174 and made efforts for the good of the “whole” man. Father M. Wiśniewski recalls: “Impossible to forget were the pictures that he painted before our eyes: the penury of the workers, the injustice and exploitation by the capitalists, the degradation of women, the damage to the children. (...) The workers lived among dirt and rubble. Father Matulewicz was an honest democrat and a devout friend of the poor, oppressed people.”11 However, being fully aware of the diffi culties that the social and charitable work involved, he used to tell the priests: “A priest who wants to dedicate himself to an intensive social work in the Vineyard of the Lord... and wants to see its good fruits must be a holy priest.”12 “During the war, in 1916, Fr. Matulewicz organized an orphanage in Bielany. It involved a lot of problems because the children needed to be fed, clothed and to have a warm facility, and yet there was no heating oil. So, Fr. Matulewicz went to the offi cials asking for the fuel ration. A German clerk berated him: «You are a priest and it would be better if you trusted Divine Providence more and stopped bothering me.» To which Fr. Matulewicz responded, standing humbly at the entrance to the offi ce: «This is true. But Providence uses good people.» That day he got fi rewood for his orphanage.”13 Here is another incident known to many people. On another occasion, a clerk began to scold Fr. Matulewicz for his “obtrusiveness,” using abusive language. Without loosing his calm, Fr. Matulewicz responded to him in the words of St. Philip Neri: “Well, that was for me, now what have you got for my orphans?” Startled by this response, the offi cial gave Fr. George additional food rations.14 “I remember the Bishop’s efforts to get additional rations of food and clothing for us, poor children, and the great trouble that he went to to get them, like riding on a coal wagon from Warsaw to Bielany one cold winter.”15 “He procured potatoes for the hungry, distributed meals and provided monetary help. (...) He rode a wagon to town, even in winter or rainy weather, in search of food, clothing, fi rewood, and oil. (...) Jadwiga Reut recalls: “Father Matulewicz must have been very hungry and tired for he stood in line for several hours to get things for his orphanage in Bielany. However, he did not sit at table until after he told us with great joy how much fl our, lard, grain and bread he was able to get for those poor children.”16 “On July 7, 1917, the Marian Government decided to take over the Institute of Educating Boys at the Mańskowski Foundation located at 63 Wileńska Street 11 Wspomnienia o Bł. Matulewiczu, Fontes Historiae Marianorum, p. 52. 12 Testimony given by Fr. Zenon Kalinowski, Rozmiłowany w Kościele, p. 42. 13 Kamila Tyczyńska, “Wspomnienia o Bł. Matulewiczu,” p. 156. 14 A. Kucas, “Archbishop George Matulaitis,” Chicago, 1981, p. 131. 15 Ks. J. Sobczyk MIC, “Wspomnienia o Bł. Matulewiczu,” p. 117. 16 T. Górski MIC, “Błogosławiony Jerzy Matulewicz,” pp. 119. 121.
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