Together with a friend he tried to develop the catholic layman apostolate movement, which made him a thorn in the eye of the Secret State Police. He was arrested in 1951 and after 10 month solitary imprisonment and torture he was, at 27-years old, sentenced for 25 years. Together with Silvester Krčméry and bishop-in-hiding Korec he was contributing to the birth of secret Church activities in Slovakia.