Saint Jean-Marie Vianney, you were overwhelmed by God’s immense love for each and every one of us.
Amazed by this infinite goodness, you never ceased to be a tireless witness to it: “If only you knew how much God loves you…”.
From day to day, you have remained faithful to this final recommendation you received when leaving for Ars. “Despite the difficulties, tasting this divine love was your deepest joy: “Love God and be loved by God, what happiness!
Saint Curé d’Ars, you know I’d like to serve God better, from whom I’ve already received so much, and to do so I’d like to know him better and love him more.
Yes, help me to love him, despite life’s difficulties, despite my poverty and suffering. May I become ever more aware of God’s love for me, and never hesitate to press on Him.
Yes, for this, help me to grow in faith.
THE FOLLOWING WILL BE RECITED EVERY DAY: Saint Curé d’Ars, I trust in your intercession. Pray and intercede especially for me during this novena for … (designate the favor desired) OUR FATHER, I SALUTE YOU, GLORY TO GOD
We offer a concrete gesture: pray Psalms 1 and 91
Saint Jean-Marie Vianney, despite contradictions, trials and difficulties, you confidently abandoned yourself to Providence and its designs. You have always wanted to do only God’s will, even if its realization sometimes seemed insurmountable or different from your own plans.
You have been the confidant of many intentions, sorrows or prayers, and you have placed them in the hands of God or his saints. Saint Curé d’Ars, you who relied totally on God, obtain for me a deep and filial trust in Divine Providence. May the hope of being with God for eternity fill my heart with courage and peace. May God’s faithfulness invite me, like you, to surrender myself ever more to His will, despite my poverty, trials and difficulties of every kind. May the daily offering of who I am, what I do, my crosses and my joys, give meaning to my life.
Then, as on the first day : Saint Curé d’Ars…
We offer a concrete gesture: giving a holy cross to a friend
Saint Jean-Marie Vianney, what charity and humility you showed towards all those who approached you!
You were so filled with God’s love that it shone through: “I saw God in a man”, a pilgrim once said of you. As for your neighbor, to console, absolve and sanctify him, you sacrificed yourselves to the very limit of your strength.
Charity and humility are two of your finest virtues. Saint Curé d’Ars, may your charity inspire me to a greater love of God, a love that will be expressed in actions towards God and towards each of my brothers. May I love my neighbor with all my heart and always recognize in him the face of the Risen One. Que je découvre, à votre école, la grâce d’un cœur humble et débordant de charité, à l’image de Jésus, mon unique Sauveur.
Then, as on the first day : Saint Curé d’Ars…
We offer a concrete gesture: make a donation to a poor person or a foreigner (refugee).
Saint Jean Marie Vianney, you spent hours before the Blessed Sacrament, praying, entrusting your life and ministry to it, interceding for those entrusted to you. You have been a master and guide to many in this contemplation of the mystery of God’s love.
From childhood, prayer has been your breath, your refuge and your joy. It has nourished and guided your entire life and ministry. Saint Curé d’Ars, through your intercession, may the taste for prayer grow in my heart.
May this desire for heart-to-heart contact with God, this intimate union with my Savior, invade my life. May I draw strength, joy and peace from it, following your example, to move forward each day in my vocation, especially when difficulties or doubts arise.
Then, as on the first day : Saint Curé d’Ars… OUR FATHER, I SALUTE YOU, GLORY TO GOD
We offer a concrete gesture: visit the Blessed Sacrament in a church or oratory.
Saint Jean Marie Vianney, who was intractable towards sin but so welcoming and compassionate towards the sinner, I come to ask you for the grace of conversion and a well-made confession.
You were ready to stay on earth another hundred years “in order to reconcile a soul with God”! You suffered terrible attacks from the devil, and you know how weak human nature is; you overcame your adversary through prayer, offering and penance. Holy Curé d’Ars, tireless confessor, obtain for me the horror of sin, the grace of repentance, and perfect contrition for everything that leads me away from God.
May this be manifested by an attention to everything that can draw me away from the love of God or my brothers, and by a willingness to leave behind every evil habit. With your help, I want to resolve to get out of sin and its spiral, to let myself be forgiven by God, to let myself be immersed in inexhaustible Mercy. May the practice of confession be for me a path of sanctification, conversion and freedom.
