220 where people inscribed their petitions and thanksgivings. Throughout the past 10 years the book was only two-third full; the remaining one-third was fi lled up in the last 10 moths! It contains thousands of entries. Undoubtedly, the awareness of Blessed Father Stanislaus’s powerful intercession before God increased. However, the development of devotion among the laity does not translate into the same action among the Marians. In recent times, only three pilgrimages from Marian parishes came to Marianki. This is not a comforting fact. But even more disconcerting, was the absence of many young Marian priests at the youth meeting held at Marianki last May. They probably took their young either on an excursion or pilgrimages to other shrine in this very period of time. I’m not saying this out of contrariness, but out of sadness. Also, I would like to share with you some thoughts from Fr. Antoni Andrzuszczyszyn of the Ukraine. Last July, he participated in the Quinquennial Renewal held in Sulejówek. In the context of the refl ections on Father Founder made during the retreats and the renewal, he often said: “We have unearthed the foundations. We were shown the foundations of our vocation and our Congregation.” I asked him what his thoughts on these foundations were. He replied that the foundations were unearthed, but that nothing had been built on them! In other words, he suggested that our present Congregation has little in common with Fr. Founder’s Order. An important question arises that must be put to the Convention: Did Fr. Matulewicz build our religious house on the same foundations as the Founder, or maybe on different ones? Do these foundations, which we are unearthing now, exist only for the purpose of being described and presented for viewing—as it happens with historical ruins? It is possible to approach Fr. Papczyński in such a way, that he would be nothing but a well-described relic from the past—a fruit of archeological study. But it is also possible to have a building put up on those foundations that have been unearthed. Personally, I believe that part of these foundations still have nothing built upon, and that would be the task of our generation. Thus, here is my concrete proposal. I believe that the reality to be discovered is our eschatological charism. But it’s not a question of some task to be carried out or a necessity to add some pious practice. I believe that at the foundation of our vocation, there is incorporated a gift that may still remain undiscovered, still buried and asleep. I think that our refl ection on this aspect of our vocation is extremely important for the Congregation and for our future.
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