Father Wyszynski Pilgrimage

Order’s Constitutions as a pretext, he forbade admit- ting new candidates to the novitiate while allowing younger priests to transfer to parishes left without priests because of epidemics. Just a few Marians, mostly the elderly, remained at the monasteries. This difficult period in Marian history lasted six years, from 1716 to 1722; it is known as the “Rostkovian disper- sion.” The new bishop of Poznań ordered all the Marians to return to their monasteries, to elect a General Supe- rior and prepare new statutes. Father Joachim Kozłowski was dispatched to Rome to seek papal approval of the Order. There he met Francis Wyszyńs- ki and told him about his brother’s harmful actions against the Order. Franciszek made a decision at once: “I ask for the habit. I wish to mend what my brother has destroyed.” For some time Fr. Joachim kept a close eye on this candidate, trying to decide if his desire to join the Order was not indeed just a whim. It wasn’t until Nov- ember 18, 1723, at St. Stanislaus’s church in Rome, that he admitted Francis into the Marian Order and gave him the religious name of Casimir of St. Joseph. He also ordered him to undergo a year-long novitiate in Poland. Many years afterwards, Fr. Casimir told his broth- er Valerian of some mystical experiences that influ- enced his decision to join the Marians: “Like a second 15 Toiling to Discover His Vocation