Father Casimir Wyszynski

I come to serve you … With these words Father Casimir Wyszyński began a circular letter to his confreres as the newly- elected Superior General of theMarianOrder. Thesewords reflect his manner of being a member of this particular religious com- munity and of the entire Church. All his life he strove on the path- way of faith to serve both God and his neighbor, without letting any difficulties or adversities deter him. He knew that he had been called and sent by the Lord to fulfill themission of proclaim- ing the Good News to his fellowMarians in order to rekindle the community’s religious charismand to help—through communal effort—the people suffering in those difficult times to maintain hope and to trust completely in Divine Providence after the ex- ample of the Virgin Mary. What kind of man was he? Why do we wish to preserve his memory?What makes hismessage relevant today? These are just a few questions that led to the publication of this book, the aim of which is to bring the person of Father Casimir Wyszyński closer to the modern world through reflection on his life’s jour- ney, his Marian vocation and his mission in the Church. We find in Father Casimir the spirituality of a Servant of God, that is, of someonewho is sent by God. In the life of a Servant, the most important thing is to fulfill the will of God as his sole inspi- ration, nourishment and purpose. We admire Father Casimir’s lifelong submission to thewill of God; he lived to fulfill hismission and not for himself or his personal glory. Father Casimir humbly accepted God’s plan for his life and strove enthusiastically to implement it. In this way, he demon- strated the beauty of a humble heart and pure intention, both of which provide room for God to work. That is why we see his life as a sacred pursuit, a pursuit not aimed at filling the emptiness of one’s own heart or appeasing human ambitions, but which generously employs time and effort in the service of the “Onewho sends.”