George Matulaitis Journal

political activities. To this I responded: “I have never heard Father Petrovski say anything against the Catholic Faith. But there are many priests here in Vilnius—Father Lutos = awski, for example — and other delegates to the Parliament whom I heard speaking not about the Gospel, but on purely political issues. I could not forbid them to do so. Consequently, I must give the same freedom to Father Petrovski. As for Your Excellency’s interview with the newspaper reporters that was later published in the Polish papers Rzeczpospolita and also the G=os Wile<ski 1 what was that? Was it not a political matter from start to finish? How then am I to forbid other priests from participating in political activities?” His Excellency, the Archbishop became very excited and began to speak out against the Belorussians and Lithuanians. He rebuked me for introducing the Belorussian language into the churches. “This,” he said, “will harm the Catholic Church and will make the people go over to the Orthodox.” According to him, no Belorussian or Lithuanian issues ever existed here. That is the work of the enemies of the Church and of Poland, and none of it is necessary. I answered him: “Your Excellency, you are looking at these lands as they were forty years ago, and you see everything through the eyes of a person who was here forty years ago. Neither the Lithuanians, nor the Belorussians are what they were. They are coming to life as nations and are demanding their rights and fighting for them. And they will achieve their goals. There is nothing we can do. We cannot change the course of history. As for this matter of languages, I have not made any changes in the churches. While there is war and unrest, I have left everything as it was under my predecessors. I had issued a directive that no changes should be made without my permission. His Excellency Bishop Ropp introduced the Belorussian language into the Disna deanery and Bishop Lozi < ski did so in the Diocese of Mi<sk — and both of them are Poles. Meanwhile, I have only asked the priests to teach the children their catechism in a language they under- 294 1 These newspapers were Rzeczpospolita in Polish or The Republic and G = os Wile < ski in Polish or Vilnius Voice .