St John Vianney: The Devil vs the Great Confessor

by Fr Ralph de Hahn · Published August 4, 2022 · Updated August 4, 2022

(Left) A woman holds a prayer card to a reliquary containing St John Vianney’s incorrupt heart. Photo: Gregory A Shemitz/CNS. (Right) Fr Tshepo Maseko of Johannesburg with an image of St John Vianney on his stole. Photo: Sheldon Reddiar

South Africa’s national seminary is named after St John Vianney. FR RALPH DE HAHN reflects on the life of the patron saint of priests.

St John Vianney at a glance

Name at birth: Jean-Baptiste Marie Vianney
Born: 8 May 1786 in Dardilly, France
Died: 4 August 1859 (aged 73) in Ars-sur-Formans, France
Beatified: 1905
Canonised: 1925
Feast: 4 August
Attributes: Cassock, surplice, preaching bands, stole, rosary, crucifix, Bible
Patronages: Parish priests, confessors

If you should visit the once obscure village of Ars-sur-Formans, in the archdiocese of Lyons in eastern France, and see the parish of St John Vianney — in normal times with some of the annual million other curious pilgrims — you would find evidence of a vicious attack on the saintly parish priest by the devil himself, one that lasted over 35 years.

Visitors have been astonished to find physical and documented evidence of how Satan persecuted the humble Curé d’Ars (which means simply “parish priest of Ars”). He taunted the priest: “The Grappin and I are almost chums!” “Grappin” was the nickname the wicked taunter used for Vianney, a colloquialism for “collar”.

The attacks weren’t just teasing; they were fierce and unrelenting. The devil threw everything he had at Vianney. Although this holy priest spent 16 hours daily in the confessional, the devil interrupted his short night with wild cries, clashing of pots and pans, harrowing voices, evil singing, the heavy sound of wild horses thundering through his little bedroom — anything to prevent a tired man from renewing his strength over a few hours. The attacks, it is believed, were more ugly and vicious when big sinners were planning to visit Vianney’s confessional. It is said that Satan was heard to cry something like: “If there were three priests like him, my kingdom would be ruined!”

Why, at this time, did the devil carry out this onslaught on an unsophisticated priest in an obscure village parish?

Jean-Marie Vianney was born in Dardilly, near Lyons, on May 8, 1786, of very poor parents. Despite his lack of adequate schooling and his weakness in Latin, he was assisted by a kindly priest, Abbé Balley, and finally ordained a priest on August 12, 1815.

His childhood and youthful years were marked by the events of the French Revolution (1789-99). There was a tremendous upheaval of all society and wild resentment of the aristocracy and monarchy, of the privileged classes, the powerful Catholic Church and clergy.

The iniquity of feudalism was replaced by the “Reign of Terror”, especially in the years 1793-94. From the dust of a devastating famine and mismanagement by King Louis XVI arose a new secular age. France, once a bright light in the Christian world was, overnight, dechristianised. This was followed by the Napoleonic wars (1803-15) and all of Europe was aflame.

Vianney lived through these chaotic years, with all churches being shut down, priests and religious being hunted, imprisoned and even killed. While the once-powerful Church of Europe was being crushed, Vianney was totally dedicated to saving souls for Christ, bringing the joy and hope of the Gospel to the penitent.

Coming to Ars

His first and only appointment as parish priest was to Ars, which he had to find on his own. Getting lost, he made an offer to a companion: “If you can show me the way to Ars, I will show you the way to heaven.” Ars was a tiny village. There were only about 250 parishioners, but because of his extraordinary love, compassion and zeal, thousands would arrive from all over the continent to meet this “Man of God”.

The writer Shaun McAfee tells of an incident which reflects the type of holy confessor Vianney was. It involves a woman who was devastated by her husband’s suicide. “She wanted to approach the great priest but his line often lasted for hours and she could not reach him. She was ready to give up and in a moment of mystical insight that only a great saint can receive, Vianney exclaimed through the crowd: ‘He is saved!’ The woman was incredulous, so the saint repeated, stressing each word: ‘I tell you he is saved. He is in purgatory, and you must pray for him. Between the parapet of the bridge and the water he had time to make an act of contrition.’”

But this Man of God felt terribly unworthy of such attention. And even when a petition was drawn up to expel him from the diocese, he willingly added his own name to the paper and sent it to his bishop. Because of this feeling of utter unworthiness, he found his strength only in devotion to the Holy Eucharist, prayer, fasting and penance, and a deep attachment to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He was often seen to be in silent prayer before the tabernacle. “I just look at Jesus, and Jesus looks at me,” he explained.

In 1827 he cried out to his parishioners: “Ars is no longer Ars!” He meant that there was a transformation; no longer was it the domain of Satan.

There is no doubt that John Vianney was already recognised as a saint in his lifetime. He was able to read the very soul of his penitents and release them from the devil’s grasp. Miracles have been attributed to Vianney, including one that echoes the feeding of the multitudes. But Vianney himself denied that he was a miracle worker: “I do not work miracles! I am only a poor ignorant man who once tended sheep,” he said.

The Curé d’Ars had a strong devotion to St Philomena, whose intercession he credited with saving his life during a severe illness in 1843, and for whom he built a shrine is Ars. “Turn to St Philomena,” he said. “I have never asked for anything through her without receiving it.”

The tomb of St John Vianney in Ars,
France. (Photo: Herwig Reidlinger/GFDL)

A holy death

Weakened by exhaustion, John Vianney fell ill in July, taking to his bed for the last time on July 29, 1859. He died during a thunderstorm at 2:00 on August 4, 1859, having received the last rites from his bishop. He was 73. The bishop presided over his funeral with 300 priests and more than 6000 people in attendance.

He was declared a saint by Pope Pius XI on the feast of Pentecost, May 31, 1925. His feast day is August 4. In 1929, the same pope named St John Vianney the patron of parish priests (that is why our national seminary is dedicated to him).

Vianney leaves a beautiful legacy to our pastors: “The priest is a unique creation. So necessary, so important, ever united to the Crucified One. He has the keys to the Kingdom. What use is a treasure chest full of gold if there is no one who can unlock it? The true meaning of a priest will be understood only in heaven, not on this earth. How unfortunate the priest without an inner life!”

We recall the words of St Paul to the Romans: “O depths of wealth, wisdom and knowledge in God! How unsearchable his judgments, how untraceable his ways, for who can know the mind of God” (11:33).

The fascinating logic of God: he sends the little to dethrone the mighty.

This article was published in the August 2021 issue of The Southern Cross magazine