Spirituality of the Religious Life According to St. Stanislaus Papczyński 188 in the chapter title by a noun (i.e., chastity, prudence), in their analysis in relation to Mary’s behavior, they are described by adjectives (i.e., most pure, most prudent, etc.). It would seem that the author means to indicate that Mary practiced those virtues to the highest degree and that she is their most perfect example, thanks to which she most pleased Christ. Therefore, those wishing to find themselves in the circle of Christ’s delight, must embark on the same path of practicing the virtues that the Rule outlines for us. This is confirmed by the author’s belief that “members of that Order are, and are claimed to be, special and particular imitators of the Virgin Mary.”76 Therefore, they must imitate her closely in order to please God just like she pleased Him. Therefore, they must “possess and cultivate” each of Mary’s 10 virtues presented and discussed in the Rule, which have – in the author’s opinion – their Gospel source, “on three paths,” that is doing as Mary “thought, spoke, and acted.”77 Addressing the members of the religious order in the Prologus, the author explains what he means by the said definitions and states that the Blessed Virgin Mary must be imitated “in your hearts, on your lips, and in your actions.” He sees this as the entirety of religious perfection and incidentally indicates that the manner of imitating Mary described above is the goal served by this Rule.78 Aside from the biblical references visible both in the quotations and opinions offered by the author of the Rule, some researchers find the influence of St. Joan’s spiritual experience there on the creation and final shape of the Rule. H. Jacobs believes that St. Joan’s love for Jesus and Mary was not just a feeling, but that it expressed itself above all else in the specifics 76 Rule, pp. 62-63. 77 It is worth noting the fact that the Prologus [of the Regula of 1723] speaks of the “quadruple” manner of imitating Mary: ‘In what the Virgin possessed, thought, spoke, or acted.’ However, further in the text, there is no other references to “what the Virgin possessed” (habuisse) and, consequently, only the triple manner of imitating the Virgin’s 10 virtues is discussed. Regula, pp. 45-54. 78 Since the quoted passage belongs among the most characteristic expressions, it is worth quoting a longer excerpt here: “Has Decem Virtutes, quas (teste Evangelio) Virgo habuit, debetis habere et omnia, quae per illas Virgo legitur cogitasse, dixisse, aut fecisse, debetis cogitare, et facere, et ita secundum quamlibet harum Virtutum tripliciter debetis Virginem imitari: corde, ore et opere, in quo perfecte stat, et consistit omnis perfectio, et Regulae Vestrae vera completio”. Regula, p. 45.
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