SAINT OF THE DAY -- April 27 - Saint Louis Mary de Montfort
April 27
St. Louis Mary de Montfort(1673 - 1716)
How does one become a slave of the
Blessed Virgin?
The easiest way is by first carefully studying True
Devotion to Mary, for which Pope Saint Pius X granted an Apostolic Benediction.
Then by confidently making, and faithfully living by, the following Act
of Consecration to the Mother of God, composed by Saint Louis Marie de
Montfort:
"In the presence of all the Heavenly Court I choose thee this
day for my Mother and Mistress. I deliver and consecrate to thee, as
thy slave, my body and soul, my goods, both interior and exterior, and
even the value of all my good actions, past, present and future;
leaving to thee the entire and full right of disposing of me, and all
that belongs to me, without exception, according to thy good pleasure,
to the greatest glory of God, in
time and in eternity."
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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-Sèvre, where a basilica has been erected in his honor. He was canonized in 1947.
Comment:
Like
Mary, Louis experienced challenges in his efforts to follow Jesus.
Opposed at times in his preaching and in his other ministries, Louis
knew with St. Paul, “Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters
is anything, but only God, who causes the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:7).
Any attempt to succeed by worldly standards runs the risk of betraying
the Good News of Jesus. Mary is “the first and most perfect disciple,”
as the late Raymond Brown, S.S., described her.
Quote:“Mary
is the fruitful Virgin, and in all the souls in which she comes to
dwell she causes to flourish purity of heart and body, rightness of
intention and abundance of good works. Do not imagine that Mary, the
most fruitful of creatures who gave birth to a God, remains barren in a
faithful soul. It will be she who makes the soul live incessantly for
Jesus Christ, and will make Jesus live in the soul.” (True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin).
St. Louis de Montfort's Prayer to Mary:
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 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 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 seest
anything in me which does not belong to thee, I beseech thee to
take it and make thyself the absolute Mistress of all that is
mine.
Destroy
in me all that may displease 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 the 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 think to praise and glorify God; 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 devotions, 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, 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, for me, is that every moment of the day, and every moment
of my life, I may say, "Amen, so be it, to all that thou art
doing in heaven. Amen, so be it, to all thou didst do while on
earth. Amen, so be it, to all thou art doing in my soul," so
that thou alone mayest fully glorify Jesus in me for time and
eternity. Amen.
Source: American Catholic Organization
Many great miracles have been associated with
the Rosary throughout history. The tremendous power of the Rosary can
overcome any problem, be it small or large, personal or worldwide.
Miracles continue to the present day.
The Rosary is a powerful prayer!
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If you are a victim of domestic or sexual violence, please know that my husband and I pray for you every single night.
If you need immediate assistance, dial 911.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline:
1-800-799-SAFE OR (1-800-799-7233)
SIGNS OF AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP
Do you:
feel afraid of your partner much of the time?
avoid certain topics fear of angering your partner?
feel that you can’t do anything right for your partner?
believe that you deserve to be hurt or mistreated?
wonder if you’re the one who is crazy?
feel emotionally numb or helpless?
Does your partner:
- humiliate, criticize, or yell at you?
- treat you so badly that you’re embarrassed for your friends or family to see?
- ignore or put down your opinions or accomplishments?
- blame you for his own abusive behavior?
- see you as property or a sex object, rather than as a person?
Does your partner:
have a bad and unpredictable temper?
hurt you, or threaten to hurt or kill you?
threaten to take your children away or harm them?
threaten to commit suicide if you leave?
force you to have sex?
destroy your belongings?
Does your partner:
- act excessively jealous and possessive?
- control where you go or what you do?
- keep you from seeing your friends or family?
- limit your access to money, the phone, or the car?
- constantly check up on you?