George Matulaitis Journal

As for our field of work, we should, in my opinion, avoid narrowing it down too much. It would hardly benefit us if, after opening up one or two fields of apostolic endeavor, we were to limit all of our members to those few areas. When selecting our fields of work, their location and methods, we need not limit ourselves in any way, regarding only the greater glory of God, the good of the Church, and the salvation of souls. On the other hand, we should consider the gifts and qualifications of our members, allowing them to work toward the attain- ment of our primary objective in any way that allows them to do more for the greater glory of God and, if possible, directing them to places where there is a more urgent need for workers, where the mission field has been mostly neglected, where there is the greatest danger, and so on. Ordinarily, we should not refuse any type of work whatever. January 25 We are prepared to work and to do battle for the sake of the salvation of souls first of all in our respective countries and among our own countrymen. Everywhere the harvest is great and the laborers are few (cf., Mt 9:37). There was a time when those words would evoke thoughts of mission fields in pagan lands among the faithful who heard them. But nowadays, we must apply those words to many Catholic countries. Consequently, that is where we intend to begin. Yet, it seems to me that it would not be right for us to limit ourselves to our own countries or to discourage any of our members from working anywhere else but in his own nation and among his own people. Our concern is with all people and with the needs of the universal Church. We should be willing to go any place where there is an opportunity to do something for the greater glory of God. I trust that the members of our Congregation will always consider the needs of the entire Church; that they will always be capable of the self- sacrifice required to leave their homeland and their own people to go wherever the greater glory of God may best be served. In a special way we must direct our attention toward the vast territories of Russia and Siberia, where so many souls have strayed from the fold because there is no one to guide them; toward America 67