Author Topic: St Louis Marie de Montfort (Read 5875 times)

poche · « **on:** April 28, 2014, 03:23:28 AM »

Louis's life is inseparable from his efforts to promote genuine devotion to Mary, the mother of Jesus and mother of the church. Totus tuus (completely yours) was Louis's personal motto; Karol Wojtyla chose it as his episcopal motto. Born in the Breton village of Montfort, close to Rennes (France), as an adult Louis identified himself by the place of his baptism instead of his family name, Grignion. After being educated by the Jesuits and the Sulpicians, he was ordained as a diocesan priest in 1700.

Soon he began preaching parish missions throughout western France. His years of ministering to the poor prompted him to travel and live very simply, sometimes getting him into trouble with church authorities. In his preaching, which attracted thousands of people back to the faith, Father Louis recommended frequent, even daily, Holy Communion (not the custom then!) and imitation of the Virgin Mary's ongoing acceptance of God's will for her life.

Louis founded the Missionaries of the Company of Mary (for priests and brothers) and the Daughters of Wisdom, who cared especially for the sick. His book, True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin, has become a classic explanation of Marian devotion.

Louis died in Saint-Laurent-sur-Sevre, where a basilica has been erected in his honor. He was canonized in 1947.

http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2014-04-28

poche · « **Reply #1 on:** April 28, 2014, 03:26:01 AM »

Some of the writings of St Louis Marie de Montfort;

1. Montfort - 34LETTRS.HTM - Fragments of 34 Letters of St. Louis de Montfort
St. Louis de Montfort
This file contains fragments of letters written by St. Louis de Montfort.

2. Montfort - HANDBOOK.HTM - Jesus Living in Mary: Handbook of the Spirituality of St. Louis de Montfort
Montfort Fathers
This file is indexed and hyperlinked to the articles contained in "Jesus Living in Mary: Handbook of the Spirituality of St. Louis de Montfort. The articles in the "Handbook" are as follows: Acknowledgements, Preface/Forward, Adoration, Angels/Demons, Apostles, Associations, Baptism, Beatitudes, Beauty, Bible, Brothers of St. Gabriel, Canonization, Charisms, Childhood, Church, Company of Mary, Consecration, Covenant, Creation, Cross, Daughters, Discernment, Disciple, Ecuмenism, Education, Endtime, Eucharist, Faith, Family, Fidelity, Freedom, French School, Friend, God, Holy Spirit, Hymns, Iconography, Incarnation, Inculturation, Jesus, Last Things, Legion of Mary, Love of Wisdom, Liturgy, Love, Magnificat, Man, Marie Louise, Mary, Milieu, Mission, Model, Montfort, Montfort Spirituality, Mortification, Mystic, Noels/Christmas, Oxford Movement, Path of Perfection, Peace, Penance, Pilgrim, Popes, Poverty, Prayer, Priest, Providence, Psalms, Reign, Reparation, Retreats, Rosary, Saint, Salvation, Secret of Mary, Sacred Heart, Sick, Silence, Sin, Slavery, True Devotion, Tenderness, Trinity, Triptych, Virtues, Wisdom, Zeal.

3. Montfort - HANDBOOK.ZIP - Jesus Living in Mary: Handbook of the Spirituality of St. Louis de Montfort
Montfort Fathers
This ZIP file contains the articles from "Jesus Living in Mary: Handbook of the Spirituality of St. Louis de Montfort. Acknowledgements, Preface/Forward, Adoration, Angels/Demons, Apostles, Associations, Baptism, Beatitudes, Beauty, Bible, Brothers of St. Gabriel, Canonization, Charisms, Childhood, Church, Company of Mary, Consecration, Covenant, Creation, Cross, Daughters, Discernment, Disciple, Ecuмenism, Education, Endtime, Eucharist, Faith, Family, Fidelity, Freedom, French School, Friend, God, Holy Spirit, Hymns, Iconography, Incarnation, Inculturation, Jesus, Last Things, Legion of Mary, Love of Wisdom, Liturgy, Love, Magnificat, Man, Marie Louise, Mary, Milieu, Mission, Model, Montfort, Montfort Spirituality, Mortification, Mystic, Noels/Christmas, Oxford Movement, Path of Perfection, Peace, Penance, Pilgrim, Popes, Poverty, Prayer, Priest, Providence, Psalms, Reign, Reparation, Retreats, Rosary, Saint, Salvation, Secret of Mary, Sacred Heart, Sick, Silence, Sin, Slavery, True Devotion, Tenderness, Trinity, Triptych, Virtues, Wisdom, Zeal.

