Why is John Vianney called the Curé of Ars?

He was parish priest of Ars-sur-Formans in France, where he spent decades in the confessional and in prayer, converting countless souls.

Saint John Vianney

Feast day: August 4

Curé of Ars, patron of parish priests, model of confession, prayer, and pastoral charity.

John Mary Baptist Vianney was born on May 8, 1786, in Dardilly, near Lyon, France, into a poor but deeply Catholic peasant family.

Despite great difficulty in studies, he was ordained a priest in 1815 and sent as parish priest to the small village of Ars-sur-Formans in 1818.

There he transformed the parish through simple preaching, penitent life, and above all long hours in the confessional, guiding thousands of pilgrims.

He lived in extreme poverty, slept little, and ate sparingly, giving himself entirely to the conversion of souls.

He died on August 4, 1859. He was canonized in 1925 and declared patron of parish priests. His liturgical feast is August 4.

To the Curé of Ars, patron of parish priests, we ask fervor in prayer, confession, and pastoral charity.