George Matulaitis Journal

1871 Born April 13 in the village of Lugine southern Lithuania. Youngest of eight children. Baptized and given name of George (Jurgis) in the family parish church in Marijampole. 1879 Attends grammar school in Marijampole 1882 Tutored at home to qualify for secondary school entrance examina- tions. Attends secondary school in Marijampole. 1886 Drops out of school because of illness—the beginnings of tuberculosis of the bone. Works on the family farm, reads, and prays in the fields. 1889 Taken to Poland by his cousin, a teacher in Kielce, who tutors him and prepares him for the Seminary. 1891 Enters the Seminary in Kielce. 1893 Seminary in Kielce raided and closed by agents of the Russian Czarist government. Third year seminarians transferred to Warsaw Seminary. 1895 Sent to study at the Theological Academy of St. Petersburg; com- pletes four years of study with a master’s degree in theology with highest honors. 1898 Ordained in the chapel at the academy. 1899 After a brief period of work in the diocese of Kielce, Poland as an associate pastor he travels to Austria and Italy. He settles in Fribourg Switzerland where at the Catholic University he studies philosophy and theology 1900 Undergoes treatment for tuberculosis of the bone. 1902 Awarded doctorate of theology. 1904 He goes to Warsaw in order to take care of his health. After remain- ing a few weeks in the hospital, he settles at the school run by Cecilia Plater-Zyberk. 1905 Begins pastoral and social ministry among workers of Warsaw; with Fr. M. Godlewski and others organizes a popular Christian Workers’ Union. Heads a small community of priest and also helps the Capuchin Fr. Honoratus Ko{mi<ski direct various secret religious communities. 1907 Receives an invitation to take a position of professor of sociology at the Theological Academy in St. Petersburg. After two years he 25