John Vianney was a man with vision. He wanted to become a priest but a lack of education was a stumbling block. But he wasn’t to give up and after private tuition he eventually became a priest. His work as a confessor was his most remarkable accomplishment. In the winter months he was to spend 11 to 12 hours a day reconciling people with God. In the summer months this increased to 16 hours a day. Very few could endure this giving of self each day. But he was rooted to his convictions, his faith and what he believed in. He has an interesting quotation on public prayer:
“Private prayer is like straw scattered here and there. If you set it on fire it makes a lot of little flames. But gather these straws into a bundle and light them and you get a mighty fire, rising like a column into the sky.”