Lest You Remain

defense of his reasons. He felt himself misunderstood and termed this time of his life “the way of the cross.” The account of this quarrel could probably serve as a sensational scenario for a film: accusatory letters sent to the Nuncio, to civil authorities, and to the General of the Piarists. Fr. Papczy < ski summoned to Rome; an very difficult and trying trip; exoneration and further accusations; kidnapping and imprisonment; several times renewed petitions for dispensation from simple vows; and finally, the peaceful unraveling of the matter on December 11, 1670: releasing from religious vows and oath of persevering in the Piarist Order. During this trying time Fr. Stanislaus authored two series of Passion sermons: Orator crucifixus (Crucified Orator) and Christus patiens (The Suffering Christ), which give witness to his following the path of faith, which he measured with eyes fixed on Christ’s Passion. Christ Himself was his guide on the thorny road of life and vocation, his companion in times of doubt and abandon, his master in forgiving the offenders and accusers. From contemplating Christ’s Passion Fr. Stanislaus drew strength for loving his enemies and staying faithful to God’s calling. Hope for his salvation he saw in Christ alone: “ I grieve from the very bottom of my heart, and I desire to grieve most perfectly, because of love for God, for my sins, all of which I place in the precious wounds of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer ” ( First Testament ). Fr. Papczy < ski himself, in the Apology for leaving the Order of the Pious Schools gave as the primary reason of his departure, his desire to restore peace in the Province, which the Decree of Heroic Virtues accented as Fr. Stanislaus’s love for his Order. For many years he sought ways and means for clarifying all misunderstand- ings and calming emotions. He dearly loved his vocation and Order; he was fascinat- ed by the personality of Founder—St. Joseph Calasanti. The charism of educating children and youth as well as living in the spirit of utmost poverty was very dear to him. Father Papczy < ski left the Piarists with a broken heart because he still yearned to follow the road of the Evangelical Counsels. However, he decided that peace with- in his beloved congregation was of greatest importance. His “way of the cross” lived out in faith and in the spirit of love brought about a blessed fruit. The subsequent 30 years of Fr. Papczy<ski ’s life showed that love and respect for the Piarists did not die away in his heart, inasmuch as they produced concrete forms of mutual cooperation. Examples of this was: timely spiritual direction provided by the Piarists, his deliver- ing spiritual conferences to them, the fruit of which is Inspectio cordis (Discerning with eyes of the heart), his financially supporting the Piarists schools, but above all, receiving by his own request in 1691 and 1696 spiritual affiliation of the Marians to the Order of the Pious Schools. Third test of the Servant of God’s faith was related to the beginnings of the Marian Order that he had founded. It happened in 1671. In Fundatio domus recol- Biography of Fr. Stanislaus Papczy < ski 79