JESUS LIVING IN MARY: HANDBOOK OF THE SPIRITUALITY OF ST. LOUIS DE MONTFORT BROTHERS OF SAINT GABRIEL Summary I. Louis Marie de Montfort, accompanied by a few Brothers: 1. A few companions; 2. Inheritors; 3. Brothers to care for temporal needs and to teach school. II. The Brothers of Christian Instruction of Saint Gabriel, formerly called of the Holy Spirit: 1. Brothers of the Community of the Holy Spirit; 2. Gabriel Deshayes, the providential man; 3. Our founder; 4. Brothers of Christian Instruction of Saint Gabriel. III. The Spirituality of the Montfort Brothers of Saint Gabriel: 1. Love of the Rule; 2. Modest apostle of the Word Incarnate, servant of Mary; 3. Sons of Montfort through the Cross; 4. Heirs of the same past rooted in the first founder. I. LOUIS MARIE DE MONTFORT, ACCOMPANIED BY A FEW BROTHERS "Louis Marie de Montfort Grignion": such is the signature of the Apostolic Missionary affixed at the end of the Will he had just dictated to Fr. Mulot on April 27, 1716. "I confide to His Lordship the Bishop of La Rochelle and to Fr. Mulot my small pieces of furniture and my mission books, to be preserved for the use of the four Brothers who joined me in a life of obedience and poverty" (W). 1. A few companions Throughout Montfort’s missionary life, there are Brothers who accompanied him. Paradoxically, he searched for priests to continue his parish missions but, instead, found Brothers. a. "The well-known Brother Mathurin." (1.) In 1705 a young man named Mathurin arrived in Poitiers, hoping to become a Capuchin. He entered the Church of the Penitents to pray. Montfort happened to be present and gestured to him to approach. On learning Mathurin’s plans for the future, Montfort invited him to remain and serve with him in the parish missions. The language Montfort used was that of the Savior calling the Apostles, ‘Follow me,’ and "at once this good man obeyed."2 Mathurin joined Montfort in the parish missions and collaborated with him. Responding to a friend’s request for aid, Montfort wrote: "I will send Mathurin to you on Tuesday to say the Rosary publicly, to sing hymns, and to bring to our soldiers sixty small crosses of St. Michael" (L 21). Mathurin became the missionary’s faithful "traveling companion." b. Brother Nicholas. The experiences of "this young man who accompanied Montfort on his travels" was similar to those of Mathurin. On January 29, 1711, Montfort wrote to Father de la Carrière, a priest of Pont-château: "Please give my statues to the bearer of this letter and to Brother Nicholas. It is necessary to move them, both to relieve me of anxiety and to show obedience because it is God’s will" (L 22). Nicholas was even obliged to give Father de Montfort the discipline. He struck him so hard that with each blow Montfort’s shoulders bowed and he moaned as though it were in spite of himself that he was being struck. When questioned about it, Brother admitted that it was only on this condition that Montfort would accept him in his service."3 c. Brother John. Brother John was Montfort’s confidant, "always ready to do anything he was asked." In 1715, Montfort wrote to Marie Louise and Catherine Brunet: "The Bishop of La Rochelle to whom I have spoken about you and our plans thinks you should come here to begin the work we want so much. I will send you Brother John with a horse and some money to accompany you." Shortly after, on April 4, he wrote, "Send me news by Brother John if you cannot manage to come here yourselves"
The well with pulleys beneath the bell of Saint Geneve...
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Physical description and circumstances of St. Jenice .....
JESUS LIVING IN MARY: HANDBOOK OF THE SPIRITUALITY OF ST. LOUIS DE MONTFORT BROTHERS OF SAINT GABRIEL Summary I. Louis Marie de Montfort, accompanied by a few Brothers: 1. A few companions; 2. Inheritors; 3. Brothers to care for temporal needs and to teach school. II. The Brothers of Christian Instruction of Saint Gabriel, formerly called of the Holy Spirit: 1. Brothers of the Community of the Holy Spirit; 2. Gabriel Deshayes, the providential man; 3. Our founder; 4. Brothers of Christian Instruction of Saint Gabriel. III. The Spirituality of the Montfort Brothers of Saint Gabriel: 1. Love of the Rule; 2. Modest apostle of the Word Incarnate, servant of Mary; 3. Sons of Montfort through the Cross; 4. Heirs of the same past rooted in the first founder. I. LOUIS MARIE DE MONTFORT, ACCOMPANIED BY A FEW BROTHERS "Louis Marie de Montfort Grignion": such is the signature of the Apostolic Missionary affixed at the end of the Will he had just dictated to Fr. Mulot on April 27, 1716. "I confide to His Lordship the Bishop of La Rochelle and to Fr. Mulot my small pieces of furniture and my mission books, to be preserved for the use of the four Brothers who joined me in a life of obedience and poverty" (W). 1. A few companions Throughout Montfort’s missionary life, there are Brothers who accompanied him. Paradoxically, he searched for priests to continue his parish missions but, instead, found Brothers. a. "The well-known Brother Mathurin." (1.) In 1705 a young man named Mathurin arrived in Poitiers, hoping to become a Capuchin. He entered the Church of the Penitents to pray. Montfort happened to be present and gestured to him to approach. On learning Mathurin’s plans for the future, Montfort invited him to remain and serve with him in the parish missions. The language Montfort used was that of the Savior calling the Apostles, ‘Follow me,’ and "at once this good man obeyed."2 Mathurin joined Montfort in the parish missions and collaborated with him. Responding to a friend’s request for aid, Montfort wrote: "I will send Mathurin to you on Tuesday to say the Rosary publicly, to sing hymns, and to bring to our soldiers sixty small crosses of St. Michael" (L 21). Mathurin became the missionary’s faithful "traveling companion." b. Brother Nicholas. The experiences of "this young man who accompanied Montfort on his travels" was similar to those of Mathurin. On January 29, 1711, Montfort wrote to Father de la Carrière, a priest of Pont-château: "Please give my statues to the bearer of this letter and to Brother Nicholas. It is necessary to move them, both to relieve me of anxiety and to show obedience because it is God’s will" (L 22). Nicholas was even obliged to give Father de Montfort the discipline. He struck him so hard that with each blow Montfort’s shoulders bowed and he moaned as though it were in spite of himself that he was being struck. When questioned about it, Brother admitted that it was only on this condition that Montfort would accept him in his service."3 c. Brother John. Brother John was Montfort’s confidant, "always ready to do anything he was asked." In 1715, Montfort wrote to Marie Louise and Catherine Brunet: "The Bishop of La Rochelle to whom I have spoken about you and our plans thinks you should come here to begin the work we want so much. I will send you Brother John with a horse and some money to accompany you." Shortly after, on April 4, he wrote, "Send me news by Brother John if you cannot manage to come here yourselves"
