St. Louis de Montfort - The Secret of the Rosary (with Supplemental Reading: (The Classics Made Simple: True Devotion to Mary) [Illustrated]

Nihil Obstat:	Gulielmus F. Hughes, S.T.L. Censor Librorum
Imprimatur:		Thomas Edmundus Molloy, S.T.D. Archiepiscopus-Episcopus Brooklyniensis

Brooklyni die XVI Julii 1954

History of Printings of this Edition

Christ and Country Books, Inc.

1st April 1965

2nd April 1966

3rd April 1967

4th June 1968

5th Sept. 1969

TAN Books and Publishers Printings

6th Oct. 1970

7th May 1971

8th Dec. 1971

9th May 1972

10th Sept, 1972

11th May 1973

12th May 1974

13th Sept. 1974

14th Feb. 1975

15th Nov. 1975

16th May 1976

17th July 1977

18th Jan. 1980

19th May 1980

20th Nov. 1980

21st May 1981

22nd Oct. 1982

23rd May 1984

24th Oct. 1988

25th Aug. 1990

26th April 1991

27th April 1992

28th Aug. 1995

29th July 1999

30th Aug. 2002

31st April 2004

32nd July 2005

33rd July 2007

34th May 2009

35th July 2010

36th April 2012

37th June 2013

5,595,000 copies printed in this edition.

ISBN: 978-0-89555-056-9

Printed and Bound in the United States of America

TAN Books

Charlotte, North Carolina

www.TANBooks.com

1987

Contents

MONTFORT PUBLICATIONS

Books by St. Louis De Montfort and Others:

How to Say Your Rosary with St. Louis De Montfort & Pope John Paul II 1.00

True Devotion to Mary by St. Louis De Montfort (Paper) 7.95

True Devotion to Mary by St. Louis De Montfort (Cloth) 10.95

True Devotion to Maryadapted by Eddie Doherty 4.95

Love of Eternal Wisdom (Paper) 5.95

The Secret of Mary by St. Louis De Montfort 3.00

God AloneThe Collected Writings of St. Louis Marie De Montfort (Cloth, gilt edges) 24.95

Jesus Living in MaryHandbook of the Spirituality of St. Louis De Montfort (Cloth. 1380 pp.) 34.95

Reign of Jesus through Mary (Cloth, red edges) 14.50

Preparation for Total Consecration 5.00

Friends of the Cross by St. Louis De Montfort 3.00

Order from:

Montfort Publications
26 S. Saxon Ave.,
Bay Shore, NY 11706-8993
Tel. 631-665-0726 FAX 631-665-4349

www.montfortmissionaries.org

Preface

B IOGRAPHERS have already told us much about St. Louis De Montfort and the Rosary; now, with this first English edition of T HE S ECRET OF THE R OSARY , we can listen to Montfort speaking for himself. Drawing upon his own experience as well as upon the experience of others, he endeavors to bring home to the reader, in a simple and straightforward manner, as he himself tells us, the authentic message of the Rosary; namely, that it is a veritable school of Christian life. He sees it as including essentially the meditation of the mysteries of the life, death and glory of Jesus and Mary, with a view not only to honoring but especially imitating their virtues as held up to our consideration in each mystery.

For our Saint, the Rosary was not simply a method of prayer: it was his most effective tool and weapon in his apostolic work. Fittingly has the Church called him an Extraordinary preacher of the Rosary. He preached it in season and out of season; established it in every parish where he gave a mission and judged the fruits of the mission by the subsequent perseverance in its recitation. There was no limit to the power of the Rosary and to it he attributed much of his success with sinners. Let me but place my rosary around a sinners neck, he was wont to say, and he will not escape me.

A Dominican Tertiary himself, De Montfort represents the best in the Dominican Rosary tradition. Speaking of our Saints contribution to the Rosary, Father R. Poupon, well known Dominican writer says, Montforts genius prolongs in one straight line that of Blessed Alan de la Roche and of St. Dominic. He completes them by bringing forth a personal grace and interpretation. Commenting on De Montforts book, Father Willam says, It goes far beyond mere research. We might say that it contains everything that can be said about the rosary, about its content and form, its real worth, about the instruction necessary for its appreciation and use.

THE SECRET OF THE ROSARY was written almost two and a half centuries ago, it is true, but it has lost none of its freshness and timeliness. Indeed, today, in the light of the specific requests of Our Lady of Fatima, it will be doubly welcomed by all true clients of, Our Lady. We feel confident that it will bring many souls to a better understanding of the Rosary not only as a prayer but especially as a way of spiritual life.

THE EDITORS

THE FRONT COVER of the SORROWFUL AND IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY. This picture, somewhat mysterious in its origin, was discovered at the time of the 1918 armistice in the cellar of the boarding school where Berthe Petit, a humble Franciscan Tertiary, had been educated. After the troops had departed, one of the Bernardine nuns in putting things in order found a piece of cardboard on which was pasted a pornographic picture and she tore it off to consign it to flames. To her astonishment she found that it covered this beautiful representation of the Blessed Virgin! It seems to combine the art of both the Eastern and the Western Rites. The facial features resemble those of the well known Pieta. Prayer before this picture has brought signal favors.Confided by Our Lord to Berthe Petit: Teach souls to love the Heart of My Mother pierced by the very sorrow which pierced Mine. (Dec. 25, 1909).The Heart of My Mother has the right to be called Sorrowful and I wish this title placed before that of Immaculate because she has won it herself. The Church has defined in the case of My Mother what I Myself had ordainedher Immaculate Conception. This right which My Mother has to a title of justice is now, according to My express wish, to be known and universally accepted. She has earned it by her identification with My sorrows; by her sufferings; by her sacrifices and her immolation in Calvary endured in perfect correspondence with My grace for the salvation of mankind (Sept. 8, 1911).It is hearts that must be changed. This will be accomplished only by the Devotion proclaimed, explained, preached and recommended everywhere. Recourse to My Mother under this title I wish for her universally, is the last help I shall give before the end of time. (July 2, 1940).

A White Rose

For Priests

D EAR MINISTERS of the Most High, you my fellow priests who preach the truth of God and who teach the gospel to all nations, let me give you this little book as a white rose that I would like you to keep. The truths contained in it are set forth in a very simple and straightforward manner as you will see. Please keep them in your heart so that you yourselves may make a practice of the Holy Rosary and taste its fruit; and please have them always on your lips too so that you will always preach the Rosary and thus convert others by teaching them the excellence of this holy devotion.

I beg of you to beware of thinking of the Rosary as something of little importanceas do ignorant people and even several great but proud scholars. Far from being insignificant, the Rosary is a priceless treasure which is inspired by God.

Next page