True Devotion to the Blessed Version (St. Louis de Montfort) - Which Version?

  • Thread starter Thread starter TimothyH
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
T

TimothyH

Guest
I had the pleasure of meeting a Franciscan priest today, who advised me to purchase a copy of St. Louis de Montfort’s “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin.” I believe he said to get a copy with Prepartation for Total Consecration.

His advice was to buy from Tan Publishers but was specific that I should stay away from newer translations of the book.

In light of the above advice, does anyone have recommendations on what version to buy. In the absence of any further guidance, I would simply buy the one at the Tan Publisher’s website at https://www.tanbooks.com/index.php/page/shop:flypage/product_id/829/. Can anyone comment on this or any other version/translation?

I am aware that it is available online but prefer a hard copy.

-Tim-
 
Oh yeah.

This is the devotion that says:
“even God Himself, is subject to the Blessed Virgin, they mean that the authority which God has been well pleased to give her is so great that it seems as if she had the same power as God; and that her prayers and petitions are so powerful with God that they always pass for commandments with His Majesty, who never resists the prayer of His dear Mother, because she is always humble and conformed to His will.”
 
TrueLight said:
Oh yeah.

This is the devotion that says:
“even God Himself, is subject to the Blessed Virgin, they mean that the authority which God has been well pleased to give her is so great that it seems as if she had the same power as God; and that her prayers and petitions are so powerful with God that they always pass for commandments with His Majesty, who never resists the prayer of His dear Mother, because she is always humble and conformed to His will.”
Click to expand...
You know TtrueLight, I’ve been thinking about what you said here and I wonder.
If our Blessed Mother Mary is truly humble and conformed to His will, would she ever ask Him or intercede for us to Him for something that was not His will to begin with?
I hope that makes sense let me know and if it doesn’t I will try to restate it.
 
This post is dated abit;
But let me answer the original question.

De Montfort wrote his book ‘True Devotion to Mary’ by numbering the paragraphs.
Some versions eliminate this very useful numbering.

Perhaps the best version of this book is from Montfort publications
‘True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin’ (B2)
publications.montfortmissionaries.org/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=45

Also, no one can read this book once very usefully, preferrably it should be read twice or more with taking summary notes on the second read.

I do have a fairly useless copy of this book from Aventine Press, translated by Mark L Jacobson that I got off of Amazon that I found a great dissapointment.
 
jmj1984 said:
The Baronius press version
Click to expand...
Baronius press is a good catholic publisher.
But WHY do you recommend their book of ‘True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin’ by De Montfort.

Is it the translator, or because its hardback, you dont’ like Tan or De Montfort Publilications,
recommendations are just not spitting out your favorite publishers name.
 
RB2 said:
Baronius press is a good catholic publisher.
But WHY do you recommend their book of ‘True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin’ by De Montfort.

Is it the translator, or because its hardback, you dont’ like Tan or De Montfort Publilications,
recommendations are just not spitting out your favorite publishers name.
Click to expand...
:confused:

What is that about?
 
RB2 said:
Baronius press is a good catholic publisher.
But WHY do you recommend their book of ‘True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin’ by De Montfort.

Is it the translator, or because its hardback, you dont’ like Tan or De Montfort Publilications,
recommendations are just not spitting out your favorite publishers name.
Click to expand...
Maybe because I trust Baronius and it retains the paragraph numbers? As well as 3 different letters of introduction and when it comes to recommendations of versions of books it pretty much is writing your favourite publishers name.
 
I recommend the Baronius Press edition for no other reason that it’s the only one I own. If you read it and decide you wish to follow through and consecrate yourself to Jesus in Mary, then you have two options. Check out the Fish Eaters Website’s Total Consecration section which contains readings and prayers.

Which I have started with (I’ve completed the 12 day preparation period and the first week and start the second week tomorrow, an Ember Day as well!).

Or you can dig out Father Donald MacDonald S.M.M.'s “Alive to God”, a little booklet with readings and prayers for the preparation. I rejected it out of hand because, although it has the three weeks, the preparatory period laid out here is one week and not twelve days as recommended by Saint Louis.

