Father Casimir Wyszynski

Magnuszewski speaks of Father Casimir’swords, uttered once during his term as superior of the Korabiew Forest monastery: “I want posterity to know that our Marian Order of the Immacu- late Conception of the Blessed VirginMary shall fight great battles against the Antichrist in the future. And the Antichrist shall be defeated because the Blessed Virgin Mary crushed the head of the ancient serpent when in her lowliness she gave birth to the Son of God.” 308 Obviously, Father Casimir cherished his other devotional prac- tices as well. Witnesses unanimously claim that he had a great de- votion to the Blessed Sacrament since childhood. They recall his rising early in the morning to attend Mass, dedicating much time to adoration. Perhaps the piety of his youth bore some traits of a childish or youthful immaturity, but as he matured and became a priest in theOrder ofMarianFathers, his Eucharistic devotionman- ifested itself inhis great esteemfor theMass, forwhichhe carefully andprayerfully prepared andneverwanted tomiss. Hewould also dedicate ample time after Mass for giving thanks. Undoubtedly, in the deepening of his Eucharistic devotion he turned for help to the Founder because he knew well the latter’s reflections on the Eu- charist and the Passionof the Lord as contained in Inspectio cordis , Christus Patiens, and Orator Crucifixus . Those who testified to Fa- ther Casimir’s great and fervent Eucharistic devotion, repeat as if a refrain, the fact that VenerableCasimir alsomeditatedon thePas- sion of the Lordwhile hewas in the presence of the Blessed Sacra- ment 309 . It is worthwhile adding here that he ordered the tattoo sign of the cross to be made on his right arm and the Immaculate Mary on the left, in order to give external evidence to what was most dear andmost sacred to him. 310 308 W. Magnuszewski, Żywot ..., 45. When he was in Rome as the General Procu- rator of the Order, he discovered the church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Navicella, which contained a mosaic depicting the Apostles and the Blessed Mother in the ark. Father Casimir made great efforts (fruitless, as it hap- pened) to acquire this place for Marians’ headquarters in Rome. K. Wyszyński, Diariusz czynności… , 212. 309 PositioWysz , 431, 432-433, 436, 440, 445, 446, 471. 310 Ibid, 431, 440. 194 W ACŁAW M AKOŚ , MIC