St Stan Illustrated Story

72 W e must not think, however, that Bishop Swiecicki’s decrees (or Statutes) were entirely to the liking of Fr. Stanislaus. By imposing upon the first Marians a way of life that was strictly eremitical – i.e., penitential and contemplative – the bishop was to a great extent frustrating the “apostolic aims” which Fr. Papczynski had foreseen for his community. He probably had this in mind when he characterized the reforms as “very severe.” In spite of this, the Saint accepted the statutes with a willing heart and endeavored to put them into practice since, as he himself said, “I desire nothing else but the salvation of my soul.” To that end he was prepared to sacrifice everything and to submit to the most exacting discipline. And so, with his companions, he was obliged to lead a strictly cloistered life. This did not mean, however, that he could not from time to time be dispensed from it. We know that he did occasionally take advantage of such a dispensation in order to aid the neighboring parish clergy in their pastoral work. In fact, as a Marian he felt that this was his God-given vocation. Scarcely two weeks after the retreat, on the Feast of St. Martin, No- vember 11, he was invited to preach a sermon at the parish church named after the Saint, in Chojnata. Before ascending the pulpit to deliver his sermon, he spent some time in private prayer, as was his custom. Tradi- tion says that an unusual thing happened on this occasion. He saw, in ec- stasy, Sobieski’s victory over the Turks at Chocim, a victory which actually took place on that very day. Moved by some divine impulse, he shared this joyful knowledge with the faithful gathered in the church.