A relic of St. John Vianney will be visiting the Diocese of Springfield April 25-April 28. The saint, who died in 1859, was a dedicated pastor in Ars, France, who became known in particular as a confessor, often spending up to 16 hours a day listening to and absolving sins.

The relic will arrive in the diocese on Thursday, April 25 at St. Mary’s Church, 30 Bartlett St., in Westfield where there will be veneration from 7 a.m. until noon along with Masses at 8:30 a.m. and noon. The relic will be present at both Masses and Bishop Rozanski will celebrate the noon Mass.

At noon on Saturday, April 27, the relic will first be placed in the Mother of Mercy Outdoor Shrine at The Divine Mercy Shrine, 2 Prospect Hill Rd., in Stockbridge. The relic will remain there until after the 4 p.m. Mass. The celebrant will bless the congregants by lifting the relic after the homily. On Saturday evening, April 27, there will be veneration of the relic at St. Joseph’s Church, 414 North St. in Pittsfield from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. On Sunday, April 28 it will return to Divine Mercy Shrine from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Shrine of Ars has made this major relic, the in-corrupt heart of the saint, available for a national tour in the U.S., which began in November 2018 and will run through early June of this year.