Father Casimir Wyszynski

a book entitled Gwiazda zaranna na horyzoncie polskim nowo wschodząca [Morning Star Newly Rising on the Polish Horizon.] Father Casimir mentioned that he had translated from the Latin a book by Francis Arias, S.J., De imitatioMariae Virginis. But when the original text which he edited in Rome in the years 1731- 1733, is compared to the translated text, considerable differences are possible to perceive. Therefore, Father Casimir was not a mere translator of someone else’s thoughts, but poured out on paper the results of his own meditations and experiences which he wished to share with his readers. He adapted the book Morn- ing Star not only to the Marian Rule but also, as he himself indi- cated on the title page, to “various groups of people, both religious and secular.” His 46-page long introduction to this book is an in- valuable contribution, enabling his readers to become acquainted with the way Polish people perceived the Blessed Virgin in the 18 century. The enthusiasmof a zealous apostle and propagator of a properly understood devotion toMary Immaculate becomes clear on the pages of the Introduction. The dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Vir- gin Mary had not yet been proclaimed, although this truth had already become the subject of reflection for many theologians and the object of veneration for many Christians. Many religious orders, among them the Order of Marians, had been founded to defend and propagate this truth. During his stay in Rome from 1751 to 1753, Father Wyszyński attentively followed everything concerning devotion to the Immaculate Conception. The spread of Jansenism, which attacked the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, greatly pained him. He was sorry to learn that—due to the lack of funds—Abbot Louis Andruzzi could not publish his work entitled Perpetua Ecclesiæ doctrina de Immacu- lata Conceptione Beatæ Virignis Mariæ , i.e., The Church’s Eternal Teaching on the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed VirginMary. It was a great joy for Father Casimir to meet Pope Benedict XIV, which he mentioned in his Diary on November 29, 1751: “It was only today […] that I was fortunate to be received by the Pope. As it was my desire to attain this honor, I put pusillanimity 65 The Servant of Mary Immaculate