord of 5
heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.” Lk 10:21 Of all the wonders the Lord has worked, the most beautiful is undoubtedly Christ’s Resurrection, not only because of what it represents in itself, but also because through it, the Lord makes us participate in his divine life. Indeed, how marvelous it is to receive the life that comes from God. One even gets the impression that God created man for this very purpose: to give him life without end. Shouldn’t he rejoice? Shouldn’t this unspeakable gift from his Creator bring him happiness? Why, then, does man try to “become like God” (cf. Gn 3:5)? Why is it so difficult for him to offer his Creator the Yes that would fulfill his relationship with God? Perhaps the answer lies in the wound of human pride: man wants to be his own source, his own origin. Oh, if only we could become again like children, totally uninterested in this vain quest—children who receive everything from God and are filled with wonder! Why should we wear ourselves out searching for something that the Lord simply wants to place in the hands of his little ones (Mt 18:6)? Let us listen to the Curé of Ars when he tells us that only God can satisfy our souls. Meditating with the Curé of Ars “Except for his dependence on the sovereign master of heaven, man is another God. He is God’s image and likeness. He is so great, in fact, that 6
nothing on earth can make him content. Only when he turns to God is he happy... Man is not simply an animal meant for work; he is also a spirit created in the image of God. He has more than just material needs and crude appetites; he has the needs of the soul and the appetites of the heart. He does not live on bread alone; he lives on prayers, faith, adoration, and love…. The earth is too small to give the soul what it needs to be satisfied. The soul is hungry for God. God alone can make it full! A Christian created in the image of God, A Christian redeemed by the blood of a God. A Christian: the child of God, the brother of a God, the heir of a God. A Christian, in whom the three Divine Persons delight. A Christian, whose body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.” Psalm 8:2, 4-6 O Lord, our Lord, how awesome is your name through all the earth! I will sing of your majesty above the heavens... When I see your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars that you set in place— What is man that you are mindful of him, and a son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him little less than a god, crowned him with glory and honor. 7
Intercessions Following the example of Christ and of Saint John Vianney, let us pray to God in all circumstances. Praise be to you, O Lord. For creation, which speaks to us of you. For man and woman, created in your image and likeness. For all who care for this image by tending to their brothers and sisters. For families that are open to life. For all the deeds and words of love taking place in the world. For the Holy Spirit, who is working in secret. For all people who have opened themselves to your grace. For the joy of being with you. Personal intentions Prayer to the Curé of Ars (inside front cover) Hail Mary... Our Father... Lord our God, we ask that you might grant us the joy of belonging to you unreservedly, just as you have done for the saints, since to serve you constantly in every good work brings deep and lasting happiness. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 8
A WORD FROM THE POPES [In this homily for the canonization of John Eudes and John Vianney,] we do not need to go on at length about the events of their lives and the examples of their virtues. These are already so well known. Instead, I see in my mind’s eye the gaunt figure of John Vianney, with that shining head of long hair which resembled a snowy crown, and that thin face wasted from long fasting, where the innocence and holiness of the meekest and humblest of souls shone forth so clearly that the mere sight of it called crowds of people back to thoughts of salvation. Could anyone have been so mired in sin that he would resist this priest’s exhortations and tears? And as for his evening instructions, which were usually delivered in an exhausted voice, was there anyone these did not inspire to repentance and to a love that answered Christ’s? There is no doubt that the action of Holy Spirit is on marvelously brilliant display here, for he alone could turn an unlearned, uneducated man into the most expert fisher of men. Pope Pius XI 9
