St. Pope Pius X: Slave of Jesus and Mary

Pope of True Devotion to Mary

A young priest, fervent promoter of Total Consecration to Jesus Through Mary, recently called to ask if I could give him the names of a few cardinals who endorse and promote Fr. de Montfort’s Total Consecration. So many of them have petitioned the Holy See to have St. Louis de Montfort a Marian Doctor of the Church, that I said to him, I can send you a list of the Popes who have endorsed him, beginning with Leo XIII who beatified him, in 1888, down through St. Pius X, Benedict the XVth, Pius XI, Pius XII, John XXIII and John Paul II.

Today I’d like to write about Pope St. Pius X, who not only wanted to be inscribed as one of the charter members of the Confraternity [now called The Association] of Mary, Queen of All Hearts, in Rome, but later raised it to the rank of an Archconfraternity. Although I’ve told the story before, I think it’s worth re-telling. It’s a simple story and one that, to my mind, illustrates the true greatness of a man who loved to call himself “the Peasant Pope.” Here’s how it was told to the Montfort Community by Father Hubert Gebhard, then Procurator General of the Company of Mary, Montfort Missionaries, in Rome.

On December 27, 1908, Father Jules Six and I were granted a private audience with His Holiness, Pope Pius X. After being introduced to the Holy Father by the Master of the Sacred Palace, the Very Reverend Father Lepidi, O.P., I presented His Holiness with a copy of the new Italian edition of Montfort’s Treatise on True Devotion to Mary. As the Pope thumbed quietly through the pages of the book, I ventured to say: “I understand that the Very Reverend Father Lepidi has already spoken to you about this edition and that Your Holiness is quite familiar with de Montfort’s Treatise”.

“That’s correct,” the Holy Father answered, then he added, “If he has told you everything, he must have told you that I insisted on rereading it before composing my encyclical on Our Blessed Mother”. (Ad diem illum, Dec. 8, 1904).

“Your Holiness must then desire, as much as we do, that True Devotion as taught by (Blessed) de Montfort should spread more and more, and therefore, will kindly forgive me if I make bold to ask for a blessing and a word of encouragement for all those who promote this devotion”.

Nodding approvingly, Pope Pius X extended his hand to receive the petition which I presented to him.  “It is the object of this petition, Most Holy Father,” I added.

The Pope then read the document very attentively. As he read on, pronouncing each word with obvious concern, a glow of satisfaction lit up his whole countenance. No sooner had he finished reading the written supplication than he placed it on his desk. He took up his pen and began writing, at the bottom of the document, these words;

“Granting your request, we most strongly recommend the Treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin. So admirably written by Blessed de Montfort, and to all who read it we wholeheartedly grant the Apostolic Blessing”.  (Dec. 27, 1908) Pope Pius X.

I felt great joy!.  “This little book, Most Holy Father, has already done much good; but now that it has been recommended by Your Holiness, it will do still more good.”

“It is really so beautiful!” the Pope exclaimed with deep sincerity.

I then proceeded to present His Holiness with the new Italian edition of the Handbook of the Priests of Mary. While the Holy Father read the two introductory letters, one by His Eminence Cardinal V. Vanutelli, the other by Cardinal Vives y Tuto, I explained: “Most Holy Father, these are the statutes of an association of priests of which Cardinal Vincent Vanutelli is the Protector. His Eminence has already obtained from Your Holiness a blessing and precious privileges for the priests who are members of this association and who promote True Devotion to Mary. On the occasion of the golden jubilee of Your priesthood, would Your Holiness deem it fitting to be enrolled in our association?”

“Certainly, yes. Most willingly do I wish to be enrolled among the Priests of Mary,” he answered with a gentle smile – the smile of a father who has just been given the opportunity of granting a favor that he knows will cause great joy to his sons. . . .

There is little doubt, that St. Pius X is one of the first of those “apostles of the latter times,” predicted by de Montfort. (T.D. Nos. 55-59) And if all the Popes have prided themselves in their title of “Slave of the Slaves of Christ,” then surely we might well add that he was the “Slave of the Slaves of Mary.”