Stanislaus Kostka

Stanislaus Kostka (1550–1568)

Stanislaus Kostka, S.J., born October 28, 1550, was a Polish novice in the Society of Jesus. He is recognized for his profound piety and religious devotion from a young age, culminating in his short but exemplary life as a Jesuit before his death in Rome on August 15, 1568. He was canonized in 1726 and remains a significant figure in Catholic devotion, particularly in Poland.

Life and Historical Context

Born at Rostkowo, Poland, Stanislaus was the second of seven children. His father served as a senator of the Kingdom of Poland. In 1564, he and his older brother, Paweł, traveled to Vienna to attend the newly opened Jesuit college. During his three years of schooling there, Stanislaus distinguished himself through his amiability, cheerfulness, and especially his intense religious fervor. He frequently became unconscious due to his deep spiritual focus, particularly in the church of the Jesuit Fathers. He was a member of the Congregation of St. Barbara and Our Lady, and recounted an experience where he believed Saint Barbara brought him angels to administer the Eucharist during a serious illness.

His brother Paweł, exasperated by Stanislaus's piety, reportedly mistreated him. Stanislaus bore this unjust treatment with remarkable stoicism and patience. He foretold his departure to his brother, stating, "Your rough treatment will end in my going away never to return, and you will have to explain my leaving to our father and mother." This prediction came to pass when Stanislaus fled his home to join the Society of Jesus.

Entry into the Society of Jesus

The desire to join the Society of Jesus had long been on Stanislaus's mind. Fearing repercussions from his father, the superiors at Vienna hesitated to accept him. He was advised to go to Augsburg, Germany, to meet Peter Canisius, the provincial. Undeterred by the distance of over four hundred miles, Stanislaus set out on foot, dressed as a mendicant to avoid recognition. He managed to escape pursuit by his brother and tutor through a series of misfortunes that befell them, including exhausted horses and mistaken routes. He stayed for a month at Dillingen, where Saint Peter Canisius tested his vocation. Stanislaus arrived in Rome on October 25, 1567, and after recovering from his journey, entered the novitiate of Saint Andrew under the general of the order, Saint Francis Borgia. During the remaining ten months of his life, he was considered a model of religious perfection, enduring severe penances and a burning fever in his chest.

Death and Sainthood

On the evening of the Feast of Saint Lawrence (August 10), Stanislaus fell ill with a high fever. He believed his end was near and wrote a letter to the Blessed Virgin, asking to be called to heaven to celebrate the anniversary of her Assumption. He died on August 15, 1568, around 4:00 AM, while praying. Many in Rome proclaimed him a saint, and people flocked to venerate his remains. The Holy See ratified his beatification in 1605 and canonized him in 1726. St. Stanislaus is a popular saint of Poland, and many religious institutions have chosen him as the protector of their novitiates.

Legacy and Veneration

Stanislaus Kostka is often depicted in art receiving Holy Communion from angels, or receiving the Infant Jesus from the Virgin Mary. He is also sometimes shown with a wet linen cloth on his breast, referencing his struggle with a fever. He is invoked for palpitations of the heart and dangerous illnesses. On August 15, 2018, Pope Francis sent a message to the Bishop of Płock in honor of the 450th anniversary of Stanislaus's death, citing his maxim: "Ad maiora natus sum – 'I was born for greater things.'" The first Catholic secondary school in Tonga, founded in 1865, was named after him. St. Stanislaus Kostka Church in Chicago, which opened in 1867, became the largest parish in the United States by 1897 and is considered the mother church of many Polish parishes. The Church of Saint Stanislaus Kostka in Winona, Minnesota, was elevated to the status of Minor Basilica by Pope Benedict XVI on November 10, 2011.