"SATAN & THE SAINT"
The story of Saint John Vianney ( 1786-1859) and his war against the Devil
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Outside a small church in the tiny village of Ars, a thunderous storm erupts as spiritual warfare is contemplated by:
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SATAN: from 1824 to 1858 the Evil One was to carry out vicious, overt attacks upon ...
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THE SAINT: JOHN VIANNEY was born in 1786 in the French country village of Dardilly. Since early childhood he professed a keen love and devotion to the Virgin Mary, and developed a strong desire to read the Bible. At age 29, after many trials and hardships, he realized his cherished dream of becoming a priest (so that he could win many souls to God). Not long after, he was assigned to the small poor village of Ars, sparsely inhabited by about 230 people. John Vianney was now "Cure of Ars.”
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Segue: TO ARS: On the road to his assignment, Father Vianney receives directions from a young boy to whom he replies, "You have shown me the way to Ars. I will show you the way to heaven."
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TAVERN: A fiddler accompanies a bawdy dance in one of the 4 taverns supported by the tiny town. The bars were snares of the Devil, promoting excessive drinking and brawling, even on Sundays. Most of the townsfolk were indifferent to religion and few attended Sunday services.
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Segue: FUOCO DIVINO: Abbe Vianney was infused with a "fuoco divino" (divine fire) to improve the faith and morals of his parish. He visited all the families of the village. He helped the poor, selling personal possessions, and received extraordinary graces from God by means of prayer, good works and fasting. He's now on the way to visit the home of Claudine Lassagne, mother of ...
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CATHERINE LASSAGNE: She had come under the spell of the good Cure when she was 12 years old during Catechism lessons that he would give to the town's children. She later decided, although she professed no vows, to live a chaste and holy life. She esteemed Father Vianney and went on to become his closest companion, as well as caretaker, for the remainder of his days.
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SATAN COMES KNOCKING: As Father Vianney prays for the Lassagne family and the others in the town who he has visited, it is he who now receives a visitor, albeit an unwelcome one. In the midst of a lightning storm, the room begins to shake and an image of the Devil appears as a winged, taloned beast who proceeds to drag Vianney around the room, cursing and pummeling him until bloodied and unconscious.
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FOLLOWERS COME FLOCKING: The parishioners are happy with their pastor and there is a goodly number of them now. The village of Ars has been transformed. One seems to breathe a genial atmosphere. The townspeople were imbued with goodwill towards others, and joined together at religious devotions. Even pilgrims flocked from abroad to see this holy priest of God and streamed into his confessional box where he spent 15 hours a day or more.
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PENITENT: The Cure is hearing the confession of a woman who, though at first silent, begins shouting epithets and insults. The possessed woman denounces the Cure for aggrieving "The Chief', whose vengeance can be ascribed to the fact that so many souls were being saved. Father Vianney then tumbles out of the confessional and rolls on the floor, fending off blows he is receiving from an infemal spirit.
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LA PROVIDENCE: Abbe Vianney created a school and domicile for orphan girls and destitute waifs who were given free room and board. Catherine Lassagne was its headmistress for 22 years, and taught the girls skills they would need to make a living.
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Segue: SERPENT: As Father Vianney kneels before a night table supporting a crucifix and is praying intently, he is startled by the image of a snake slithering underneath his bed. The snake becomes more menacing and grows into a giant serpent, which then transforms itself into ...
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THE SEDUCTRESS: A beautiful woman now appears on the bed, lying seductively. She beckons him with her finger to come to her. When he ref uses, she dances for him, trying to entice him to join in. After this failed effort, she throws herself at his feet and wraps herself around his leg, transforming back into the snake. After he fends her off she tries once again to seduce him, to no avail.
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Segue: SNAKE: Frustrated, the snake slithers away.
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APPARITION: Father Vianney is praying fervently to his treasured statue of the Blessed Mother. As he is reciting the Marian prayer Regina Coeli (Queen of Heaven), her apparition appears bathed in bright light with a crown of stars. Father Vianney stands motionless. His countenance is radiant with his arms crossed over his breast.
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MIRACLES: At least 30 miracles were credited to Saint Vianney, including 17 cures after his death. Thousands of pilgrims flooded Ars each year with broken bodies, mental illness, and all sorts of maladies seeking his intercession. One miracle that caused quite a stir throughout the country happened to Father Vianney himself. As he is reciting prayers from the pulpit he is surrounded by and unearthly brightness, his face transfixed and encircled by and aureole. Little by little, he levitates into the air until his feet are above the edge of the pulpit. Another of the most celebrated miracles took place at La Providence after a scorching summer produced a paltry harvest. Vianney rounded up the orphans to pray for their daily bread. The handful of com stored in the attic grew into a huge pyramid of com, so much so that the cook could scarcely open the door.
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CONFLAGRATION: As Father Vianney is hearing confessions he senses an ominous foreboding. After hearing shouts of "Fire!" he runs out into the church courtyard. He observes flames coming from his bedroom window and contemplates that this must be the work of Satan. The blaze continues, consuming his bed and bed curtains, and then dies out by itself without engulfing the entire bedroom. Holy objects on a chest of drawers were spared.
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Segue: SATAN'S REFLECTION: He reflects on how little headway he is making with Vianney, and plans out his next course of attack.
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REGINA COELI I DISCOURSE WITH SATAN: As Father Vianney is praying to the Virgin, thanking her for protection from the fire, Satan once again intrudes, this time engaging in a verbal battle. The Evil One is ultimately silenced as the Saint expresses the extent of his love for the Blessed Mother.
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CATHERINE'S REFLECTION: She reflects upon her life as the Saint's faithful assistant and her life's work at La Providence. As she reminisces about all the strange and wondrous events that have occurred at Ars, she lets John Vianney know that she never has regretted a single moment she has shared with him.
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LAST BATTLE: Saint Vianney has no regrets either. It is his pure devotion which ultimately triumphs over Satan, who returns for one last dialogue. After a third of a century Satan finally gave up tormenting him. Father Vianney vanquished Satan through his ardent love of God and fellow man. Resuming the form of a snake, the Evil One meekly slithers away, utterly defeated.
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GRAND FINALE:
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"THE LORD REIGNETH. LET THE EARTH REJOICE!"
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SAINT'S REFLECTION: He reflects on the reformation of Ars which he hopes will survive his own death. 100,000 pilgrims a year were coming by the end of his life. Knowing he doesn't have long to live, he prays for future generations.
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"HOW SWEET IT IS TO DIE WHEN ONE HAS LIVED ON THE CROSS": At 2:00 A.M. on August 4, 1859 (the exact date he predicted) in the midst of a thunderstorm, this extraordinary servant of God surrendered his soul to his beloved Father and ascended into heaven. Subsequently, at the church, an immense crowd of people file past his holy corpse.
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"AD MAJOREM DIE GLORIAM" (TOWARDS THE GREATER GLORY OF GOD): At the present, 500,000 people of all religious denominations make the pilgrimage to Ars. Although Saint Vianney died well over 100 years ago, if he were alive today his life would still proclaim the same message: Come back from worldly false values and standards of success, to a genuine love of God demonstrated by love and service to other people. Amen.
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The text was devised by the composer from the biography "Satan and the Saint" (published by Sterling House), written by Alex LaPerchia. The reader is referred to this book for detailed information.