Father Casimir Wyszynski

134 C ASIMIR K RZYŻANOWSKI , MIC, P H D When Brother Giovanni di Dio, Father Casimir’s first Por- tuguese companion, pleadedwith him tomove to Balsamão, since he heard that the monastery there had sufficient sustenance, the Venerable Casimir replied: “I did not come here seeking Matthew’s bag.” 117 And later, in Balsamão, he became known for his “apostolic poverty.” 118 Father Fischer testifies thus about Father Casimir’s voluntary deprivations: “Indeed, Father Casimir loved poverty so much that he was always content with a mean habit and meager furnishings; he lived at the religious house as if he were a con- stant pilgrim. Since he did not wish to keep anything as his prop- erty, once on the feast of Epiphany, he returned the money left over from a trip, around 52 pennies, saying: ‘The Blessed Virgin loved poverty so much that she gave away all the magi’s gifts. I do not want to keep anything either.’ When he was given food by visitors, he kept none in his cell but turned everything over to the community . ” 119 One of the witnesses testifying in the beatification process states that, on his visiting Balsamão, he found the Venerable Casimir wearing “an old habit, worn bare here and there.” 120 As the Superior General, Father Wyszyński always called his confreres to practice evangelical poverty. At his suggestion efforts were made to satisfy genuine material needs of the brethren in order to prevent potential abuses against the vow of religious poverty. And when making visitation of the Marian monasteries, the Venerable Casimir would check if they were properly prac- ticing poverty, chastity, and obedience. 121 In his Foreword to Morning Star , Father Wyszyński, address- ing both religious and lay persons, tried to awaken in their hearts 117 Ibid, 420. 118 Ibid, 422. 119 A. Fischer, Życie, cnoty i śmierć święta …, 70. 120 PositioWysz , 420. 121 Circular letter of June 3, 1749, in: Stróż duchowego dziedzictwa mari- anów …, 184.