Feast Day: April 28
Titles: Priest, Apostolic Missionary, Founder of the Daughters of Wisdom and the Company of Mary (Montfort Fathers)
Motto: “God Alone”
Early Life and Formation:
Born on January 31, 1673, in Montfort-sur-Meu, Brittany (France), Louis-Marie was the eldest of a large family. From his earliest years, he showed a profound love for prayer, a deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and a remarkable detachment from worldly goods.
He was educated by the Jesuits at Rennes and later pursued priestly studies at the Seminary of Saint-Sulpice in Paris, where he endured great hardships due to poverty and poor health, but distinguished himself by his intense piety and zeal.
Priestly Ministry:
Ordained a priest in 1700, Louis-Marie dedicated his life to preaching parish missions, especially among the poor and neglected countryside of France. His preaching was fiery, straightforward, and entirely centered on leading souls to Jesus Christ through Mary.
He was a tireless opponent of Jansenism, emphasizing instead God’s mercy and a tender, trusting devotion to Our Lady. His missions often included the renewal of baptismal promises and the promotion of total consecration to Mary as the surest means of attaining union with Jesus.
Foundations:
- The Daughters of Wisdom (1703): A congregation for women devoted to serving the poor, sick, and uneducated.
- The Company of Mary (Montfort Fathers, 1715): A missionary society intended to continue his work of parish missions and evangelization.
Major Writings:
Saint Louis-Marie left behind a treasure of spiritual works, the most famous being the “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin”, a masterpiece in which he presents the doctrine of Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary as the most perfect pathway to sanctity.
Other important works include:
- The Secret of Mary
- The Love of Eternal Wisdom
- The Admirable Secret of the Rosary
Death and Canonization:
Worn out by his missionary labors, he died at the age of 43 on April 28, 1716, in Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre, holding a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary in his arms.
He was beatified in 1888 by Pope Leo XIII and canonized in 1947 by Pope Pius XII.
Spirituality:
Saint Louis-Marie’s spirituality is profoundly Christ-centered: everything leads to Jesus, and Mary is the safest, shortest, and most perfect path to Him. His teachings emphasize:
- Total surrender to the Divine Will
- Imitation of Mary’s virtues
- Devout recitation of the Holy Rosary
- Love of the Cross and the trials of life
Legacy:
His influence has been vast: his True Devotion had a profound impact on many saints and popes, including Pope Saint John Paul II, who took as his papal motto “Totus Tuus” (“Totally Yours”), inspired directly by Montfort’s teaching.