Q&A: Often I have tried to interest people in the beautiful “Handbook of the Spirituality of Saint Louis de Montfort. Many of them reply; “Isn’t he the saint who thinks that we are slaves of Mary?” And little if any interest is shown in the book. Why do you so insist on using an expression that repels people from learning about this great saint?
Fr. Gaffney, SMM
From a member: M.G., St. Louis, MO
Why Slavery?
Fidelity to the thought of Saint Louis de Montfort, plus the fact that it is difficult if not impossible to find an equivalent expression are the basic reasons for the use of the term “slavery” in contemporary explanations of Montfort Spirituality.
However it is of paramount importance that the term be understood as Montfort understands it: it indicates the totality of belonging and when used in relation to Jesus and Mary, it is taken from the vocabulary of love. Nonetheless, when this term is considered so offensive that it blocks any study of Montfort Spirituality, it is important to use terms which may approximate Montfort’s use of “slave,” “slavery”: “total, loving surrender,” “complete, loving, belonging to,” etc.
Please read the article on “Slavery of Love” in Jesus Living in Mary: Handbook of the Spirituality of Saint Louis Marie de Montfort. It will adequately answer your question.
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