Father Casimir Wyszynski

compassion or sorrow of the Most Holy Virgin Mary. The outline for this book, prepared for print by Father Casimir, seems to be a continuation of the thought of the Marian Founder. Father Papczyński wrote a book called TemplumDei Mysticum [Mystical Temple of God], which contains the principles of life to be fol- lowed by any Christian who truly wishes to be a temple of God. Virtues are the ornaments of this temple. Further, FatherWyszyński discussed in greater detail the role played by the virtues in the spiritual development of a person. He also emphasized that because of these virtues, Mary has a share in the work of the redemption of the world. He wrote: “When we recall the virtues with which the Virgin Mary crushed the head of the dragon from hell, we fill all of hell with fear. By imitating and practicing these virtues, the faithful cannot stray from the path of salvation, for they have received deliverance and help from their Lady.” Evidently, even in Father Casimir’s time there were people who opposed devotion toMary, validating their position by citing one’s duty to imitate only Jesus Christ. Therefore, Father Casimir quoted the words of St. Paul who encouraged us to embrace Christ’s own view on the matter, adding this: “Since the Apostle to the Nations tells us to imitate himself and the other Apostles because he and the others imitated Christ, why, then, should we not imitate Mary who was closest to Christ and most intimately involved in thematters of His life[…]? Furthermore, we are to im- itate Mary not only in the manner in which she imitated Christ the Lord, but also in all things to which He, being both God and man, was not obliged. We are to respect and love Him, trust Him, and believe in Him. In our gratitude for the grace of redemption, we should imitate not Christ, but Mary—the first participant of redemption, free from the stain of original sin.” Can it be, then, that Father Casimir’s thought about changing the world through a true and complete devotion to Mary might be applied to our own times? “I gave the book on the imitation of the evangelical virtues of the Virgin Mary the title of ‘Morning Star’ because I saw how the entire world is plunged in evil, has 70 Z YGMUNT P ROCZEK , MIC, P H D