PART I: THE ORIGIN
CHAPTER 1:
THE MONTFORT BROTHERS OF SAINT GABRIEL
Missionary in Brittany and Vendee; born at Montfort, 31 January, 1673; died at Saint Laurent sur Sèvre,
28 April, 1716.
From his childhood, he was indefatigably devoted to prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, and, when
from his twelfth year he was sent as a day pupil to the Jesuit college at Rennes, he never failed to visit
the church before and after class. He joined a society of young men who during holidays ministered to
the poor and to the incurables in the hospitals, and read for them edifying books during their meals. At
the age of nineteen, he went on foot to Paris to follow the course in theology, gave away on the journey
all his money to the poor, exchanged clothing with them, and made a vow to subsist thenceforth only on
alms. He was ordained priest at the age of twenty-seven, and for some time fulfilled the duties of
chaplain in a hospital. In 1705, when he was thirty-two, he found his true vocation, and thereafter
devoted himself to preaching to the people. During seventeen years he preached the Gospel in
countless towns and villages. As an orator he was highly gifted, his language being simple but replete
with fire and divine love. His whole life was conspicuous for virtues difficult for modern degeneracy to
comprehend: constant prayer, love of the poor, poverty carried to an unheard
-
of degree, joy in
humiliations and persecutions.
The following two instances will
illustrate his success. He once gave a mission for the soldiers of the
garrison at La Rochelle, and moved by his words, the men wept, and cried aloud for the forgiveness of
their sins. In the procession which terminated this mission, an officer walked at t
he head, barefooted
and carrying a banner, and the soldiers, also barefooted, followed, carrying in one hand a crucifix, in the
other a rosary, and singing hymns.
Grignion's extraordinary influence was especially apparent in the matter of the calvary at Pontchateau.
When he announced his determination of building a monumental calvary on a neighbouring hill, the
idea was enthusiastically received by the inhabitants. For fifteen months between two and four hundred
peasants worked daily without recompense, and
the task had just been completed, when the king
commanded that the whole should be demolished, and the land restored to its former condition. The
Jansenists had convinced the Governor of Brittany that a fortress capable of affording aid to persons in revo
lt was being erected, and for several months five hundred peasants, watched by a company of
soldiers, were compelled to carry out the work of destruction. Father de Montfort was not disturbed on
receiving this humiliating news, exclaiming only: "Blessed be
God!"
This was by no means the only trial to which Grignion was subjected. It often happened that the
Jansenists, irritated by his success, secure by their intrigues his banishment form the district, in which he
was giving a mission. At La Rochelle some wretches put poison into his cup of broth, and, despite the
antidote which he swallowed, his health was always impaired. On another occasion, some malefactors
hid in a narrow street with the intention of assassinating him, but he had a presentiment of danger and
escaped by going by another street. A year before his death, Father de Montfort founded two
congregations
—
the Sisters of Wisdom, who were to devote themselves to hospital work and the
2
instruction of poor girls, and the Company of Mary (popularly kn
own today as Montfort Missionaries),
devoting themselves to priestly ministry and preaching. He had long cherished these projects but
circumstances had hindered their execution, and, humanly speaking, the work appeared to have failed
at his death, since these congregations numbered respectively only four sisters and two priests with a
few brothers. But the blessed founder, who had on several occasions shown himself possessed of the
gift of prophecy, knew that the tree would grow.
Long time after Montfort’s
death, the seventh Superior General of the Company of Mary, Fr. Gabriel
Deshayes (1821
-
1841)
, unanimously recognized as the co-founder,
came to the rescue of the two
congregations. Under his guidance and inspiration, the teaching Brothers separated themselves from
the Fathers and became a third congregation, viz., The Brothers of the Christian Instruction of St.
Gabriel, popularly known today as Montfort Brothers of St. Gabriel, formerly known as the Community
of the Holy Spirit, dedicating themselves to Christian education and working among the underprivileged.
Grignion de Montfort was beatified by Leo XIII in 1888 and was finally canonized by Pope Pius XII on July
20, 1947. A "founders statue" created by Giacomo Parisini is located in an upper niche of the south nave
of Saint Peter's Basilica.
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http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09384a.htm]
The Montfort Brothers of Saint Gabriel vow a life of chastity, i.e., living a celibate life dedicating the
irenergy and potentialities to serve others; a life of poverty, i.e., living a simple life, having no
personal possession; a life of obedience, i.e., obeying faithfully the Pope, the Superior General, the
Provincial Superior, and the immediate Local Superior. Living in a community, the Brothers share the
fruit of their labour, their the joys and sorrows, making efforts to form a new home based on the Gospel
values. At present they work in thirty-two countries.
The twelve hundred male members worldwide render their
service in educational institutes, both formal and non-formal, in the Youth Centers giving new hope and
new life to the wayward or the slow-learner youths,
and in homes for street children. They work among
the hill tribes and the indigenous people. In addition, they also work with the handicapped persons
,
having their own training institutes. They also specialize in the education of the deaf-mute and the blind
.
The Vision and Mission of the Montfort Brothers of Saint Gabriel
The vision of the Montfort Brothers of Saint Gabriel is ‘the consecration of people to the truth’ which
means to induce people to the truth. In terms of education truth means true knowledge, whereas in
terms of life truth means religious truth. Though each religion uses different terms to express truth, we
admit that truth in each religion is sacred. This vision is made clear in one of the university vision saying
that the university is ‘engaged in the pursuit of Truth and Knowledge’.
Since the Brothers are Catholics, their education system is enlivened by Christian inspiration. However, it
does not mean that they are out to proselyte. They are for full development of the persons, making
them realize their own dignity as human beings regardless of belief, culture, races or nationality. The
greatest commandment being love of God and love
of neighbour as oneself, the Brothers take care of
3
the less fortunate of society through scholarships to different groups of children and youth, donations to
charitable organizations, and other social services where need is most urgent