St. Stanislaus Papczynski

The foundation of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception by St. Stanislaus Papczynski had as its prime purpose the proclamation of Devotion to the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This Marian life faithfully embraced the fullness of love for all the Church, the living and deceased. The Founder in his "Rule of Life" (1687 and 1694/98) defined the community's special goal, which was to animate members of the community and those associated with it a like spirit, that is, to have a firm awareness that "…to the utmost of your strength you will promote devotion to the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin mother of God, and with utmost zeal, piety and fervor assist the souls of the faithful departed subjected to expiatory pains – especially the souls of soldiers and those who died of pestilence" (I,2).

This spirit of assisting souls was so dear to the heart of St. Stanislaus that he put it into the formula of pronouncing vows and had it second among the three aims of his order. His conviction was: "To beg God earnestly for the release of Souls who find themselves in expiatory flames or to come to their help by pious alms as well as by various other means, is to exercise the highest charity."