We congratulate you on the venerable occasion of your eightieth birthday and pray God to grant you strength to continue successfully the mission assigned you by Divine Providence.
On this occasion, we wish to thank you for your fatherly concern for all mankind and the affairs of the Catholic Church in these difficult times of spreading atheism and declining morality, by staunchly defending the purity of faith and morals. We thank you for the courage you have shown in defending all the world's oppressed, injured and persecuted peoples. .
We hear your words and understand your very deep concern for our persecuted Church! In many cases she cannot act publicly, have her own press, defend her rights, and in particular catechize children and young people. She is often compelled to follow the example of the early Christians in spreading the light of Christ's teaching in her own native land and in broad atheist-controlled areas.
We repeatedly pay Your Holiness, as Vicar of Christ, sincere respect and disciplined obedience.
We hope in the future that your care and blessing will help the Church of Lithuania, operating openly and also through catacomb means.
