Saint Vincent de Paul knew the reality of his time deeply and often warned with an unwavering maxim: “As the shepherds are, so are the people” (Life of the Venerable Servant of God Vincent de Paul, Louis Abelly). The Founder pointed out with immense sorrow that the abandonment of the people was largely due to the lack of preparation of their ministers, stating that “the Church is being ruined in many places because of the poor lives of priests” (Life of Saint Vincent de Paul, Pierre Collet). For him, if missionaries and priests fulfill their duty, all will go well; on the contrary, if they do not, they will be the cause of every disorder.
To understand this very high standard, it is enough to recall a moving episode from the beginning of his own ministry. Saint Vincent’s reverence for the priesthood was so great that, after being ordained, he was so overwhelmed by the greatness and majesty of such a divine act that he did not have the courage to celebrate his first Mass in public. In order to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice with less anxiety and greater recollection, he chose to withdraw to a small rustic chapel dedicated to the Virgin, situated on top of a hill and hidden among the woods (Life of Saint Vincent de Paul, Pierre Collet).
The Holy Curé of Ars is the historical demonstration of this Vincentian conviction regarding the greatness of the priesthood. He arrived in a rural parish with an indifferent flock and, through his perseverance, prayer, and total dedication, radically transformed his community. The change in the souls and customs of the people was so remarkable that a cry of amazement soon began to be heard throughout the surrounding area: “Ars is no longer Ars!” (The Curé of Ars, Francis Trochu).
This capacity for transformation is precisely what Saint Vincent admired and expected from pastoral ministry. Amazed by the effectiveness of a faithful ministry, the Founder exclaimed: “Oh, what a great thing a good Priest is! What can he not do? But what does he not do with the grace of God?” (Life of Saint Vincent de Paul, Pierre Collet).
A good priest instructs and builds up souls with that living and ardent eloquence which the saints know how to draw from the inexhaustible source of the Heart of Jesus, without the need for empty rhetoric (Selected Sermons, Holy Curé of Ars).
Saint Vincent understood so clearly that evangelization would ultimately be fruitless without shepherds capable of keeping it alive that, together with his companions, he realized that the fruits of the missions could not be preserved among the people without also caring for the formation of priests. For this reason, retreats for ordinands and the direction of seminaries became the highest and most important work for the progress of the Church (Life of the Venerable Servant of God Vincent de Paul, Louis Abelly).
Today, the Congregation of the Mission keeps this historic commitment more alive than ever, embracing among its current purposes the following: “We offer ongoing formation to priests to prepare them to face modern challenges and better respond to the spiritual needs of their communities” (Congregation of the Mission Portal).
On this feast of the Holy Curé of Ars, let us pray to God for all priests, missionaries, and seminarians. May the Lord grant us the gift of shepherds truly clothed in the spirit of Christ, so that, guiding their communities with gentleness, charity, and dedication, they may continue to make the Gospel effective among the poorest.
