95 Apostolate or Contemplation: 1677-1723 tion, he has to choose first a rule from among those already approved, under which this newest Congregation could serve in the Church of God. Yet, the Venerable Servant of God, Father Stanislaus of Jesus and Mary Papczyński did not choose any such rule but wished to have the Congregation of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary based on his own Constitutions alone.”119 From this, we can deduce that when sending Joachim Kozłowski to Rome, Fr. Papczyński instructed him to obtain approval for the order based on the Rule of Life. This is because it contained elements of a religious institute’s rule and constitutions, following the principle constitutiones pro regula. Fr. Kozłowski, understanding the importance of this matter, continued his efforts. He asked Fr. Papczyński to collect letters of recommendation and advocacy from “Multorum Magnatum, et Episcoporum, et Magni Nominis Personarum,”120 supporting the Marians’ efforts for papal approval. We do not know the total number of collected petitions, but nine survived: three from the Church and six from the civil authorities. The most valuable and extensive among them was the letter of recommendation by Bishop Hieronim Wierzbowski. It seems that the active apostolic character of the Marians was officially emphasized for the first time in his letter to the Holy See. This letter described the Marians as a “Congregation of priests bringing assistance to the deceased and the pastors.”121 The above recommendation is filled with goodwill, warm praise, and a personal sentiment towards the Marians. Bishop Wierzbowski briefly presented the highly elevated history of the Order. He also portrayed the figure of Fr. Papczyński as “a man filled with the Holy Spirit and knowledge, who despises riches and honors [...], and lives in extraordinary poverty and humility, giving a rare example of priestly life”122 and fervently requested the Holy See for the canonical erection of the Marians, arguing that the Order, with its charism, is greatly needed by the Church and that the erection will contribute to the growth in the number of members 119 Casimir Wyszyński, Żywot Czcigodnego Sługi Bożego Ojca Stanisława od Jezusa Maryi Papczyńskiego, in: Wyszyński, Stróż, n. 91, p. 118. 120 Positio, Papczyński, pp. 519-520. 121 Ibid, pp. 521-525. “Istanza Alla Santa Sede del vescovo Girolamo Wierzbowski, 20 marzo 1699. The bishop titled the Marians as a “Congregatio Defunctis et Parochis suffragantium.” Cf. Navikevicius, Appendix I, n. 35. 122 S. Sydry, O. Stanisław, p. 226.
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