Father Casimir Wyszynski

178 T ADEUSZ R OGALEWSKI , MIC, P H D During his first termas Superior General (1737-1741), Father Wyszyński several times dispatched Fr. Casimir Polak to Prague. This Marian of Bohemian origin attracted more than 20 candi- dates of Bohemian origin to the Congregation. The new men made valuable intellectual and spiritual contributions to the Con- gregation. Some among themwere: Casimir Polak, Isidore Taudt, Alexis Fischer, John Cantius Szkraffer, Benedict Hönnig, and John Nepomucene Czermak. They became pillars of the community, working very fruitfully in Poland and Portugal. Before the end of the 18 th century, even more Bohemians became Marians. 269 Thanks to Father Casimir’s tireless efforts, eventually Lithua- nians, Ruthenians, Hungarians, Italians, French and Portuguese men also joined the Marians. Towards the end of his life, Father Wyszyński founded a monastery in Portugal, where he himself lived until his death. His plans for the future included a founda- tion of theMarians in Brazil, but this came to pass only in the sec- ond half of the 20 th century. 270 Another aspect of Father Casimir’s rich spiritual profile, something also dear to the Marian Founder, was care of the poor and neglected rural folks. As the Superior General, Venerable Casimir imposed on local superiors the obligation to make sure that at theirmonastaries catechismwas being taught to the coun- try folks. He also attacked the way rural folks were treated in some parishes in regard to their Easter confessions. That was a pastoral problem in some dioceses, whichwe have described ear- lier. 271 No doubt Father Casimir’s sympathy for the poor and af- flicted derived at least somewhat from Father Papczynski’s solicitude for the downtrodden, which Father Casimir practiced and in turn passed on to future Marians. In the dark Polish sky of the Saxon era, the Servant of God Casimir shown as a bright light. His veneration of the Immacu- lately ConceivedMother of God, his care for the poor, his advocacy 269 Circular letter of June 1, 1739, in: Ibid, 174-175. 270 Z. Proczek, Sługa Niepokalanej …, 25. 271 Ibid, 26.