L.A. ARCHDIOCESE KICKS-OFF TOUR OF 150-YEAR-OLD ST. JOHN VIANNEY RELIC
February 20, 2019  |  By:   |  Press Releases  |  

—Faithful to venerate incorrupt heart of the patron of parish priests at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels and other parishes in the Archdiocese through Feb. 25—

The “Heart of a Priest” relic tour of the incorrupt heart of St. John Vianney, the patron of parish priests, will be visiting the Archdiocese of Los Angeles from Feb. 20-25 as part of a national tour sponsored by the Knights of Columbus. The relic, physical heart of St. John Vianney that has resisted decay for more than 150 years, has been made available for the tour by the Shrine of Ars in France.

“This is a beautiful moment for all of us to reflect on God’s love for us,” said Archbishop José H. Gomez. “St. John Vianney used to say: ‘The priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus.’ And that is so true. I pray this will be a time of special grace and renewal for our priests, and a time for all of us to grow in our love for Jesus and his Church.”

The relic will be available for veneration by the faithful at the following parishes: today at St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish in Santa Clarita, St. John Chrysostom Parish and School in Inglewood (Feb. 21), St. Elisabeth Parish in Van Nuys (Feb. 22), Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels (Feb. 24-25), and St. John Vianney Parish in Hacienda Heights (Feb. 25).

The national relic pilgrimage was announced by Knights of Columbus Supreme Knight Carl Anderson this summer. 

“We now welcome as providential this opportunity to invoke the intercession of the patron saint of parish priests, whose holiness and integrity is a singular model for clergy,” said Anderson.

Award-winning opinion journalist Kathryn Jean Lopez reflected on her time in prayer before the incorrupt heart of St. John Vianney in the Archdiocese’s weekly magazine, Angelus, and wrote: “Being around the heart of Vianney has the power of making us like fish in water in the life of prayer. It reminds us that holiness is possible in human life. Holiness is possible and necessary in the laity, in the priesthood, in consecrated life. The vocation of married life is all about sanctity, open to the raising of saints.”

(The full story is available at https://angelusnews.com/voices/kathryn-jean-lopez/st-john-vianneys-relic-reminds-us-true-holiness-is-possible-for-all)

The incorrupt heart of St. John Vianney, popularly known as the Curé of Ars, is a sign of great holiness that holds a message of hope for those who approach it for veneration. Faithful are asked to pray for their most heartfelt needs and intentions, as well as for healing within the heart of the Church and an increase of holy vocations to the priesthood. As the patron of parish priests, St. Jean Vianney can be a source of sanctity in the priesthood and unity within the Church.

For schedule of the relic tour, visit: https://angelusnews.com/news/angelus-staff/heart-of-a-priest-coming-to-la. 

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