Father Casimir Wyszynski

130 C ASIMIR K RZYŻANOWSKI , MIC, P H D the sign of the cross and thus chasing away some lecherous women who once came to him at night.” 91 FatherWyszyński realized that perfection inpracticing chastity might be achieved only at the price of constant vigilance and strict penance. In the struggle against his body, he employed various means to preserve chastity. Among these measures, the mortifi- cation of the external senses should bementioned first. One of the witnesses stated that Father Casimir had complete control over his external senses of taste, sight, hearing, smell and touch. 92 As early as his novitiate year, he started to mortify the sense of taste: he abstained from eating meat and kept fasts scrupu- lously. Inspired by the spirit of continence, “he usually drank only water” and refrained from drinking any alcoholic beverages. 93 Father Casimir distinguished himself by “great discipline of the eyes ”: he always kept his eyes averted from women, even avoiding conversationwith themunless strictly necessary. When the necessity arose, hewould keep his sight firmly affixed toward the ground, not wanting as much as a glance at their faces. Wojciech Magnuszewski testifies: “I can state that […] Father Casimir would always come from his monastery in the company of a confrere known for his good habits. If he should see this re- ligious needlessly talking to a woman, he would admonish him at once.” 94 Father Alexis Fischer left similar recollections. 95 Father Casimir carefully guarded his hearing, thereby abhor- ring every kind of slander. 96 He also mortified his sense of smell , never inhaling the aroma of flowers or tobacco. 97 91 Ibid, 474. 92 Ibid, 473-474. 93 Ibid, LXIX. At that time, Poland was actively fighting drunkenness. A. Fis- cher, Życie, cnoty i śmierć święta… , 71. 94 W. Magnuszewski, Żywot …, 47. 95 A. Fischer, Życie, cnoty i śmierć święta …, 58. 96 PositioWysz , 514. 97 Ibid.