223 dignity of life from its beginning (conception) until its natural end (death)—a life free from the bondage of sin and of addictions. This viewpoint is strictly linked to the mystery of the Immaculate Conception, of which he was a great venerator and defender. Father Stanislaus’s written works and commentaries on them allowed us to see him as an apostle of mercy also, which has its connection with the mystery of the Immaculate Conception as the most beautiful fruit of The Divine Mercy. Such a deepened understanding of our main charism (the Immaculate Conception), made possible through a better acquaintance with the life and the thought of our Founder, inspires us all to undertake new works: The Divine Mercy apostolate, apostolate of protecting the dignity of life (helping the addicted, the abandoned, the elderly; running counseling services, hospices, etc.) As our thanksgiving votive offering for the beatifi cation - the mission in the Philippines came to life. Father Papczyński fervently proclaimed parish missions. Father Stanislaus also was a great “advocate of the Poor Souls in Purgatory.” I believe this aspect, this domain of the eschatological matters has also not yet seen any revival in teachings, in the raising of awareness, or in coming up with new pastoral initiatives as to the ultimate matters. And yet, it is a great fi eld of evangelical action in which we, the Marians, must be “experts.” Today, Blessed Father Papczyński invites us to “be on fi re” with fervor for the salvation of ourselves and our neighbors. He calls us to not spare ourselves in working in the Vineyard of the Lord, but to give ourselves fully. “Give yourselves fully!” (St. Theresa of Calcutta). “He who wants to be a fi sher of souls must put his own heart as a lure on the fi shing hook” (Bp Albano Cavalin from Brazil). Qui non ardet, non incendit—he who is not on fi re, won’t ignite the others, and he (Fr. Papczyński) was on fi re and thus ignited the others.1 The Lord Jesus does not extinguish a smoldering candle-end, but if we want to ignite the others, to pass on the ardor to them, we must be on fi re. An Italian political saying goes: “Even thousands of extinguished candles won’t give light or a sparkle, but one burning candle may ignite thousands.” Today, we lack leaders fi red up with the matters of God and Congregation who can enrapture us. I believe that we must take care of matters ad intra because now we’ve got too many things going ad extra to the detriment of our spirituality, the very essence of our religious life. We must pay a little more attention to ourselves. We must take our religious life and its requirements seriously, because if we won’t, then everything will become “blurred”, the religious life will lose its sense, and we will lose our enthusiasm. “Since every religious order blossoms and lives for a long time, rooted in these two [principles]—the virtue of obedience and love 1 Cf. Ks. T. Rogalewski MIC, Mąż Boży, Wydawnictwo Księży Marianów i SPM, Warszawa 2007, p. 39.
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