St Stan Illustrated Story

111 T hough he himself lived in extreme poverty, Fr. Stanislaus was ever ready to extend a helping hand to the sick and the poor. He loved Christ’s poor; his charity towards themwas unfailing and he seized every available means of alleviating their poverty and wretchedness. BishopWierzbowski, too, had always been a great friend of the poor. When the good bishop died it was they, of all the inhabitants of New Jerusalem, who felt his loss the most. The building of a Home for the Aged Poor, which began when he was in authority, was abandoned after his death. To make matters worse, anyone in need of building materials simply helped himself to such parts of the Home as were already in place, thus almost completely dismantling it. These thefts ceased only after Fr. Stanislaus and his companions took upon themselves the reconstruction and completion of the Home. It is not surprising, therefore, that those suddenly deprived of the opportunity of stealing the materials did all they could to obstruct the work. They jeered, mocked, and ridiculed him, singing derisive songs: “Stanislaus in the white sack, Founder of venerable farm hands.” Nothing, however, could deter the Saint. The building was completed and given over to the poorest of God’s poor.