"When Mary has taken root in a soul..." St. Louis De Montfort

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twf said:
I would think he is referring to Special actual graces from the Holy Spirit… not the presence guaranteed by the sacraments of baptism and confirmation.
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twf said:
Christ is the only way to God… but Mary helps us find her Son.
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You are indeed correct. But these two statements are indicative of why Montfortian spirituality needs significant commentary from theologians.

It is actually his own spiritual sons, of the Congregation for clerics that de Montfort founded, that most strongly assert this.
 
I often have to say this when faced with these situations. Any respect or veneration we give to Mary is solely because of God’s grace and her response to it. It is NOT because of herself, only because of God.
 
One question, please, on your post: you wrote,
“Pope Saint John Paul II … judged de Montfort should not be named a doctor of the Church when that was under consideration.”

Do you have a reference to this, from Pope Saint John Paul II’s writings? Where exactly? I’d like to research this further. Thank you.
 
fide said:
One question, please, on your post: you wrote,

“Pope Saint John Paul II … judged de Montfort should not be named a doctor of the Church when that was under consideration.”

Do you have a reference to this, from Pope Saint John Paul II’s writings? Where exactly? I’d like to research this further. Thank you.
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The moments that are the most relevant to the early phase of considering the designation would surround the beatification of Marie-Louise Trichet and then in the lead up to the apostolic visit to France and the Pope’s visit to Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre, and finally the 50th anniversary of his canonisation which was in the year after. This phase, however, is, from the perspective of researching the matter, essentially internal to the papal household.

What would be easier for you to research, you will find, would be the negative judgement from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith concerning the proposition of Saint Louis being named a doctor of the Church. The most judicious way to render it in English, I would say, is due to an assessment which yielded a finding of “disequilibrium”.

This assessment, in the inter-dicasterial consultative process, prompted the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to definitively close the dossier concerning Saint Louis and further consideration of him as a doctor of the Church. This occurred in the Summer of 2001, as I recall.

The extent of what is available in English in 2018, however, is not clear to me, as I have not discussed the topic of literature in English about this matter with anyone from the Marianum or the Company of Mary in many years now. The action by the CDF would be the best place to begin your research. if you are seeking my opinion, @fide

As far as English, it is also possible that someone has written on the evolution of this dossier under the University of Dayton.
 
That’s a good analogy. I like to liken the Blessed Virgin to a prism. When the ray of pure light goes through it it is able to be visible in a beautiful spectrum of colors. So through Mary, God is able to make His goodness more tangible.
 
Interesting. The first “hit” I find in a search is this. from the Lay Fraternities of St. Dominic website:
A few years ago a petition was signed by Cardinals, Bishops, and Superiors General of Religious Orders and Congregations, asking that Montfort be proclaimed Doctor of the Church . An official recognition of the spiritual value of the doctrine of Grignion de Montfort is found at the highest level with the citation made by John Paul II in his Encyclical Redemptoris Mater (n.48), in which Montfort is pointed out as a “witness and guide” for those who desire to live Marian spirituality.

But perhaps even more significant is the fact that today so many of the faithful seek out Montfort in their renewed desire for spirituality. Don Giuseppe De Luca, in his Luigi Maria Grignion da Montfort. Saggio biografico (Roma, 1985), grasped well the fascination that this popular missionary has long exercised in the Church, pointing out a pathway of faith which is both simple and yet profound, and one which is capable of leading to true holiness. Benedetta Papàsogli, in an inspiring biography ( Montfort, a Prophet for our Times , Ed. Monfortane, Roma, 1991), presents him as a giant of holiness, capable of challenging today’s Christians. The various Montfortian Publications centres can testify how the writings of Montfort, spiritual author of three centuries past, are sought and read as if they had been written today. Many in the Church consider him to be a true Master of the spirit, able to bring contemporary believers to taste the beauty and the gentleness of the truth of the Gospel.
John Paul II is among them, as he himself has admitted on several occasions. His motto, Totus Tuus , is derived from Montfort. Last September the Pope was able to realise a long held desire: to visit the tomb of the saint from Montfort, in France. The Pope said on that occasion: “I am happy to begin my pilgrimage in France under the sign of this great figure. You know that I owe much to this saint, and to his True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin “.
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Thank you for your response. Another beautiful way of speaking about Our Mother.
 
Of all the silent retreats I have been to over the years, the retreat masters that promoted True Devotion to Mary had the most amazing gifts to guide us with!
 
Thanks so much fide!

I really appreciate your research and the excellent material you shared with us!
 
As I wrote, if you wish actually do research – academic research – then you should begin with why The Congregation for the Causes of Saints suspended this cause due to the negative judgement of Cardinal Ratzinger’s dicastery, The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

Websites of the Dominican Laity will not remotely come near the analysis of theologians working at the CDF.
 
Thank you for your academic perspective - I was struck with the strong sense of spiritual weight communicated via this humble Dominican Laity website. God can speak in unexpected ways.
 
fide said:
Thank you for your academic perspective - I was struck with the strong sense of spiritual weight communicated via this humble Dominican Laity website. God can speak in unexpected ways.
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It is, however, the fruit of profound theological analysis that determines who is a doctor of the Church.
 
As do the fruits of Marian devotion throughout the centuries speak volumes.
 
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