George Matulaitis Journal

the pastor. I answered that I would not make any changes while we are at war. I asked them to settle down and to calm the people. If they had something against the priest, they should point it out, and I would see that he was tried in an ecclesiastical court. Then they threatened to expel the priest, just like at Giedraiciai. “If this is how you talk,” I retorted, “then you are not even Catholics—perhaps you are some sort of Bolsheviks. I will not discuss anything with people who talk like this.” And I threw them out. They hurried to Monsignor Michalkiewicz, who came to me suggesting that perhaps it would be worthwhile to investigate the matter and make some concessions. I said that I had already made an investigation through Father Mo ? ejko and that all this was the work of a few troublemakers. I also stated that I would not make any changes while fighting was going on and there is so much unrest. If I begin getting rid of the Lithuanian language in the churches, the Lithuanians may start to remove the Polish language on their side of the demarcation line. 1 And, after all, one must uphold truth and justice. It is now clear that the lists they brought me mean nothing and it is impossible to make any changes under such conditions, since all hell would break loose in all the parishes of mixed nationality. As yet, it is still uncertain as to who will control this region. We cannot carry on such a short-sighted cuius regio, eius religio 2 policy in the Church. I said: Let them expel the priests, let them do whatever they want. They can even expel me, as the troublemakers in Giedraiciai threatened to do, but I will not back down from just principles, nor will I make any changes while the fighting continues. In my opinion, such a strict stance will benefit the Church and even the Polish element. If Poland does not get these territories, it is possible that I shall then have to defend the rights of the Polish language in the churches. As for now, I said, we must put up with this 284 1 The first of several demarcation lines, the Marshal Foch line drawn up June 18, 1919, served a military purpose: to maintain a cease-fire between the Polish and Lithuanian armies. However, hostilities continued. 2 A well-known Latin saying: The religion of whoever is in power prevails.