Saint Louis de Montfort (1673-1716) was a French priest whose special devotion to Mary made him one of the earliest writers on the subject of Mariology. After being declined permission to be sent on a missionary to Canada, Saint Louis founded the Company of Mary (the Montfort Fathers), a missionary group of priests with the Blessed Mary as their inspiration. Soon, along with Blessed Marie Louise Trichet, he founded the Daughters of Wisdom, whose mission was to educate poor girls in addition to hospital work. A gifted speaker, Saint Louis quickly gained fame throughout western France for his fervent sermons and teachings.
Here, his most famous work, True Devotion to Mary: With Preparation for Total Consecration, is reproduced for today's readers. Considered one of the best books about Mary, True Devotion allows readers to consecrate themselves to Jesus through Mary using a 33-day period of preparation that concludes on a Marian feast day of choice. Saint Pope John Paul II had a special affinity to this devotion and spoke of it many times, writing 'I myself, in the years of my youth, found reading this book a great help.' Saint Louis de Montfort is our guide and teacher as we make a spiritual journey with the Blessed Mother, demonstrating the inspiring, beneficial, and transformative effects she will have on our lives.
