British pilgrims flock to St John Vianney relic

(Vatican Radio) “A moment of grace” for the Church in the United Kingdom to pray for parish life and foster vocations to priestly life: these are the aspirations that spurred Bishop Mark Davies of Shrewsbury to organise a pilgrimage of the heart of St. John Vianney to the heart of England.

He told Emer McCarthy that he attributes this initiative to Blessed John Paul II and Pope Benedict who raised up the figure “of this very simple ordinary parish priest for the renewal of the Catholic priesthood and also for the renewal of the true life of our parishes”. Listen:

On its first-ever ever British tour, the relic will be taken to a range of venues over four days including Wythenshawe, Manchester, on July 5, Liverpool and the Wirral on July 6, Cheshire and Shropshire on July 7 and Birmingham on July 8.

Bishop Davies is particularly inviting people to Liverpool’s Cathedral of Christ the King on July 6 for a National Day of Prayer, which will be dedicated to the renewal of parish life and supporting vocations.

“In response to that scene of difficulty and contention, both with the world and voices discordant within the Church the example of the saints appears more and more for us. The saint of priests and parishes has a special importance. He takes us to where he began his mission, in Ars and every day: At the foot of the tabernacle, before the Lord who is truly with us in the Eucharist. It is my great hope that during the days of the pilgrimage we will allow the saints to lead us there”.

The relic will on display in Liverpool between 10am and 4pm, during which there will be a Mass concelebrated by the bishops of Liverpool and Shrewsbury as well as Divine Office, Confessions, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Veneration. It will be accompanied throughout the visit by the Bishop Guy Bagnard, Belley-Ars, France

The relic will also be taken to the Invocations Annual National Vocations Conference at St Mary’s College, Oscott, Birmingham, from July 6-8. Bishop Davies will speak at the event.

St. John Mary Baptist Vianney served as priest for 40 years in the small, rural French town of Ars during the early 19th century. His work and dedication to the people of that infamously immoral town earned him a reputation as a saint while he was still alive. He was formally canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1925 and four years later was proclaimed the main patron saint of parish priests.