Father Casimir Wyszynski

The Second Vatican Council recapped the truth which had been realized for centuries, that the profession of evangelical counsels places upon vowed religious an obligation to pray and zealously cooperate in order “to implant and strengthen the King- dom of Christ in souls and to extend that Kingdom to every clime.” 32 Similarly, Saint John Paul II repeatedly reminded conse- crated persons to re-ignite in themselves the original zeal and en- thusiasmof the Apostles in response to the challenges of the New Evangelization in the Church. Already during his years as a student at the Piarist schools, Father Wyszyński treated matters of faith with great deference and motivated his classmates by word and example to do the same. They witnessed his piety and exceptional love of neighbor. He encouraged his classmates to venerate God andMary properly and to fulfill their school duties conscientiously: “Francis, who was applying himself to studies together with us, was usually the first to start a litany service; he sang during Masses or pious meetings. No one ever saw him joking or [aimlessly] looking around while in church. He had a special dedication to Christ the Lord and to His BlessedMother, the VirginMary. Every day he at- tended the six o’clock Mass [...]. He was never idle during his free time, but was either praising God in pious devotions or reading pious books that he always sought or else sketching icons with a pen for strengthening his spirit. He treated professors with due respect and never played tricks on them, as students used to do. [...] He admonished at once those of his classmates who would speak heedlessly or improperly. I personally witnessed this. He attached no importance to his garb and spurned all splendors. He endured silently the harm inflicted upon himself, but would strongly contest everyone who would speak against the venera- tion of God. He knew almost no anger except perhaps the wrath of God. He often spent time in solitary meditation. He recited prayers, various litanies, a chaplet, the Little Hours of the Immac- ulate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary and encouraged other students to follow suit during recreation. When he was 32 Lumen gentium , Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Vat. II), 44. 82 Z YGMUNT P ROCZEK , MIC, P H D