St. John Vianney relics arrive this week in Ireland
(April 20, 2010) The bishops of Ireland are inviting Catholics to participate
in the World Day of Prayer for Vocations on Sunday April 25. The relics of St. John
Vianney are scheduled to arrive in the country that day. The relics of St. John Vianney,
patron of parish priests, and the model proposed by Pope Benedict XVI, when he declared
this special year to celebrate the priesthood, will be in Ireland until April 29.
A communiqué from the bishops' conference underlined the theme of this year's
Vocation Sunday, "Witness Awakens Vocations," chosen by Pope Benedict in keeping
with this Year for Priests. It quoted the Pope's message for Sunday's event: "May
this World Day of Vocations, once again offer many young people a precious opportunity
to reflect on their own vocation, and to be faithful to it in simplicity, trust and
complete openness. The Pope’s message concluded with a prayer saying "May the
Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, watch over each tiny seed of a vocation in the
hearts of those, whom the Lord calls to follow him more closely. May she help it to
grow into a mature tree, bearing much good fruit for the Church and for all humanity."