George Matulaitis Journal

November 20 Although I celebrated Mass solemnly, with assistants, it was only a low Mass so the children would not freeze. After 12 noon there were ceremonies at the secondary school. I made a speech outlining the history of the Polish schools. Here in Bia = ystok I encouraged them to remain faithful to their honorable past in uniting faith and reason, the education of the mind, with the development of the will and of character. I wished them well. They liked my speech. It seems that rumors had been spread about my being an enemy of the Poles. Now they could see for themselves that I sympathize with them. With the Poles I try to be like a Pole; with the Jews I am a Jew; with the Gentiles—a Gentile. Everything to everyone (cf., l Cor 9:20-22). There were many other speeches. The school inspector from Warsaw spoke well. The Minister of Education had promised to come, but did not, apparently because of the cold. Father Ciepli<ski from Warsaw was also there. In the evening there was a program at the girls’ school. November 21 The cold weather has broken. In the afternoon I left for Gardinas with the seminarians. I barely managed to find a seat in the soldiers’ car. They had their own stove, and it was so hot you could hardly stand it. We were in Gardinas after seven; I was met by the priests and several city officials. In Grodno the Missionary Fathers were conducting a mission. November 22 I called on all the important people. I attended a meeting of the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin for high-school boys and gave them a short sermon. Then I visited the children’s homes and schools and also the workhouse of the parish of the Bernardines. 1 Everywhere I had to say a few words. I also called on the Franciscan Fathers and 278 1 The Bernardines were well known both in Poland and in Lithuania. They were a branch of the Franciscans of the strict observance, named after the reformer, St. Bernardine of Sienna (1380-1444).