Life of St John Vianney.pdf - the Catholic Kingdom!

"My"""114 THE CURri OF ARS.In fac:, ha always went to the very limit of hispowers.good cure," said Mdlle. d Ars, do take alittle more care of yourself, if you would not give mecontinual distractions. When I hear yourecite theRosary in that feeble worn-out tone, I find myself saying, instead of Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray forus, My God, have pity on him, and give him grace togo on to the end.Sometimes the good lady got fairly angry with him,and threatened to complain of him to the Archbishop ;and, indeed, M. Courbon, the Vicar-General, who lookedupon him as in some sort a child of his own, remonstrated with him, though without effect.The only occasions on which M. Vianney relaxed, inany degree, the habitual austerity of his life, were whenhe was called upon to exercise hospitality to a brotherpriest. On these rare occasions, he would send to Mdlle.d Ars ; or, if there was not time to reach the castle, Mdlle.Pignaut, or Claudine Renard, would provide a dinner,simple indeed, but very different from his ordinary fare,which he would make a show of sharing with his guests,while, in the words of one who enjoyed his hospitality onone of theseoccasions,he ceased not to discourse ofheavenly things, like a man absorbed in God." It is aninstance of what has been before observed, of the strengthand tenderness of his home affections, that he showed thesame consideration for any of his relatives who came tosee him. When his nephew and niece from Dardilly paidhim a visit, some little addition was always made. Hesat down to dinner with them, whereas he always tookhis solitary meals standing ; carved for them, and courteously d^ -01 the honours of the table, encouraging