Documenta Capituli Generalis

Society of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception,” which he wanted to found “for the grace of God.” At the same time, he also promised obedience and religious poverty, and offered a Profession of Faith. 4. e public offering by Fr. Stanislaus (the Oblatio ) can be understood as his religious profession and the beginning of his consecrated life in the new religious institute. e subsequent approvals by Bishops (Bp. Święcicki and Bp. Wierzbowski) and the Pope are stages of ecclesial approval of the already existing religious community. 5. In the Congregation of Marians, from the very beginning, there was a belief that St. Stanislaus, upon leaving the Piarists, immediately became a Marian; thus, our Congregation was actually founded in 1670. is is evidenced by at least the following facts: • In the oldest biography of Father Founder, written in approx. 1705 by Fr. Mansueto Leporini OFM, we read that Fr. Papczyński, “being obedient to God’s voice and to his mysterious decrees, changed his first vocation with the permission of the Vicar of Christ, Clement X, and the Superior General. On [...] December 11, A.D. 1670, he was released from his simple vows and his oath of perseverance, by Fr. Michael of the Visitation. at the same moment, he offered to God and His mother the new promise (the Oblatio ) in his congregation.” • e breve by Pope Pius VI, “Ex debito Pastoralis Offici” of March 27, 1787, approving the Marian Order, summarizes the story of the origin of the Marians in these words: “ ln 1670, the order, which is the Congregation mentioned above [...] by the Servant of God Stanislaus, was created , it was confirmed by the then Apostolic Nuncio, then connected to the Order of Friars Minor of St. Francis”. e Declaration reinstates the conviction which existed in the Congregation from the beginning that the founding act was done by the Oblatio of St. Stanislaus. is is, therefore, the reinstallation of the original self-consciousness of the Congregation, not making it anew. e confirmation by Bp. Swięcicki, issued on October 24, 1673, is an act of approval ( aprobatio) of the Congregation, rather than its founding ( fundatio ), and should be presented as such. 28