St Stan Illustrated Story

110 U nfortunately, in spite of his intentions and earnest wishes, Fr. Stanislaus was not to witness the election of the successor to Alexander VIII. For some time his health had been steadily failing him. He delayed his departure as long as he could, knowing that at any time now the new Pope might be elected. When the first heat of summer began in Rome, his health became so much worse that the doctor advised him to return to Poland. Toward the end of June Fr. Stanislaus began the long journey home. Before leaving Rome, he obtained the much-valued “affiliation” of his Institute with a number of other Orders, and established contacts which enabled him in the following year to send a formal petition to the Holy See requesting apostolic approbation of the Congregation of Marian Fathers, “helpers of the dead.” But he knew that unless he himself were in Rome to see to these affairs, he could not entertain much hope of suc- cess. It was with a heavy heart, therefore, that he left Rome for Poland on his way back to the confreres who had placed such high hopes on his visit to the Eternal City. Three years after his return to New Jerusalem, Fr. Stanislaus received from Rome his Constitutions (The Norm of Life), amended by Cardinal Colloredo and accompanied by the information that “episcopal appro- bation is sufficient for the Congregation of Marian Fathers.”