21 a word from the publisher by the Congregation for Bishops and Religious in Rome. Each of these documents has been given an introduction explaining its contents, the circumstances of its composition, and its significance. These introductions were borrowed from Pisma Zebrane, the above-mentioned Polish translation of St. Stanislaus’ writings. In addition, Selected Writings contains the Calendarium of St. Stanislaus’ life, expanded to cover the events related to his canonization and the list of his written works and bibliographies. These were also borrowed from the Polish and critical Latin editions. Because St. Stanislaus used the Latin Vulgate for his quotations of Scripture, we have found it best to make use of several English translations of the Bible in order to allow us to be as faithful as possible to the meaning intended by Stanislaus in his original quotations, while also making the translation as readable as possible. The English Bible translations quoted throughout these works are the Revised Standard Version: Catholic Edition, the New American Bible, and the Douay-Rheims. Sometimes a direct translation from the Vulgate was also used. The present publication has been long awaited not only by the English-speaking Marians and scholars of religious history and spirituality, but also by a large group of venerators of our saint, whose fame and holiness — already established during his lifetime — continues to spread today. However, the publication of this collection of writings in English has a special meaning for his spiritual sons, the Marians. Grasping the Founder’s charism, and by extension the Marian heritage, is not possible without studying his writings. These were previously available as a complete volume only in Polish. The translated texts presented in this volume are the fruit of the research recommended by the Conciliar Decree on the Adaptation and Renewal of Religious Life, Perfectae Caritatis (No. 2): “Therefore let their founders’ spirit and special aims they set before them as well as their sound traditions — all of which make up the patrimony of each institute — be faithfully held in honor.” This publication will be a new source of knowledge for anyone interested in the spirituality or history of the Church, especially concerning the 17th century.
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