Have you ever met someone who made you think differently about faith? I met someone like that in a small town called Ars sur Formans.

Ars is about 19 miles north of Lyon, France. It’s a simple town, best known for one thing: the remains of Jean Baptiste Marie Vianney, its parish priest. When I first arrived, I saw his statue and was moved by what it showed. The scene is Jean Baptiste speaking with a young boy who asks for directions to Ars. In gratitude for the boy’s assistance, the Curé d’Ars promises to show him the way to heaven.

The Curé d’Ars showed real perseverance. He lived at the end of the French Revolution, a time when the Church was changing, and many people lost interest in faith. Still, he stayed committed.

Vianney’s greatest wish was to become a priest. He had a hard time in seminary because he struggled with Latin and theology. But through perseverance and God’s grace, he was ordained.

Vianney set an example through fasting and prayer. He did these things out of love for his town, hoping more people would come to Christ even as the world grew indifferent. He spent many hours in the confessional, sharing God’s mercy. People from outside Ars came for his spiritual advice. He kept his fasting and struggles private, offering them with joy for his people’s good.

To remember my special week in Ars, I keep a small statue of this humble priest in my home office. I bought it at his parish gift shop.

I also have a prayer card with a prayer said to be his, tucked in my breviary. I pray it often.

Perseverance and God’s grace made him holy. He wasn’t a scholar, but he loved Jesus deeply, and many people felt that love. If we stay rooted in Jesus’ love, we can help lead others to him too.

Today, think of the priest who baptized you, who gave you your first communion, and all the priests who helped light the fire of Christ in your heart. May John Vianney support them in their ministry and guide them to eternal life.