St Louis de Montfort was a French priest who eloquently preached on devotion to Our Lady and praying the Rosary. His famous works and practices include The Secret of the Rosary, True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin, and Total Consecration to Mary.
Read the full St Louis de Montfort novena on the novena page. You can also learn more about novenas here.
Who Was Saint Louis de Montfort?
St Louis de Montfort was a French priest who eloquently preached on devotion to Our Lady and praying the Rosary. His famous works and practices include The Secret of the Rosary, True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin, and Total Consecration to Mary. Pray this novena for increased devotion to Our Lady.
St. Louis was born Louis-Marie Grignion on January 31st, 1673 in Montfort-sur-Meu, France, the eldest surviving child of eighteen.
When Louis was twelve, he studed at the Jesuit College of St. Thomas Becket in Rennes.
His later studies took him to Paris, where he became the librarian and so was afforded time and access to great theological works, which helped him form his deep understanding about the Virgin Mary.
He was ordained to the priesthood in 1700 and was appointed hospital chaplain in Poitiers.
His passionate preaching aroused skepticism in some listeners, so Louis traveled to Rome, met Pope Clement XI, and received the honor of being a special missionary of the Pope himself (a missionary apostolic).
With his preaching vocation confirmed, Louis spent many years traveling from town to town preaching missions on the Rosary and Our Lady. He was also devoted to the angels.
St Louis de Montfort was an early advocate in what is now called the field of Mariology, and he spread devotion to Mary far and wide.
St Louis died when he was just 43 years old, having only been a priest for 16 years.
St Louis de Montfort was beatified in 1888 by Pope Leo XIII and canonized on July 20th, 1947 by Pope Pius XII.
His feastday is April 28th.