Servant of Mary new file

diocese on September 1, 1754, Father Casimir began the religious formation of the hermits of Balsamao. After six months of preparation, on April 13, 1755, he vested five Portuguese, one of which was a cleric, in minor orders, in the white Marian habit. Other candidates applied, too. Father Wyszy<ski acquainted them with the Marian rule and customs, and with the person of the Founder. By his words and by the example of his own life, he lay founda- tions for the permanent establishment of the Marians on Portuguese soil. He felt, however, that the end of his laborious life was approaching. It was his desire that the ties between the Marians in Portugal and the headquarters of the Order in Poland would not be severed at the moment of his death. Therefore, he wrote to the Superior General : We have to take into serious consideration the fact that this congrega- tion, which will undoubtedly grow here, should not become separated from us after my death, due to a lack of contact with Poland … Indeed, Father Casimir’s fears quickly came true. On October 21, 1755, he left this world mourned by a small group of the Portuguese Marians. According to the local cus- tom, he was buried on the same day in sand without a coffin, in the presence of only a few participants at the funeral. His body was placed under the floor of the church in Balsamao. It was only in 1759 that his earthly remains were exhumed from the sand and placed in a coffin in which they rested until 1955, when they were moved to a specially prepared 51 THE SERVANT OF MARY IMMACULATE