4. Montfort - LFCROSS.HTM - Letter to the Friends of the Cross
St. Louis de Montfort
St. Louis writes to all who would follow Our Lord in carrying their cross, and instructs them how to do so. SUFFERING PENANCE SORROWS MONTFORT

5. Montfort - LMONTBER.HTM - Letter to the People of Montbernage
St. Louis de Montfort
A letter of St. Louis de Montfort to the people of Montbernage, St. Saturnin, St. Simplicien and La Resurrection, condemning many of the irreligious practices of his day, such as shops opening on Sunday. SPIRITUALITY

6. Montfort - LCM.HTM - Letters to Members of the Company of Mary
St. Louis de Montfort
Letters written by St. Louis de Montfort to members of his religious congregation, the Company of Mary.

7. Montfort - PMISSION.HTM - Prayer for Missionaries
St. Louis de Montfort
A prayer for missionaries by St. Louis de Montfort. SPIRITUALITY

8. Montfort - RULECOM.HTM - Rule for the Missionary Priests of the Company of Mary
St. Louis de Montfort
St. Louis de Montfort's "Rule" for the religious community which he founded, the Company of Mary. SPIRITUALITY RETREATS MISSIONS

9. Montfort - SECRET.HTM - Secret of Mary
St. Louis de Montfort
St. Louis de Montfort explains why "true devotion" to Mary is the secret to the spiritual life of the Christian. PRAYER HOLINESS

10. Montfort - LEW.HTM - The Love of Eternal Wisdom
St. Louis de Montfort
St. Louis de Montfort, writing on the beauty and lovableness of the Eternal Wisdom, Jesus Christ. This file is also available as a ZIP file.

11. Montfort - LEW.ZIP - The Love of Eternal Wisdom
St. Louis de Montfort
St. Louis de Montfort, writing on the beauty and lovableness of the Eternal Wisdom, Jesus Christ. This file is also available in HTML format.

12. Montfort - THERULES.HTM - The Rules
St. Louis de Montfort
Rules written by St. Louis de Montfort for groups of lay men and women known as the Forty-Four Virgins and the White Penitents. SPIRITUALITY VIRGINITY PENITENCE PENANCE PRAYER

13. Montfort - WILL.HTM - The Will of St. Louis de Montfort
St. Louis de Montfort
St. Louis de Montfort's last will and testament.

14. Montfort - WISDOM.HTM - The Wisdom Cross of Poitiers
St. Louis de Montfort
A poem on the Wisdom of the Cross by St. Louis de Montfort. SPIRITUALITY PRAYER

15. Montfort - TRUEDEVO.HTM - Treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin
St. Louis de Montfort
St. Louis de Montfort's great work on the nature of perfect consecration to Jesus Christ by means of "true devotion" to the Blessed Virgin Mary. SPIRITUALITY PRAYER HOLINESS

16. Montfort - TRUEDEVO.ZIP - Treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin
St. Louis de Montfort
St. Louis de Montfort's great work on the nature of perfect consecration to Jesus Christ by means of "true devotion" to the Blessed Virgin Mary. SPIRITUALITY PRAYER HOLINESS

17. Montfort - MONTFORT.ZIP - Writings
St. Louis de Montfort
This ZIP file contains the writings of St. Louis not contained in the Montfort handbook (handbook.htm/zip): his letters, his rules, his treatises etc...

http://www.ewtn.com/library/indexes/montfort.htm

SenzaDubbio · « **Reply #2 on:** April 28, 2014, 04:30:51 PM »

St. Louis says no true devotee of Mary has ever been lost. He does warn us about the false type of devotees in his book True Devotion to Mary.

St. Louis - True Devotion to Mary - speaking on the necessity of devotion to Mary in the latter times:
"Finally, God in these times wishes his Blessed Mother to be more known, loved and honored than She has ever been. This will certainly come about if the elect, by the grace and light of the Holy Ghost, adopt the interior and perfect practice of the devotion which I shall later unfold........ They will see clearly that she is the safest, easiest, shortest, and most perfect way of approaching Jesus".

poche · « **Reply #3 on:** April 28, 2014, 11:06:22 PM »

Quote from: SenzaDubbio

St. Louis says no true devotee of Mary has ever been lost. He does warn us about the false type of devotees in his book True Devotion to Mary.

