New book on St. John Vianney to distill his ‘wisdom and grace’

San Francisco, Calif., Jan 28, 2010 / 00:05 am

A priest and author examines the famed St. John Vianney as a model parish priest in his new book on the Curé d’Ars, released by Ignatius Press during this Year for Priests.

“The Grace of Ars,” by Fr. Frederick Miller of the Archdiocese of Newark, is described by Ignatius Press as a “distillation of wisdom and grace” passed on to priests by St. John Vianney.

The publisher added that laymen too will find inspiration to love the priesthood in the book.

“Through his holy example the Curé of Ars will help all understand that the priesthood is the love of the Heart of Jesus.”

Fr. Miller, chairman of the Department of Systematic Theology at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Maryland, has led many groups of priests and seminarians on pilgrimage to Ars, France. There he leads retreats on the life and ministry of the sainted cleric.

The book is based on Fr. Miller’s experiences at Ars and his observations of the impact St. John Vianney has had on retreatants. With eight pages of colored illustrations, Ignatius Press says it will take readers on a “pilgrimage” to the place where St. John Vianney worked “so long and so heroically for the good of souls and the love of God, often in direct battle with Satan.”

With the book, the reader can make a “retreat” with the saint and can ponder what he has to say to the priests of the twenty-first century and to those who seek to be faithful to their promises to God and desire to build up the Church of Christ.