historical writings 872 2. Therefore, I promise that I will serve them chastely and zealously until the end of my life in this Society of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception (which, by God’s grace, I intend to found), and that I will adapt my way of life to its laws, statutes, and rules, and that I will never cause or permit, nor will I agree to it, even indirectly, that these things should in any way be removed, or changed, or dispensed with, except in grave and legitimate necessity. 3. Moreover, I promise reasonably understood obedience to His Holiness, the Vicar of Jesus Christ and to his delegated power, as well as to all my mediate and immediate Superiors, and that I shall not possess anything privately, but will consider everything as common property. 4. I confess that I believe everything which the holy Roman Church believes and everything that she will henceforth teach to be believed. Particularly, I confess in truth that Mary, the Most Holy Mother of God, was conceived without the stain of original sin, and I promise that I will promote and defend her honor even at the cost of my life.73 So help me God and this holy Gospel of God. 5. At Kazimierz near Krakow, in the residence of the Clerics Regular of the Poor of the Mother of God of Pious Schools, in the presence of the most venerable Fr. Michael of the Visitation, the Vicar Provincial of the Polish Province,74 Fr. Joseph of the Mother of God, President of the above-mentioned residence, and the of being a holy slave to Mary. Therefore, the translation of the word servus into “slave” with the intention that it would be an expression of holy slavery to Mary is unauthorized and seems to be an anachronism, a lack of knowledge of the history of Catholic spirituality. Cf. F. S. Fenicki, SJ, Mariae mancipium sive modus tradendi se in mancipium Deipare Virgini, Lublini 1632. A. Pakuła, MIC, Spirituality of the Religious Life According to Stanislaus Papczyński and the Early Tradition of the Congregation of Marian Fathers,Marian Heritage, Stockbridge, MA. 73 This is called the “votum sanguinis” (vow of blood), practiced for a long time by those who professed belief in the privilege of the Immaculate Conception (which was not made a dogma until 1854). 74 Father Michał Kraus (d. 1703) was present at the Oblatio because he was authorized to release Fr. Papczyński and the two clerics from the Piarist Congregation. Cf. Positio, pp. 278-279.
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