The Marian Martyrs of Rosica

33 Blessed George Kaszyra gation. After the summer holidays, he went to Rome. On October 31, he arrived at the Marian College at Piazza de San Nicolo da Tolentino. He took the basic course in philosophy at the papal university known as the Angelicum, run by the Dominican friars. During his first year, he had difficulty study- ing because he didn’t know the language. Nevertheless, he fin- ished the two-year curriculum in philosophy with “good” and “very good” grades. In his religious life, he was above reproach. The superior wrote of him in his report: “His vocation is sure. He is com- mitted to the Congregation. His piety is deep and sincere. He is very hardworking. He doesn’t waste time. He is quiet, well-bal- anced, outgoing, serious, and humble. Everybody likes him, although people sometimes poke some fun at him because of his slow pace.” During a two-year stay in Rome, George Kaszyra became better acquainted with the Congregation. He met Marian semi- narians from Poland, Lithuania, and the United States. He also grew intellectually. He had a special facility for strictly philo- sophical subjects. As soon as George finished studying philos- ophy, his superior from Druja, Fr. Cikoto, wrote to him to return from Rome, because the house in Druja could barely afford the fee for his maintenance there. Therefore, he returned to his homeland. In the fall of 1931, he went to Vilnius to study theology. There he took lodging in the seminary. He was supposed to receive tonsure and minor orders on March 10, 1932, but some- how nobody had realized that he needed a dispensation because of his earlier affiliation with the Orthodox Church. So he had to wait until a later date. During Lent in 1934, he received subdi- aconate and diaconate orders. SERVING AS A PRIEST Finally, on the day of Corpus Christi, June 20, 1935, he was ordained a priest in the Church of St. John by Bishop Romuald Jalbrzykowski. The next Sunday, June 23, he celebrated his