Sister Faustina Kowalska: Her LIfe and MIssion

Poland, and th e ir fa th e r had to redouble his efforts to fulfil h is family obligations. I t was not easy, b u t he worked conscientiously, spa ring n e ith e r s treng th nor effort, never ge tting enough sleep and sometimes working w ithou t res t, for the e a r th will no t w a it and gives a h a rv e s t only when work is completed in the rig h t season. S tan is lau s knew h is duty, was conscien­ tious and responsible both a t work and in th e upbring­ ing of h is children, and looked a fte r the bodily needs of h is numerous family, b u t even more after th e ir spiri­ tu a l needs. He trea ted these duties with equal weight and demanded the same from the family. He was heavy-handed w ith his children and no th ing escaped his eagle eye. His be lt was b rough t ou t for th e sligh test offence and went into action on the offender. By na tu re he was severe and exacting, and life had reinforced these t ra i ts . Only th e ir m o ther was able to tem per th e ir fa the r’s ru th less justice , b u t even she did no t always succeed. The Kowalski family was very obviously pa tria rcha l in character. The fa th e r k ep t most of the au tho rity in h is hands and th e re was no appeal aga in s t h is deci­ sions. He was the one who designated the children’s chores a t home, and th e ir m o ther saw t h a t they did them. Both paren ts agreed in t ra in in g the children to be conscientious, exact and systematic, b u t th e ir mother h ad a gen tler way with her. T he ir fa the r was no t indu lgen t though he loved h is children in h is way. Completely taken up w ith the needs of his home, he demanded th e same from o thers as he did from himself. He wanted to tra in them in s tr ic t morality and to being dependable in any work en tru s ted to them . W ha t was th e role of th e i r mother? The children were a t home all day under h e r care. Despite th e peremptory n a tu re of th e ir fa ther, she h ad h e r own p a r t to play in th e upbringing of h e r children. She was emotional and sensitive, m ild and unde rs tand ing , and, like he r husband , hard-working and persevering. She tau g h t them the same principles, b u t by o ther methods. I t was 19