In the Footsteps of St. Louis Marie de Montfort

"Footsteps Online"

Christmas 1996 (Volume 2, Issue 1)

"This Outstanding Saint..."

This has been a momentous year for all those who look to St. Louis Marie de Montfort for inspiration, and who are guided by his writings and teachings, the Associates of the Montfort Missionaries among them. As we reported in the last issue of "Footsteps", the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, paid a special visit to St. Louis Marie's tomb in Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre at the beginning of his visit to France in September. On that occasion, he referred to the debt he owes to this man whom he called "this outstanding saint", particularly to his book "Treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin". He has acknowledged this debt many times, in particular in the book "Crossing the Threshold of Hope", his written answers to the questions put to him by a journalist. But on September 19, in Saint-Laurent, he underlined the whole aim of his visit to France by making reference to St. Louis Marie's concern to lead people to a renewal of their Baptismal commitment to Christ. And he prayed for the intercession of St. Louis Marie, that his own mission in France might be a fruitful one. See the full text of his homily.

Pope John Paul II at Saint Laurent
The day following the Pope's visit to Saint-Laurent, we received news that he had decreed that the feast of St. Louis Marie should henceforth be included in the liturgical calendar of the Universal Church. This means that, throughout the world, the Office and Mass of St. Louis Marie may be celebrated (as an optional memorial) each year on 28 April, the anniversary of his death in 1716. According to the wording of the Decree, St. Louis Marie "must be placed among the most illustrious missionary apostles". The Pope has certainly gone out of his way this year to emphasise the great esteem in which he holds our beloved Saint. This of course gives us great joy, but it should also lead us to examine once again how closely we follow "in the footsteps of Montfort", how faithful we are to his thoroughly "baptismal" theology.

Baptism, for the Christian, is the way of entering into the plan of God brought to reality by the Incarnation and birth of his Son, Jesus. It makes us not only children of God and brothers and sisters of Christ, but also members of his family, his "church". And, as the Holy Father implied in his words at Saint-Laurent, this fact of our Baptism is therefore the most important fact of our lives. As we approach Christmas yet again, we are encouraged by the Church to reflect on our Baptismal commitment to Christ, and to renew that commitment as we await his coming again. May the blessings of the Christ Child be with you all this Christmas tide.