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

""""The"120 THE CURE OF ARS.Yes, my good friend I am indeed the ;poorCure* of4rs."This is a little too much," said the priest;"I hadexpected to see something dignified and striking. Thislittle cure has no presence or dignity, and eats in thestreet like a beggar.It is a mystery altogether."The words were repeated to M.Viauney, who delightedto tell the story.poor good gentleman," said he,was fairly caught; he came to Ars to see something,nad found nothing."A second interview, however, brought this contemptuous visitor under the power of the singular fascinationwhich the little cure exercised over all who came withinits sphere. He made a good retreat under his direction,and no longer wondered what men came out into the wilderness to see.The dress of M. Vianney corresponded with his fare.Though a great lover of order and cleanliness, he neverallowed himself more than one cassock at a time. It waswashed and mended till it would no longer hold together,and not till then would he consent to replace it by a newone.It was the same with his hat, which was worn tillit was perfectly shapeless ; and with his shoes, which werenever approached by brush or blacking. Thus arrayed,he would present himself at the ecclesiastical conferencesor other meetings of the clergy, which he made a point ofattending, meeting all the raillery of his brethren by theinvariable reply,"It is quite good enough for the Cureof Ars. Who do you think would take scandal at it ?When you have said, It id the Cure of Ars, you have saidall there isSaint 5to say."*Thus was it," says M. Monniu,thathe became aby sparing Jiimself in nothing, little or great; by