Father Casimir Wyszynski

Father Casimir regarded his work for the Order as a public service because its goal was to save people from the clutches of evil. Along with his brethren he strove for its realization through fervent pastoral ministry and printedmaterials that fostered spir- itual values upheld by his Order. In addition to releasing the book Morning Star , based on the treatise by Francis Arias, in 1749, Father Casimir also saw to the publication of the work of St. Stanislaus Papczyński, the Marian Founder, called Templum Dei Mysticum or Mystical Temple of God . Working for the Order in Rome W hen the General Chapter which was celebrated in Skórzec on November 12, 1750, elected anew Superior General, Father Casimir was sent to Rome as the General Procurator to negotiate important matters for the Order. Together with another Marian, Father John Cantius Szkraffer, he started on the journey to Rome in winter. We lack any detailed reports regarding this trip except for a reminiscence of hospitality accorded to them by a Father Bixy in the vicinity of Vienna. Although the church building there had perished in a fire shortly before their arrival, the pastor gave them shelter in the quarters that remained. A few days later he bade them farewell outside Vienna and set themon the right road to Rome. At that very time, the ceiling collapsed in the room where they had spent the night. Father Casimir learned about this incident only several months into his stay in Rome. In his letter to Father Bixy he said: “We give thanks to God for shielding us from danger of which I was informed by the brother-hermit. Wewere able to reach Rome and to accomplishmany good things for our Congregation, which would have been impossible shouldwe not have been saved from danger. Accordingly, we received everything for which we peti- tioned the Holy See. What is more, the King of Portugal invited us to his kingdomso that devotion to the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M. might grow there through theministry of ourMarian 42 Z YGMUNT P ROCZEK , MIC, P H D