Totus Tuus - Totus 2us

_{Priest & confessor; made a missionary apostolic by Clement XI
Born on 31 January 1673 in Montfort-sur-Meu, France
Died on 28 April 1716 in Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre (aged 43)
Beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1888
Canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1947
Feast day - 28th April}

_{St John Paul II's apostolic motto Totus Tuus, by which he gave everything to Jesus through Mary, was from St Louis-Marie:}

<sub>"Tuus totus ego sum, et omnia mea tua sunt"
- I am all yours, and all that I have is yours, O most loving Jesus, through Mary, your most holy Mother" (Treatise on True Devotion, n233).</sub>

_{St Louis-Marie founded the Company of Mary (or 'Montfort missionaries') - their website is in English, French, Spanish & Italian). Click here to view his writings.
Totus2us has a novena to Our Lady which includes St Louis-Marie's prayer of consecration.}

_{3 2us by Mgr Keith Barltrop       
"What St Louis is most known for is this marvellous teaching on the way we can consecrate ourselves to Our Lady. He called this in one of his books the 'secret of Mary'. It's a very instructive title .. it's just something that not many people know and, he says, if we all knew it, our lives would be much more truly what they're meant to be as Christians and it is simply in handing everything over to Jesus through the hands of Mary. His understanding is that Mary, being immaculate, has no trace of that hidden selfishness that so easily effects all our actions."}

_{Janel from the United States      
"Mary is very important to me because she is my example and model, my best friend. She helped me to come closer to Jesus. My consecration to her, following the preparation of St Louis Maria de Montfort, really was instrumental in my conversion, so brought me to her Son and then helped reveal to me my vocation to a complete consecration to Him."}

_{Martin, from England, chose St Louis-Marie as his Man for Others       
"I think he's so relevant now because, for one, his theology, particularly his theology of Our Lady and how she leads us to God, is worth exploing much more; but his radical commitment in a time of relativism I think becomes even more inspiring and interesting and becomes a real witness for being able to commit oneself in complete confidence and trust to God and to God's will, without fear."}      

_{Sadora from the United States       
"After I was received into full communion with the Roman Catholic Church, by God's grace I was soon introduced to de Montfort's book, True Devotion to Jesus through Mary. Intrigued by the woman many called mother, I too wanted to know her as my own mother. While reading True Devotion, I grew in my understanding of Mary's relationship to Jesus and her relationship to all of humanity. In all that she does and in all that she is, our Blessed Mother will always bring us to her son, so that we may find rest in Him who is divine truth and divine love itself. I found this to be quite profound and beautiful."}

_{Jan, from Italy       
"I read a wonderful book by Luigi Maria Grignion de Montfort, 'The Treaty of the True Devotion to Mary' and then I figured out that John Paul II, when he was working in a mine before he became a priest, he used to read this book. Hiding under a cover under another cover he used to bring it to the cave and during lunchtime and some other pauses that he would take from his work, he would read this book; that's where his intense relationship with Mother Mary and his big love for her started to blossom."}

_{Lyn, from the Philippines      
"I consider Our Blessed Mother as my own mother. She called me a couple of years ago to be her child, her own particular daughter, when my now husband introduced me to The True Devotion to Mary by St Louis de Montfort. It is through that that I've realised that she was as interested in me, in me deepening my faith and her forming me in her womb, so to speak. And that relationship deepened with her. And through that relationship and through that novena which we now do every year, The True Devotion, I feel that she is advocating for me in the most difficult moments of our life, of my life, in our marriage she speaks up for me and she's that voice in my heart like a mother, caring for me, caring for our marriage in the most difficult times. And during the most challenging of times she would always bring us to Mass."}

_{Mark, from the United States      
"Mary has had a very big role in my life as the mother of Jesus Christ. She has always had a special place in my heart from when I was young but especially when I went into college I discovered a book written by St Louis de Montfort named 'True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin' which helped me to see the role that Mary plays in all of our lives, whether we know it or not, as she leads us all closer to her son Jesus. And so I'd have to say that definitely through the rosary but praying to her as my mother, as my sister and, one day God willing if I become a priest, as my spouse, Mary continues to spur me on to be more generous in love and to imitate her in leading people to her son Jesus."}

