ROGATIONIST SEMINARY COLLEGE

MONTFORTAN CONSECRATION TO JESUS THROUGH MARY

A research paper on the course Rogationist Spirituality

Submitted by:

Sem. Chris Ivan Lagarde

Submitted to:

Fr. Viktor Emmanuel Aurellana, RCJ

September 23, 2009

Merville Park Parañaque City, Metro Manila

 I. Introduction

There have been many forms of consecration to Mary or to Jesus

through Mary. Different Holy persons or Saints speaks about this special

consecration to Mary or devotion to Jesus through Mary. One of the Saints

who spoke about it was St. Hannibal Maria de Francia, the founder of the

Rogationist. St. Hannibal was a faithful devotee of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Because of his great devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary he even wrote

poems and prayers in honor of the Blessed Mother as sign of his great love.

However, for St. Hannibal, one cannot be a follower of Christ without being a

follower of Mary and the best way top honor Jesus Christ is honoring His

mother.1 More over and in addition St. Hannibal said, “Whoever does not love

Jesus, does not love Mary. The more we love Mary, the more we love Jesus.

Mary’s intercession is morally necessary for our eternal salvation. Without

being devout Mary, we cannot be really devout and virtuous nor can we

achieve eternal salvation”.2

This special consecration or devotion will not grow in the heart of St.

Hannibal to Mary without the true and original devotee of the Blessed Virgin

Mary no other than St. Louis de Montfort. St. Louis de Montfort is well known

for being a true devotee of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In fact St. Hannibal’s

consecration and devotion to Mary was patterned and based on St. Louis de
1
Fr. Tusino, RCJ, The Fathers Soul
2

ibid
Montfort’s spirituality. Thus St. Hannibal adopted St. Louis de Montfort

spirituality.

In practicing Montfortan spirituality one must have to understand St.

Louis de Montfort’s line of spirituality specially “the true devotion to Mary”.

However, to have a better insight and understanding of Montfortan

Spirituality the researcher will try to discuss a glimpse on St. Louis de

Montfort Marian Spirituality.

II. St. Louis de Montfort’s Short Biography

Louis Grignion was born on January 31, 1637 at the village in the

West France called Montfort. In his later life he added the name Mary (in

French “Marie”) to his first name because of the great devotion he had for

Our Lady. He practically dropped his surname Grignion by replacing in with

“Montfort”, since people often referred to him as “le bou Pere de Montfort”

(de good Father from Montfort). He is known as Saint Louis-Marie de

Montfort. His followers were later called “Montfort Missionaries”. Louis-Marie

made his Priestly studies with the Jesuits and later with the Fathers of

Sulpice in Paris. He was ordained priest in 1700.3

On June 20, 1947 St. Louis de Montfort was canonized as a Saint by the

late Pope Pius xii. He was characterized as the guide who leads you to Mary

and Mary to Jesus. He said that all Saints are great servant of Mary. St. Louis
3
The Butler’s of the Saints, Vol. ii
worked ardently and effectively to loved and served the Virgin Mary. The

Holy Father said

He strenuously opposed all who popularized erroneous pious practices

or who upheld doctrine contrary to the teaching of the church. As a
result of his labors, the integrity of Catholic Doctrine was safeguarded
and Catholic Faith shone not only in the minds of men but also
influenced both their private and public life. St. Louis is a true
devotee of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A true son of the Blessed Lady and
with this, he is advising as all, as well to foster our devotion To Her. He
said,” Our Blessed Lady is the means our Lord made use of, to come to
us… … we give ourselves to our Lord explicitly by the hands of Mary
and as we consecrate to Him the value of our actions.4

III. Montfort’s Consecration to Jesus through Mary

One of the powerful means Montfort used in his preaching and

teaching was his Perfect Devotion. During spiritual direction and in his

numerous parish retreats, it produced great spiritual gifts of lasting and

conversion and authentic holiness. St. Louis de Montfort left us two written

works which he explains that devotion. The shorten version is called “The

Secret of Mary”, while the more elaborate text was entitled “True devotion

to Mary”. Montfort’s “True Devotion” is a wonderful small book. After he had

written it around the year 1712, the text got lost for 130 years, and only by

accident it was found back in 1842, fulfilling a prophecy contained the book

itself.5 Since the time it was found back , Montfort’s devotion quickly

spread, in many editions and translated in different languages, to all the

St. Louis de Montfort, True Devotion to Mary

5
TD no. 114
continents of the world. The late Pope John Paul II was introduced to the book

when he was still a workman in Poland. Once he revealed to a journalist that

reading the true Devotion to Mary had really meant in his life. It is very

interesting to know that his Papal motto “Totus Tuus “is part of consecration

formula, namely: “I’m all yours “Totus Tuus”), and all that I have is yours, O

Blessed Virgin above all!”

