Lumen 2018

399 The End of Father Stanislaus’s Life time left in his life here on earth. He lived 70 years, 40 years as a priest and 28 years as the Superior General. Sensing that his end was near, he began to prepare himself to die. He walked towards it in peace because, after all, “death is God’s messenger, and a sister of man,” as St. Francis of Assisi tenderly referred to it. He did live to see the fulfillment of his most ardent desires, and he could now de- part from this life. He looked at the work which he had accomplished and felt consoled in spirit. He now dedicated himself to the contem- plation of the eternal goods that he was soon to attain. 116 We can try to imagine him during those last months of his life, waking up in the morning and wondering whether the Lord would interrupt his work and begin His own on that very day. To tell the truth, Fr. Papczynski did not wait for death, he waited for Him, for life or death are equally welcome, if we live according to God’s will and feel His presence all the time. This is exactly how Fr. Papczynski lived. Therefore, feeling that his strength was leaving him, he was preparing for this unique meeting. It was already in 1695 that he delegated part of his authority as the Superior to Fr. Joachim Kozlowski, who was elected Fr. Papczyn- ski’s Vicar by the Provincial Chapter. On April 16 th of the same year, Fr. Stanislaus instructed the members of the Congregation to be obedient to Fr. Kozlowski, in whom he saw his successor. 117 He him- self still fulfilled the duties of the Superior of the monastery at Nowa Jerozolima (after Fr. Jacob of St. Thomas, whom he had appointed Superior of the Cenacle in 1685, left the Congregation) until, crushed by a grave illness in the winter of 1699, he handed them over to Fr. Cyprian of St. Stanislaus. 118 In the same year he prepared his second testament and made Fr. Joachim his successor. He confirmed and amended this testament on April 10, 1701, when he received news of papal approbation for his institute and when a new grave illness forced him to take to his bed again. 119 He rose from it one more time to go to Warsaw to make his solemn pro- fession before the Apostolic Nuncio. The Praecepta (Admonitions), which were written during that period of his life, indicate that he