68 THE SIGNS OF THE MYSTERY legally leave the Order of the Pious Schools, out of concern for maintaining peace in the young Polish province of the Piarist congregation, founded only in 1662 and then experiencing an internal crisis. It was probably the most difficult decision in the 70-year life of our Founder. It involved great suffering, which significantly influenced his further spiritual and psychological growth. To explain his reasons for this decision, he dedicated a separate work to defending this action, entitled Apologia for His Departure from the Order of Pious Schools [Apologia pro Egressu e Scholis Piis].61 In his other texts, called the historical writings, he often references this painful fact, which he accepted as the cross of his life. In the fragment of the Second Testament mentioned above, Father Stanislaus confessed that after the grievous persecutions, in which he was almost killed, he was unfairly deprived of his first vocation:62 to be in “the Congregation of Pious Schools — dearer to him than life — in that sweetest Society of the Poor of the Mother of God,”63 which he had never intended to leave. For he had vowed to persevere in this Congregation until death. So how did it happen? Did Father Papczyński decide to leave the Piarists because he planned to establish a new congregation, as the witnesses of the informative process claimed?64 No evidence confirms the hypothesis that the persecutions he suffered in the Piarist Congregation were related to his plans to establish a new religious community. Additionally, his account of leaving the Congregation of the Pious Schools is so painful it is hard to doubt that his departure was caused by anything other than a real necessity to maintain brotherly peace in the community, for which he had given so much to build up. That is how he writes about it: Papczyński, did not even try to be faithful to his words. The relationship between Stanislaus Papczyński and his superiors did not improve, either. Therefore, to ensure peace in the province, Father Papczyński decided to leave the Piarist congregation. On August 15, 1669, he sent a request to be released from the vows and the oath of perseverance in the Piarist order to the general. That is how he explained it in the Apologia: ‘Although I considered that I am neither a firebrand nor an instigator nor a betrayer, nevertheless — surmising that on my account such disturbances arose — whereas those ill-disposed [toward me] arose and conspired my destruction and ruin, those favorable [toward me] defended and protected me. From this arose among them numerous conflicts and arguments; so I decided finally to depart from the Congregation of Pious Schools, for the good of peace and for the tranquillity of the Province.’ It was an expression of true love for the congregation and the confreres.” Kosmowski, Marianie 1671–1788, p. 32–34. 61 See St. Stanislaus Papczyński, Selected Writings, p. 873–900. 62 Cf. Ibid., p. 934. 63 Papczyński, The Foundation of the House of Recollection, No. 2, p. 900. 64 Cf. St. Stanislaus Papczyński, Apologia for His Departure from the Order of Pious Schools, in Papczyński, Selected Writings, p. 874.
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