Do not try to please everybody, try to please God, the angels, and the saints.

On August 4, the Church celebrates the feast day of St. John Vianney, patron of priests. John Vianney, also known as the Holy Curé de Ars. Vianney was born May 8, 1786 in Dardilly, near Lyon, France. He was ordained a priest in 1815 and became curate in Ecully. In 1818, he became priest of the small village of Ars, which he made into a model parish. He was known for his devotion to the Virgin Mary and to St. Philomena and was dedicated to the sacrament of reconciliation for his parishioners. By 1827, Ars had become a pilgrimage site and every year from 1845 until Vianney’s death – approximately 20,000 people visited Ars to see Vianney and make their confession to him. Vianney spent as many as 12 to 15 hours a day in hearing confessions. He was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1925.