Table of Hymns Page 5: “For the Beauty of the Earth,” Tune: Dix. © Words: Folliott Sandford Pierpoint, 1864, alt. Public domain. Page 11: “Be Thou My Vision, O Lord of My Heart,” Tune: Slane. Versified by Eleanor Hull, 1860–1935, tr. Mary E. Byrne, 1927; Irish, 8th century. Public domain. Page 17: “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling,” Tune: Beecher. Words: Charles Wesley, 1747. Public domain. Page 23: “Jesus, My Lord, My God, My All,” Tune: Jesus, My Lord. Words: Frederick W. Faber (1814–1863). Public domain. Page 29: “Blessed Jesus, at Your Word,” Tune: Liebster Jesu. Words: Tobias Clausnitzer, 1663; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1858. Public domain. Page 35: “There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy,” Tune: Wellesley. Words: Frederick W. Faber, 1862. Public domain. Page 41: “When I survey the wondrous cross,” Isaac Watts, 1707. Public domain. Page 47: “Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest”, Tune: Come, Holy Ghost. [paraphrases the Latin hymn Veni, Creator Spiritus]. Words: Attributed to Rabanus Maurus, 776–856; tr. Edward Caswall, 1849; Latin, 10th cent.; Paris Breviary. Public domain. Page 53: “Hail, Holy Queen Enthroned Above,” Tune: Salve Regina Coelitum. Words: Contractus Hermannus, 1013–1054, Latin, c. 1080; tr. Roman Hymnal, 1884. Public domain. Texts from the Popes Page 9: Pius XI, Homily for the Canonization of Saints John Eudes and John Vianney, May 31, 1925. Page 15: Saint John XXIII, Encyclical Letter Sacerdotii nostrii primordia, August 1, 1959. Page 21: Benedict XVI, Letter Proclaiming a Year for Priests, June 16, 2009. Page 27: Benedict XVI, Homily for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, June 11, 2009. Page 33: Saint John XXIII, Encyclical Letter Sacerdotii nostrii primordia, August 1, 1959. Page 39: Saint John Paul II, Letter to priests for Holy Thursday, March 16, 1986. Page 45: Saint John XXIII, Encyclical Letter Sacerdotii nostrii primordia, August 1, 1959. Page 51: Saint John Paul II, Letter to priests for Holy Thursday, March 16, 1986. Page 57: Saint John XXIII, Encyclical Letter Sacerdotii nostrii primordia, August 1, 1959. Excerpts from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner. Image Credits Cover: Saint John Vianney and the crowd (detail), Paul Borel (1828–1913), SanctuaryShrine of Ars, Ars-sur-Formans, France. © Sanctuaire d’Ars. Page 4: Saint John Vianney, stained glass (1930), Church of Saint-Maurice, Marcellaz, France. © Christelle Glémet / akg-images. Page 10: Saint John Vianney, sculpture (1867), Émilien Cabuchet (1819–1902), SanctuaryShrine of Ars, Ars-sur-Formans, France. © Fr Lawrence Lew o.p.. Page 16: Saint John Vianney and the crowd, Paul Borel (1828–1913), Sanctuary-Shrine of Ars, Ars-sur-Formans, France. © Sanctuaire d’Ars. Page 22: Saint John Vianney, sculpture, Church of Saint-Jacques-le-Majeur and SaintChristophe, Houdan, France. © akg-images / Catherine Bibollet. Page 28: Saying grace, Fritz von Uhde (1848–1911), Nationalgalerie, Berlin. © akg-images. Page 34: The confession of men, Paul Borel (1828–1913), Sanctuary-Shrine of Ars, Ars-surFormans, France. © Sanctuaire d’Ars. Page 40: Christ in the Garden of Olives, Francisco de Goya (1746–1828), Louvre Museum, Paris. © akg-images / Erich Lessing. 63
With other books in this series, spend nine days in prayer as you get to know Saint Michael, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, and Saint Joseph. Generous bulk rates as low as $1.99 help you share these inspirational companions with friends, families, and parishioners! For more information and to order: www.magnificat.com/bookstore Page 46: Saint John Vianney and the little shepherd, Sanctuary-Shrine of Ars, Ars-surFormans, France. © Fred de Noyelle / Godong / akg-images. Page 52: Virgin with Child, Sanctuary-Shrine of Ars, Ars-sur-Formans, France. © akg-images / Godong. Acknowledgments Excerpts from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc. (CCD), Washington, DC. Exceprts from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 CCD. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner. Founding Publisher: Pierre-Marie Dumont Executive Publisher: Romain Lizé Editor-in-Chief: Rev. Sebastian White, o.p. Managing Editor (MagniFicat France): Gabrielle Charaudeau Text: Father Rémi Griveaux and Benedictine Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre Cover Graphic Design: Solange Bosdevesy Interior Graphic Design: Patrick Leleux PAO Iconography: Isabelle Mascaras Editorial coordinator’s assistant: Lou Trullard Proofreader: Samuel Wigutow Translator: Thomas Jacobi Permissions: Diaga Seck-Rauch Production: Thierry Dubus and Morgane Lajeunesse Copyright © 2025 by MagniFicat Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in March 2025 in France, by Chirat, 744 route de Sainte-Colombe 42540 Saint-Just-la Pendue. N° edition: 25L0602 ISBN: 978-1-63967-150-2 No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For more information, write to Magnificat, PO Box 834, Yonkers, NY 10702. www.magnificat.com
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