George Matulaitis Journal

Excellency Bishop von Ropp was visiting that part of the diocese, he had dared to preach a sermon in Belorussian at the Bishop’s request. He also recalled his seminary days when one of the Polish priests in authority warned him not to join inappropriate parties and spoke against the Belarus, a harmless newspaper published in the Catholic spirit. In a word, here in Vilnius to be a Belorussian is considered a terrible crime. In Mi<sk , it is more peaceful and one can work for the Belorussians. The Bishop of Mi<sk [ +ozi<ski ] boldly addressed the people in the cathedral in the Belorussian language. He experienced a good deal of unpleasant- ness from the Polish part of the flock because of this, but managed to pacify them with another sermon. I spoke with this priest for a while about the Belorussian question. I told him that I was a Catholic bishop, that I wanted to serve everyone equally, and that I would make every effort to do so, looking after the spiritual needs of all my people without exception. Everyone is the same to me: Belorussians, Poles, and Lithuanians. However, since here in Vilnius national matters are very sensitive and regarded in a strange and peculiar manner, one has to be careful. I said that I was not only not opposed to the Belorussian renascence, but that I was willing to support it so that it would stay on the right track. These were the conditions that I laid down: 1) that they pursue their national interests in a Catholic manner; 2) that the priests not lose themselves in the Belorussian movement to the detriment of their spiritu- al life and its needs and that they give good example; 3) that I be informed about what the Belorussians are doing. I advised them to try to improve the spiritual life of their people and that religious communities for men and women could be founded. I promised to help them in this work. I went on to say that I was not interested in nationalism as such, but that I would support the Belorussian movement for these reasons. 1) I can see that the Belorussian people are ignorant; they do not know their catechism nor how to go to confession and would learn these things best in their native language. 2) The Belorussians are reviving, becoming more aware and more active; if the clergy and the Catholics do not direct this movement into the proper channels, it will lose direction and turn against the Church. 3) The purpose of the Church is not to teach languages, but rather to save people by means of the language they understand. 4) When the Belorussians do 206