A Penitent Blogger
Simply a priest
John wanted to be a priest.
From the first, he had more than a few challenges to overcome: he came from a family of poor, uneducated farmers. He was sent to a special school run by a priest at a parish not far away. Because of the inadequacies of his prior schooling, John started out far behind the others and he struggled mightily. Despite help from one of his schoolmates and the good wishes of Father Balley, some of the academic requirements seemed beyond John’s capability.
Then John was drafted and neither his father nor the Church could get John out of it. The morning he was to ship out with his regiment, we went to the chapel one last time to pray. When he came back, they were already gone. Another young man said he would help him, but brought him instead to a town where the mayor was harboring draft dodgers. When John was finally able to communicate with his family, his younger brother volunteered to serve in John’s place and John was able to return to his studies.
John eventually went to the seminary where he continued to struggle with his studies. He was allowed to take different philosophy classes from the other seminarians, consistent with his special needs, but flunked his first entrance examination for the major seminary. Father Balley interceded with the examiners and John was able to pass on his second try.
Eventually, at the age of 29, John was ordained a diocesan priest. He was sent to be the assistant pastor for his old mentor Father Balley. Three years later, however, Father Balley died. Not sure where else to put him, the bishop assigned John to be the priest at a very small parish in the boondocks.
John was happy just to be a priest. He said Mass, heard confessions, taught catechism, cared for orphans, and that was about it.
But there would be more. Although he had struggled with his academics, John proved to be extraordinarily gifted as a teacher and most especially as a confessor. The Holy Spirit worked mightily in him and news soon spread of an amazing priest in a tiny village. By the end of his life, as many as twenty thousand people were coming to him every year and he was spending as much as 18 hours a day in the confessional.
St. John Vianney at the age of 64 in 1859. He is the patron saint of diocesan priests.
From the first, he had more than a few challenges to overcome: he came from a family of poor, uneducated farmers. He was sent to a special school run by a priest at a parish not far away. Because of the inadequacies of his prior schooling, John started out far behind the others and he struggled mightily. Despite help from one of his schoolmates and the good wishes of Father Balley, some of the academic requirements seemed beyond John’s capability.
Then John was drafted and neither his father nor the Church could get John out of it. The morning he was to ship out with his regiment, we went to the chapel one last time to pray. When he came back, they were already gone. Another young man said he would help him, but brought him instead to a town where the mayor was harboring draft dodgers. When John was finally able to communicate with his family, his younger brother volunteered to serve in John’s place and John was able to return to his studies.
John eventually went to the seminary where he continued to struggle with his studies. He was allowed to take different philosophy classes from the other seminarians, consistent with his special needs, but flunked his first entrance examination for the major seminary. Father Balley interceded with the examiners and John was able to pass on his second try.
Eventually, at the age of 29, John was ordained a diocesan priest. He was sent to be the assistant pastor for his old mentor Father Balley. Three years later, however, Father Balley died. Not sure where else to put him, the bishop assigned John to be the priest at a very small parish in the boondocks.
John was happy just to be a priest. He said Mass, heard confessions, taught catechism, cared for orphans, and that was about it.
But there would be more. Although he had struggled with his academics, John proved to be extraordinarily gifted as a teacher and most especially as a confessor. The Holy Spirit worked mightily in him and news soon spread of an amazing priest in a tiny village. By the end of his life, as many as twenty thousand people were coming to him every year and he was spending as much as 18 hours a day in the confessional.
St. John Vianney at the age of 64 in 1859. He is the patron saint of diocesan priests.
posted by Penitens | 10:13 AM
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