St. Louis - True Devotion to Mary - speaking on the necessity of devotion to Mary in the latter times:
"Finally, God in these times wishes his Blessed Mother to be more known, loved and honored than She has ever been. This will certainly come about if the elect, by the grace and light of the Holy Ghost, adopt the interior and perfect practice of the devotion which I shall later unfold........ They will see clearly that she is the safest, easiest, shortest, and most perfect way of approaching Jesus".

That is one of my goals in life.

poche · « **Reply #4 on:** April 29, 2014, 03:29:22 AM »

The Feast of the Annunciation is the Feast the St. Louis de Montfort recommends most of all as it is this Feast that commemorates God Himself taking on flesh and, thereby, subjecting even Himself to trust in and dependency on Our Lady

Begin the 33-Day
Preparation for Consecration

Now begins the 33-day period of exercises. St. Louis-Marie breaks these days into sections of days, each section having its own prayers, and each particular day having its own brief readings with which to fill the mind for that day (the readings come from Sacred Scripture, "The Imitation of Christ," and "True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary"). Don't just read the readings, internalize them; don't let your lips just mouth the prayers, truly pray them.

First comes a 12-day preparation period that consists of emptying oneself of the spirit of the world in penance and mortification. For those 12 days, we pray the Veni Creator, the Ave Maris Stella, the Magnificat, and the Glory Be. Then follow 3 weeks, each week having a specific focus.

http://www.iipg.org/consecration1.htm

poche · « **Reply #5 on:** April 30, 2014, 03:56:39 AM »

Preliminary Twelve Days of Preparation

Theme for the Week: Spirit Of The World

First Day
Matthew, Ch. 5: 1-19

Examine your conscience, pray, practice renouncement of your own will; mortification, purity of heart. This purity is the indispensable condition for contemplating God in heaven, to see Him on earth and to know Him by the light of faith. The first part of the preparation should be employed in casting off the spirit of the world which is contrary to that of Jesus Christ. The spirit of the world consists essentially in the denial of the supreme dominion of God; a denial which is manifested in practice by sin and disobedience; thus it is principally opposed to the spirit of Christ, which is also that of Mary.

It manifests itself by the concupiscence of the flesh, by the concupiscence of the eyes and by the pride of life. By disobedience to God's laws and the abuse of created things. Its works are: sin in all forms, then all else by which the devil leads to sin; works which bring error and darkness to the mind, and seduction and corruption to the will. Its pomps are the splendor and the charms employed by the devil to render sin alluring in persons, places and things.

http://www.iipg.org/consecration1.htm

poche · « **Reply #6 on:** May 01, 2014, 04:49:42 AM »

Second Day
St. Matthew: Chapter 5: 48, 6: 1-15

Be ye therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect. Take heed that you do not your justice before men, to be seen by them: otherwise you shall not have the reward of your Father who is in heaven. Therefore when thou dost an alms-deed sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the ѕуηαgσgυєs and in the streets, that they may be honoured by men. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. And when thou dost alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth. That thy alms may be in secret, and thy Father who sees in secret will repay thee. And when ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites that love to stand and pray in the ѕуηαgσgυєs and corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men; Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But thou, when thou shalt pray, enter into thy chamber, and having shut the door, pray to the Father in secret; and thy Father who seeth in secret will repay thee. And when you are praying, speak not much, as the heathens. For they think that in their much speak. in, they may be heard. Be not you therefore like to them; for your Father knoweth what is needful for you, before you ask him. Thus therefore shall you pray: Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our supersubstantial bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. Amen. For if you will forgive men their offences, your heavenlv Father will forgive you also your offences. But if you will not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you your offences.

http://www.iipg.org/consecration1.htm

Sigismund · « **Reply #7 on:** May 01, 2014, 06:36:15 PM »

True Devotion is one of my favorite spiritual books.

poche · « **Reply #8 on:** May 02, 2014, 03:20:23 AM »

