St Stan Illustrated Story

57 F ather Papczynski’s dispensation from his vows, however, be- came officially effective only in December 1670, when the Vice- Provincial, Fr. Michael kraus, personally communicated it to him in the name of the Superior General. At the close of the ceremony, the Saint began a new phase of his life by making the following solemn oblation: “In the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ Crucified,Amen. I, Stanislaus of Jesus and Mary Papczynski [...] offer and consecrate to God the Father Almighty, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and likewise to the Mother of God, the ever-Virgin Mary, conceived without sin, my heart, my soul [...] my body, leaving for my- self absolutely nothing, so that henceforth I may be the servant of the Omnipotent (God) and the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. Consequently, I vow to serve Them zealously, in chastity, to the end of my life, in the Society of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception (which by the grace of God I desire to found).” Then he added a vow of obedience and poverty. Finally he made a Profession of Faith which included the so-called “Vow of Blood,” whereby he promised to defend the “honor” and spread the cult of the Immaculately Conceived Virgin Mary, “even at the cost of his own life.” He concluded with the words: “So help me God and this Holy Book of the Gospels.” Father kraus responded with the words: “May God con- firm that which He has brought about in you.”