People approached the relic of St. John Vianney, Curé of Ars and
patron saint of priests, with prayers for priests and other personal
intentions. Many handed rosaries to the Knight of Columbus guarding the
reliquary so he could touch them to the reliquary.
The Basilica of St. Mary in Alexandria hosts the incorruptible
heart of St. John Vianney Jan. 15-16 as part of its national tour. It is the
only known stop in the Diocese of Arlington.
The relic made its first appearance at the basilica prior to the Jan.
15 6:30 a.m. Mass celebrated by Father Kevin Barnekow, a priest in residence at
the basilica. The relic was venerated by students and staff at the Basilica
School of St. Mary, and there is a Holy Hour to pray for clergy and an
increase in priestly vocations.
During his homily, Father Barnekow talked about the relic. “It
has been preserved as a special gift of that great saint whose affection was
unwavering and his will was always upon the God,” he said. “By venerating him
we may imitate the way he responded so generously to the words God spoke to
him, the same words that are spoken to all of us.”
Following Mass, several people came to venerate the relic.
The U.S. tour, sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, began in
November and will continue through early June. The relic was on display in
December at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in
Washington.
Supreme Knight Carl Anderson, CEO of the Knights of Columbus,
said in statement that St. John Vianney offers an example to help the church
heal and rebuild.
“We now welcome as providential this opportunity to invoke
the intercession of the patron saint of parish priests, whose holiness and
integrity is a singular model for clergy,” Anderson said in his statement.
“I’ve often asked for the intercession of St. Vianney,” said parishioner
Reina DuVal. “I never thought I’d be able to see this. It is quite a miracle.
The priests need a lot of prayers, so this is a good way for all of us laity to
participate in this.”
Parishioner Michael Piotrowicz said it was a great privilege to see
the relic. “It helps us see the life of the saints and know more about them,”
he said. “It’s a nice sign from God to show us his message.”
Linda Loffredo, a parishioner, recognized the timeliness of this
visit. “To pray to such a faithful servant and pray for all of our priests at
this time, it’s something we can do to help the situation.”
If you go
Basilica of St. Mary, 310 South Royal St., Alexandria,
Jan. 15-16.
Go to stmaryoldtown.org/vianneyheart or call 703/836-4100.
