George Matulaitis Journal

homes. Thank God, our Catholic people would not listen to the soldiers. Although they were angry with the Jews, still they refused to attack them. On Saturday Count +ubie<s ki came by and announced that a nobleman, a trustworthy person, was going to Warsaw. Perhaps I would like to send some message. I asked him to send this person in to me so I could speak to him face to face. Count +ubie<s ki advised me not to issue a pastoral letter so that I would not depress the people. He thought that the people would not kill any Jews; if anyone kills them, it would be the Bolshevik soldiers. Another Polish priest was also of the opinion that it would be better not to risk any message in writing and might be imprudent for me to speak to the workers in person on Sunday. Then a Lithuanian priest came rushing in and said that I should not issue a letter nor talk to the workers because the Bolsheviks might arrest me, while the Polish nationalists would probably use the occasion to involve me in some political intrigue and get me imprisoned. I refused to be influenced by either of them, as I could see that they were concerned only with politics. In my opinion, when there is danger, it is unseemly for a bishop to hide behind other people; he has to stand forth. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. That bishop is to be pitied who allows any- one and everyone to get hold of his coat tails to sway him in any direc- tion they please; to use his person, with all sorts of high-sounding argu- ments, to achieve their own objectives. But it seems that God and my Guardian Angel are watching, protecting, and helping me. During the past few days the Bolshevik newspapers have been printing all kinds of material against the Church, the Faith, and Christian morality. Apparently, they are preparing the people and making it easier for themselves to effect a separation of Church and State. On Saturday, February 15th, the Bolshevik press announced that there would be a Polish workers’ meeting on the following topic: “The Workers and the Catholic Church.” I sent a message to Father Tumas asking him to be so good as to attend the meeting and to report to me what was said against the Church and the Catholic Faith. 193