Saint Louis de Montfort is one of the greatest and best-known figures in post-medieval Christian mysticism and also a major exponent of the concept of Mariology within Roman Catholicism. Born in Brittany, France in 1673 he is best known as the writer of books the ‘Secret of the Rosary’ and ‘True Devotion to Mary’.
What isn’t so well-known or commented in regard to de Montfort is the fervent – even fanatical - hatred of the jews that illuminated much of his work.
You see de Montfort saw Christians as ‘slaves of God’ (1) and such were required to spread God’s word to all humanity as well as that all other religions (and Christian denominations other than Roman Catholicism) were part of the work of the devil.
As he writes in ‘True Devotion to Mary’:
‘The enemies of God, idolators, schismatics, Mahometans, Jews and souls hardened against impiety, who shall rise in terrible revolt against God to seduce all those who shall be contrary to them, and make them fall by promises and threats; and finally, she must shine forth in grace, in order to animate and sustain the valiant soldiers and faithful servants of Jesus Christ, who shall do battle for His interests.’ (2)
Thus, de Montfort regarded life as a state of continuous warfare for God against the Devil rather like the Italian Roman Catholic writer Lorenzo Scupoli had famously argued in his ‘The Spiritual Combat’ in 1589. (3)
The necessary consequence of this view so characteristic of the Catholic Counter-Reformation in Europe is that de Montfort had little interest in mercy towards those he perceived to be the enemies of God and while mouthing the usual theological niceties that the jews are utterly obstinate towards Jesus and the truth of Christianity (4) have rejected Jesus (5) and therefore must be converted by prayer and God’s grace to Catholicism in order to be saved from the fires of hell. (6)
We are also explicitly told by de Montfort that the jews are the enemies of God (7) because they murdered Jesus (8) despite knowing that he was innocent (9) but him suffer torture and abuse at their hands (10) because by horrified and scandalized by him and his message. (11)
De Montfort also explains that this was despite the fact that jews had received innumerable graces and favours from God (12) which is why de Montfort makes very clear that jews are the ‘race of the Devil’ (13) and while others belong to the Devil because they aren’t baptised; (14) the jews are especially cursed.
What is particularly noteworthy is something else De Montfort says in ‘True Devotion to Mary’ in that he declares the Virgin Mary to be ‘exterminator of the enemies of God’. (15) This coupled with his repeated statements that in the same work that we are ‘slaves of God’ and are thus required to do what he commands us suggests that if jews refuse to be converted by prayer or God’s grace then ‘extermination’ is necessary.
De Montfort doesn’t say that physical extermination of the jews who will not convert to Roman Catholicism is necessary but he does rather seem to necessarily imply it in his writings.
That is the real Saint Louis de Montfort; a man whose Catholic piety was incredibly strong but also someone who stood for the radical solution of the jewish question by the Roman Catholic Church.
References
(1) Saint Louis de Montfort, 2012, ‘True Devotion to Mary’, 1st Edition, Catholic Way: London, pp. 55; 72-73; 104; 106-107; 121
(2) Ibid., p. 18
(3) Dom Lorenzo Scupoli, 2010, ‘The Spiritual Combat and A Treatise on Peace of Soul’, 1st Edition, Tan: Charlotte, pp. 50-51; 193
(4) Saint Louis de Montfort, n.d., ‘Letter to the Friends of the Cross’, 1st Edition, Montfort Press: New York, 1:11
(5) Ibid., 2:26
(6) Saint Louis de Montfort, n.d., ‘Prayer for Missionaries’, 1st Edition, Montfort Press: New York, 5; 17; Saint Louis de Montfort, 1993, ‘The Secret of the Rosary’, 1st Edition, TAN: Charlotte, p. 41
(7) De Montfort, ‘True Devotion’, Op. Cit., p. 18
(8) Saint Louis de Montfort, 1987, ‘Methods for Saying the Rosary’, 1st Edition, Montfort Press: New York, pp. 11; 16; Saint Louis de Montfort, 1987, ‘The Love of Eternal Wisdom’, 1st Edition, Montfort Press: New York, p. 22
(9) De Montfort, ‘Eternal Wisdom’, Op. Cit., p. 24
(10) Ibid., p. 30
(11) Ibid., pp. 32-33
(12) De Montfort, ‘Secret of the Rosary’, Op. Cit., p. 68
(13) De Montfort, ‘True Devotion’, Op. Cit., p. 19
(14) Ibid., p. 28
(15) Ibid., p. 10