St. Louis Marie De Montfort was born at a place called Montfort in Western France on 31st January 1673 to Mr. Jean Baptiste and Mrs. Jeanne Robert.
After his studies at St. Sulpice Seminary in Paris, he was ordained a priest in the year 1700. As a missionary Montfort lived a good deal among the poor people. He had concern for the marginalised, the sick, the uneducated, the disabled and all those whom the society neglected.
He was a man of paradoxes. He was a man of character: violent at times and yet very kind and compassionate. He was always active, and yet he found time for prolonged contemplation and prayer. He was persecuted and despised, and yet he never complained. He was aware of his limitations, but at the same time he excelled in almost all the fields he ventured into: writing, carving, drawing, preaching, organising and leading people to God.
He could never make any compromise in radically following the Gospel-not parts and paragraphs, but Gospel in its entirety. He clearly understood how cross and resurrection were inter connected. He also had a very clear understanding of the role of Mary in the life of the Church.
His books have gone on to become classic Catholic titles that have influenced many including several Popes. (Pope Leo XIII, Pope Pius X, Pope Pius XII and Pope John Paul II.)
For the people with the same vision who joined him, he founded three religious congregations : Montfort Brothers of St. Gabriel (Montfort Brothers), the company of Mary (Montfort Fathers) and the Daughters of Wisdom (Montfort Sisters). Spread across the 5 (five) continents the three congregations continue in his footsteps to bring good news to the people.
After sixteen years of active ministry, he died of exhaustion at the age of 43, on 28th April 1716 at Saint-Laurent-sur-Serve in France.