George Matulaitis Journal

January 23 We are willing to admit laymen into our Community as well as priests. Lay brothers can work in schools, conduct orphanages, and staff various other institutions. But let us not forget that they too must first of all be committed to proclaim Christ by word and example, to work, and to do battle for the glory of God, the salvation of souls, and the good of the Church. In some places priests may find it difficult or even impossible to exercise their ministry. Lay brothers, however, may be able to find their way in more easily, to reach out, and to bring the Spirit of Christ into those places. In their war against the Church, the atheists have already influenced considerable numbers of people to avoid priests. Now they tend to regard the priestly cassock with suspicion, are full of hostility toward the clergy, and will not listen to anything a priest has to say. Because of this situation, wherever and whenever possible, priests must change their clerical attire for secular clothes so that they may go and preach Christ among those who are suspicious of clerical garb. But even here, the priest must be careful because this may not always be a good thing to do. In that case, a lay brother can take the place of the priest. That is why the lay brothers should be properly trained and prepared for such an apostolate. Lay brothers are expected not only to acquire some skill or trade or become proficient in some field of learning, but they should also excel in their work so that they would be respected by people in similar fields who have not dedicated themselves to God. Our lay brothers ought to be better educated than the average workers, artisans, or people of other occupations from that particular country. Only then will their words make an impression on people since they themselves will be looked up to. People will be more ready to listen to them than to all sorts of agitators and enemies of the Church. Our lay brothers ought to be especially well versed in Christian doctrine so that they might become apologists, true defenders and preachers of the faith among people of their own class. Neither time nor money should be spared to provide them with this necessary understanding of their faith. I have not yet mentioned the lay brothers’ spiritual life or their personal holiness, but it is obvious that 64