George Matulaitis Journal

222 March 14 Father Kuleszo, pastor of the Dominican Church, came rushing in to try to convince me that I should leave for Mai iagala. 1 He said that the Bolsheviks are really determined to arrest me, him, Father Lubianiec and Father Songin. 2 He said that he even had horses ready to take me to Mai iagala. “And what are you going to do?” I asked him. “Are you going to flee as well?” “No,” he answered. “Then why are you trying to convince me to leave?” “Your Excellency is another matter. The whole diocese needs you.” “It needs my example as well. If I should leave or go into hiding, God knows what may happen in the city. Some unruly persons may take advantage of this to incite the people and bring great calamity down upon them. No, I have no intention of going anywhere. Such behavior is not fitting for a bishop. If they do arrest me, a hole will not open up in the earth because of it. God will provide for the diocese in my absence.” Throughout the day various good-hearted people kept coming in to warn me to leave, to go and hide somewhere, for the Bolsheviks would most certainly arrest me. Late in the evening Father Mi=kowski , a seminary professor, came running in to report that he had come at the request of certain noblemen to warn me that tonight the Bolsheviks will really come to arrest me. After saying the rosary, I went to bed completely at peace. First of all, though, I took care of all my papers and documents and assigned someone to administer the diocese in case I should be imprisoned. March I5 Two Lithuanian representatives came to report the ostensibly reliable news that on the 20th of this month the Lithuanian Army would occupy Vilnius and to confer about how to receive and greet the victorious 1 Mejszago=a - a town in eastern Lithuania, 25 km northwest of Vilnius. A royal estate and fortress are located there, the fortress part of an ancient system of defense for Vilnius, the capital city. 2 Jozef Songin: an honorary canon, who, with Father Maciejewicz, was a regular contributor to the Polish paper Dziennik Wile<ski . He was also one of the supporters of the National Democratic Party with Kuleszo, Lubianiec, Maciejewicz, and others.