George Matulaitis Journal

moved on to the Cathedral. It was packed full and there was a great crush of people crowding at the doors and along the walls. It was said that several thousand had gathered. After vespers I went up into the pulpit and spoke for a whole hour. I explained what the faith meant and whose authority it rested upon; who the Church’s Teacher was and who they were who dared to attack Him. Can science change or replace faith? Can improved living conditions and material progress make a person perfect and sinless? No, I said, they cannot, if the faith does not change his heart and create the Kingdom of God in his soul. Are the Church and the clergy always on the side of the rich, of the oppressors? The teaching of Christ raised the dignity of man, influenced the family and society. If only our present society were permeated by the Ten Commandments. The popes have stood up for the working people and have called the world to universal peace. Has the Church been teaching us to look only toward heaven, without showing us how to live in this world? What is this saying worth: “The Church won’t give you a ruble?” And what does it mean that all authority is from God? But do the oppressors of the people come from God? And so on. Finally, I encouraged the people to remain loyal to their Faith, to the Church, and to their spiritual leaders. After the sermon, I added a few words about the arrest and exile of Father Muckermann, explaining that I had done my best to defend and intercede for Father Muckermann, but that nothing had helped. I asked them to live in peace with all the citizens of the city and not to par- ticipate in any riots, and so on. I encouraged them not to lose heart because of the unfortunate incidents of the past few days, but to continue the work they had begun. I told them that I would give them another priest to help them and that I myself would serve them in any way I could. Then I asked them to gather in the building where they used to come to discuss the business of their organization. After the sermon, the people sang the hymn: “Holy God” and also the psalm “God is our refuge and our strength.” 1 We ended with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. The people’s spirits were lifted, their faith strengthened, and their loyalty to the Church renewed. After that they gathered in the building next to St. Casimir’s 195 1 Psalm 46.