Founder of the Montfort Brothers of St. Gabriel
Louis Grignion was born on 31st January 1673, in the town of Montfort in France. The boy Montfort was virtuous from early childhood and exhibited uncommon love for the poor. He was a great devotee of Mary, the mother of Jesus. So he added the name Marie to his name. In October 1684, when he was 11 years old, he was admitted in St. Thomas College at Rennes. He joined the seminary of St. Sulpice in Paris, after completing his studies at Rennes. He was ordained a priest on 5th June 1700 AD. Montfort’s life was short, barely sixteen years of priesthood. His mission was preaching the Word of God. His words were lively, sharp and to the point. He made use of his talents to write wonderful hymns to rouse people into piety and virtue. Montfort gathered followers around him to continue his work of preaching the word of God, teaching the poor, the disabled and looking after the lepers and the sick at hospitals.
