Image via Joan Sutter / Shutterstock.
On Morning Air, John Morales sits down with Fr. Burke Masters (aka the “Baseball Priest” ⚾️) to talk about St. John Vianney, the patron saint of parish priests.
😇 Who Was He?
St. John Vianney was a simple 19th-century French priest who:
-Struggled academically
-Was literally rejected by multiple seminaries
-Got sent to a tiny village (Ars, France) with more taverns than churches
-Became a global confessor, hearing 16 hours of confessions a day
Yes, 16. He basically lived in the confessional.
🔥 What Made Him a Saint?
Fr. Burke highlights a few facts:
Sacrificial Living: He slept on the floor, ate one potato a day, and he poured himself into prayer.
Village Transformer: People in Ars ditched the bars and started showing up at church, daily.
Walking Billboard for Holiness: He walked through town praying for people. And they felt it.
Midday Bells: Every noon, they’d ring the church bell, and everyone would stop working to come hear his teaching.
🛐 Confession
This is where St. John Vianney shined. He had this supernatural ability to read souls (like Padre Pio, and people traveled from all over the world just to confess to him.
Fr. Burke shares one powerful story 💔:
A woman whose husband had died by suicide came to see him. Without knowing her, St. John Vianney approached and said, “Your husband is with God. He asked for mercy on the way down.”
How He Inspires Priests (And Us)
Fr. Burke admits he’s never pulled a 16-hour shift in the confessional, but he loves this sacrament. And whenever he feels selfish or tired as a priest, he thinks of St. John Vianney who wanted to retire quietly as a monk… but God kept calling him back to the day-to-day work of parish life. He said yes, every time.
🧳 Bucket List, Anyone?
450,000+ pilgrims still flock to Ars every year. Fr. Burke hasn’t been yet, but he says it’s on his list… right next to Lourdes and JP2’s hometown in Poland.
💥 Takeaway for You (Yes, You!)
-Holiness is possible in your ordinary life 🧹
-Confession is powerful
-Don’t let your weaknesses stop your call; God doesn’t need perfect. He needs willing.
💡Moral of the Story: If a potato-fueled, Latin-flunking priest can become a saint who changed the world one confession at a time… what’s stopping you from changing yours?
Go light up your corner of the world. And maybe hit the confessional on the way. 😉 ✝️
The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS