George Matulaitis Journal
343 APPENDIX II FIRST PASTORAL LETTER, 1919* JURGIS MATULEVICIUS** BY THE GRACE OF GOD AND OF THE HOLY SEE BISHOP OF VILNIUS Praised be Jesus Christ! Dear Catholics of Vilnius, My duty as Shepherd compels me to say a few heartfelt words to you about the events of the last several days.*** Without question, you are being wrongfully deprived of your rights. You have the right to demand freedom of speech, of the press, of holding public meetings and belonging to whatever associations you choose. You, the workers, have the right to organize, to demand and try to obtain by fighting for those social conditions in which you can live as human beings and as Christians. You also have the right to ask for the help of those persons you consider suitable and trustworthy. As Catholics, you have the right to demand freedom of conscience: that your convictions and your faith be respected, that your churches not be desecrated and pro- faned. You have the right and the duty to demand that your children be educated according to the principles of the Catholic Faith and that reli- gious instruction not be banned in the schools. You have both the right and the duty to defend your Church. It is very true that in the past, during times of persecution and oppres- sion in our country, when our churches were closed and confiscated, when priests were imprisoned or exiled to Siberia, you, * This and the following pastoral letter were translated directly from the Lithuanian texts as given in the monograph: Arkivyskupas Jurgis Matulevi ius, Marijampole, 1933. ** He used the polonized form of his last name. *** Early in February the Bolsheviks had closed down all non-Communist newspapers and forbidden public meetings. On Feb. 9-12 occurred the siege of St. Casimir’s Church, ending in the arrest of Father Muckermann, SJ, founder of St. Casimir’s Christian Workers’ League.
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