St. John Vianney Embraced Ars. What About Yours, Dear Father?

The Catholic Priest: A Witness at Every Turning Point

A Catholic priest stands at the most sacred moments of our lives. He baptizes us into the Church, prepares us for our First Communion, witnesses our marriage vows, hears our confessions, anoints us in sickness, and commends us to God at death. From the altar to the hospital bed, from the confessional to the funeral, the priest walks with us—not just as a teacher, but as a spiritual father. His life is not his own; it is given for the sake of others, to bring Christ into every season of our journey. His presence shapes lives, and his faithfulness can lead generations home to God.

“The priest is not for himself. He is for you.”
– St. John Vianney

A Feast That Demands More Than Celebration

Today, as the Church remembers St. John Mary Vianney, the humble Curé of Ars, patron of all parish priests, this feast is more than a celebration. It is an invitation to reflect, to pause, and to ask the questions we often avoid.

We live in an age of efficiency, metrics, and expansion. Parishes boast infrastructure, institutions, and rankings. Yet, beneath the grandeur, one must ask: where are the shepherds?

Are our priests becoming administrators of systems instead of guardians of souls?

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” says the Lord.
– Jeremiah 23:1

A Priest Is Not Measured by What He Builds, But by Whom He Carries

St. John Vianney didn’t run institutions. He carried souls. He wept for them. He waited in the confessional for up to 16 hours a day. He fasted for their conversion. He walked with them in their pain. And somehow, a forgotten village called Ars became a place of healing for all of France.

“The priesthood is the love of the Heart of Jesus.”
– St. John Vianney

“He must teach not only by word but by example.”
– Pope St. John Paul II

Today, we find ourselves with pastors fluent in policies, distant from the penitent. Priests known more for building projects than broken hearts healed. This is not to deny the need for education or leadership, but to call for alignment with what the priesthood truly is: a sacrificial, pastoral, and Christ-like mission.

Today, many priests are well-trained, well-travelled, and well-positioned. But are we still known for prayer? For the Word? For tears shed in secret for a lost sheep? Or are we known for running a system?

“Feed my lambs… tend my sheep… feed my sheep.”
– John 21:15-17

Your Office Is the Altar, Not the Admin Block

A priest’s day must still be anchored in the altar, not in boardrooms. The confessional, not the conference hall. The hospital bed, not the honorary chair.

A priest’s greatest power is not in policy, but in prayer; not in authority, but in sacrificial love; not in being available to everyone, but in being available to God and to the purpose for which He has called him.

“I do not belong to myself; I belong to my parish.”
– St. John Vianney

Yes, you have responsibilities. But the greatest duty remains the one you accepted on the day you were ordained: to bring Christ to His people and His people to Christ.

Not through circulars and systems. But through presence. Through personal witness. Through pastoral love.

The People Are Still Waiting for Their Shepherds

This is not criticism for its own sake. It is not spoken out of anger, but out of sorrow. It is the quiet cry of the faithful, longing for their shepherds who now feel distant. We are losing our shepherds.

We long for fathers who know our names. Fathers who preach from the pulpit with fire, who intercede with tears, and bless with hands worn by prayer. We long for shepherds who still speak the hard truth with compassion, who break bread and not just balance budgets; who are not afraid to weep with their people or wrestle with God on their behalf.

“Let us not forget: the people of God are looking to us for shepherds.”
– Pope Francis

“Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock… to shepherd the Church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”
– Acts 20:28

The Fire of Your First Yes Can Burn Again

Do you still remember that day? That trembling moment you lay prostrate before the altar and gave your life to Christ and His Church?

Does that man still live in you?

Or have titles and timetables dulled the fire of your first love?

“If a priest is determined not to lose his soul, so many people will be saved!”
– St. John Vianney

You were not called to be a manager. You were called to be a martyr. To break with Christ. To pour out. To disappear so that He may appear.

We Need Saints, Not Supervisors

The Church has enough people to run meetings and manage buildings. What we truly need are priests who pray deeply, care sincerely, and stay close to the people. We need fathers who speak the truth with love, even when it’s challenging. Priests who prefer the silence of the chapel over the spotlight and who choose to serve the unseen and the forgotten-without needing praise.

We don’t need more institutions. We need intercessors.
We don’t need polished speeches. We need prophetic voices.
We don’t need directors. We need holy fathers.

“The world looks for teachers, but what it really needs is witnesses.”
– Pope Paul VI

Smell Like Your Sheep

Return to the tabernacle. Kneel beside the dying. Visit the homes no one else visits. Speak to the ones who no longer come to Mass. Preach like souls depend on it. Because they do. You are called to Smell like your sheep.

“A priest goes to Heaven or a priest goes to hell with a thousand people behind.”
– St. John Vianney

Let the Altar Be Your Compass Again

You were not ordained to manage, but to offer your life as a living sacrifice.
Not to impress the world, but to love as Christ loved.
Not to chase success, but to remain faithful to your vocation.
Not to build kingdoms on earth, but to serve the poor, the broken, and the forgotten - where Christ Himself is found.

You are called to be alter Christus - to live like Christ, to die like Christ, and to rise with Him.

“Let your light shine before others, so they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
– Matthew 5:16

And if you feel you’ve drifted, even just a little, this is not the end. It is the beginning. Come back. Confess. Weep. Pray. Begin again. The Church needs saints - not supervisors.

“Sanctify yourself and you will sanctify society.”
– St. Francis of Assisi

“The priest will only understand himself in Heaven.”
– St. John Vianney

On this Feast Day, Dear Fathers,

Do not forget your anointing.
Do not forget your mission.
Do not forget your people.
We need you - not as executives,
but as Christ among us.

BibleOn: A Shepherd’s Tool for Guiding Souls Daily

On this feast of St. John Vianney, consider how you can use every tool entrusted to you for the sake of souls. With BibleOn App, priests can guide their people into the Word daily, not just from the pulpit but from the palm of their hand. Through features like daily reading plans, situational verses, and multi-language audio Bibles, BibleOn helps nurture a habit of Scripture in the faithful - something every shepherd desires for his flock.

BibleOn is a Catholic Bible App that lets you read and listen to the Holy Bible in over 40+ languages, even offline. It offers audio Bible, daily verse, reading plans, and situational Bible verses to guide you through every season of life. Simple, prayerful, and perfect for daily reflection - wherever you are.

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