Feast Day of Cure D'Ars

We had a busy day in town yesterday -- daughter's orthodontist appointment, then lots of shopping for her college supplies, then an oral surgery follow-up for my daughter, then picking up a few groceries and Aidan's prescription meds. We left the house before 10 am and got back at 6:30! (an hour trip each way). But we got almost everything done, and it was fun shopping with just Clare and Sean. The family Ipod in the car certainly got a workout : ). ... they like to compare favorite oldies.

I didn't get a chance to write something about St Jean Marie de Vianney, but here is a nice detailed article about his life. (Feast of St Jean de Vianney, Cure D'Ars). HT Anne from Australia.

Here's some more about him from Zenit. Benedict XVI declared him the Model Priest.

Here are some of his Little Catechisms. Interestingly, he was not very intellectual and had some trouble actually becoming a priest for this reason. It goes to show that the most needful thing is not intellectual potential.

Oh, we need more like him in our troubled church these days!

I liked this -- I read it yesterday in an old issue of the Magnificat. I often feel like a bit of a liar when I pray the beautiful written prayers of the Church -- I know they express how one OUGHT to think of things, but too often, in my heart of hearts, I am not on that page. So this seems a very nice strategy:

Oh, my God, into what depths does sin lead us! So, you will say, it is of no use saying any more prayers since ours are only insults which we are paying to God. That was not what I wanted you to understand when I told you that your prayers were merely lies. But instead of saying, "My God, I love You," say, "My God, I do not love You, but all I ask is the grace to love You." Instead of saying, "My God, I am very sorry for having offended You," say to Him, "My God, I do not feel any sorrow for my sins, but give me all the sorrow which I ought to have for them." Very far from saying, "My God, I would like to confess my sins," say instead, "My God, I feel myself very much attached to my sins, and it seems to me that I do not want ever to renounce them; give me that horror which I ought to feel for them, so that I may abhor them, detest them, and confess them, so that I may never go back to them! "

O my God, give us, please, that eternal horror of sin, since it is Your enemy, since it was sin that caused Your death, since it robs us of Your friendship, since it separates us from You. O divine Saviour, grant that whenever we come to pray, we shall do so with hearts detached from sin, hearts that love You, and hearts that in speaking to You will speak only the truth! That is the grace, my dear brethren, that I desire for you.