St. Louis de Montfort
Priest & Marian Devotee
"To Jesus through Mary - the quickest, safest, and easiest path to Jesus."
St. Louis de Montfort (1673-1716) was a French priest and known for his devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He is considered one of the early writers in the field of Mariology and his influence has extended to the present through multiple popes.
Born in Montfort-sur-Meu, France, Louis-Marie Grignion studied at the Jesuit college in Rennes before entering the seminary in Paris. After ordination, he devoted himself to preaching missions in rural and poor communities throughout western France. His greatest contribution was promoting devotion to Mary, especially through his classic work 'True Devotion to Mary'. He also founded two religious congregations: the Daughters of Wisdom, to care for the poor and sick, and the Company of Mary (Montfort Fathers), for missionary work. Though he faced opposition from Church authorities and Jansenists, his spiritual teachings were eventually embraced. His approach to Marian devotion influenced many saints and popes, including Pope John Paul II, who took his papal motto 'Totus Tuus' from Montfort's writings.
Patron of preachers and the Montfort religious family
Almighty God, who made the life of St. Louis de Montfort admirable for holiness and intercession, grant us to follow their examples of faith and perseverance in prayer. We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.