However I’m going to switch over to its readings etc., because it also contains reflections and I despise trying to meditate with a computer. So even though it isn’t the most “traditional” way it’s the more official way, seeing as the director for the Archconfraternity of Mary, Queen of All Hearts in the UK kindly sent it to me.
simple_soul said:
You know TtrueLight, I’ve been thinking about what you said here and I wonder.
If our Blessed Mother Mary is truly humble and conformed to His will, would she ever ask Him or intercede for us to Him for something that was not His will to begin with?
I hope that makes sense let me know and if it doesn’t I will try to restate it.
Click to expand...
You’ve highlighted exactly what Saint Louis says. It’s all about the love Christ shares with His Mother.

TrueLight, I think you find Saint Louis too heavy. For this reason I strongly recommend you pick up Saint Alphonsus’ Glories of Mary. Saint Alphonsus is a Doctor of the Church and lays out the exact same doctrine as Saint Louis (though not the same devotion exactly). You should be able to find it as a PDF on the 'net (don’t get an abridged copy, get the complete one containing Novenas, meditations etc.).
 
simple_soul said:
You know TtrueLight, I’ve been thinking about what you said here and I wonder.
If our Blessed Mother Mary is truly humble and conformed to His will, would she ever ask Him or intercede for us to Him for something that was not His will to begin with?
I hope that makes sense let me know and if it doesn’t I will try to restate it.
Click to expand...
Very well stated! It is also good to remember that our dear St. Louis de Montfort used hyperbole that can be misunderstood by some.

I first became interested in this book when it was promoted by a lady I admired so much for her humility and charity. This was many years ago, and I have made the Consecration (33 days) about 7 or 8 times so far.
 
My book is by TAN publishers too, it has a different cover, but they change covers once in a while. I think the text that TAN uses, is always the same. TAN is pretty reliable imo 🙂

It’s an awesome book! It reads like something inspired imo 🙂 but make sure you pray before reading, that God would help to understand it, because it’s not a very easy text. (very worth it though).

God bless!
 
TrueLight said:
Oh yeah.

This is the devotion that says:
“even God Himself, is subject to the Blessed Virgin, they mean that the authority which God has been well pleased to give her is so great that it seems as if she had the same power as God; and that her prayers and petitions are so powerful with God that they always pass for commandments with His Majesty, who never resists the prayer of His dear Mother, because she is always humble and conformed to His will.”
Click to expand...
TrueLight, St Louis de Montfort clarifies these statements in his book… the reason he says this is not because God is constrained by any law or by Mary’s prayers, but because she only prays in accordance with His will (as it says in the last sentence of that quote :)). Also, because of her humility and she is His Mother. God chose to listen to her prayers in this way. Hope that makes sense. I didn’t understand this devotion at all at first, its not an easy devotion or book, but St Louis explains in the book how it’s Christ-centered.

God bless!
 
Monica4316 said:
My book is by TAN publishers too, it has a different cover, but they change covers once in a while. I think the text that TAN uses, is always the same. TAN is pretty reliable imo 🙂

It’s an awesome book! It reads like something inspired imo 🙂 but make sure you pray before reading, that God would help to understand it, because it’s not a very easy text. (very worth it though).

God bless!
Click to expand...
I probably have the same TAN version you have.

You can read the whole thing online for free here

I found the online version at the same time I was trying to decide which one to order and ended up reading the whole thing online before my order arrived. I was really drawn in by this.

Once you’ve made your Consecration, don’t forget to register with the Confraternity - now called the Association of Mary Queen of All Hearts

I think I initially contacted them via email and just mailed a letter telling them the date of my Consecration and expressing my desire to be enrolled. They send back a package confirming your enrollment with some additonal information.

