St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort (31 January 1673 – 28 April 1716) was born in Montfort-sur-Meu, the eldest child of the large family of Jean-Baptiste Grignion, a notary, and his wife Jeanne Robert. He was ordained a priest in June 1700, and assigned to Nantes. For several years he preached in missions from Brittany to Nantes, and his reputation as a great missioner grew and he became known as "the good Father from Montfort".
He left Nantes and the next several years were extraordinarily busy for him. He was occupied in preaching missions, always travelling on foot between one and another. Yet, he found time also to write - his True Devotion to Mary, the Secret of Mary and the Secret of the Rosary, rules for the Company of Mary and the Daughters of Wisdom, and many Hymns. Grignion de Montfort's approach of "total consecration to Jesus Christ through Mary" had a strong impact on Roman Catholic Mariology both in popular piety and in the spirituality of religious orders. As one of the classical writers of Christian spirituality, Saint Louis de Montfort is a candidate to become a Doctor of the Church. His book True Devotion to Mary has been considered one the most influential Marian books. His books are also renowned for influencing many Popes. He was canonized in 1947.
Letter to the Friends of the Cross is a letter penned by Montfort to an association of Catholics. Montfort meditates on Christ’s words, and discusses how we can all be more Christ like.
