In the Footsteps of St. Louis Marie de Montfort
"Footsteps Online"
Autumn 1996 (Volume 1, Issue 3)
"You are Christ's"
As we are preparing to send out this issue of "Footsteps", you may have seen reports (e.g. in the "Universe") of a bomb placed near the tomb of Saint Louis Marie de Montfort in Saint-Laurent-sur- Sèvre. It was apparaently placed there by some groups who are protesting at the Pope's forthcoming visit to France, beginning on September 19. The Holy Father is making his visit to commemorate the 1500th anniversary of the baptism of Clovis, the King of the Franks, in 496, an event which is seen as significant for the spread of the Christian faith in France. While he is there, Pope John Paul has decided to make a brief visit, which is billed as "private", to the tomb of Saint Louis Marie, because of his great admiration for him and his teaching. This will take place on September 19 in the evening. There have also been reports in the newspapers of other forms of protest in France - "many" people asking to be "de-baptised". When a count is taken it appears that there have been perhaps 500 to 600 (out of a total population of over 50 million) who have asked for their baptismal records to be deleted. Nevertheless there are groups who wish to protest at the Pope's visit, or rather at his adamant teaching on certain aspects of Christian faith and morality. The bomb in Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvres is simply a part of this. But what is it about this particular visit of the Pope which arouses such passions?
The Holy Father has made it clear that he is not going to France simply to commemorate an historical
event, but to recall to Frenchmen the reality of their Baptism, and to invite them to renew their
baptismal commitment to Jesus Christ. "You are Christ's... You belong to Christ," St. Paul tells us
(1Cor 3.23) because of baptism. And the Pope has made several appeals to the French people (and
indeed to all Christians) to be faithful to baptism, to renew their fidelity to this reality. In 1990, for
example, he said these words: "I have already called on you to renew your fidelity to the promises
of your baptism. Once again I make this appeal to you." St. Louis Marie de Montfort also lays
great stress on the renewal of our baptismal promises, and sees Consecration to Jesus through the hands
of Mary as the perfect means of achieving this renewal. This is surely, in part at least, the reason why
the Pope wishes to include in his visit to France a prayer at the tomb of the saint whom he loves so
well. And, aside from the few who protest, loudly or violently, at his visit, there will surely be many,
many more who will respond to his appeal, in a campaign which already has gained great momentum:
Consecration leaflets, inspired by St. Louis Marie's consecration formula, have been distributed all over
France; people sign them, keep a part for themselves, and send another part to an organising committee,
who will present all these commitments to the Pope in Rheims on September 22. They will afterwards
be preserved at the feet of the immense statue of Our Lady of France at Baillet, north of Paris. Perhaps
we, in this country, could make our own private renewal of our baptismal promises, side by side with
our French brothers and sisters.
| The following is the text of the Consecration proposed to French men and women for the Pope's visit:
"We want to be faithful Christians, so as to live in the Love of God and of our neighbour, as Jesus asks of us. We want to set ourselves to listen to Christ and his Church, to carry the Gospel into our families, our work-places, our cities and towns, and to the ends of the earth. We want to come back to God who is the source of true happiness, to build a world which will be more just and more loving. For my part, I want to respond today to the love of the Heart of Jesus, committing myself to follow him, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
"O Mary, Mother of Jesus, my gentle mother, I ask you to help me in this resolution, side by side with so many other Christians. I confide to your Immaculate Heart, my family, my relations, my country and my life, that you might lead us all in the paths of God, who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen." |
