Father Wyszynski Pilgrimage

44 P ILGRIMAGE TO THE E ND OF THE E ARTH protection for the Portuguese mission. Coming back from the pilgrimage in early November, he found two Fathers from Poland waiting for him: Fr. Bujalski and Fr. Fischer. The latter was to take over the duties of Procurator in Rome. It was impossible to set off for Portugal at this time of year, so they had to stay in Rome until spring. Father Casimir was writing farewell letters to his brethren and friends in Poland, with the inkling that he would never see them again. He pleaded with them not to neglect the Marian Founder’s beatification cause. He wrote thus to the General Superior: “I shall confess to you, Very Reverend Father, that I don’t dare to leave Rome until I hear that the process has been opened. After all, it should be our utmost concern. Our devel- opment depends on it, otherwise we shall go extinct. Definitely, if things in Poland cannot be managed without me and my return and taking over the process should be necessary, I do not shirk the work and I am ready to renounce Portugal. For the love of God, I am not alone in the Congregation after all! Why cannot something of the utmost benefit and need for us come to pass without me? (…) It is necessary to remember that by planting our Congregation in Portugal yet fail- ing to have our Founder’s process begun, we run the risk of the Portuguese community Marians’ dissociat- ing from us. It is the glory of the holiness of our first founder that will keep us in unity. At the same time, so wealthy a country could help with the beatification,