_{John, from England       
"I just love St Louis de Montfort and his story of how a little boy who's asked to present something to Jesus and the only thing he has to offer is an old apple. Mary takes the apple from him and cuts away all the badness from the apple and presents it on a beautiful gold tray. And as she presents it to Jesus, Jesus is weeping at the beauty of the gift. And I think our prayers are the same as the apple: whenever our prayers are presented through Mary to Jesus, our prayers are always beautiful and are always a delight to Jesus and he loves to grant them."}

_{John Pridmore is a member of St Patrick's Community in Ireland and he's invited all round the world to share his conversion story. His autobiography is From Gangland to Promised Land and his most recent book, Journey to Freedom, is full of the encounters he has had on his journeys over the last 15 years. More here.}

_{Lauren, from the United States       
"I read St Louis de Montfort's book 'True Devotion to Mary' and realised that Mary is such a strong role model for women today and I really look to Mary as one of the greatest intercessors we have as Catholics. She is just so beautiful. As a young adult I find it difficult to watch the media and see women portrayed as just objects and seeing young girls looking up to these models and actresses who are not great role models. And yet we have this beautiful image of Mary, who just is such a wonderful, wonderful person who we can pray to and we can look at her life and see her sacrifice and her ability to say yes to God, which was just so amazing. We are just so blessed to have Mary."}

_{Sean, from England      
"She protects us so much and she keeps us close to the heart of Jesus. I'd recommend praying a daily rosary if you can, give everything to Mary. There's a great consecration prayer by St Louis Montfort, and if you say that consecration prayer every day, you're giving everything to her and she takes that seriously, our mother, and she will take care of us. And she makes the greatest saints, the greatest of heroes. She makes heroes and gave birth to the greatest of heroes, Jesus Christ."}

_{Father Keith, from England       
"I feel it's important for me to invite Our Lady into my life every day and the best I've found of doing this is through something called the consecration to Our Lady, as recommended by an 18th century saint called Louis-Marie de Montfort."}

_{Jessamine, from the Philippines      
"I have done the consecration to Our Lady, as laid out by St Louis de Montfort, and she has brought me closer to her son."}

_{Anna, from Poland      
"When I think about Mary, I think about the gift of God. I remember a very specific time in my life where I was really seeking God and I turned to what for me from childhood was Mary, and I read this little booklet about the Devotion to Our Lady by St Louis de Montfort, and I decided to do that, the prayers and the consecration. And I'd have to say that was probably the moment when my true faith journey began."}

_{Roberto, from the UK      
"At first hand I had a wonderful, wonderful experience of being received by Jesus and Mary, and then I discovered St Louis de Montfort's total consecration to Jesus through Mary .. Over the last 3 years I've consecrated myself to Jesus through Mary doing the 33 day preparation & it means for me doing everything for Jesus through Mary, & it has just made a total difference to my life."}

_{Father Benjamin, from America      
"Consecration to Mary is a beautiful devotion and is one of the most powerful things you’ll ever do."}

_{Father Nathan, from America
"When I was 17 I made the de Montfort consecration and I gave my entire life to God by surrendering it at the same time to the providential care, to the solicitude, of Our Lady. And that consecration meant so much to me because, as I journeyed through life, there were many times I wanted to run from God and sometimes regrettably I actually did kind of run from God, because I was scared of what I would lose if I said yes to everything God wanted from me. But the one thing I could never do was run from that consecration I made; there was something about Mary, she was like my lady. In a sense, I mean I could run from God's will but I never wanted to shame her. I think obviously there I am not speaking as a theologian .. but from the heart, Mary kept me in God. My love for her as my lady and my queen was something I never wanted to leave behind and I think that that tender love is something that we can all discover. So that de Montfort consecration I made when I was 17, the total consecration of myself that John Paul II also made - Totus Tuus - well, that in many sense is the reason I am a priest today. Because, in the end, my love for her enabled me to even stand at the Cross next to her and to give my life with her and with Jesus for the salvation of souls. And I know that she can do the same for you."}