Casimir Cypher

 Casimir Cypher is a saint. Not only because of his suffering but also because of the life he led. It was a life of extreme poverty where he had very little to eat except rice and beans.  A life of service as he would travel by donkey and by foot to over 40 stations in the mountains and a life of mortification of washing in the cold river.  He sacrificed his life long before he was arrested, tortured and martyred as he gave up the comfort of home and family for strangers and a foreign land. 

     The process of Canonization therefore is not for Casimir but for us.   So that we might claim to have a saint as one of our own. Until we make him one of our own however we cannot claim him. He is one by name and vows but his life has had little impact upon our lives.   For numerous reasons, Such as the passage of time, not personally knowing him and the busyness and stress of our own personal lives and ministry.   We still have not come to understand the role of Kolbe in our life let alone Casimir. Although Casimir’s life has great potential to affect our lives and ministry because of the issues of immigration and culture and race that affect us currently. 

     The Canonization of Casimir cannot be the work of a few sitting in an office. If we want to declare him a saint then we must somehow make him a part of our personal and friary lives; make him relevant to us. 

     One friar being assigned to his cause checks off the box but is not enough to have an impact on the Canonization Process or making his presence felt among the friars.  

    I have full time ministry and am able to only occasionally work on the Cause for Casimir. I have met with Mike Gable, contacted Rome and Honduras and started a Facebook Page. But lack of time, distance and language has caused everything to move far too slowly. 

The Provincial Chapter needs to discuss how to proceed forward. 

The following are necessary if the Province desires to move forward with his Canonization. 

1. Visits to Rome and Honduras by the Provincial Delegate for his cause
2. Visits to Honduras by friars so that Casimir becomes a reality in their life 
3. One month a year to work on his Cause and Promotion.