Saint Stanislaus Papczynski — The Life and Writings

Trinity personally raised you as this temple. Oh, how you should admire and follow this solicitude for you of the best God the Father, which outpaced even your birth! With what zeal should you reciprocate Him! May you closely cooperate with both your vocation and every grace of God!” 3. Praying for the dead In Fr. Papczynski’s times the Republic of Poland suffered from continuous wars, famine, and diseases. As a result, many people—often unprepared to meet God—were dying. There- fore, Fr. Papczynski chose prayer and sacrifice for the dead as his Order’s second goal after spreading honor of the Immacu- late Conception of Mary. He had visions of Purgatory and fallen soldiers, who asked him to intercede before God. Thus, he often urged: “Pray for the souls in Purgatory, for they are suffering unbearable pains.” These words of the Marian Founder rever- berate even more strongly in the Jubilee year of Mercy: “What can be greater than mercy shown to the dead, from whom you expect no reward, no thanks, and no praise. Those who do so will definitely prepare themselves for immortal life.” 4. His love for man and the homeland Father Papczynski often said that if we desire God’s mercy, we must show mercy to other people. He wrote: “Love is the soul, the light, the life of religious orders, and every human society.” He personally would not let any person in need depart without getting help. He cared about the poor, the sick, and the dying; he supported asylums and hospitals, comforted the afflicted, and spoke out on behalf of the rejected and those who were treated unfairly. Aware of the growing scourge of alco- holism, he advocated sobriety by word and example, and showed the way to inner freedom. He performed every work of charity for the love of God and man, but also for love of his homeland. He wrote that “the Republic of Poland should be S AINT S TANISLAUS P APCZYNSKI 182