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As we deepen our relationship with the Eternal Word, Jesus Christ, we grow in grace and are transformed by His love and mercy.
January 31, 1673–April 28, 1716
Patron Saint of preachers, missionaries, and Marian devotion
St. Louis-Mary Grignion de Montfort was a dynamic missionary and spiritual writer whose teachings on Marian devotion continue to inspire the Church today.
Born in 1673 in Montfort-sur-Meu, France, St. Louis showed early signs of deep faith and devotion. After studies in Rennes and Paris, he was ordained a priest in 1700. Rather than seeking comfort or prestige, he chose to serve the poor. He traveled from parish to parish preaching missions that called people to conversion, confession, and renewed love for Christ.
His preaching was bold and often met with resistance. Yet many hearts were transformed by his sincerity and zeal. Central to his spirituality was a profound love for the Blessed Virgin Mary. He believed that Mary’s role is always to lead souls to Jesus, and he encouraged total consecration to Christ through her maternal intercession.
His most famous work, True Devotion to Mary, explains this path of consecration as a loving and complete gift of oneself to God through Mary. Although the manuscript was unknown for many years after his death, it was rediscovered in the 19th century and has since become a spiritual treasure.
He also founded the Company of Mary, also called the Montfort Missionaries, and co-founded the Daughters of Wisdom, religious communities dedicated to preaching and serving the poor.
St. Louis died on April 28, 1716, at just 43 years old, weary from missionary labors. Canonized in 1947, he remains one of the Church’s greatest teachers of Marian spirituality.
St. Louis de Montfort (1673-1716) left a rich legacy of spiritual writings, primarily focused on devotion to Jesus through Mary, the Rosary, and Wisdom. His most famous works include True Devotion to Mary, his masterpiece detailing the total consecration to Jesus through Mary. Other works include The Secret of Mary, a shorter explanation of his method of spiritual union with Jesus via Mary, and The Secret of the Rosary, a guide explaining the power and method of praying the Rosary. Other themes in his writings include eternal wisdom and endurance in suffering. He also wrote 164 hymns used in his missionary work, as well as letters offering insights into his spiritual direction. St. Louis believed that devotion to Mary is Christ-centered and the surest and most gentle path to deeper union with Christ because she always leads souls to her Son. In True Devotion to Mary, he proposed a practice of total consecration—entrusting one’s prayers, works, and entire life to Jesus through Mary.
Pope St. John Paul II openly credited St. Louis’s True Devotion to Mary as a decisive influence in his spiritual life. As a young seminarian during World War II, he read the book and gained a deeper understanding of Mary’s role in defeating evil and renewing the Church. His papal motto, Totus Tuus (Totally Yours), was drawn directly from St. Louis’s teaching of total surrender to Jesus through Mary. Pope St. John Paul II consistently emphasized Marian devotion in a way that reflected St. Louis’s spirituality.
St. Louis de Montfort established three main religious congregations to promote devotion to Jesus through Mary, primarily in Western France, focusing on education, nursing, and missionary work. He founded the Company of Mary, a congregation of priests and brothers commonly known as the Montfort Missionaries, who preached at parish missions and spread Marian devotion. He also co-founded with Bl. Marie-Louise Trichet the Daughters of Wisdom, a community dedicated to caring for the poor and the sick and teaching needy children. In addition, he formed the Brothers of St. Gabriel from the Brothers of the Company of Mary to assist in teaching and ministering to the sick, as well as in hospital missions. These communities continue his missionary and Marian legacy throughout the world today.
This eBook combines stunning photography from EWTN’s Vatican Bureau along with Bible passages and saints’ quotes that will calm your heart, give you hope, and remind you that God is with us always. Simply fill out the form below and we will send this to you!
Uncover the powerful legacy of St. Louis de Montfort—his radical devotion to Mary, his visionary missions, and his unwavering faith in the face of opposition. This episode reveals how his spiritual insights continue to inspire today. Don’t miss this deep dive into a saint who reshaped the heart of Marian devotion. (Audio)
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