Louis de Montfort

Louis de Montfort was a French Roman Catholic priest and saint who was known for his devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and his promotion of the rosary. He was born in Montfort-sur-Meu, Brittany, France, on January 31, 1673, as the eldest of eighteen children. He was baptized as Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort, but later adopted the surname of his birthplace as his religious name. He studied at the Jesuit college of Rennes and then at the University of Paris, where he received his licentiate in theology. He was ordained a priest in 1700 and joined the Third Order of Saint Dominic. He felt called to be a missionary and preacher, and traveled throughout France, especially in the western regions of Brittany and Vendée. He preached missions and retreats to the poor, the sick, and the sinners, often facing opposition and persecution from the Jansenists, who disliked his style and doctrine. He also founded several religious congregations: the Company of Mary (Montfort Fathers), the Daughters of Wisdom, and the Brothers of Saint Gabriel. He wrote several books on spirituality, especially on Marian devotion. His most famous work is True Devotion to Mary, in which he proposed a method of consecration to Jesus through Mary, based on a total surrender of oneself to her as the perfect way to Christ. He also wrote The Secret of the Rosary, The Love of Eternal Wisdom, and The Secret of Mary. His writings influenced many popes and saints, such as Pope John Paul II, who took his motto "Totus Tuus" (Totally Yours) from Montfort's formula of consecration. He died on April 28, 1716, in Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre, where he was buried in the parish church. His tomb became a place of pilgrimage and miracles. He was beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1888 and canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1947. His feast day is celebrated on April 28. He is the patron saint of the Heralds of the Gospel.