"People saw they were dismantling not wood, but rotten material." Catholic activist stood up for the Novogrudok nuns.

1. I have been connected with the Sisters of Nazareth since childhood, being one of their alumni. Therefore, to some extent, I know their internal workings.

2. The decision to dismantle the old building and erect a new one did not happen overnight. It was a dormitory for children; only one sister out of the 11 Blessed Martyrs worked there, while the other sisters lived in a nearby house, which has been preserved and is now renovated.

Undoubtedly, the building that was dismantled still holds spiritual value. Therefore, it cannot be said that the sisters easily made the decision to demolish it — that is untrue. The discussion between the Belarusian sisters, the leadership in Rome, and representatives of other provinces about what to do with the building lasted for more than a year.

Павялічыць

The sisters understood that the building was closely connected with the Blessed Martyrs, with their history. The decision was reached through a certain consensus in search of the most optimal option.

3. The building was in a very poor technical state — not through the fault of the nuns. It is worth remembering that the building was taken from them and used by the Soviet authorities for over 45 years. What the sisters received in 1990 was already in such a state that it was difficult to repair anything there. I personally visited inside dozens of times and saw it: rotten wood, walls.

There was literally nothing to restore, which is why this decision was made.

4. Why was it decided to build a slightly different house now? Because the previous one was built a hundred years ago, when standards were completely different. For example, there were no individual toilets. It was a school, and people who came for retreats and stayed overnight there — effectively slept in classrooms.

Павялічыць

When rebuilding the house, it would have been impossible to make it practical. And practicality remains important. It's not just a building with history. It is a building that has performed and must continue to perform its practical role. Thousands, probably tens of thousands of people, have undergone formation and spiritual exercises through this house. Therefore, the building is now being constructed in a way that can be used in the 21st century — for people of the 21st century, so that it continues to perform its practical role.

5. I can assure you that the final decision was made by the sisters together with many lay faithful who used this building. Everyone agreed that the decision made by the sisters was rational. During the dismantling, in which professional builders participated, people saw that they were taking apart not wood, but rotten material, and thanked God that the building had not collapsed earlier on its own.

Павялічыць

Therefore, considering all these factors, it can be said that it is unfair to accuse representatives of the Catholic Church of disrespecting history.

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