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Q&A: Did Montfort really foretell True Devotion would be lost, hidden in a trunk and then found after many years? I am trying to collect striking stories about saints and my pastor mentioned this one to me.
Fr. Gaffney, SMM
Foretelling of True Devotion
That “prophecy” of True Devotion #114. It is almost always seen as a foretelling of the future fate of Saint Louis-Marie’s manuscript, detailing how the devil will tear it, hide it in the silence of a coffer during the French Revolution and then the good that the manuscript, once found, will accomplish throughout the world.
But would you think that when Father de Montfort was writing #114 (in 1712 at La Rochelle) that he was actually contemplating these things? Things which would befall his writing, from the French Revolution (end of 18th century) to the finding of the manuscript in 1842? I don’t think so.
The Jansenists Likely Never Would Tolerate the Publication
It appears that what Saint Louis de Montfort is saying in that prophecy directly concerns something going on right then and there in 1712 and in the city of La Rochelle. The raging beasts with their diabolical teeth who want to destroy the manuscript of the True Devotion are the Jansenists of Montfort’s day. The Bishop of the diocese of La Rochelle issued two pastoral letters jointly with the Bishop of the adjoining diocese of Luton against the Jansenists, who were apparently active at that time in their dioceses.
It is most probably the Jansenists who poisoned Father de Montfort’s soup. They planned to murder him as he walked down one of the streets of La Rochelle. The Jansenists would never tolerate the publication of his manuscript. They are the ones who gladly attacked him and would go after those who would think like him. And it is because of this strong Jansenist opposition that his manuscript would have to be hidden. Hidden in a trunk for some time before it could ever be published.
He saw clearly that the Jansenists would destroy it in some way or another. My guess is that he probably gave his writing to the Bishop of La Rochelle. The bishop likely safeguarded it for sometime. Probably giving it to the community of missionaries the saint founded. In turn, the Company of Mary (Montfort Missionaries) probably also hid it. We do not hear of the manuscript again until it was re-discovered in 1842.
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Jansenists Opposed Montfort’s Spirituality
Why were the Jansenists so opposed to Saint Louis de Montfort’s teachings? Jansenism is a many headed beast. “Theological” Jansenism is akin to Calvinism (La Rochelle was a center of Calvinists) with its somber doctrine of divine predestination of all people to heaven or hell with little if any consideration of cooperation with grace. Jansenist “spirituality” understandably depicts a dire and dour God, distant, incredibly demanding. Awesome mortifications and penances were intrinsic to their spirituality. They tried to whip themselves into worthiness. And they were much admired by many people for these incredible self-inflictions. They preached frequent Communion. However, they demanded such holiness to approach the altar-rail that even an angel was not worthy to receive Communion. Pascal is one of the more famous Jansenists.
Now into this rather glum atmosphere walks the Father from Montfort. He who proclaims the tenderness of God the Father. Montfort who proclaims the tenderness of Jesus and Mary, He preaches frequent Communion. Montfort preaches total consecration as a direct, short, perfect way to union with Christ, etc. Can you imagine what would come of his manuscript of the True Devotion! He saw clearly that the Jansenists would destroy it in some way or another. My guess is that he probably gave his writing to the Bishop of La Rochelle. The bishop likely safeguarded it for sometime. Probably giving it to the community of missionaries the saint founded. In turn, the Company of Mary (Montfort Missionaries) probably also hid it. We do not hear of the manuscript again until it was re-discovered in 1842.
And it is easy to see how Montfort’s prophecy began to be applied. And rightly so, to the strange fate of the manuscript itself and its fortuitous discovery. But I do not believe that the saint himself saw this element of his prophecy; rather, he was aiming at the Jansenists of his time and place.
