George Matulaitis Journal

churches, the priests began to preach in Polish. By its unjust behavior the Russian government ultimately contributed to the loss of national identity by the Belorussian people. I was informed that my pastoral letter to the people of Vilnius had not been read at the Church of All Saints 1 on February 16th. It seems that Father Dyakowski 2 found the letter deficient in Polish patriotism and consequently not worth reading. Besides, it did not condemn the Bolsheviks vehemently enough. For some time I have been told that Father Dyakowski is an ardent Polish nationalist and activist involved in politics up to his neck. I asked a reliable person whether my letter had been read to the people. It seems that it had not. On February 24th I asked Father Wo=od{ko if my pastoral letter had been read in all the churches. He said that he had given instructions that it be read after every Mass. I then told him about All Saints’ parish and asked him to look into the matter. Yesterday he report- ed that he had confronted the pastor himself, who admitted that he had not read the letter. The Dean excused him saying that he had received copies of the letter too late. “When did he get them?” I asked. “Saturday evening,” answered Wo=od{ko .“Then there was enough time to read it on Sunday,” I said. The Dean went on to say that the pastor received only a hundred copies of the letter and that there was no instruction that it be read aloud. He thought that he was supposed only to hand out the printed copies to the people. But before high Mass on Sunday began, some of the copies had disappeared. I did not like these excuses, and the Dean did not convince me at all. He then asked me if I would be punishing Father Dyakowski. I replied that I would not. “Could he come in person to apologize?” suggested the Dean. “Why not?” I replied. The Dean then inquired whether I wanted him to read the letter this Sunday. “No,” I responded. “The immediate occasion of the letter was the plight of Father Muckermann. Now that is all over with and there is no reason to read the letter.” 208 1 All Saints parish was one of the largest in Vilnius and was often the scene of nationalistic conflict between Poles and Lithuanians. 2 Napoleon Dyakowski (1874-1920): pastor of All Saints parish. He was of Lithuanian origin but con- sidered himself a Polish patriot. He was given to organizing public demonstrations of a political nature.