St. Louis de Montfort
Apr 28
Patron Saint of Preachers
In 1700, when Saint Louis was ordained, great crises plagued France. The heretical movement known as Jansenism had taken root in all corners of the kingdom. Working to change the Church from within, the Jansenists preached false notions of piety. Where their influence prevailed, people stayed away from the Sacraments. This heresy infected laymen, priests and bishops alike.
Once-vibrant Catholic devotions like the rosary and marian processions were condemned as idolatrous practices. At the same time, decadence dominated all social classes, marked by a craving for crass pleasures and entertainments of all kinds. These libertines seeking lives of comfort and luxury contrasted greatly with the Jansenists, though the two never condemned each other.