Today,
in the 1962 Dominican Rite Calendar, we celebrate the feast of St. Paul of the
Cross. In addition, we make a
commemoration of St. Louis Marie Grignon de Montfort, confessor, of the Order
of Preachers. The feast is III Class and
the ordinary office is prayed according to the rubrics. At Lauds and Vespers, the commemoration of
St. Louis M.G. de Montfort is made.
From
the Martyrology:
At the town of St. Laurent-sur-Sévres,, in the Diocese of Luçon, St. Louis-Marie Grignon de Montfort, confessor, of the Third Order of Penance of St. Dominic. He was the founder of both the Congregation of the Missionary Priests of Mary, and of the Sisters of Divine Wisdom. Illustrious for his virtues and miracles, Leo XIII added his name to the roll of the Blessed.
Louis Marie Grignon, called de Montfort from the place
of his birth, was born in Brittany of poor but pious parents of noble family,
in the year 1673. In his youth he
delighted in inducing his little sister and her companions to recite the
Rosary, encouraging them to the practice by small presents. After going through
his studies at the Jesuit College at Rennes, he repaired to Paris for his
theological course and entered the Seminary of Saint Sulpice. Here his entire
disregard of human respect in his practices of piety drew upon him many painful
and humiliating trials, whilst his perfect obedience secured him from every
illusion. Having been ordained priest,
he returned to the west of France, and devoted himself to missionary labors.
After a time he went on pilgrimage to Rome and entreated the Pope to send him
to preach the Gospel in the East; but the Holy Father assured him that God
called him, not to foreign missions, but to combat the errors of the day in his
own country.
The remainder of his life was entirely consecrated
to evangelizing the western provinces of France, where, in the space of twelve
years, he gave more than two hundred retreats and missions. Wherever he
preached he established the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary, making
arrangements, if possible, for its daily recital. He had a great taste for
drawing and painting, but, from a spirit of mortification, or for fear of
distracting himself from the presence of God, he early made an entire sacrifice
of this his favorite recreation. His great gift for poetry was wholly used in
the service of his Divine Master, and many of the most popular hymns still used
in France were written by him.
In 1710 he made his profession in the Third Order of
Saint Dominic in the Convent of Friars Preachers at Nantes; and, like his holy
Father, he continually strove to draw down the blessing of God on his apostolic
labors by the practice of the severest penances. He was an object of hatred to
the Jansenists, who at that time were insidiously spreading their errors in France.
In many places they contrived to poison the minds of the Bishops against the
servant of God by cruel calumnies, and sufferings and humiliations were his
lifelong portion. On one occasion when, after fifteen months' labor, he had May
23 almost completed the erection of a gigantic Calvary at a place called
Pontchateau in the diocese of Nantes, he was suddenly forbidden to proceed with
the undertaking, found himself banished from the diocese, and beheld the work
which had cost him so much labor destroyed by the hands of the militia of the
district. In this bitter trial he saw nothing but the accomplishment of the
holy will of God. "God be blessed," said he tranquilly; "God be
blessed. I did not seek my own glory, but only the glory of God. I hope to receive from Him the same reward as if I
had succeeded." At La Rochelle the Calvinists, irritated by the many
conversions which the holy man had effected, attempted to poison him, and he
suffered from the effects of the draught during the rest of his life.
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Blessed Louis founded schools and hospitals, and
everywhere labored for the restoration of the churches, which were at that time
in a very dilapidated state. He established Missionaries to continue his work
under the title of the Society of Mary, a Congregation of religious women called
"Filles de la Sagesse" (Daughters of Wisdom), and a pious Association
called "Brethren of the Holy Ghost."
Worn out by his labors and penances, the servant of
God continued to devote himself to preaching till within a few days of his
death, which took place on April 28, A.D. 1716, when he was only forty-three
years of age. He was beatified by Pope Leo XIII on the occasion of his
sacerdotal jubilee, A.D. 1888.
Prayer
O God, you made your confessor, the holy Louis Mary, a wonderful
preacher of the mystery of the cross and of the most holy rosary, and though
him you implanted a new Order in your church; grant us by his intercession and
merits, that through the life, death and resurrection of your only-begotten
Son, we may obtain the rewards of eternal salvation. Through the same…