MARIANS IN 1670-1788 72 and that he possessed the necessary competence to obtain approval for the new order. On the other hand, Fr. Papczyński knew that only a canonical erection would provide solid legal foundations for the Order to establish itself within the Church. Along with his intention to found the Order, he initiated negotiations with Bishop Stefan Wierzbowski regarding its canonical erection, which initially failed. At that time, Fr. Papczyński made a similar request to the Holy See. According to Fr. Casimir Krzyżanowski, this supplication was sent to Pope Clement X in 1674/1675.52 The matter was given official consideration, which means that the document was sent from the Holy See to the Papal Nuncio Francesco Buonvisi in Warsaw, and the Nuncio passed it on to Bishop Stefan Wierzbowski with a request for detailed information and explanations. On December 23, 1675, Nuncio Francesco Buonvisi concluded his mission in Poland, and the matters related to the erection of the Marian Order likely took a negative turn. Erection on a diocesan level: April 21, 1679 The difficulties in obtaining approval from the Holy See led Father Papczyński to change his approach. He decided not to seek recognition of the Congregation as a new religious institute (which required approval from the Holy See), but rather as an institute “Secundi generis Eremitarum, iam alias ab Ecclesia admissorum et iurisdictioni Ordinariae subiectorum.”53 He soon convinced Bishop Wierzbowski of his project, and in the middle of 1678, the legal procedure for the canonical erection of the Marian Fathers was initiated. In the first days of June 1678, Bishop Wierzbowski issued an official decree summoning all those interested in the canonical erection of the new congregation to appear for a hearing within two weeks and submit their objections. Since the judicial hearing, which took place on June 17, 1677, was presided over by Bishop Święcicki, opponents requested that it be postponed until the arrival of the Ordinary, Stefan Wierzbowski. 52 Positio, Papczyński, p. 384. 53 Protocol from the second court session regarding the approval of the Marian Order on November 16, 1678. Positio, Papczyński, p. 390.
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