Incorrupt Heart of the Cure of Ars to visit Apostolate for Family Consecration January 9th

BLOOMINGDALE, Ohio - Jan. 8, 2019 - PRLog -- Incorrupt Heart of the Cure of Ars to visit Apostolate for Family Consecration January 9th

BLOOMINGDALE, Ohio — The "Heart of a Priest" nationwide relic tour of the incorrupt heart of St. John Vianney, Curé of Ars, is making a stop at Catholic Familyland, headquarters of the Apostolate for Family Consecration on Wednesday, January 9th, 2019.

The Knights of Columbus is sponsoring the relic's tour of the U.S., which runs from November to June 2019.

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," said Anderson.

St. John Vianney was born in 1786 and served as a parish priest in the French town. He would spend as many as 18 hours a day hearing confessions from people who traveled from throughout Europe to see the priest because of his holiness and piety. He also had a great love of and fostered devotion to St. Philomena. He died in 1859. Pope Pius XI canonized him in 1925 and proclaimed him patron saint of parish priests in 1929.

"The distinct honor of welcoming the holy and incorrupt heart of the Cure of Ars to our campus will certainly be a historic moment in the history of the AFC," said Basil Dannebohm, the AFC's Vice President of Advancement and Evangelization. "At this time in the Church when so many hearts yearn to experience a healing, it is truly a privilege to provide the faithful with an opportunity to encounter the heart of a man whose love for God and His Church was unshakable. It's my sincere prayer that those who venerate this precious relic will experience healing of soul and body and a renewed sense of faith in the splendor of truth that is our beloved Church."

The relic will arrive at the Vianney Center on the grounds of the 850 acre campus, located near Steubenville, Ohio, at approximately 10:00 a.m., Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. in the Chapel of St. John Vianney, with confessions available after. Veneration will then continue with rosaries and readings; concluding with the Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 3:00 p.m.

The faithful are invited to attend the historic occasion.

AFC President, Theresa (Coniker) Schmitz, called the last minute opportunity to host the relic, providential, appropriate, and incredibly timely.

"Catholic Familyland was once St. John Vianney Seminary," said Schmitz. "To welcome the heart of the patron saint of priests to an administration building and chapel dedicated to his patronage is truly providential and serves as a profound opportunity to pray for both priests and seminarians. It should come as no surprise that this heart filled with love was so precious to God that He made it incorrupt. We should all strive to have such hearts. The AFC is very grateful to the Knights of Columbus for making this tour possible."

The Apostolate for Family Consecration was established in 1975 by the late Jerry and the Servant of God Gwen Coniker. The ministry's primary focus is to sanctify and consecrate families in the truths of the Catholic Faith. Catholic Familyland, located at 3375 County Road 36 near Bloomingdale, Ohio, is a multifaceted retreat center engaging families in a broad array of fun faith-building and recreational activities.

Members of the Knights of Columbus who would like to serve as honor guard during the relic's visit to the AFC are encouraged to arrive at Catholic Familyland at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday.

For more information please call 917.828.0897.
https://afc.org/