Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort, (born Jan. 31, 1673, Montfort-sur-Meu, Fr.—died April 28, 1716, St. Laurent-sur-Sèvre; canonized 1947; feast day April 28), French priest who promoted the devotion to the Virgin Mary and who founded the religious congregations of the Daughters of Wisdom and the Company of Mary (Montfort Fathers).
Montfort is well known for his True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin, which teaches that devotion to Mary is the best means of attaining union with Christ. The discovery in 1842 of True Devotion gave the Montfort Fathers considerable impetus: in 1853 they were raised to the status of a pontifical congregation, and Montfort’s beatification in 1888 reinforced the congregation’s international expansion.
Saint Louis‑Marie Grignion de Montfort (1673–1716) was a French priest, missionary, and one of the most influential figures in Catholic Marian devotion, best known for True Devotion to Mary and for founding the Company of Mary and the Daughters of Wisdom. His feast day is April 28.
Saint Louis‑Marie Grignion de Montfort: Overview
Louis‑Marie de Montfort was a French Catholic priest whose writings shaped modern Marian spirituality. He is especially known for promoting total consecration to Jesus through Mary, a devotion later embraced by several popes, including John Paul II.
Life and Formation
- Birth in Montfort‑sur‑Meu, France (1673): Born January 31, 1673, the eldest surviving child in a large family.
- Early education in Rennes: Studied at the Jesuit College of St. Thomas Becket, where he first encountered strong Marian spirituality.
- Studies in Paris: Continued theology at Saint‑Sulpice; lived in poverty while preparing for priesthood.
- Ordination in 1700: Became a diocesan priest and soon began preaching parish missions across western France.
Ministry and Mission
- Apostolic missionary for France: Appointed by Pope Clement XI in 1706 to preach missions throughout the country.
- Founder of the Company of Mary: Established in 1705 to continue mission work and spread Marian devotion.
- Founder of the Daughters of Wisdom: A congregation dedicated to caring for the sick and poor, especially children.
- Preacher to the poor: Known for simplicity, poverty, and powerful preaching that drew thousands back to the faith.
Writings and Spiritual Legacy
- True Devotion to Mary: His most influential work, teaching that consecration to Mary is the surest path to union with Christ.
- The Secret of the Rosary: A classic text promoting deeper understanding and love of the Rosary.
- Totus Tuus spirituality: His motto “Totus tuus” (“completely yours”) was later adopted by Pope John Paul II, who credited Montfort with shaping his Marian theology.
Death and Canonization
- Death in 1716: Died April 28, 1716, in Saint‑Laurent‑sur‑Sèvre after years of exhausting missionary work.
- Beatified in 1888 and canonized in 1947 by Pope Pius XII.
- Major shrine in Saint‑Laurent‑sur‑Sèvre: A basilica now stands over his tomb, a major pilgrimage site.
0428 Louis Montfort 2p LETTER 20251231St. Louis de Montfort Prayer
Hail Mary, beloved Daughter of the Eternal Father! Hail Mary, admirable Mother of the Son! Hail Mary, faithful spouse of the Holy Ghost! Hail Mary, my dear Mother, my loving Mistress, my powerful sovereign! Hail my joy, my glory, my heart, and my soul! Thou art all mine by mercy, and I am all thine by justice. But I am not yet sufficiently thine. I now give myself wholly to thee without keeping anything back for myself or others. If thou still seest in me anything which does not belong to thee, I beseech thee to take it and to make thyself the absolute Mistress of all that is mine. Destroy in me all that may be displeasing to God; root it up and bring it to naught; place and cultivate in me everything that is pleasing to thee.
May the light of thy faith dispel the darkness of my mind; may thy profound humility take the place of my pride; may thy sublime contemplation check the distractions of my wandering imagination; may thy continuous sight of God fill my memory with His presence; may the burning love of thy heart inflame the lukewarmness of mine; may thy virtues take the place of my sins; may thy merits be my only adornment in the sight of God and make up for all that is wanting in me.
Finally, dearly beloved Mother, grant, if it be possible, that I may have no other spirit but thine, to know Jesus and His divine will; that I may have no other soul but thine, to praise and glorify the Lord; that I may have no other heart but thine, to love God with a love as pure and ardent as thine.
I do not ask thee for visions, revelations, sensible devotion, or spiritual pleasures. It is thy privilege to see God clearly; it is thy privilege to enjoy heavenly bliss; it is thy privilege to triumph gloriously in Heaven at the right hand of thy Son and to hold absolute sway over angels, men and demons; it is thy privilege to dispose of all the gifts of God just as thou willest.
Such is, O heavenly Mary, the “best part,” which the Lord has given thee and which shall never be taken away from thee—and this thought fills my heart with joy. As for my part here below, I wish for no other than that which was thine: to believe sincerely without spiritual pleasures; to suffer joyfully without human consolation; to die continually to myself without respite; and to work zealously and unselfishly for thee until death as the humblest of thy servants.
The only grace I beg thee to obtain for me is that every day and every moment of my life I may say “Amen; so be it”—to all that thou didst do while on earth; “Amen; so be it”—to all that thou art now doing in Heaven; “Amen; so be it”—to all that thou art doing in my soul, so that thou alone mayest fully glorify Jesus in me for time and eternity.
Amen.
Prayer of Saint Louis-Marie Grignon de Montfort
Our Father who art in heaven, you completely fill heaven and earth with the immensity of your being; you are present everywhere; you are in the saints by your glory, in the damned by your justice, in the good by your grace, even in sinners by your patience, tolerating them. Grant that we may always remember that we come from you and that we may live as your true children. Grant that we may set our true course according to your will and never swerve from you. Grant that we may use our every power, our hearts and souls and strength to tend toward you, and you alone.
St. Louis de Montfort Novena
(Repeat the following Novena prayers every day for 9 consecutive days.)
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.
St. Louis de Montfort Novena
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Louis de Montfort, you consecrated yourself to Jesus through Mary in your earthly life and are even more fully devoted to them now in Heaven. I ask that you present my petitions before our most blessed Mother, who will in turn place them at the feet of her Son.
insert petitions here
St. Louis de Montfort, two of the ten principal virtues that Mary exemplified were deep humility and constant self-denial. Please intercede on my behalf that I may grow in humility and self-denial, seeing myself through God’s eyes, that I may offer myself more fully to Christ working through me.
Amen.
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