In the spirit of St. Alphonsus

By: Rev. John Hamrogue, C.Ss.R.

In proclaiming the Year for Priests, Pope Benedict XVI proposed St. John Vianney, Curé of Ars, as model and inspiration. He was born on May 8, 1786. Soon after that, on August 1, 1787, St. Alphonsus Liguori died.

Some have felt that the spirit of St. Alphonsus passed into St. John Vianney. For they shared these passions: a personal love for Jesus, especially in his Passion and in the Eucharist; a dedication to preaching and catechizing; a dedication to the Sacrament of Reconciliation; a dedication to prayer and penance; a love for the Mother of God.

Remarkably, it turns out that St. Alphonsus, long after his death, mentored St. John Vianney in his famous role of priest confessor. Maybe you can enter into what this meant to the Curé and to his penitents.

Imagine that you nervously and confusedly enter the reconciliation room at your parish. The young priest listens attentively. You are grateful for that. But then, sincerely and gently, he tells you that he cannot now forgive your sins, because it is not clear to him that you really are repenting of them! So, please come back in a week!

Now imagine that you are the earnest young priest. You spend your week of waiting with your own tortures and worries for your soul: Was I too hard on that penitent? If I absolved that person, would God have condemned my soul?

For the first 14 years of his long service as pastor of the church of Ars in France, this was St. John Vianney’s — and his penitents’ — problem. Then his bishop recommended to him the gentle and merciful teaching of St. Alphonsus Liguori, and as they say, the rest is history. The confessor spirit of St. Alphonsus entered him, and he lit up his parish, and beyond, with God’s love and mercy.

Well, how do you prepare sincerely for confessing your sins? There are examinations of conscience available. But before all else, reflect that this is between Jesus and you. Let your starting prayer be this prayer of St. Augustine: "Lord Jesus, that I may know myself; that I may know you."

To pray like this is to enter the loving presence of Jesus, and to enter into the spirit of St. Alphonsus Liguori and St. John Vianney. Their love and experience of Jesus was passionate and personal. Your experience will be too, sooner or later.