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

""""THE CURri OF ARS.years of widowhood and humiliation, none ever laid afirmer or a gentler hand upon the ruins of the sanctuary,or the souls committed to him. Such was Mgr. Devie,the last man in the world to be carried away by false reports, or evil surmises. He no sooner beheld M. Vianneythan he loved him ;he loved his simplicity, his mortification, and his poverty. He warmly took his part on alloccasions."I wish you, gentlemen," said he once, at anumerous meeting of the clergy, in a tone which shutthe mouths of the scoffers,I wish you a littleof thatfolly at which you laugh ; it would do no injury to yourwisdom."To satisfy himself as to the prudence and discretion ofthe holy cure, the Bishop sent his vicars-generalto Ars,to see him at work, and question him as to his mode ofproceeding in the guidance of souls. Without a thoughtof justifying his conduct, he explained everything withthe greatest candour and simplicity ;concluding with auearnest petition to be relieved from a burden far too heavyfor his feeble powers.he,to "weep over my poor sins."I want to go into a corner," saidSome time afterwards, Mgr. Devie recommended himto submit to the counsel of the diocese any difficult caseswhich might occur in the course of his ministry. Outof more than 200 cases which he sent us,"said thislearned prelate, there were only two on which I shouldhave formed a different judgment. His decisions wereinvariably correct, and his practice irreproachable."The hearty approbation and admiration expressed bythe holy Bishop for M. Vianney bears the greater weightfrom the fact that, as M. Monnin tellsus,"by a particulardispensation of Divine Providence, he never did anythingto encourage the works of his zeal ; but, on the contrary,