Saint John Vianney's prayer to Jesus

Saint John Vianney, the patron saint of parish priests, composed his prayer to Jesus in the 19th century. The prayer reflects Vianney's deep religious feelings, which were praised by Pope John XXIII in his encyclical Sacerdotii nostri primordia in 1959: "The thing that keeps us priests from gaining sanctity"—the Cure of Ars used to say— "is thoughtlessness. It annoys us to turn our minds away from external affairs; we don't know what we really ought to do. What we need is deep reflection, together with prayer and an intimate union with God." The testimony of his life makes it clear that he always remained devoted to his prayers and that not even the duty of hearing confessions or any other pastoral office could cause him to neglect them. "Even in the midst of tremendous labors, he never let up on his conversation with God."

St. John Vianney

Part of a series on
Devotions to Jesus in the Catholic Church
Christ Pantokrator
Devotions
Holy Wounds Sacred Heart Holy Face Divine Mercy Eucharistic adoration Holy Name Holy Hour Acts of Reparation Stations of the Cross Precious Blood Infant of Prague
Prayers
Anima Christi Shoulder Wound Morning offering Sacred Heart prayer Sacred Heart Consecration You are Christ Vianney's prayer Perboyre's prayer Montfort's prayer Crucifix prayer
Catholicism portal

The prayer is quoted in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. [1]