The Renewal of the Order redone 2018

The Renewal of the Marian Order in 1909-1910 36 successor, Bishop Ignacy Swirski, dissolved the Society by decree on September 1, 1955. 119 With its legal status well regulated and with wise leadership, the Congregation of Marian Fathers developed quickly even though it remained in hiding. In 1913 the first non-secret house was established in Chicago. After the Russians left Warsaw, Rev. Matulewicz organized a house for monks in 1915 in Bielany [now within Warsaw]. In 1918 he reopened the former monastery in Mariampole. In 1923 he set up a facility for Belorussians in Druja on the Dvina River, the first of its type during recent centuries. In the following year a monastic house for Latvians was opened in Welony as the first center of male monastic life since the abolition. In 1925 the General House was opened in Rome. When Archbishop Matulewicz died in 1927, the entire community was international in its character and numbered 234 monks. The crowning work of Archbishop Matulewicz on the Renewal of the Congregation was the project of constitutions written in 1923-1924 based on rich experience, extensive studies, and the new Code of Canon Law. Prior to their confirmation, the Congregation of the Religious issued a decree declaring that the Congregation of Marian Fathers still enjoyed the privilege of exemption despite its transforma- tion in 1910. 120 The constitutions were confirmed by Pius XI on the third anniversary of their author’s death, on January 27, 1930. 121 This is how they were evaluated by the great expert on monastic laws, Rev. Aleksy Petrani, professor of canon law in the Catholic University of Lublin: “These were among the best constitutions that I have laid my hands on. They are wholly original, written in elegant Latin, at the same time clear and transparent in their contents. Out of respect for the lawgiver, certain ascetic or outright mystical fragments 118 Decree , November 2, 1928, “Widaomosci Diecezjalne Podlaskie” [Gazetteer of the Podlasie Diocese], 1928, No.12, pp. 348-349 119 Polish Provincial Archive of the Marians, I L 2, copy of the decree promulgated by Bishop J. Swirski, September 1, 1955. 120 See Document 24. 121 See Document 45.