ST. STANISLAUS KOSTKA

Originally published in the bulletin of St. Vincent Ferrer Church, Delray Beach, FL on November 13, 2022

    “Consider how hard it is for a person to be separated from any place he has loved deeply. How much harder the soul will find it when the time comes to leave the mortal body, its companion so dear. And the great fear it will experience in that moment because its salvation is at stake and it must stand in the presence of the one it has so offended. If the just man will scarcely be saved, what about me a sinner?” These are the words of St. Stanislaus Kostka, born October 28,1550 in Rostkowo, Poland, a village about 60 miles north of Warsaw.

 When Stanislaus was about 14, he and his brother were sent to Vienna, Austria, to attend a Jesuit school. While studying there, he fell ill. He wanted to receive Holy Communion, but was unable to, as his Lutheran landlord would not permit the Eucharist in the house. Stanislaus said he was then visited by two angels who brought the Eucharist to him. In another vision, the Blessed Mother came to him and encouraged him to become a Jesuit. After some trials, including opposition by his family, he entered the Order. His words above are taken from a journal he kept during his novitiate.

 Nine months after he began his novitiate in Rome, he again fell very fell. In 1568, on the feast of the Assumption (which has been celebrated since the fourth century A.D.), he had a vision of many angels surrounding Mary. He died shortly thereafter, six weeks before what wold have been his eighteenth birthday. Jesuit records tells us that, upon his death, many people traveled to venerate his remains and seek relics.

 He was beatified in 1605 and canonized in 1726. Virgin. His tomb is located in the church of San Andrea del Quirinale in Rome. A young Fr. Karol Wojtyła, later to become Pope John Paul II, would often stop to pray there during his doctoral studies in Rome.

  In 2018, Pope Francis wrote a message for the 450th anniversary of St. Stanislaus’ death, stating “Saint Stanislaus teaches you not to be afraid of the risk and dreams of true happiness, whose source and guarantee is Jesus Christ. May Saint Stanislaus support you from heaven, and inspire you with his motto: “Ad maiora natus sum” – “I was born for greater things”.

 St. Stanislaus Kostka is a patron saint of Poland. He is considered to be the patron saint of youth, young students, and seminarians. He is also invoked for  broken bones, heart palpitations and serious illness.

 His feast day is November 13.

 This portrait of him by Scipione Delfine is believed to be the oldest of St. Stanislaus in existence, likely painted in Rome within the last two years of his  brief life.