83 lics vigorously defended.25 Even though Catholic efforts at the end of the 16th and the beginning of the 17th centuries prevented the growth of Protestantism in Poland, somehow it was still present in the 17th century and died out only during the war with Sweden (1650-1660).26 Perhaps the atmosphere of fi ghting the errors of the Reformation was preserved in the Catholic publications of that century and until the beginning of the next because of some real danger, perhaps, or it was simply a means of prevention and security. The Jesuits played a large part in practicing the polemic theology called the “theology of controversy.”27 It was also widespread in the formation of future priests in the Piarist Order. The fact that Blessed Papczyński referred to Jesuit authors in his writings has already been proven fully and in detail.28 The timeliness of the Marians’ work against the background of Protestant infl uences after the Swedish invasion in 1656, as well the Islamic ones before the victory at Vienna in 1683, was confi rmed by Bishop Hieronim Wierzbowski in his letter to the Holy See of March 20, 1699. The bishop thus spoke about the need for the Marian Order: “After the enemy of the name of Christ departed by the grace of God, the faithful were left infected by new ideas and ceremonies which are wrong,” and for this reason “this Institute is necessary and very useful.”29 To conclude this part, let us briefl y state that in our search for the roots of the eschatological element in Blessed Papczyński’s spirituality and apostolate, which was later passed on to his Order, we have found solid self-supporting factors. The four above-mentioned factors represent the social and personal environment, in which God granted Blessed Stanislaus Papczyński this particular 25 The 16th–century doctrinal debate regarding Purgatory found its refl ection in the writings of such authors as Stanislaus Lubomierski and Marcin Krowicki for the Protestants, and Andrzej Zebrzydowski and Marcin of Kleck for the Catholics. This debate echoed in works of the 17th and 18th centuries (see footnote 29). As an example, we give you a brief work published by the Jesuits in Vilnius in 1700: “Odpowiedź na częste owe pytania; gdzie to napisane jest? Katolicka i gruntowna, dyssydentska zaś i fałszywa albo płocha.” Among other things, its author discusses two controversial teachings: about Purgatory (pp. 179-187) and about assisting the deceased (pp. 187-191). He lists the following forms and kinds of assistance: The Holy Sacrifi ce of the Mass, prayers, alms, fasting, pilgrimages and other good deeds, and supports their sense by appropriate biblical verses (see p. 187). 26 See: J. Tazbir, Świt i zmierzch polskiej reformacji, Warsaw, 1956, pp. 152, 155n, 185, 190n.—Cf. works by A. Kossowski and J. Łukaszewicz on the Protestantism in the 16th and 17th centuries in Lublin and its Province, in Wołyń and Poznań. 27 H. D. Wojtyska, Studia nad rękopisami nowożytnymi Biblioteki Seminarium Duchownego w Lublinie. “Archiwa, Biblioteki i Muzea Kościelne” 25 (1972) 210, 218 and 221n.—Cf. M. Bednorz, Jezuici a religijność polska (1564-1964), “Nasza Przeszłość” 20 (1964) 169. 28 E. Jarra, Myśl społeczna o. Stanisława Papczyńskiego Założyciela Marianów, Stockbridge, Massachusetts (U.S.A.) 1962, p. 16, 27n.—Cf. G. Karolewicz, Poglądy społeczne Stanisława Papczyńskiego, (Typeset Doctoral These at the University of Warsaw), Warsaw, 1964, p. 35. 29 S. M. Sydry MIC, Czcigodny sługa…, p. 228
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