Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort

1673-1716 17th century Feast day: April 28

The prayer of someone who has put nothing aside for tomorrow.

Who was Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort?

A Breton priest with no settled post, he went from parish to parish across western France on foot, living on alms, expelled from several dioceses by bishops whom his manner alarmed. He wrote hymns for people who could not read, and died at forty-three in the middle of a mission.

In their own words

The covetous band together to trade and to earn gold and silver: join your labours together to win the treasures of eternity, which are shut up in the Cross. The dissolute band together to amuse themselves: band together to suffer.

Lettre aux Amis de la Croix (Letter to the Friends of the Cross), p. 6; Montreal edition, 1854; the French is the author's own, English by the Manna team

Take courage, fight bravely. Bind yourselves closely in a union of minds and hearts, a union far stronger, and far more fearful to the world and to hell, than the outward forces of a well united kingdom are to the enemies of the state.

Lettre aux Amis de la Croix (Letter to the Friends of the Cross), p. 6; Montreal edition, 1854; the French is the author's own, English by the Manna team