Your fruit will remain

215 Very Rev. Jan M. Rokosz, M.I.C. ADDRESS AT THE CLOSING OF THE BEATIFICATION CEREMONY OF FATHER STANISLAUS PAPCZYNSKI Lichen, 16 September 2007 Blest are the eyes because they see and blest are the ears because they hear (...) Many a prophet and many a saint longed to see what you see but did not see it, to hear what you hear but did not hear it. (Mt 13:16). The words of Jesus Christ uttered to the crowds at the Lake of Genesaret seem to be addressed to us. We are happy. Our Founder, Father Stanislaus Papczynski has been raised to the Honors of the Altar. The Congregation of Marian Fathers has been awaiting this moment for almost three hundred years. Today, the prayers of those who have always believed that he was a saint and that the example of his life should be set as an inspiration and ideal to follow for all Christians, have been heard. It is very meaningful to behold his picture which has been hung from this Basilica erected as a house of prayer and evangelization for the Third Millennium of Christianity. We feel greatly honored that Our Holy Father Benedict XVI is represented here by the Secretary of State of the Holy See, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. I am very grateful to your Eminence for proclaiming Father Stanislaus Blessed and for addressing us with a very moving message. Later today, His Eminence will be the first to honor the new Blessed and will pray at his tomb for the Church in Poland and for the Congregation of Marians. In the hands of Your Eminence, we render our deepest reverence for Benedict XVI. We thank the Holy Father for the greetings we received from Him during the Angelus and a very symbolic gift for the Sanctuary. It is the Book of the Gospels with the dedication: Dear Marian Fathers, listen to and proclaim the Holy Gospel following the example of the Im- maculate Mother of Christ. This gift inspires us to a zealous evangelization, fol- lowing the example of Blessed Stanislaus, who as a tireless preacher, proclaimed the Good News to the poor and to the rich. Father Papczynski inspired his fellow citizens to have a love for their home- land and he forcefully condemned Polish national vices. For many, he is consid-