En el marc de l’Any Sacerdotal (2010), convocat pel papa Benet XVI amb motiu del 150è aniversari de la mort de sant Joan Maria Vianney, rememorem la figura del rector d’Ars en el Magisteri dels papes, molt especialment de Joan XXIII, que li dedicà l’encíclica «Sacerdotii nostri Primordia» (1959). Els seus antecessors Pius X, Pius XI i Pius XII havien evocat ja l’exemple del sant rector d’Ars en diversos documents sobre el sacerdoci, el comú denominador dels quals és la unitat entre ministeri sacerdotal i la santedat personal de vida dels ministres. En aquest mig segle, que va de l’encíclica de Joan XXIII a la convocatòria d’un Any Sacerdotal pel papa Benet XVI, la doctrina de l’Església sobre el ministeri sacerdotal ha estat especialment rica: el Concili Vaticà II amb els seus diversos documents relatius al ministeri ordenat, el Magisteri dels papes Pau VI (v. gr. la carta apostòlica «Summa Dei Verbum» del 1963 i l’encíclica «Sacerdotalis coelibatus» del 1967); i Joan Pau II (Les cartes del Dijous Sant i l’exhortació post-sinodal «Pastores dabo vobis» (1992) entre altres). Joan XXIII i Benet XVI recorden ambdós aquelles paraules del sant rector d’Ars: «El sacerdoci és l’amor del cor de Jesús».Within the context of the Year of the Priest (2009/2010) announced by Pope Benedict XVI, which was motivated by the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Mary Vianney, Curé of Ars, we remember the role of the holy parish priest of Ars in the Magisterium of the Popes, more especially that of John XXIII to whom he dedicated his encyclical "Sacerdotii nostri Primordia" (1959). His predecessors Pius X, Pius XI and Pius XII had already called upon the example of the holy Curé of Ars in various documents concerning priesthood, the common denominator of which is the unity between the priestly ministry the personal holiness in the lives of the ministers.
In the half century from the encyclical of Pope John XXIII up to the announcement of the Year of the Priest by Pope Benedict XVI, the doctrine of the Church regarding the priestly ministry has been especially rich: Vatican Council II with its various documents relating to the ordained ministry; the Teaching of Popes Paul VI (e.g. The apostolic letter "Summa Dei Verbum", 1963; and the encyclical "Sacerdotalis coelibatus", 1967) and John Paul II (e.g. The letters of Holy Thursday and the call of the post-synod letter "Pastores dabo vobis", 1992, among others). Both John XXIII and Benedict XVI bring to mind these words on the Saintly Curé d'Ars: "The priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus"
