George Matulaitis Journal

epidemic of clergy expulsions. The important principle at issue here is this: who rules the Church—the bishop and the priests appointed by him or the troublemakers? If they expel the priests, I shall place them under interdict until they calm down. Then I learned that those delegates who were running around with their complaints had gone home and, accord- ing to what I heard, they have calmed down somewhat. At this time, I went with the rector of the seminary to see the General Commissar, Mr. Osmo = owski. I asked him to give us some funds for the upkeep of the seminary and to provide some financial support for the priests. The plight of the urban priests is especially difficult. The pastors are forced to go into debt, and the curates, unable to support themselves, are asking to be transferred out of town. In those areas which have been devastated by war and where the people are impoverished, it is hard for priests as well. Mr. Osmo = owski complained that there is a lack of funds, but that he will try to help us somewhat. He promised to provide an estate and some livestock for the upkeep of the seminary. I also spoke to him about our churches that have been reclaimed from the Russians. He said that he must be informed which churches and church property have been recovered and, in the future, churches cannot be reclaimed without the permission and approval of the government. I requested that the churches and monasteries belonging to the Franciscans and the Sisters of the Visitation in Vilnius be returned to them. He also touched on politics. He said that in some places there are complaints about the language used in church services and also that in some places they intend to expel the Lithuanian priests. He asked if there was a possibility of making changes in church services. I replied that, while the war is still going on, I am determined not to make any changes in the arrangement of the services because all hell would break loose in the mixed parishes. They can expel the priests if they wish, and we will endure it, but I cannot back down from my principles. I also added that this was mostly the work of the Border Guard agents and gave him some concrete facts. I spoke about the continuing arrests of the priests and their being brought to Vilnius. I said: “Such things do not harm the Church so much, but neither does anyone derive any benefit from them. The Polish authorities are too willing to heed various complaints and slanders and are arresting priests without cause. Not a single one of all those who have been brought here to Vilnius by the 285