Stanislaus Papczyński - Spirituality

Spirituality

At school, from the pulpit, in confessional, or at his desk, Papczyński proclaimed the word of God everywhere in speech and writing, emphasizing particularly the need to care for those wronged by the society. His work followed the beliefs proclaimed in "Templum Dei Mysticum": "O how admirable are those who mutually work with Christ, and, solely out of love for Him, sincerely and zealously announce all that is essential for salvation, for leading a Christian life, for rooting out vices, and increasing virtues. This is the greatest and most fruitful work of mercy."

Two centuries before the proclamation of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception Stanislaus professed: "I believe everything that the holy Roman Church believes, but first of all I profess that the Most Holy Mother of God, Mary, was conceived without any stain of original sin." This privilege of the Immaculate Conception was very precious to him. He talked about it in sermons and wrote extensively on the subject. In 1670 he made a "vow of blood" witnessing his readiness to lay down his life if necessary in honor of Mary's Immaculate Conception. Papczyński lived in times illustrated by the Polish writer Henryk Sienkiewicz in his "Trilogy", describing the Cossack wars, the Swedish invasion of Poland, and finally, the Polish army's victory at Vienna. He himself accompanied Polish troops in battles against Turks in Ukraine in 1674, and witnessed that many people died unshriven.

A cause to beatify Papczyński was started in 1767, interrupted in 1775, and reopened in 1953. But because such a long time had passed since the his death, this process had to be accomplished "historically", which means that documents had to be searched for testimonies on 's life and virtues. Those documents were prepared and gathered in a 1000-page manuscript called "Positio". On February 28, 1980, the National Conference of Bishops in Poland petitioned the Pope to elevate Papczyński to the altars as a model of Christian life. Similar petitions were sent by major superiors of male and female congregations in Poland. Based on this evidence, on November 28, 1980, the Congregation for Saints made a decision that Papczyński's beatification cause may be brought before the Apostolic Tribunal. The Pope approved this decision on March 6, 1981.

In the years 1981-1982, a process de non cultu was conducted in Warsaw. The decree super validitate Processus (regarding the validity of the diocesan process) was promulgated in 1990. Further evaluations of Positio super Virtutibus were also conducted. Then, on January 22, 1991, during an Ordinary Congress of the Congregation, chaired by Anthony Petti, General Promoter of the Faith, the theological consultants stated that Papczyński had practiced virtues to a heroic degree.

On March 17, 1992, after having listened to the report delivered by Paulino Limongi, Titular Archbishop of Nice in Hemimont, the cardinals and bishops gathered at an Ordinary Congregation stated that Blessed Stanislaus of Jesus and Mary Papczyński practiced the theological virtues, the cardinal virtues, and other virtues associated with these, to a heroic degree.

After the results of the research conducted by the Cardinal Prefect, Angelus Cardinal Felici, had been presented to Pope John Paul II, he accepted the decision of the Sacred Congregation for the Causes of the Saints and ordered that the decree on Papczyński's heroic virtues be prepared.

On June 13, 1992, the Pope invited the Cardinal Prefect, the relators of the cause, the Secretary of the congregation, and other people who are usually summoned in such circumstances and, in the presence of all gathered with regard to the cause and its result, solemnly announced that:

It is considered to be a certain thing that Blessed Stanislaus of Jesus and Mary Papczyński practiced the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity, the cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude, and other virtues associated with these, to a heroic degree.

The Pope ordered that this decree be made public and kept in the acts of the Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints. Father Stanislaus Papczyński was solemnly beatified at the Marian Shrine in Licheń by a special delegate of Pope Benedict XVI – Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone, Secretary of State of the Holy See on September 16, 2007.