Third Day
St. Matthew: Chapter 7: 1-14

Judge not, that you may not be judged. For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why seest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye; and seest not the beam that is in thy own eye? Or how sayest thou to thy brother: let me cast the mote out of thy eye; and behold a beam is in thy own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam of thy own eye and then shalt thou see to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. Give not that which is holy to dogs. Neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet: and turning upon you, they tear you. Ask, and it shall be given you: seek and you shall find: Knock and it shall be opened to you. For everyone that asketh, receiveth: and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Or what man of whom if his son shall ask bread will be reach him a stone? Or, if be shall ask him a fish: will he reach him a serpent? If you then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, bow much more will your Father who is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him? All things therefore whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do also to them. For this is the law and the prophets. Enter ye into the narrow gate: for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there are who go in thereat. How narrow is the gate and straight is the way that leadeth to life, and few are there that find it!

http://www.iipg.org/consecration1.htm

7sorrowsbvm · « **Reply #9 on:** May 02, 2014, 10:47:35 AM »

Quote from: poche

Some of the writings of St Louis Marie de Montfort;

http://www.ewtn.com/library/indexes/montfort.htm

Nice bibliography! I don't know if I could read St. Louis online, though; there's a hardback compilation of these writings called God Alone.. Here's hoping he is well read.

poche · « **Reply #10 on:** May 08, 2014, 11:45:09 PM »

Fourth Day
Imitation of Christ (Thomas a'Kempis): Book 3, Chapters 7, 40

That man has no good of himself, and that he cannot glory in anything Lord, what is man, that Thou art mindful of him; or the son of man, that Thou visit him? What has man deserved that Thou should give him grace? Lord, what cause have I to complain, if Thou forsakest me, or what can I justly allege, if what I petition Thou shalt not grant? This most assuredly, I may truly think and say: Lord I am nothing, I can do nothing of myself, that is good, but I am in all things defective and ever tend to nothing. And unless I am assisted and interiorly instructed by Thee, I become wholly tepid and relaxed, but Thou, 0 Lord, art always the same, and endurest unto eternity, ever good, just and holy, doing all things well, justly and holily and disposing them in wisdom.

But I who am more inclined to go back, than to go forward, continue not always in one state, for I am changed, seven different times. But it quickly becomes better when it pleases Thee, and Thou stretchest out Thy helping hand: for Thou alone, without man's aid can assist me and so strengthen me, that my countenance shall be more diversely changed: but my heart be converted and find its rest in Thee alone.

He who would be too secure in time of peace will often be found too much dejected in time of war. If you could always continue to be humble and little in your own eyes, and keep your spirit in due order and subjection, you would not fall so easily into danger and offense. It is good counsel that, when you have conceived the spirit of fervor, you should meditate how it will be when that light shall be withdrawn.

http://www.iipg.org/consecration1.htm

poche · « **Reply #11 on:** May 16, 2014, 12:06:31 AM »

Fifth Day
Imitation of Christ: Continued: Book 3, Chapter 40

Wherefore, but I did know well, how to cast from me all human comfort, either for the sake of devotion, or through the necessity by which I am compelled to seek Thee, because there is no man that can comfort me. Then might I deservedly hope in Thy favor, and rejoice in the gift of a new consolation. Thanks be to Thee from Whom all things proceed, as often as it happens to me, 1, indeed, am but vanity, and nothing in Thy sight , an inconstant and weak man. Where, therefore, can I glory, or for what do I desire to be thought of highly?

Forsooth of my very nothingness; and this is most vain. Truly vainglory is an evil plague, because it draws away from true glory, and robs us of heavenly grace. For, while a man takes complacency in himself, he displeases Thee; while he wants for human applause, he is deprived of true virtues. But true, glory and holy exultation is to glory in Thee, and not in one's self; to rejoice in Thy Name, but not in one's own strength. To find pleasure in no creature, save only for Thy sake. Let Thy Name be praised, not mine; let Thy work be magnified, not mine; let Thy Holy Name be blessed, but let nothing be attributed to me of the praise of men. Thou art my glory; Thou art the exultation of my heart; in Thee, will I glory and rejoice all the day; but for myself, I will glory in nothing but in my infirmities.

http://www.iipg.org/consecration1.htm

poche · « **Reply #12 on:** May 20, 2014, 02:49:03 AM »

Sixth Day
Imitation: Book 1, Chapter 18

On the examples of the Holy Fathers.

