Pope to Marians: Continue to “respond creatively” to our times

By Joseph Tulloch

On Friday, Pope Francis addressed the General Chapter of the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception, which is composed of both priests and non-ordained religious. 

He discussed the “treasure” of the Congregation’s spirituality, urging them to follow in the footsteps of their founder, St Stanislaus Papczyński, by “continuing to respond creatively to the challenges that our age presents.”

Spirituality of the Congregation

The Pope began his address by discussing “three major themes” of the Congregation's spirituality, which he described as a “treasure.”

The first theme, he said, is devotion to Mary. The Pope recalled the suggestion of St Stanislaus, founder of the Marians, that “the main devotion to Mary Immaculate is the imitation of her evangelical life.” This suggests, said the Pope, that “true devotion to the Mother of the Lord is nourished and grows through listening to and meditating on the Word of God.”

Next, the Holy Father discussed prayer for those in purgatory, another characteristic feature of the Marians. The importance of this aspect of their spirituality, he noted, is underlined by the fact that in the course of the 17th century, the time of the Congregation's founding, around sixty percent of the European population was wiped out by plague and wars.

The final aspect of Marian spirituality which the Pope discussed was attention to the poor. At the time of St Stanislaus, he noted, this support was dedicated above all to struggling parish priests.

Pope Francis greets a participant after his address

Ways forward

St Stanislaus, Pope Francis said, thus developed forms of “spirituality and action for your Congregation that were well-suited to the concrete history of the men and women of his time.” Now, he said, it is a question of “picking up his baton” by “continuing to respond creatively to the challenges that our age presents.”

“Do not be discouraged if you encounter opposition or difficulties,” the Holy Father continued, urging his listeners to think of the great trials the Congregation has faced over the centuries, including the time in the 1900s that it was reduced to a single member.

The Pope went on to note that the Marians have already begun this task, recently developing new pastoral priorities: the inclusion of laypeople, the protection of life from conception to natural death, and dedication to the poor and marginalised.

Three Marian devotions

Pope Francis concluded his address by recommending three Marian devotions: Mary “Seat of Wisdom”, Mary “Consoler of the Afflicted”, and Mary “Mother of Mercy.”

These devotions, he told the gathered members of the Congregation, will help “make you firm and solid in your evangelical witness”, allow the “people of our time to find in you love and understanding”, and “make you rich in maternal compassion for the souls entrusted to you.”