St Stan Illustrated Story

118 T he carrying out of this incorporation met with no obstacles. On September 21, 1699, Fr. Joachim obtained the official act of incorporation of the Marian Fathers into the Order of Friars. On No- vember 24 of the same year, Pope Innocent XII officially approved the act. The Marian Fathers thus finally obtained the papal approbation so ardently desired by Fr. Papczynski, and it became an Order with solemn vows. It was probably in the spring of 1701 that Fr. Joachim returned to Poland from Rome and handed over to Fr. Papczynski the new Rule, the Papal Decree, and the Act of Incorporation. The joy of the Saint was for a moment mingled with sadness: his own Constitutions – The Norm of Life – had not received papal ap- probation. In fact, Fr. Joachim had not even sought it for them, as he thought that a religious Institute which had a Rule had no need of Con- stitutions . The disappointment was acute, but Fr. Stanislaus’ customary trust in Divine Providence soon dispelled all fear and uncertainty. As he carefully read the Rule of the Imitation of the Ten Virtues of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary , he found himself greatly drawn to it, and ex- pressed his willingness to pronounce his solemn vows upon this Rule . On June 6, 1701, Fr. Papczynski made his solemn profession in Warsaw, in the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio, Francis Pignatelli: “I, Stanislaus of Jesus and Mary, unworthy Superior of the Order of the Immaculate Conception of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary [...] to observe throughout my entire life the Rule of the Imitation of the Ten Virtues of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary [...] living in chastity, obe- dience and holy poverty [...]” A month later, on the authorization of the Apostolic Nuncio, Fr. Stanislaus received the solemn profession of his confreres. The small chapel of the Cenacle resounded with a hymn of thanksgiving – Te Deum Laudamus.