His Special Mission At the time, Fr. George was working as a professor at the St. Petersburg Academy and secretly forming the Marian novitiate with three new novices. But it was not safe to live in community in St. Petersburg. In order that the Marians could function and grow in freedom, Fr. George - who viewed reviving the Marians as his special mission in the Church - resigned from all his duties at the academy and transferred the Marians to Switzerland. Before his death in 1927, the number of Marians reached 240 and would continue to grow over the next several decades, becoming a community of more than 500 priests and brothers at the present time. In addition to being responsible for the renewal of the Marian Order, Bl. George revised Constitutions for several religious communities. In Lithuania, he founded the Congregation of Sisters of the Immaculate Conception and in Belarus, the Sisters Servants of the Jesus in the Eucharist. Blessed George also proved to be an outstanding bishop of Vilnius, as well as a skilled and capable diplomat as an archbishop at the service of the Vatican in Lithuania. Pope Pius XI, who knew Archbishop George Matulaitis, described him as "God's man" and "a truly holy man." To the Congregation of the Marians, Bl. George bequeathed a spirit of continuous renewal and generous effort "for Christ and the Church." On his deathbed, where he reiterated his conviction that self-sacrifice is the way most Christians carry their cross, he urged Marians to "close up the ranks and sacrifice yourselves." On June 28, 1987, Archbishop George Matulaitis was beatified by Pope John Paul II. In his feast day homily, Fr. Anthony said, "There are other religious communities that have died out in the history of the Church, but for some reason God wanted this little community, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, to survive 100 years ago. And it is miraculous that this little community dedicated to Mary would be given the message of The Divine Mercy, this message that we proclaim here on Eden Hill at the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy. And if it weren't for Blessed George, I wouldn't be here, and the Marians wouldn't be here." Prayer for a Special Grace through the Intercession of Blessed George O God, our Lord and Father, You surround us always by Your care; receive our humble petition, and through the intercession of Blessed George, who suffered so much for Your glory and for the increase of Your Kingdom here on earth, grant me the grace for which I ask You with confidence, promising to live from now on with greater fidelity to Your commandments. Amen. Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be to the Father... Picture from: Blessed George Matulaitis-Matulewicz (1871-1927) Revovator of The Marians on padrimarian.org: https://padrimariani.org/en/renovator/ Article from: Gratitude for Bl. George on thedivinemercy.org: https://www.thedivinemercy.org/articles/gratitude-bl-george Picture page 2 from Who is Blessed George Matulaitis on Youtube (Divine Mercy); https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BlOhIBAY0w
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