Charity as the Basis and Source of the Spirituality of the Religious Life 99 members204 is a criterion for the correct process of its internalization. The fact that Papczyński placed this vision of the religious life right at the beginning of Norma vitae signifies that it embraces all Church-approved regulations that define the lifestyle of this religious community without making them absolute. It seems that Papczyński realized that an accepted community’s lifestyle – even if ratified by the Church and defined by its own laws – does not have an ultimate character: a character that would be absolute and unchanging and that would belong to that congregation’s charism. We may assume that such beliefs emerged out of his experiences in the Piarist Order205 as well as the history of founding his own religious community combined with the need for seeking an appropriate form of the religious life proper to the charism and tasks of his Congregation.206 The organization of a religious community – including its entire law system – requires that the religious institute be so arranged as to allow for living out the religious life in a manner proper to that particular institute. However, evangelical values– particularly true charity combined with humility and manifesting itself in the observance of the religious vows, communal unity, the daily carrying of the cross, practicing the virtues, and remembering man’s ultimate destination and God’s close proximity in His Providence – are still the basic criteria.207 204 Cf. A. Pakuła, Idea wspólnoty zakonnej w pismach Stanisława Papczyńskiego OIC (1631-1701), RT 47(2000) notebook 5, p. 37. 205 The Piarists were ratified in 1621 as an Order of Clerics Regular, following which they were reduced to the status of an Association after the example of the Oratorians of St. Philip Neri. During the papacy of Pope Alexander VII, they partially rebuilt the structures of the communal life. In 1699, the Piarists were restored to their original status of Clerics Regular. Cf. G. Ausenda, Chierici Regolari Poveri dellaMadre di Dio delle Scuole Pie, DIP, Ed. G. Pelliccia, G. Rocca, t. II, Roma 1975, col. 927. 206 Papczyński minutely and precisely described his problems with founding the Congregation of the Marian Fathers – including the necessity to start with the Korabiew hermitage for the lack of other options – in Fundatio Domus Recollectionis. There is no doubt that he strove from the very beginning to found a congregation of an apostolic character, similar to the Piarists whom he knew well. Eventually, after years of trying and making alterations, he was able to bring his plan to life: in 1699, the Marians were approved as the last Order of Clerics Regular in the history of the Church. Cf. K. Krzyżanowski, Powstanie i dzieje zakonu do odrodzenia, in: Marianie..., pp. 21-38; F. Andreu, Chierici regolari, DIP, red. G. Pelliccia, G. Rocca, t. II, Roma 1975, col. 897. 207 Cf. A. Pakuła, Idea wspólnoty..., pp. 36, 38.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjI2Mw==