Last Friday our school celebrated the Feast Day of St John Vianney. St John Vianney was born Jean Baptiste Marie Vianney in 1786 France. He was a poor
shepherd boy who was called to the Priesthood. He studied for some time at the Lyons
Seminary in France and was eventually ordained in 1815. St John Vianney’s first Parish was
in a town called Ars. During his life time he was renowned for hearing confessions. After
his death in 1859 his works of love and charity spread across the world. He was canonized
in Rome in 1925.
Our school community celebrated in several ways. Our students participated with great
respect and reverence in our Feast Day Mass, presided by Father Baiyi. They also completed
two art activities; SJV sailboats with their class buddies and whole school artwork; an SJV
Values Cross which will be on display at our next assembly in the hall. Chocolate croissants
were also shared with the students (French theme). Our staff and students thoroughly
enjoyed themselves throughout the day.
St. John Vianney would often say: "Private prayer is like straw scattered here and there: If you
set it on fire, it makes a lot of little flames. But gather these straws into a bundle and light
them, and you get a mighty fire, rising like a column into the sky; public prayer is like that".
© Brisbane Catholic Education, St John Vianney's School (2024)
