Why Montfort Wrote About Mary
Fr. Roger Charest, SMM
Fr. Charest is the original Queen of All Hearts Managing Editor.
Why Montfort Wrote About Mary
If you ever wondered why St. Louis de Montfort wrote and preached so much and so beautifully about Our Blessed Mother . . .
It is principally because he fully realized how little most Catholics, and sometimes even the most learned among them, know about Mary and her role in God’s plan of our salvation and sanctification.
In the introduction to his True Devotion to Mary, St Louis begins by telling us that, in her humility, Mary asked God to keep her hidden. But he hastens to add that despite this, “Every day from one end of the earth to the other, in the highest heaven
and in the lowest abyss, all things preach, all things proclaim the wondrous Virgin Mary”. (No. 8). And in a burst of enthusiasm, he continues; “the whole world is filled with her glory. There is not a child who does not praise her by lisping a Hail Mary. There is scarcely a sinner, however hardened, who does not possess some spark of confidence in her. The very devil in hell, while fearing her, show her respect”. (No. 9).
We Have Still Not Praised, Exalted, Honored, Loved and Served Mary Adequately
He then goes on to admit; “And yet in truth we must still say with the saints; ’Of Mary we can never say enough’. We have still not praised, exalted, honored, loved and served Mary adequately. She is worthy of even more praise, respect, love and service.” {No. 10).
The final paragraph of his introduction reveals in no uncertain terms the reason for writing his True Devotion to Mary. It speaks for itself.
“My heart has dictated with special joy all that I have written to show that Mary has been unknown up until now, and that this is one of the reason why Jesus Christ is not known as he should be. If then, as is certain, the knowledge and the kingdom of Jesus Christ must come into the world, it can only be as a necessary consequence of the knowledge and reign of Mary. She who first gave him to the world will establish his kingdom in the world”. (No. 13).
Mary Is Not Known As She Should Be
Yes, after many years of preaching, Montfort realized that Mary is not known as she should be. In No. 63 of his True Devotion, he addresses Jesus with the following words. “Here I turn to you for a moment, dear Jesus, to complain lovingly to your divine Majesty that the majority of Christians, and even some of the most learned among them, do not recognize the necessary bond that unites you and your Blessed Mother”. (No. 63).
Are things very different today in the Christian, or even in the Catholic world?
Obviously I’m not referring to the readers of The Queen who want to know more about Mary in order to know and serve her Son, Jesus, more perfectly. Nor am I oblivious of the growing number of Religious and lay organizations that seem to be sprouting everywhere in our own country under the banner of Our lady – from the countless Montfort study groups to the Legion of Mary, the Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima, the Cenacles of True Devotion, the Marian Movement of Priests, the Queen of the America’s Guild which promotes devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, etc. to name a few.
Yes, after many years of preaching, Montfort realized that Mary is not known as she should be. In No. 63 of his True Devotion, he addresses Jesus with the following words. “Here I turn to you for a moment, dear Jesus, to complain lovingly to your divine Majesty that the majority of Christians, and even some of the most learned among them, do not recognize the necessary bond that unites you and your Blessed Mother”.
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Her Cause, Of Course, Is To Establish the Reign of Christ in Our World
What I’m referring to is the Christian world and the Church as a whole. And I say that Mary is still not known as she should be, despite the fact that our Holy Father [Pope John Paul II] is doing everything in his power to educate and lead his flock to Jesus through Mary. His Marian Year encyclical, Mother of the Redeemer, is a treasure of information about Mary’s relationship to God and to her children an well as a personal introduction to SL Louis de Montfort’s form of Marian Spirituality – a spirituality which proposes consecration to Christ through the hands of Mary, as an elective means for Christians to live faithfully their baptismal commitments”. (No. 48).
Sad to say, however, in too many instances, the Holy Father’s plea goes unheeded not to say, is willfully ignored by some who have been legitimately appointed to lead Christ’s flock. All the more reason therefore for us to deepen our personal knowledge of and devotion to Mary in order to become better promoters of her cause. Her cause, of course, is to establish the Reign of Christ in our world.
This has been the purpose of your Queen of All Hearts Magazine from its very beginning in May of 1950. May we remain faithful to our commitment to Jesus with and through Mary, our Queen and Mother.
