Born at Dardilly, near Lyons on May 8, 1786, St. John Mary Vianney was ordained priest at Grenoble in 1815. He was parish priest of Ars for nearly forty-two years and his influence still endures in the parish which he sanctified. His pastoral zeal, his mortifications and miracles transformed the population. Crowds flocked to the holy priest; on certain days he spent up to sixteen hours in his confessional. He died on August 4, 1859. Pius XI canonized him in 1925 and named him patron of the clergy.