Father Casimir Wyszynski

123 The Servant of Mary Immaculate extraordinary patience and gentleness: “He was very polite to- wards everybody and did not scandalize anyone with his words” (Brother John of St. Mary). The same witness emphasized the great piety with which Father Casimir prepared for Mass, as if it were his last Mass before dying. In addition to testimonies given by various people, Father Casimir himself provided an important witness which flow out of his writings. In his introduction to Morning Star , he reminded us that “One’s virtue is proven by persevering in it until the end. Only those steadfast in virtue may be recognized as perfect, not those who enter the road of virtue occasionally and then deviate from it for a trifling reason.” Strengthened by the Eucharist andMary’s intercession, Father Casimir did not deviate from the road of perfection. On his jour- ney to Portugal, after Mass in Genoa, he recorded the following reflection: “On the day of theMost Holy Trinity I celebratedMass at the altar of the B.V.M. à la Pace at the Reformati Fathers where wewere staying. I reflected on how the unfathomable God can fit into such a small host. Then it came to me: since He, the head of the Church, deigned to remain in the darkness of the Blessed Vir- gin’s womb and chose her to be His mother, He wants all mem- bers of the Holy Church to have her as their Mother as well. Therefore, unhappy are those churches and their members who think it shameful to accept her as theirMother, shewhowas hon- ored by the God-Manwho gave himself in submission to her. ‘ And was obedient to them ’ (Lk 2:51)” (June 17, 1753). Father Casimir sought safety from the dangers of sea-cross- ings by entrusting himself to theMother of God and St. Stanislaus Papczyński: “I do not call for any other than my usual help: ‘Im- maculata Virginis Mariae Conceptio sit nobis salus et protectio’ [May the Blessed Virgin Mary’s Immaculate Conception be our health and our protection]. I also frequently recited the Chaplet of the Ten Virtues of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, made a sign of the cross towards ominous clouds and called for the interces- sion of our Venerable Father [Papczyński]” (June 1, 1753).