the mystical temple of god 570 fication. Subsequently, on July 15, 1775, the Congregation issued a decree confirming the examined works’ faithfulness to Church teaching. TDM is mentioned twice, under numbers 3 and 12.1 It is noteworthy that Fr. Papczyński prepared TDM for publication the same year that he was composing the Rule of Life (Norma Vitae [NV]) for the new Marian community; that is, during his stay in the town of Lubocza, in the Mazovia region of Poland, where he served as a chaplain at the Karskis’ family court (1671-1673).2 Composition, Contents, and Purpose of this Work In order to understand the theological foundations upon which Fr. Papczyński erected the edifice of Templum Dei Mysticum, it is necessary to particularly consider the first chapters of his book in which he presented his concept, the book’s base, and its conclusions. He paid special attention to God’s presence and His love. By His very nature, God is a presence because, in revealing His name to Moses, He said: “I am who I am” (Exodus 3:14). He is present not only in Himself, but also in His creation, which in His goodness, He called into existence and sustains in continuation and action. He is therefore present as the Creator and as Providence.3 In the case of man’s creation, He deigned to be present in a deeper way. As the Holy Trinity — and, therefore, a personal being —He created man in His likeness, making him a social, rational, and free being, endowed with memory. In this way, man also became a person, a free and intelligent entity and a partner for dialogue. Thus, God made this new personal manner of His coming and presence dependent upon man: everyone is responsible for 1 Cf. Copia Publica Transumpti Processus Ordinaria auctoritate in Curia Posnanien. constructi super fama sanctitatis vitae, virtutum et miracularum Servi Dei Stanislai Papczyński Clericorum Marianorum Institutoris, f. 365; cf. also Decree in: Summarium Additionale, Num. 3, §§ 3, 12. 2 Father Papczyński remarked in TDM that he was composing this book in 1671. 3 “God is always and everywhere in His totality, enlivening, moving, and directing all things, and the Apostle confirms, that in Him ‘we live and move and have our being’ (Acts 17:28).” Mystical Temple of God, Stockbridge 2013, p. 26.
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