George Matulaitis Journal

on, since he has no income. Everything is very expensive. The people have buried many things underground to hide them from the Bolsheviks. That is why it is impossible to get anything. Only the old pastor is able to manage to support himself because he has some income. Under the Bolsheviks such difficulties are common. It is almost impossible to transfer priests. After conferring with my secretary, I decided to leave Father Slamas in Aukstadvaris. For the time being, Father Skruodys will remain in Vilnius for medical treatment, since he has an ear infection. The people of Aukstadvaris are still very ignorant and confused. Among themselves they speak Lithuanian, but are unwilling to do so with the clergy. They have been persuaded that they are Poles. Father Brazys, 1 one of the priests suspended because of the famous memorandum, came to see me as well. I had heard that Father Brazys had been extremely upset because of the suspension. He had become depressed and could not work. Being an artistic person, he was very sensitive. I consoled him and encouraged him to continue his work. I promised to make good use of him as soon as possible. I could see that he left in high spirits, his face was radiant. Among other things, I had learned earlier that Father Bak ys, 2 also one of the suspended priests, was still staying in Vilnius without proper authorization. I asked him to go to Merkine where he had been assigned. He obeyed and is now working there. I still have not seen Father Varnas 3 from Kai iadorys. I asked him to come to Vilnius as soon as possible. I told the dean of priests that Father Varnas can stay there as pastor for the time being, since there is no other alternative right now. However, it will be necessary to legalize his stay there so that everything would be in order. Father Feliks Kaczmarek 4 of Wi > niewo asked me for some relief for his parishioners. Both the Russian and German trenches passed 201 1 Theodoras Brazys (1870-1939): had studied church music in Germany and was appointed professor at the Vilnius Seminary in 1907 by Bishop Ropp. He also conducted the Vilnius Cathedral choir and orchestra and had composed numerous pieces of church music. In 1917, he was suspended for one month by Msgr. Michalkiewicz for signing the famous memorandum. He left the Seminary and went out into the countryside to collect folk songs. Bishop Matulaitis allowed him to continue this work. In 1923, he was invited to lecture at the Kaunas Seminary, and in 1924 he began to lecture in the Theology Department of the University of Kaunas. 2 Juozas Bak ys (1884-1925): a Lithuanian priest imprisoned by the Germans in 1916, then suspended by Msgr. Michalkiewicz in 1917. In Merkine, he founded and directed a secondary school. 3 Alfonsas Varnas (1884-1944): another one of the suspended priests. Apparently he had not yet been reinstated as pastor after the suspension. 4 Feliks Kaczmarek (b. 1887): ordained in 1910; during WW I he was pastor of Wiszniewo or Vy niavas, as it was called in Lithuanian, a town 86 km southeast of Vilnius. The front passed through this area, and the church and most of the town were destroyed