Father Casimir Wyszynski

hungry and tired, talking and joking, people could not properly prepare for receiving the holy sacraments. Many paid for thiswith their health, while others took to heavy drinking in taverns, which scandalized non-believers. Father Casimir presented a report on this abuse of authority to the Pope, who ordered thematter to be investigated and the practice stopped. During his two-year stay in Rome, Father Casimir did every- thing in his power to find a place for a Marian monastery there. Prior to leaving for Rome he had obtained letters of recommen- dation fromKing Augustus III and Prince Czartoryski to Cardinal Colonna, the protector of the Franciscans, under whom the Mar- ians were affiliated at the time, asking the Cardinal to look into the possibility of obtaining a foundation for the Marians in the Eternal City. Father Casimir’s initial attempts to arrange an audi- ence with Cardinal Colonna and Pope Benedict XIV brought no results. Therefore, having secured a letter of recommendation from the Polish minister Lagnasco, Father Wyszyński set out for Naples to ask the Queen of Naples, whowas the daughter of King Augustus III, to intercede in his cause before the Pope. This trip also proved to be futile: the Queen refused to help the Marians. At the end, Father Wyszyński managed to submit a letter to His Holiness, asking him for a place for his community to settle in Rome. He also petitioned Cardinal Colonna for his support in purchasing the Church of St. Bibiana that belonged to the Chapter of the BlessedMother Major Basilica, of which the cardinal was a member. Father Casimir also found a lawyer, Peter Pruski, who agreed to negotiate the matter with the Chapter on his behalf. In addition, he secured the assistance of Father Pepe, a Jesuit, who was very influential in the Vatican. But all of his efforts were to no avail: in earlyNovember of 1751, Father Casimirwas informed of the Chapter’s refusal to sell the church. Still, the General Procurator did not give up. He turned his at- tention to the Church of SantaMaria in Dominica or Navicella, lo- cated just outside the city. This church was very much to his liking. In his diary called “ Personal Record of Activities ” in Rome, the Servant of God presented his opinion as to why the Marians 48 Z YGMUNT P ROCZEK , MIC, P H D