Vatican City, Mar 13, 2005 / 22:00 pm
In a letter made public Saturday, Pope John Paul praised and challenged members of the Congregation of Marians of the Immaculate Conception to redouble their efforts in spreading the love of the Eucharist and Mary to the world.
The message to the Congregation, commonly known as the Marian Fathers, comes on the occasion of their General Chapter and was written from Rome’s Gemelli hospital.
The Marians were founded in Poland in 1673 by Servant of God Stanislaus of Jesus Mary Papczynski who, the Pope noted, "knew how to spread and courageously defend the truth of the Immaculate Conception even before it was proclaimed as a dogma of faith.”
He challenged the community to “Faithfully follow his example and propagate Marian devotion all around you."