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Acclaimed One-Man Show on the Life of St. John Vianney
A Production Celebrating the Priesthood
Published in the March 2010 Issue of the Fairfield County Catholic
BRIDGEPORT – The live
theatrical one-man drama
VIANNEY, about the life
of St. John Vianney, will be
performed by internationally
celebrated actor and director
Leonardo Defilippis at several
locations across the Diocese of
Bridgeport, April 13-18.
This production is touring
the U.S. as a part of the worldwide
celebration of the Year
for Priests, declared by Pope
Benedict XVI.
Local performances will be
staged on Tuesday, April 13,
7 p.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas
Church Hall in Fairfield;
Thursday, April 15, 7 p.m. at
Trinity Catholic High School
Auditorium in Stamford; and
Sunday, April 18, 2 p.m. at
“The Gathering Hall” of St.
Rose of Lima Church.
Noted actor and director Leonarado Defilippis portrays St. John Vianney.
“We are very pleased and
excited to be able to bring this
world class production to the
diocese as part of our observance
of the Year for Priests,”
says Msgr. Kevin Royal, director
of clergy personnel of the
Diocese of Bridgeport.
“The production is a gift
to priests and to the laity. By
bringing to life the example of
an exceptional priest for the
ages, VIANNEY celebrates
the lives of all priests and
inspires new vocations,” Msgr.
Royal says.
Fr. Robert Kinnally, director
of vocations for the diocese,
says that he hopes that the performance
will inspire vocations
to the priesthood and that youth
from many parishes and schools
will attend.
“The drama is a perfect
introduction to the saint and
gives a new and encouraging
answer to the question, ‘What is
a priest?’” Fr. Kinnally says.
Pope Benedict XVI declared
a Year for Priests from June
2009 through June 2010, and
has chosen the beloved St. John
Vianney, who is the patron of
parish priests, as the particular
patron of this year.
John Vianney, commonly
known as the Curé of Ars, lived
in the era following the French
Revolution, which had decimated
the Catholic faith in France.
A poor peasant, incompetent in
his studies of Latin and theology,
his ordination was favored
due to the shortage of priests.
Vianney was then sent off to the
obscure village of Ars, where
the faithful had fallen into decadence,
crime and debauchery.
In his determination to save
every single soul placed into his
care, he encountered tremendous
resistance and even violent
supernatural attacks. Many
nights, witnesses attested, the
furniture was thrown around
the rectory supernaturally, and
the next morning the Curé
emerged bruised and exhausted.
Reading Souls
Vianney courageously overcame
these attacks, and succeeded
not only in reforming
the lives of his parishioners, but
also in drawing, by his holiness
and his ability to read souls,
hundreds of thousands of pilgrims
to the tiny parish. Sixteen
hours a day were spent in the
cramped confessional, and people
were willing to wait in line
for days for a few minutes of his
counsel.
Vianney himself found the
onslaught difficult to bear, and
even tried to escape to a monastery
to live and pray in peace. In
the end, however, he returned
to his flock, recognizing his role
as “the shepherd who lays down
his life for his sheep.”
“I find the character of John
Vianney extremely endearing,”
says Defilippis. “He was a truly
eccentric character, wearing a
ragged cassock, living on a diet
of nothing but one potato a day,
yet sparing no expense for the
church or his children. His love
and concern for the salvation
of every single person he
encountered came through
in his every word and action.
There is an urgency in him that
is extraordinarily compelling
and convicting.”
Leonardo Defilippis is best
known for his direction and
starring role in the feature film
THÉRÈSE, which generated
phenomenal grassroots support
and played in mainstream
movie theaters for an unprecedented
70 weeks and is now in
DVD release.
His non-profit company
Saint Luke Productions has, for
30 years, produced live, film
and television dramas on the
Scriptures and the lives of the
saints. Their live productions
have toured the U.S., Canada
and Europe, with audiences
totaling more than one million
people. Their film productions
have received numerous prestigious
awards and have been
seen by audiences all over the
world.
VIANNEY is suitable for
ages 12 and up. Those wishing
to attend a performance are
welcome at any of the three
locations. No reservations or
tickets will be
issued. The
performance
is sponsored
by the Diocese
of Bridgeport
and presented
free of charge,
though a freewill
offering will be accepted at
the door. A brief reception will
follow each performance.
Groups as well as individuals
are invited to attend.
For more information contact
Carol Pinard at 203-814-2493,
email: cpinard@diobpt.org.
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