George Matulaitis Journal

God in their own language. Since he himself had experienced how unpleasant it is to be persecuted, I urged him always to try to be just and to have a truly apostolic heart to serve all people equally. I asked him if he could understand what the professors were talking about and if the material was of use to him. He spoke well of Father Reinys’s lectures and those of some of the others. The Inspector, Father Lubianiec, often comes to class unprepared and seems to be concerned only about his own institution [ Ochronka ]. He often misses class or comes in late and leaves before the bell. Now that the bishop has been dropping in, it is a fact that the professors come to class better prepared and are more conscientious in giving their lectures. Since the general opinion is that life at the Vilnius Seminary is intolerable for Lithuanians and that they are expelled from the seminary because of their so-called “Lithuanian fanaticism,” that is, for no reason at all or for some trivial cause, he himself had been thinking of studying at the Kaunas Seminary. However, the Lithuanian priests discouraged him from doing so and sent him on to Vilnius. 1 I asked him how his studies were coming along, what he is good at, and so on. His studies are about average. The seminarians like Professors Savickas, Kraujalis, and Reinys because they are friendly to everyone. Professor Cicho < ski is a good teacher, but is harsh and keeps aloof from the students. Also, they do not like Professor Chomski very much. They are satisfied with the lectures and conferences given by the spiritual director. This seminarian made some interesting comments: that there should be freedom of language and nationality at the seminary; that everyone should be treated equally and fairly; that the seminarians should learn to respect, accept, and love one another so that, when they leave the seminary, they would be able to serve everyone equally without discriminating against anyone. As things are now, a seminarian’s 237 1 Since Cibulskis was from the city of Kai iadorys, he belonged to the Diocese of Vilnius and should study at the diocesan Seminary. Besides, there was a shortage of Lithuanian priests in the Vilnius area.