Pax,

Michael
 
Dorothy said:
Very well stated! It is also good to remember that our dear St. Louis de Montfort used hyperbole that can be misunderstood by some.
Click to expand...
*Thank you for that feedback. I am always wondering if I am understanding things correctly. I am wondering about something you said here. If you would not mind could you please explain for me exactly what a “hyperbole” is. Understanding this might help me with explaining St. Louis to people in the future. *
Dorothy said:
I first became interested in this book when it was promoted by a lady I admired so much for her humility and charity. This was many years ago, and I have made the Consecration (33 days) about 7 or 8 times so far.
Click to expand...
I was just reflecting last night about how my parents Consecrated us at a very young age. I do not have any recollection of it. But I believe I have always had a slightly warped understanding of this Consecration. I always heard it refereed to, or misunderstood it to be, as Consecrating one’s self to Mary or being consecrated to Mary. So one day I decided to look up the Consecration to Mary and was taken back that the Consecration is titled “Consecration to Jesus Christ the Incarnate Wisdom through the Blessed Virgin Mary.” It was kind of an eye opener for me to say the least. The reason is because I discovered that this Consecration is something we said as a family prayer together on a daily basis growing up and one that I still say to this day. But I never understood it to be what I heard refereed to as Consecrating oneself to Mary. Or maybe I am confusing the two things. Some day I am going to get my hands on a copy of St. Louis De Monfort’s True Devotion and maybe I can understand how it all works.
 
simple_soul said:
*Thank you for that feedback. I am always wondering if I am understanding things correctly. I am wondering about something you said here. If you would not mind could you please explain for me exactly what a “hyperbole” is. Understanding this might help me with explaining St. Louis to people in the future. *
I was just reflecting last night about how my parents Consecrated us at a very young age. I do not have any recollection of it. But I believe I have always had a slightly warped understanding of this Consecration. I always heard it refereed to, or misunderstood it to be, as Consecrating one’s self to Mary or being consecrated to Mary. So one day I decided to look up the Consecration to Mary and was taken back that the Consecration is titled "Consecration to Jesus Christ the Incarnate Wisdom through the Blessed Virgin Mary." It was kind of an eye opener for me to say the least. The reason is because I discovered that this Consecration is something we said as a family prayer together on a daily basis growing up and one that I still say to this day. But I never understood it to be what I heard refereed to as Consecrating oneself to Mary. Or maybe I am confusing the two things. Some day I am going to get my hands on a copy of St. Louis De Monfort’s True Devotion and maybe I can understand how it all works.
Click to expand...
The word hyperbole means exaggeration for the sake of emphasis. We need to remember that the book “True Devotion to Mary” is not a treatise on Marian theology, and should not be read as though it was.

Since our Blessed Mother is the one most perfectly formed as a Christian, she helps to form us in the likeness of her Son.

I have read the book more than once and learn and understand more each time. An image St. Louis de Montfort uses is: (I am paraphrasing) In order to become formed in the likeness of Christ would you rather be like a block of wood and then be chipped away at until His image is formed, or would you rather become like putty and poured into a mold? St. Louis explains that True Devotion to Mary is like being poured into a mold - a bit easier than being chipped away at.

I don’t know if that helps much, but the book explains a lot in St. Louis’ own inimitable way. Mine was from Tan books, and it was printed in 1967 and so has a different cover than the later editions. There is a lot to ponder in the book
 
im confused…
im looking for this book as well, but there are so many different versions…

they all have significant different number of pages as well

can anyone tell me the differences between each book?

and which one of these would you recommend? i looked up Baronius Press as well and added it

amazon.com/True-Devotion-Louis-Marie-Grignion-Monfort/dp/0895552795/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1316882272&sr=8-1
amazon.com/TAN-Classic-True-Devotion-Classics/dp/0895551543/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1316882360&sr=8-4
amazon.com/True-Devotion-Blessed-Virgin/dp/1905574304/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1316882272&sr=8-3
tanbooks.com/index.php/page/shop:flypage/product_id/829/keywords/devotion+mary/

thank you
 
Well earlier , I recommended this one from Montfort Publications.

Perhaps the best version of this book is from Montfort publications
‘True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin’ (B2)
publications.montfortmissionaries.org/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=45

The reason why I recommend it is because it uses Paragraph nos.
This book no one can read once, preferablly you read it twice or more and take summary notes. For the summary notes, you include the Paragraph nos. for reference.
Judgement, I looked at your links, those books offer no relevant peaks, so one is as good as the other. Probably only page no. based. But in another earlier post, some one put up a link to a complete paragraph based translation that was complete on the internet and free.

As a side note, I have 8 pages of summary notes I plan on posting up in a seperate thread.
First, as a way to keep them for me( stored on the internet).
Secondly, to share and help others review.(Paragraph #'s based)

I review my summary notes morning and night and from my summary notes I have prepared sayings , phrasings which call to mind my devotion to Mary. So I can easily turn to Mary with these sayings.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top