Day of Recollection for Priests

Wednesday, 18 August 2010 14:44

Concludes Year for Priests in Diocese; honors St. John Vianney BELL CITY – Bishop Glen John Provost and the priests of the Diocese of Lake Charles celebrated the completion of the Year for Priests in Southwest Louisiana and the Diocese’s 30th anniversary with a Day of Recollection on the Feast of St. John Vianney, August 4, here in the parish church named for him.    The saint, the Curé of Ars, had been declared the Universal Patron of Priests by Pope Benedict XVI in June 2009 when the Holy Father initiated the Year for Priests.    The Rev. Whitney Miller, Secretary for the Ministry of Christian Formation for the Diocese, was the director for the large number of priests attending the day, which concluded with the celebration of Mass and a luncheon.    Father Miller gave two talks on St. John Vianney, the first on some of the lesser known aspects of the saint’s life and the second on three elements of John Vianney’s spirituality as a priest that could inspire and encourage modern day priests.    “He was quite a fire and brimstone preacher,” Father Miller said. “Eighty-five of his sermons have survived and can be read, but he also blended in his ready availability and consistent concern.    “St. John Vianney saw as the goal of his preaching that he was entrusted to lead this flock of Ars to the gates of heaven and it was not a gentle ride,” Father Miller continued. “In almost every sermon his preaching returns to one of three themes – death, judgment and hell.”    In the end, though St. John Vianney’s best sermon was his life, Father Miller noted.     “He lived in total and full dedication to the people of God he served. Through his devotion to duty as a parish priest, which included preparing sermons as best he could for his parishioners.”    Continuing Father Miller noted that “as builder and pastoral planner/steward, in addition to being a deeply prayerful man, he also had the vision and plan for many parish buildings,  additions, renovations and programs of improvement.”    Father Miller also pointed out “the anawim aspect” of St. John Vianney’s life.    “Like the ‘little ones’ of sacred scripture St. John Vianney would have identified with these rejected ones because he too experienced this in his life, as a poor student and later as a deserter from the military. He became a priest for all people, the saint and the sinner, the great and the small, the wealthy and the poor, the fallen and the faithful. He was a man totally and fully for others, for all.”    In Father Miller’s second talk he spoke of how St. John Vianney’s spirituality speaks to the contemporary spirituality today of priest in prayer, love and union with God. (EDITOR’S NOTE: ‘Anawim’ is a Hebrew term meaning poor, humble or afflicted.)