Today is the feast of the beloved St. John Vianney, the Cure’Dars.  I have a special fondness for the saint, particularly because he had such a tenderness and support for mothers of large families.  I’m going to repost some of what I wrote last summer.

A lady of the name of Ruet, of Ouroux, in the department of the Rhone, had already a large family and was about to become a mother once more. She came to Ars in order to seek courage at the feet of its holy Cure. She had not long to wait, for M. Vianney summoned her from amid the crowd. “You look very sad my child.” he said, when she was on her knees in his confessional. “Oh! I am so advanced in years Father!” :He comforted , my child… if you only knew the women who will go to hell because they did not bring into the world the children they should have given to it.”

“Come now my little one, he said with fatherly kindliness to the woman who confided to him her anxiety because of her large family. “do not be alarmed at your burden’ our Lord carries it with you. The good God does well all that he does: when he gives many children to a young mother it is that he deems her worthy to rear them. It is a mark of confidence on his part.”

Related Tags: St. John Vianney, Feast Day, Large Families, Sin, Moms of Many