I don't want to get into a fully entangled debate with you or anyone but the portions below leaped out at me (not literally of course) and perhaps if not helping you it may help another:
First you quote extensively from St. DeMontfort, particularly his "Secret of Mary". I wonder though if you took his advice in paragraph 2.
2. "Before you read any further, kneel down and devoutly say a prayer. Ask God to help you understand and appreciate this secret, which is really given by him. You must prepare your soul if you would profit from this secret. You may certainly pray that God deliver you from any deception, and that he illumine your mind with a spirit of discernment. Any illumination that comes from God always has a good effect upon the soul. Pray that God give you the grace of discernment, that you may understand what I am about to teach you."
Did you read that, BD? Did you do as he suggested, in a pious and genuine manner? In a way not seeking guidance from God to help you prove your case, but guidance from Him to discover the truth, wherever that leads you? Did you do that before reading the Saint's writjngs?
I ask not to put you on the spot but to stress the importance of what he said here as it's also found (in other words) in my post that you later provided. If not said more charitably and helpfully by the Saint.
This is not the stuff of cut and paste in other words. You can't even read his entire work there, without preparing yourself as he describes, and expect any result other than perhaps the one you have obtained. If you wish to study the work of a Saint you have to live as he lived, or at least do as he did as described in paragraph 2.
Just a point to consider.
Secondly, you ask: Yet somehow this sort of talk does not equate with Mary herself sharing top billing (and worship) with God the Father, even though she is said to be "administrator and dispenser of all [His] graces".
This is the portion of your post that I found particularly striking. Striking because in the question itself, a quote is present thst answers that very question.
"All His Graces". "All His Graces". "All His Graces".
The last word is yours because again, I do not seek debate with you or anyone anymore. I leave that to the more even tempered here.
2. "Before you read any further, kneel down and devoutly say a prayer. Ask God to help you understand and appreciate this secret, which is really given by him. You must prepare your soul if you would profit from this secret. You may certainly pray that God deliver you from any deception, and that he illumine your mind with a spirit of discernment. Any illumination that comes from God always has a good effect upon the soul. Pray that God give you the grace of discernment, that you may understand what I am about to teach you."
One could take that as DeMontfort saying if you do this you'll see what I see.
The problem with this is that his "prayer" is a misleading one. The implication is if you don't see what DeMontfort does then God hasn't given you the "grace of discernment."
However, this would contradict NT passages about the Holy Spirit being given to all believers as the Helper.
I've read what DeMontfort has written and it's bogus. The lofty elevation he has placed Mary and the attributes he's assigned to her are non-Scriptural.
Did you?
Did you, and then allow yourself to be seduced by that man's own "seducing spirits"?
You want me to indulge myself in this other Gospel DeMontfort preaches, which makes Mary out to be a fourth member of the Trinity, in all but openly declared manner?
Montfort said this also;
I do that daily, and in my sleep too. (I'm not kidding, or exaggerating when I say, "in my sleep").
DeMontfort works (writes) diligently to elevate her above all creation, and all whom would be Christian; making Mary to be now presently (in, or from heavenly, or spirit realms) a singularly required intercessor -- as if -- one cannot ever know or receive full measure from God the Father Himself, without ourselves, and even Himself going through her own offices -- even her very soul (according to DeMontfort).
That kind of teaching is both extra-curricular and contrary to the preaching of Apostle Paul, and the words of Jesus Christ himself.
Meanwhile, being that the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit are all of the same substance, all the same essence, to know one is to know them all ---- then it is that person, that Spirit of truth which Christ promised His disciples would be sent ---which is how we are not left as orphans.
Is it not true that the writer of "the Gospel of John" was the same disciple whom Christ from the cross, as He was dying, directed that disciple (John) to look upon Mary as his own mother?
Yet for that, I will say that that was for earthly realm's consideration. Not without love, nor without the Lord's own Spirit which would be sent to them all -- yet not for Mary to be then forever onwards as "heavenly" or spirit mother, although I do well enough understand that many have read that "mother of us all" concept into the texts, even straining to do so at every opportunity to make it out to be that "Mary" has some ongoing, now heavenly role as "dispenser of all graces", and yet further more in seemingly endless, breathless imaginings towards her.
Turning momentarily to another Gospel writer (whom I do think it is safe for us to assume knew both the Messiah, and the mother of His earthly incarnation, as did John the Apostle);
Have you, FourtySeven, as for the above,
25 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
Compare that with what DeMontfort says about "Mary" and her "secrets", from within #47;
DeMontfort goes on and on and on about how everything flows through "Mary" (and even by her own will and accord also, it must be added that he says) from both directions~! From ourselves to God;
...� (Saint Bernard). And again, �She keeps her Son from striking us; she prevents the devil from harming us; she preserves virtue in us. Like a wise banker, she stores our merits for us...
She keeps the Son from striking us? Mary -- save us from the wrath of your son Jesus?
Compare that to the words of Christ spoken from even the cross as He suffered immense torment in his own flesh concerning those whom done that to him -- Father forgive them for they know not what they do.
And ...Mary (according to DeMontfort) -- the banker, the treasurer of all "merit", the remember-er of human details (provided they dedicate their all -- to her) as if He who is all-knowing would not know better than anyone, included Mary.
And in this, though many will be judged for their works, those hidden in Christ shall be passed over for judgement, having escaped that wrath of God for reason of having our garments washed in the blood -- of the very Lamb which shall do the judging.
Meanwhile Scripture indicates that only the Lamb is worthy to open the Scrolls, and further, to read what is written -- in His own book of life
We do not see "Mary" there (or anywhere else in Scripture!) "seated at the right hand of Jesus" as DeMontfort's gnosticism would have things to be, in heavenly realm.
THat so called "saint" and Bernard of Clairvaux also, if they not themselves have fallen prey to some of the most seducing spirits of them all, that spirit or spirits coming as Angels of Light fooling even the very elect, if possible, most assuredly had provided free reign for those deceiving imitators, who attempt to lure people into the kind of thinking that their own piety and dedication (in other words-- "works") will gain them favor, even grace from God (yet if it be by works, then grace is no longer grace, writes Paul)
What better way to accomplish that insidious subtlety & substitutionary leading from the Way, but to arrive cloaked within robes of Mary in order to fool, if possible, the very elect of God?
As you had said, quoting myself, then wanting me to reconsider things?
This is the portion of your post that I found particularly striking. Striking because in the question itself, a quote is present thst answers that very question.
It still leaves Mary sharing "top billing", for DeMontfort does otherwise place Mary as seated at the right hand of Christ.
I had deliberately included the portion of this being [allegedly] concerning God's own grace towards us, to show how DeMontfort went about packaging these so-called "Secrets of Mary", knowing full well when I did so that someone around here would likely seize upon such as that, for such is the makings of the camouflage and multitudinous excuse-making for how hyper-dulia for Mary, too often slippery-slides right into being indistinguishable from full-on worship of Mary as undeclared fourth member of the Trinity --- with Bernard and DeMontfort writing from out of their own gnosticism (secret knowledge), and that of others also who had gone before them, paving the way yet further, making it all seem so pious and devout, so "spiritual", when the greater reality is that communion with Christ (and thus His Father also) by way of and through the Holy Spirit (not thru "Mary", or her "soul") is not only sufficient, but is the very Way, the Way of the Church from it's beginnings...
Again, from John 14;