Pillars of Fire In My Soul

AWORD ABOUT THE AUTHOR Father Joseph Andrasz, S.J., was born in Zakopane, Poland, on October 16, 1891. He entered the Society of Jesus on September 22, 1906, and was ordained a priest on March 19, 1919. Thereafter, he worked at the Jesuit Publishing House ( Wydawnictwo Apostolstwa Modlitwy ) for eight years. In 1930, Father Andrasz became the manager of the Publishing House and editor of the monthly magazine called “Messenger of the Sacred Heart” ( Poslaniec Serca Jezusowego ). From 1932, he was also the extraordinary confessor of the novices of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in + agiewniki near Cracow. Sister Maria Faustina Kowalska went to confession to Father Andrasz in April, 1933, before making her final profession of vows. He was the first confessor to understand her and to set her completely at peace. He also advised her to pray for a spir- itual director. Of him she wrote in her Diary: Today I went to confession to Father Andrasz, this priest who is so filled with the spirit of God, who untied my wings so that I could soar to the highest summits. He reassured me in everything and told me to believe in Divine Providence. “Have confidence and go forward with courage.” An extraordinary divine power came over me after that confession... (Diary, 257). On October 19, 1935, at the request of her spiritual director, Father Michael Sopocko, Sister Faustina consulted Father Andrasz concerning certain commands she had received from the Lord.