In Pope John Paul II encyclical “Redemptoris Mater”; the encounter with

Christ is a “pilgrimage of faith”. In the sense Mary stands as model of all

Christians, because the “proceeds “the People of God in the pilgrimage of

the Faith.6 In RM 48, the Pope expresses; Here we speak not only of ‘doctrine

of faith’, but also of the life of faith’, and thus authentic ‘Marian Spirituality’,

seen in the light of tradition, and specially the spirituality which the Council

exhorts us. To recall the many witnesses and teachers of this spirituality, the

figure of St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort, who proposes Consecration to

Christ through the hands of Mary, as an effective means For Christians to live

faithfully their baptismal commitments… In the L’Osservatore Romano,

January 18, 1988, While addressing a group f bishops , o n December 17,

1987, Pope John Paul II continued:”…If we are speaking of the Act of

Consecration itself ‘in maternal slavery to the Mother Of God , it is certainly,

like every expression of her authentic cult,’ profoundly Christocentric’. It

introduced us in the whole mystery of Christ…”7

Cf. RM 3
7

The Totus Tuus Journey, p.ix

 IV. Turning Mary to Find Jesus

Whenever Louis de Montfort’s speaks about devotion to Mary, it is

important to note that he always stresses the certainty of Christ. He makes it

abundantly clear to his audience that Christ is the ultimate goal of our lives.

If we want to become a Disciples of Christ, we have to become like him, or in

the word of St. Louis Montfort, we must obtain “wisdom”. This means that we

must be united with Christ the Eternal Wisdom who became an Incarnate

Wisdom in Mary. As followers of Christ, we must be like Christ and we must

submit ourselves to Mary, as he did in the Incarnation. Thus, our act of

consecration does not stop at Mary, because the ultimate objective of our

spiritual journey is, always and only Jesus Christ. St Luis Marie de Montfort

tells us that “Jesus our savior, true God and true man must be the ultimate

end of all our devotions; otherwise they would be false and misleading”.8 And

he adds: “ If then we are establishing sound devotion to Our Blessed Lady , it

is only in order to establish devotion to our lady more perfectly, by providing

a smooth but certain way of reaching Jesus Christ.”9

V. Living out the Consecration10

8
TD. No. 61
9

TD. No. 62
10

TD. Nos. 257-265

 It does not demand much effort to pronounce a consecration formula.

It does not demand however a never-ending commitment and dedication to

live out what we have promised. In order to be faithful to our consecration,

Montfort tells us that we must always try to do everything through Mary, in

Mary, and for Mary.

Living and acting through Mary means for him that we renounce

our own spirit and let ourselves be governed by the spirit of Mary. A Living

and acting with Mary means for Montfort that we take Our Lady in everything

as our model. Living and acting in Mary means that we are invited to find

our dwelling place in her, ‘City of God’ or the ‘Sear of Wisdom’, as her Son

that chose to dwell in her through the incarnation. Living and acting for

Mary means for St. Louis de Montfort that we become completely available

for her service. We are her servants and slaves-of-love who carry out great

thing for our Queen, and thus for her son, whose reign must come into the

world through.

VI. Reflection

St. Louis de Montfort is a passionate lover of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

His love for the Blessed Mother is overflowing with joy throughout his life. He

is really a great Saint that should be imitated by all people when it comes to

the true devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Even me was amazed of his

Marian Spirituality. At this time I am glad to know St. Louis de Montfort’s

Marian Spirituality. Having a glimpse on Montfortan Consecration to Jesus

through Mary it makes me more interested to also practice Montfortan

Spirituality like what Fr. Hannibal did. For me it is great factor to learn and

practice Montfortan spirituality in order to strengthen my relationship with

Him through the Blessed Virgin Mary. Moreover this really helps mo to know

more Jesus through Mary. In this world each one of us have an idol or person

to imitate. This is very true to every person. A clear example for this was St.

Hannibal. Since her really love the Blessed Mother he took St. Louis de

Montfort’s Marian Spirituality to be imitated.

In connection with my experience I too have an icon in life. I think

everybody knows Michael Jordan the greatest basketball player I’ve ever

known. I remember when I was a kid, like others I too is a die had fan of him.

He is really my idol and favorite basketball player. His moves and winning

shots are really amazing that makes me say “Wow” For me I considered him

as the king of basketball. Because of him I was inspired to learn basketball.

But St. Louis de Montfort was inspired me too of Marian Spirituality. Lastly

after having a glimpse on St. Louis de Montfort I realized that in imitating

good people and following their good examples brings closer to my goal in

life.