A Little More about Saint Louis Marie de Montfort
St. Louis de Montfort’s life is inseparable from his efforts to promote genuine devotion to Mother Mary, the blessed mother of Jesus and Mother of the Church. He, Louis Marie Grignion, was born in 1673 at Montfort, France. At the age of twelve, he went to study at the Jesuit college at Rennes, where he made frequent visits before the Blessed Sacraments.
He listened to stories from the local priest of his life as a missionary, which encouraged Louis to pursue his vocation. At age nineteen, he walked to Paris to study theology and along the way gave away all he owned to the poor. He was ordained in 1700 and was assigned as chaplain to the hospital in Poitiers. There he met Blessed Marie Louise Trichet who would later help him to organize the Daughters of Divine Wisdom known for the teaching of children and the care of the Poor.
Louis Marie travelled to Rome and Pope Clement XI appointed him Apostolic Missionary, sending him back to France. He preached missions from Brittany to Nantes. His success caused such great controversy that attempts were made to kill him. He worked hard to further his devotion to the Blessed Mother through the rosary. He wrote the now famous books True Devotion to the Blessed Mother, the Secret of the Rosary and the Secret of Mary.
In 1715, he organized the Company of Mary (the Montfort Fathers), a missionary group of priests, and along with Blessed Marie Louise Trichet opened a school in La Rochelle. The following year he died at Saint-Laurent-sur-Sevre where a basilica has been erected in his honour. He was canonized a Saint in 1947.
Day 1 Novena Prayer to Saint Louis Marie de Montfort
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
O God, Who in the power
of the Holy Spirit
have made Saint Louis-Marie
an ardent apostle of Christ Crucified
and a faithful son of the Virgin Mary,
Grant that through
his example and intercession… (Mention your request here…)
we may be renewed
in the Spirit of our baptism
and be always faithful
to Our Lord Jesus Christ
Who lives and reigns
with You and Holy Spirit.
One God. forever and ever.
Amen
Say 1: Our Father…: Hail Mary… : Glory Be…
Reflection
Like Mary, Louis experienced challenges in his efforts to follow Jesus. Opposed at times in his preaching and in his other ministries, Louis knew with Saint Paul, “Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:7). Any attempt to succeed by worldly standards runs the risk of betraying the Good News of Jesus. Mary is “the first and most perfect disciple,” as the late Sulpician Father Raymond Brown described her.
Prayer
God, You willed to direct the footsteps of St. Louis, Your Priest, in the way of salvation and the love of Christ, with the accompaniment of the Blessed Virgin. Grant that following his example we may meditate on the mysteries of Your love and strive indefatigably to build up Your Church.
