Ad Honorem Immaculatae Conceptionis Mariae Oblatio

33 czyński remained as if in a shadow. And thus it has remained until now. We celebrated the 300 Anniversary of the Congregation in 1973, and not in 1970. The commemorative book published on this occasion, which re- mains until now the fullest presentation of the Congregation, has the title: Marians 1673-1973. 24 In my opinion, a more just title would be: Marians 1670-1970 and the jubilee celebrations should rather have been celebrated three years earlier. Concluding remarks Having considered the arguments or reasons known to me, I believe that we should return to the pristine and true date of the origin of the Marians, in accordance with the mind of the Founder and with the oldest tradition of the Congregation. The Marians take their beginning from the Oblatio of Fr. Stanislaus Papczyński made on December 11, 1670, in the Piarists’ residence in Kazimierz near Cracow, and not from the Bishop’s visitation in Puszcza Korabiewska (Korabiew Forest), which, however important for the nascent Congregation, was not the beginning, but only a stage on the way of its development. I realize that I lack competence to approach the above problem in an ex- pert way. Therefore, I refrained from giving footnotes and the original text of the quoted documents. 25 I think, however, that anyone willing to check the sources, upon which I based my statements, will be able to do so easily, because I always provide the name of the source. I am not a historian, nor a canonist, nor a theologian of religious order life. Thus, I see the considera- tions and opinions presented above, even though they may be expressed in a categorical form, only as a formulation of a problem. I ask my confreres, who are better acquainted with this subject, to examine the question in an expert way and to present the results of their research. I shall be grateful for any comments, including critical ones. I recognize a very real possibility of my making a mistake, but not that it has been made by authorities, which I dared to criticize. Therefore I will listen attentively to the opinion of oth- ers. I hope that through our common effort we will be able to come to the truth about the beginning of the Congregation. 24 Marianie 1673-1973 , ed. J. Bukowicz and T. Gorski, Rome 1975. 25 In the final edition of the article I completed the lacking footnotes, following the advice given me by Fr. M. Pisarzak, to make easier for the readers to find the quoted sources.