The Renewal of the Order redone 2018

83 Documents The Marian Fathers’ Congregation has existed in the diocese for over 100 years. It was abolished by the State authorities, without even con- sidering its usefulness in administering the diocese, in the year 1904. At present, with the help of God’s grace, it is undergoing a Renewal, as there are priests who feel the vocation to the religious condition and who want to serve God within monastic wall. Therefore a bright hope has shone, so that the Marian Fathers’ Congregation will soon grow and will be very helpful to our Holy Mother the Church in kindling Christian piety among the faithful, in eradicating vices and fighting errors which are heaped upon even the pious Lithuanians by atheists and socialists in these unpropitious times. It is with joy that I recommend to Your Eminence those priests who have joined that Congregation, namely: Rev. Wincenty Sekowski, candidate in Theology, once the Superior General of the Order and now the only Marian still alive. This Father, having professed solemn vows in 1861, still sojourns in the monastery, performs the Holy Service in a praiseworthy manner, and remains most eagerly commit- ted to the redemption of souls. I also recommend Professors of the Theological Academy in St. Petersburg, Doctors of Theology and priests: Jerzy Matulewicz from the diocese of Kielce and Franciszek Buczys from the diocese of Sejny who were included in the Congregation of Marian Fathers by the Bishop Ordinary of Warsaw on August 29, 1909. They both are very committed sons of the Church. They lead exemplary lives. They shine with piety in the exer- cise of holy service. They are full of zeal to save souls. They give thorough hope that they will educate, by word and deed, both indi- vidual faithful and whole societies that have been led astray by the errors of atheists and socialists. Moreover, they provide moral cer- tainty that they will never blemish priestly honor and the condition of a monk by unworthy conduct or by performing any employment incompatible with the condition of a monk.