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

"To""""But""HIS POWER OF READING THE HEART. 309our certain knowledge," says M. Monnin,made known tomany that they were making"hefalse confessions. It was a matter of daily occurrence for him totellthose who came to him, at first sight, what was theirattraction, or their vocation, and by what ways God purposed to lead them."An old sinner was sent to him from a distance. Noone in the parish where he lived knew how longit wassince he had been to the Sacraments. M. le Cure besought him, with tears, to return to his duty ; and as hestill resisted, laid his hand on his heart, saying,Thereissomething wrong there. How long is it since youmade your last confession ?Forty years."It Is more than that, my friend ; it is fortyfour."A miserable man, who had signalised himself by highway robberies and every kind of evil deed, having ruinedhis health by his excesses, came to Ars in hope of obtaining a bodily cure. He presented himself to the cure,who at first refused to receive him. He was going awayin a very bad humour, when he bethought him to go intothe church. M. Vianney saw and beckoned to him. Hewent into the sacristy, saying to himself: "M. le Curewants me to make my confession ;but I shall confesswhat I like." When he had finished his pretended confession, M. Vianney, who had listened in silence, said,"Isthis all?"replied the penitent.Yes,"you have not told me that on such a day, insuch a place, you committed such a crime." And hetold the man the history of his own life better than hecould have done himself.