Lumen 2018

S TANISLAUS P APCZYNSKI 366 the most important part, of what he had requested in his supplica- tion. The letter of recommendation does not even mention the po- tential incorporation of the Marian institute into the Order of Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, should the Marians accept their rule. There was probably some difficulty with fulfilling this request. It may have been the fact that the rule of the Sisters of the Immaculate Con- ception, composed for a religious order of women, had not yet been adapted to be used by religious congregations of men. Therefore, in its original form, it could not be given to the Marians, and, at that stage, there was no legal possibility of their incorporation to the Order of Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. Father Papczynski’s request was later introduced at the General Chapter of Franciscan Friars which began on June 2, 1691, at the Aracoeli monastery in Rome. The request was discussed and the re- sult of the discussion was a decree issued by the General Congrega- tion on June 4, 1691, confirming the protection offered to the Marians by the Franciscans, and expressing their readiness to take the Marians under their direction and jurisdiction, contingent upon the consent of the Holy See. The Marians were to chose a religious rule, in accordance with the dispositions of the Holy See, on which they would take their solemn vows and according to which the Fran- ciscans would supervise them. 12 It can be understood from the context of the decree that it refers to a rule different than the rule of St. Francis. But why wasn’t the Order of Sisters of the Immaculate Conception and their rule men- tioned? The reason was that no one was certain at that point whether the rule of the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception could be adapt- ed to the needs of a religious congregation of men and whether the Marians would receive approbation from the Holy See to follow such a rule. Therefore, the Franciscans wanted to give the Marians an op- tion to choose some other rule associated with the Franciscan Order. But the response of the General Chapter to Fr. Papczynski’s re- quest was affirmative. Why, then, was this plan not put into effect at that time? The reason was that Fr. Stanislaus was unable to continue