240 Jan M. Rokosz, MIC Superior General Word at the Closing When the Holy Father, Benedict XVI made a decision about the long-awaited beatifi cation of Father Stanislaus Papczyński, we all knew that for us, the Marians, it would be a very important event. However, it was diffi cult to predict that it would plant so very many positive seeds in our community. Along with its proceedings, debates, and giving witness, our present Convention positively proved it. Once again, we came to realize that our Fr. Founder’s beatifi cation was a sign of God’s special grace for our community. The beatifi cation brought the person of Blessed Stanislaus closer not only to our Congregation—showing him to be our father and guide, but also to Christians today, revealing him as an illustrious 17th-century fi gure in the Church. Many confreres emphasized that since the renewal of our Congregation, interest in the person and the spirituality of Father Founder faded into the background. In addition, we were not paying suffi cient attention to the fundamental elements of the mission, for which our Congregation had been established. The beatifi cation contributed to bringing Fr. Papczyński back to his rightful place in our community. A charism left by the founder lies at the foundation of every religious institute. Reading our founding charism afresh in the contest of modern-day challenges is one of the fundamental criteria of fi delity to every institute’s vocation; it is the condition for its vitality and growth. The founding charism must be constantly re-read and interpreted, but never changed or depleted. Many confreres deepened their identitas in regard to the mystery of the Immaculate Conception of the BVM. It has been also noticed that we’ve treated quite marginally what was supposed to be the most important special goal of our Congregation—namely, spreading honor to the Immaculate Conception of the BVM. And it is little wonder, seeing that paragraph 2 of our Constitutions, speaking of our Congregation’s special mission, gives no details as to spreading honor to the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God. We must pay more attention to this special event in the life of our Blessed Mother since it contains an important message for our spiritual life and apostolate. Many confreres gave
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