Lumen 2018

which Fr. Papczynski was a confessor to Pope Innocent XII while the latter was still the Apostolic Nuncio in Poland. The requests sent to the Holy See by the civil authorities were im- portant, too. In the 17 th century, the Church respected the opinions of the magnates and nobility, who played a leading role in the public, religious, and cultural life of Poland at that time. Thus, it is not sur- prising that representatives of this social class were asked to support Fr. Kozlowski’s endeavors. Their requests were addressed to the car- dinals of the Roman Curia. The author of the first request in this group was a nobleman by the name John Lasocki. Six months before, he had founded a church and a monastery for the Marians on his estate in Gozlin, about 20 kilometers away from Nowa Jerozolima. His letter contains praises of the apostolic virtues of the Marians and their founder and spiritual director, Fr. Papczynski, who resided at the Cenacle at that time. Lasocki’s testimony is based on his personal acquaintance with Fr. Stanislaus. Therefore, it is of great value, even though it did not rank very high in the opinion of the Roman Curia as it came from a per- son who was not very well known. The author of the next request, a nobleman by the name Stanislaus Grzybowski, was trying to found a church and a house for the Mar- ians in Lewiczyn, where Fr. Papczynski would often bring his apos- tolic ministry. 66 His request does not contain direct praises, but refers to Fr. Stanislaus indirectly when its author writes about his intention to found a Marian outpost on his family estate. It may be surmised that the Marians, and Fr. Papczynski in particular, proved themselves worthy of such an offer. Grzybowski stated that apostolic approbation for the Marians was a conditio sine qua non [a precondition] for his foundation. This was an argument which might have created a greater impression at the Roman Curia than the fact that the author of the request was a colonel of the royal army and a royal official. Grzybowski often met Fr. Stanislaus and the Marians; the family and the Marians remained in close contact. 67 His testimony, so fa- S TANISLAUS P APCZYNSKI 380