Lumen 2018

T HE D EFINITIVE B IOGRAPHY OF THE M ARIAN F OUNDER In these pages, Fr. Tadeusz Rogalewski, MIC (1935-2008), has produced a precious legacy for the Congregation of Marian Fathers. As the biographer’s «magnum opus», this work is the definitive biography of our Marian Founder, Blessed Fr. Stanislaus of Jesus and Mary Papczynski. Every aspect of Father Founder’s life and times has been studied using every available historical source. For Fr. Rogalewski, the writing and researching of this biography was truly a labor of love, which spanned many years. With that in mind, we were pleased to publish it in commemoration of the 300 th anniversary of Fr. Stanislaus’s passage to eternal life. With keen understanding and rich insight, Fr. Rogalewski traces the life of Fr. Stanislaus from his humble beginnings in the ancient village of Podegrodzie to his special call to found the Marians, his holy death, and his posthumous cult. Thus, a spiritual portrait emerges of a great man and religious founder renowned for his holiness of life, his inspired preaching and writing, his ardent devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Immaculately Conceived, and his unflagging dedication to praying for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. This masterful biographer also shows us how Blessed Fr. Papczynski persevered through many serious setbacks and nearly fatal illnesses in order to found his religious community. Our Father Founder’s heroic virtue was forged in the crucible of those trying circumstances. Father Rogalewski even presents credible evidence that Fr. Stanislaus — in a way characteristic of many of the saints — was blessed with the supernatural gifts of prophecy, healing, and miracles. May these pages inspire all of my Marian confreres — as well as the many friends of the Congregation — to understand more deeply our Founder and the charism he has bequeathed to us, his spiritual sons. And let us all pray for Blessed Stanislaus to be canonized soon! Br. Andrew R. Màczyƒski, MIC Vice-Postulator for the Marian Canonization Causes in North America and Asia LMP 07200171