Lumen 2018

For the Glory of the Immaculate Virgin The guiding idea followed by Fr. Papczynski as he set about founding the Congregation of Marian Fathers was to spread the cult of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. From the very beginning, this idea became simultaneously the principal goal of the Congregation. The love of Mary Immaculate had always been the purpose of Fr. Papczynski’s life. He had loved her with all his heart ever since his childhood. Later, he chose to be a member of a religious order in which the spiritual sons of St. Joseph Calasantius served others under the banner of the Blessed Mother. When he became a priest, he took every opportunity to spread her cult. He dedicated his first published work Prodromus Reginae Artium as a homage to her: “To the Mother of the Eternal Word, to the Devoutly Eloquent Virgin Mary Conceived without stain — Stanislaus, vowed to poverty, dedicates this Forerunner of the Queen of the Arts. Teach us, O Purest Mother of Wisdom, both how to live well and how to speak well.” 17 Father Papczynski had always placed his hope of obtaining heav- enly goods in this exceptional privilege enjoyed by the Blessed Virgin Mary, i.e., in her Immaculate Conception. He often repeated: “May the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary be our health and protection.” 18 He ordered his confreres to repeat this in- vocation in chorus and individually, after the prayer of thanksgiving in the refectory, after the recitation of the rosary, a chaplet, or after any other pious practice. 19 The truth about the Immaculate Conception of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary was not obvious to all the faithful in Fr. Papczynski’s times. Its dogmatic formulation took place only in 1854, even though it had been proclaimed in the regular teaching of the Church long before then. It was spread by the Jesuits and the Franciscans. They brought this cult to Poland, and many Polish theologians and writers defended this exceptional privilege of the Blessed Mother. Jacob Wujek’s Postylle [Postils] 20 proclaimed this privilege as an ar- S TANISLAUS P APCZYNSKI 250