Bishop Sipovich new file

47 4. Buchys sent the two Russian Fathers without asking the advice of Cardinal Griffin (Archbishop of Westminster) and Archbishop Godfrey, the Apostolic Delegate. 5. Finally one must keep in mind that the same Fathers Brianchaninov and Katkov came to London against their own wish and under the grave pressure of obedience, and without the explicit authority of the Oriental Congregation. In the end Father Sipovich decided not to sent this letter, as can be seen from a handwritten note attached to it. All the problems, however, enumerated in it were discussed with Cardinal Tisserant at an audience on 3 November 1950. Eventually a compromise was reached which satisfied nobody. Sipovich wrote to Tatarynovich on 3 January 1951: "At last Roma locuta est (Rome has spoken) in the matter of our missions. Father G. Brianchaninov remains in London, Father Katkov is going to Australia. This is for the moment de jure . My Mission remains as it has been, but the chapel etc. are common. Obviously, the hands of both of us are tied, the question is for how long? It seems that Father George will remain here for at least one year, and after that he also will go to Australia. Such a state of affairs is not the worst, but there is no doubt that our respected General (i.e. Buchys – A.N. ) has been the cause of worsening my position in London". Tatarynovich answered on 22 January 1951: "I sympathise with you for still having to carry the burden which you wanted to shed. They departed from here in a triumphant mood (both Branchaninov and Katkov were in Rome towards the end of 1950 – A.N. ). Katkov is so proud of his Russia, even the Communist one; in a conversation he said disparagingly about us, that we were sitting pretty under the German tail... (meaning that the Belarusian national movement was fostered and protected by the Germans – A.N. )". Father Katkov did not leave till the end of the year. In the meantime the situation did not improve. On 5 May 1951 Sipovich wrote to Buchys: "I had hopes that with the help of God the Belarusian Catholic Mission in London would become the nucleus of the Belarusian religious revival and the beginning of a Belarusian Marian monastery. One must state with sadness that instead of further development this nucleus is doomed to die. Today at Marian House there are Divine services and concelebrations, at which however there are no Belarusians or Russians present, and they will not be here so long as two different meals are being cooked in one pot. Personally I have nothing against Fathers George and Andrew. They came here under obedience, and we all do everything possible to promote harmony and brotherly love among us. However the best personal relations among us are not a guarantee of achieving the ends of our Missions". Buchys died on 25 October 1951. After his death and the departure of Katkov the situation eased somewhat. Father Branchaninov left England only in February 1956 after unsuccesful attempts to buy a house for the Russian Catholic Mission in London. Also in 1951 Nicholas (Stanislaus) Bahovich came to London. He was a Marian lay brother from Druia who had gone to Harbin in 1933 and stayed there for 18 years. He was a witness to the arrest on 22 December 1948 of Fathers Andrew Tsikota, Joseph Hermanovich and Thomas Padziava by the Chinese Communists who handed them over to the Soviet authorities. In the Soviet Union they were sentenced to 25 years forced labour. Brother Nicholas and another lay brother were allowed to leave China free. In London this pious and humble man became invaluable around the house. No one ever saw him idle. All moments free from work he was spending in