Look upon the lively examples of the holy Fathers in whom shone real perfection and the religious life, and you will see how little it is, and almost nothing that we do. Alas, what is our life when we compare it with theirs? Saints and friends of Christ, they served our Lord in hunger and in thirst, in cold, in nakedness, in labor and in weariness, in watching, in fasting, prayers and holy meditations, and in frequent persecutions and reproaches. Oh, how many grievous tribulations did the Apostles suffer and the Martyrs and Confessors and Virgins, and all the rest who resolved to follow the steps of Christ! For they hated their lives in this world, that they might keep them in life everlasting. Oh what a strict and self-renouncing life the holy Fathers of the desert led! What long and grievous temptations did they bear! How often were they harassed by the enemy, what frequent and fervent prayers did they offer up to God, what rigorous abstinence did they practice!

What a valiant contest waged they to subdue their imperfections! What purity and straightforwardness of purpose kept they towards God! By day they labored, and much of the night they spent in prayer; though while they labored, they were far from leaving off mental prayer. They spent all their time profitably. Every hour seemed short to spend with God; and even their necessary bodily refreshment was forgotten in the great sweetness of contemplation. They renounced all riches, dignities, honors and kindred; they hardly took what was necessary for life. It grieved them to serve the body even in its necessity. Accordingly, they were poor in earthly things, but very rich in grace and virtues.

http://www.iipg.org/consecration1.htm

poche · « **Reply #13 on:** May 22, 2014, 03:11:26 AM »

Seventh Day
From the Immitation of Christ (Thomas a Kempis): Book 1, Chapter 18

Outwardly they suffered want, but within they were refreshed with grace and Divine consolation. They were aliens to the world; they seemed as nothing and the world despised them; but they were precious and beloved in the sight of God. They persevered in true humility, they lived in simple obedience, they walked in charity and patience, and so every day they advanced in spirit and gained great favor with God. They were given for example to all religious, and ought more to excite us to advance in good, than the number of lukewarm to induce us to grow remiss. Oh! how great was the fervor of all religious in the beginning of their holy institute! Oh, how great was their devotion in prayer, how great was their zeal for virtue! How vigorous the discipline that was kept up, what reverence and obedience, under the rule of the superior, flourished in all! Their traces that remain still bear witness, that they were truly holy and perfect men who did battle so stoutly, and trampled the world under their feet. Now, he is thought great who is not a transgressor; and who can, with patience, endure what he has undertaken. Ah, the lukewarmness and negligence of our state! that we soon fall away from our first fervor, and are even now tired with life, from slothfulness and tepidity. Oh that advancement in virtue be not quite asleep in thee, who has so often seen the manifold examples of the devout!

http://www.iipg.org/consecration1.htm

poche · « **Reply #14 on:** May 22, 2014, 11:00:33 PM »

Eighth Day
Imitation: Book 1, Chapter 13

Of resisting temptations.

As long as we live in this world, we cannot be without temptations and tribulations. Hence it is written in Job "Man's life on earth is a temptation." Everyone therefore should be solicitous about his temptations and watch in prayer lest the devil find an opportunity to catch him: who never sleeps, but goes about, seeking whom he can devour. No one is so perfect and holy as sometimes not to have temptations and we can never be wholly free from them. Nevertheless, temptations are very profitable to man, troublesome and grievous though they may be, for in them, a man is humbled, purified and instructed. All the Saints passed through many tribulations and temptations and were purified by them. And they that could not support temptations, became reprobate, and fell away.

Many seek to flee temptations, and fall worse into them. We cannot conquer by flight alone, but by patience and true humility we become stronger than all our enemies. He who only declines them outwardly, and does not pluck out their root, will profit little; nay, temptations will sooner return and he will find himself in a worse condition. By degrees and by patience you will, by God's grace, better overcome them than by harshness and your own importunity. Take council the oftener in temptation, and do not deal harshly with one who is tempted; but pour in consolation, as thou wouldst wish to be done unto yourself. Inconstancy of mind and little confidence in God, is the beginning of all temptations. For as a ship without a helm is driven to and fro by the waves, so the man who neglects and gives up his resolutions is tempted in many ways.

http://www.iipg.org/consecration1.htm