The Renewal of the Order redone 2018

11 Introduction privileges, rights, primacy, and authorizations are hereunder trans- ferred to the person of the Superior or Supervisor of the Mariampole monastery connected and unified with this Office.” The Council of the Superior had the authority of the General Chapter. 14 After Fr. Czesnas died, Father Wincenty Sekowski was elected to the office of Superior General, which the Marians announced on November 24, 1892, to Bishop Piotr Wierzbowski, asking him to accept the choice. 15 Father Sekowski was destined to become the fore- most figure of the Renewal. 16 In accordance with the czar’s ukase, the Marians were allowed to run a novitiate. In fact, acceptance of candidates was restricted to the point that, during the 40 years of the existence of the monastery, it did not succeed in accepting even a single novice. Thus, as a result of deaths and transfer of priests to the diocese, the Marian community systematically decreased in numbers. In 1865, there were 31 monks in the house. In 1867, there were 24. In 1874, just 14. In 1888, there were 11. In 1892, there were five. In 1897, only three remained. 17 Since for quite some time the monastery did not have the minimum number of eight monks, it could be closed in compliance with the ukase. This happened on September 14, 1904. There was an attempt to sell the buildings to the Orthodox clergy, but as a result of opposi- tion by the local population, they were left with the Catholic parish. 18 What happened to the Marian Congregation offers a picture of the entire monastic life under the czarist government. At the beginning of 14 See Document 1, parts 1 and 2. 15 See Document 3. 16 Sekowski, Wincenty (1840-1911), born in the village of Aszmonski in the parish of Szumsk in Lithuania, he was educated in the Mariampole high school. He joined the Marian Order in 1848. During 1862-1866 he studied in the Theological Academy in Warsaw. He was ordained as priest in 1864 by Bishop Henryk Plater in the Church of the Holy Cross. In 1892 he was elected Superior General and he performed that function until his death. He died on April 10, 1911. (EAM, p. 48). 17 Totoraitis, pp. 31-33, 44, 45, 47, 48. According to Rev. J. Kosmowski, there could have been no more than 22 monks in Mariampole in 1865 ( I Padri mariani ..., p. 443). 18 Totoraitis, pp. 49-50.