Feast of St John Vianney, Patron Saint of Priests.

"A PRIEST GOES TO HEAVEN OR A PRIEST GOES TO HELL WITH A THOUSAND PEOPLE BEHIND HIM." (ST JOHN VIANNEY, PATRON SAINT OF PRIESTS).

"Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

"Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ."  (Matthew 16: 13.... 23).

Thursday 4th August 2022 of the 18th Week of Ordinary Time is the feast day of the patron saint of parish priests, the Curé of Ars, St John Vianney (1786 - 1859). French. What do you want from your parish priest?

#1 Celebrate Mass with reverence and devotion.
#2 Always be available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation and be the face of the loving mercy of Jesus Christ.
#3 Assist the poor as best as they can.
#4. Be ready and available to assist you at the moment of death.

St John of Vianney set an excellent example as a parish priest. The Church noticed and made him the Patron Saint of Parish Priests.

St John Vianney said à propos the role of the priests in the mystery of salvation:
"Without the priest, the passion and death of our Lord would be of no avail.... What use would be a house filled with gold, were there no one to open its door?” John opened the door to the merciful love of Jesus to sinners through the Sacrament of Reconciliation where he spent hours upon hours every day.

Our Gospel of today is key to understanding Qahal, Ecclesia, Assembly, Church (all meaning the same thing) that Jesus Christ has built.

Jesus asked His disciples, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered for the 12:
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Was Jesus astonished by Peter's answer?  Jesus said to Peter in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”  (Matthew 16: 13... 23).

Jesus builds His Church on the rock of Peter's Confession. A Church that is defined as:

+ The People of God.
+ The Body of Christ.
+ The Temple of the Holy Spirit.

A Church which manifests these characteristics:

#1. Pillar and Foundation of truth.
#2. Always under attack by the Enemy.
#2a. Victorious and Invincible.
#3. Missionary and Catholic.
#4. Infallibility in doctrine by Peter and his successors.
#5. Hierarchy and sacred priesthood.
#6. The Church of the Eucharist.

Do you love the Church?  Saint Augustine writes, “We, therefore, receive the Holy Spirit if we love the Church, if we are joined together by charity, if we make the Catholic name and faith our joy. Believe it, brethren, to the extent that one loves the Church, to that extent he has the Holy Spirit within him”.

St John of Vianney is a trustworthy servant-priest. Let us pray constantly to the Lord to send numerous priests like St. John Vianney to the harvest.

"Yes, here I was speaking of the Eucharist, the gift of My abiding presence to My Bride, the Church, and this until the end of time. Not one soul who belongs to Me is left friendless in this world so long as the Church continues to do what I commanded on the night before I suffered, in memory of Me. The Most Holy Eucharist is not only My Sacrifice offered to the Father, although in a bloodless manner; it is not only the sustenance of souls, nourishing them with My very Body and Blood; it is also the Sacrament of My divine friendship, the pledge of My burning desire to remain close to all who seek Me, to all who need Me, to all who would spend time in My company." IN SINU JESU page 54).

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