Q&A: Is Montfort Spirituality limited to Devotion to Mary or does it have other ramifications such as devotion to the Holy Spirit, etc… ?
Father James McMillan, SMM
Question submitted by HR, Chicago, Ill.
Is Montfort’s Spirituality Just Limited to Devotion to Mary?
Montfortian spirituality is certainly not limited to devotion to Our Lady in the sense that it excludes everything else. Even a cursory reading of Montfort’s works shows that, like all the great spiritual leaders, his approach encompasses everything that is essential to Christian life and teaching.
A form of spirituality is not characterized by what it includes or excludes. All spiritualities must contain the entire message of Christ or else they cease to be Christian spiritualities. What determines a particular spirituality is the emphasis that it puts upon certain aspects of the entire Christian message. Thus, for example, Carmelite spirituality puts the stress on mental prayer, while Franciscan spirituality emphasizes the poverty of Christ and simplicity of life.
As for Montfortian spirituality, it is distinctive by reason of the emphasis given to the union of the Holy Spirit and Our Blessed Lady in the work of mankind’s redemption. “It was through the Blessed Virgin Mary that Jesus Christ came into the world, and it is through her that He is to reign in the world.”
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