Born in 1673, at Montfort sur Meu in north-west France, St Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort was trained under the Jesuits, became a priest in 1700, and was later appointed an Apostolic Missionary by Pope Clement XI. He preached predominantly in Western France, and his teaching emphasized the importance of Mary as the "Co-Redemptrix" of humanity: "It was through the blessed Virgin Mary that Jesus Christ came into the world, and it is also through her that He must reign in the world." 'The Secret of the Rosary' is an early 'how to' book, written to help the ordinary person discover the efficacy of rosary prayer. St Louis gives many examples of its power for good, but he is not insensible of the challenges faced by those who accept this discipline. He gives the reader methods by which feelings of tedium, of pointlessness, and of plain lack of motivation may all be overcome. The book is divided into short chapters or 'Roses' and can be read as a daily prayer book, one Rose at a time. An invaluable guide to all those interested in the rosary's place in Marian devotion.
