Lest You Remain

used by all Marian communities at the conclusion of every communal activity: Immaculata Virginis Conception sit nobis salus et protectio (May the Virgin’s Immaculate Conception be our salvation and protection) . 2.3. The Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M. The Confraternity had a special place in the spreading of devotion to our Lady Immaculately Conceived. Already in Norma vitae Fr. Founder recommends: “The Superior [General] will designate in each house a promoter of the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception to pray for the souls of the faithful departed and as per- mitted by the Holy Father Innocent XI on March 20, 1681, and in accord with the Ordinary’s permission has been established or is to be established in your churches. The one to whom this valued duty shall be entrusted, shall by other means endeavor to gain the greatest number of servants and devotees of the Immaculate Virgin, as helpers of the deceased, holy and devout. Let him administer this Confraternity pru- dently so that he may obtain great profit for souls. He will especially exhort and incite those who become members of this Confraternity by inspiring them to the frequent and salutary use of the Sacraments of Penance and Eucharist, as well as to works of charity and to the abandonment of vices.” 19 The concept of this Confraternity unites devotion to the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M. with prayers for the deceased. This spiritual trend, well known in medieval times, was also present in Republic of Poland of 17 th and 18 th centuries. Undoubtedly, this was the result of the medieval concepts of ars bene moriendi (the art of a good death) still very much alive in Polish spirituality of that period. These ideas emphasized, apart from the quality of life (so- called preparatio longa [prolonged preparation]), specific stages of the process of dying and the presence of the Saints in it. The Mother of God was considered a par- ticular Patroness at the hour of death and an advocate of souls suffering in Purgatory. 20 We also know that in 1663-1667, Fr. Papczy<ski served as the promoter of the con- fraternity of the Sweetest Blessed Virgin Mary at the church of Piarist Fathers in Warsaw. According to some sources, he himself founded this confraternity; accord- ing to others—he made it very popular. In addition, for a year and a half, he ran the arch-confraternity of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M. at St. James of Kazimierz in Krakow around 1670. When, a few years later, he founded the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M. giving help to the deceased and pastors , he also established at the Marian churches (and commended to be established) upon the power of rights received from the Holy See in 1681, Confraternities of the Immaculate Conception bringing help to the departed. L EST Y OU R EMAIN W ITHOUT W ORK IN THE V INEYARD OF THE L ORD 192 19 NV VII, 8. 20 J. Woynowski, The Development of the Devotion to Our Lady in Poland , “Homo Dei” 26(1957) 846-862.