Friday, April 27, Third Week of Easter
Second from right: The saint's statue in the Founders' Gallery of St. Peter's Basilica.
ST. LOUIS-MARIE GRIGNON DE MONTFORT (France 1673-1716)
Priest, Preacher, Founder of the Missionaries of the Company of Mary and of the Daughters of Wisdom
Educated in Paris's St. Sulpice in the so-called French school of spirituality, Louis acquired his lifelong devotion to the Virgin Mary by extensive reading while he was a librarian at St. Sulpice. Ordained in 1700, he joined the third Order of the Dominicans and asked permission to preach the rosary, especially among the 'very poor, in the spirit of 'To Jesus through Mary'. He dedicated himself to preaching all over western France, advocating daily Communion and imitation of Mary's obedience to God's will. At one point, because of opposition from local bishops, he went to Rome to speak to Pope Clement IX about his work. Appreciating the value of his work in France, the Pope granted him the title of Apostolic Missionary. Louis was also a sculptor who carved many statues of Mary, and a poet who wrote thousands of devotional hymns. His writings on Mary, especially the book True Devotion to the Virgin Mary, have influenced at least four Popes - Leo XIII and Pius X, who incorporated his thoughts in their encyclicals, Pius XII who canonized him and was considered the first Marian Pope, and John Paul II who said he was influenced by St. Louis's books in the seminary and who adopted his episcopal motto, 'Totus tuus', from Louis's Marian devotion. However, the saint's own personal motto was 'God alone' ('in every cell of my body'). When he was appointed chaplain of a hospital in Poitiers, he met the woman who would become Blessed Marie Louise de Trichet, and they would work together in caring for the poor and opening schools for them. In 1715, Louise and her co-workers formed the core for the Daughters of Wisdom congregation. Louise would outlive her mentor, but she was eventually buried next to him in his Basilica in Sevres. Although he had a short life (he was a priest for only 17 years), Louis de Montfort is considered as a candidate to be named Doctor of the Church.
Readings for today's Mass:
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/042712.cfm
AT THE VATICAN TODAY
The Holy Father met with
- Cardinal Fernando Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (regular meeting)
- Mons. Mario Roberto Cassari, Apostolic Nunzio to South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland and Botswana
- H.E. Madame aría Jesús Figa López-Palop, Ambassador of Spain, on a farewell visit.
And in the afternoon with
- Mons. Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer, Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
(weekly meeting with CDF Prefect, in place of Cardinal William Levada)
P.S. The announcement of the new CDF Prefect in place of Cardinal Levada who is retiring after having turned 75,
is a bit overdue. It was expected after Easter. Nothing so far in the Italian media.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 27/04/2012 14:53]