George Matulaitis Journal

my duties in Vilnius. August 6 I requested an audience with the Holy Father. 1 His Eminence Cardinal Gasparri 2 was away taking a cure at the sulphur springs in Monte Cassino. I saw only His Excellency Bishop Pizzardi 3 and Borgognini-Duca 4 and told them what His Excellency Nuncio Lauri 5 of Warsaw had directed me to do. From both of them I learned that the Polish government had made efforts to transfer me to Cz " stochowa. 6 But I already knew this from His Excellency Bishop Prze { dziecki. During the Bishops’ Conference on May 29 he had asked me if I would agree to go to Cz " stochowa. That same day I visited the Polish Embassy. There I found only Mr. Per = owski. 7 Apparently, it was only from me that he heard about my release from Vilnius by the Holy Father. I assured him that he need not be anxious on any account, for I have no intention of harming the Poles. As a priest, I have tried never to injure anyone. On the contrary, as much as I could, I tried to serve people and to do good. Vince malum in bono [Overcome evil with good.]. 8 Per = owski said that the Polish government has nothing against me as a priest or as a bishop. On the contrary, in its reports to the Holy See it spoke well of me and tried to get me transferred to Cz " stochowa. It is only for political reasons that I could not remain in Vilnius. I told him that I understand these reasons very well and wish to live in peace and good will with the Polish people. It was evident 332 1 Achille Ratti, Pope Pius XI, had been elected on Feb. 6, 1922. 2 Pietro Gasparri (1852-1934): well-known as an expert in Canon Law. He was named Cardinal in 1907, served as Vatican Secretary of State (1914-30). 3 Giuseppe Pizzardo (1877-1970): Undersecretary of State. 4 Francesco Borgognini-Duca: member of the Secretariat of State; in 1929 appointed Nuncio to Italy. 5 Lorenzo Lauri: Nuncio to Poland since 1921. 6 Poland had just concluded its Concordat with the Holy See on Feb. 10, 1925. Vilnius had been made an Archdiocese. Matulaitis knew that he would be unacceptable to the Polish government as Archbishop of Vilnius and hence resigned. Transfer to the newly created Diocese of Czestochowa had been suggested, but he had declined. 7 Jan Per = owski: minister and consultant to the Polish Ambassador. 8 Matulaitis’s personal and episcopal motto taken from Rom 12:21.