Then, as on the first day : Saint Curé d’Ars…OUR FATHER, I SALUTE YOU, GLORY TO GOD
We offer a concrete gesture: confession with repentance.
Saint Jean-Marie Vianney, your great and often only comfort here on earth was the real presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
You were overwhelmed by the simple presence of our Savior in our midst. Your joy was to give the Eucharist to your parishioners and pilgrims, to nourish them with the very Body of God: “you are not worthy, but you need it”.
Holy Curé d’Ars, you who joyfully took Communion every day at Mass, give me a little of your fervor. Obtain for me the sincere desire to enjoy every communion as a visit from the Lord of Glory.
Through your intercession, may I become ever more aware of his presence in the Blessed Sacrament. Then, since the Lord is there, close to me, everything is possible and I can no longer be afraid of anything.
Que l’idée de Sa Saint présence au milieu de nous me donne la joie, la confiance et le désir de toujours mieux le servir,
Then, as on the first day : Saint Curé d’Ars… OUR FATHER, I SALUTE YOU, GLORY TO GOD
We offer a concrete gesture: sharing time with a sick person.
Saint Jean-Marie Vianney, you have always sought to do God’s will with an unfailing love for his Church, and you have perceived, often with fear, the greatness of the priestly vocation and the poverty of those called to it. You are a model for all priests, and every one of them, even today, comes to you for the grace of fidelity and the strength to carry out their mission. In this way, you are heaven’s “big brother” to each and every one of us, showing us the way and accompanying us along the way.
Holy Curé d’Ars, priest of the Lord, may the love of the Church grow in me through your intercession. Like you, may I always be able to discern God’s will in her, with filial trust, so as to serve her better, and thereby serve Christ better.
May my prayer for priests become ever more confident and persevering. I also entrust to you, holy Curé d’Ars, all the curés whose patron saint you are today.
Then, as on the first day: Saint Curé d’Ars… OUR FATHER, I SALUTE YOU, GLORY TO GOD
We’ll offer a concrete gesture: offer yourself for free work in your church/parish community.
Saint Jean-Marie Vianney, you had a tender devotion to the Virgin Mary, whom you called “the gatekeeper to Heaven”. You wanted her to be present above every entrance to your church, as an invitation to entrust oneself to her in order to better join Christ.
You dedicated your parish and all your work to her with filial love and total trust. Holy Curé d’Ars, help me to love and pray to Mary, my Mother.
Like a child, may I entrust myself to her, to her tender protection. Under her watchful eye and protection, to the Lord, her beloved Son. May I pray for purity and joy. Through her intercession, and yours, may I always say YES to God’s will.
Then, as on the first day : Saint Curé d’Ars…
OUR FATHER, HAIL, GLORY TO GOD
We offer a concrete gesture: singing or praying the Rosary.
Saint Jean-Marie Vianney, la première parole que vous avez adressée au petit berger en arrivant à Ars fut : « Tu m’as montré le chemin d’Ars, je le montrerai le chemin du Ciel ». Vous avez voulu faire de tous vos paroissiens des saints, vous avez voulu les conduire vers le Père, vous avez désiré qu’ils prennent conscience de leur si belle vocation : participer à ce que Dieu est pour l’éternité. Saint Curé d’Ars, faites grandir en moi le désir du Ciel. Que le désir de sainteté m’habite, afin d’être toujours plus transparent à l’amour de Dieu. Que le désir de la vie bienheureuse nourrisse mon espérance et soit un témoignage pour ceux qui m’entourent. Que je sache toujours plus m’ouvrir à cette grâce de la sanctification et œuvrer à sa fécondité, en moi et autour de moi. May I resolutely and courageously commit myself to an authentic Christian life.
Then, as on the first day : Saint Curé d’Ars…
NOTRE PÈRE, JE VOUS SALUE, GLOIRE À DIEU
A concrete gesture will be offered: dialogue with a young person “It is neither the long nor the beautiful prayers that the good Lord looks upon, but those that are made from the depths of the heart, with great respect and a true desire to please God.” Saint Jean-Marie Vianney
