Currently Lithuania is undergoing internal social processes which cause great concern and result from the spread of atheism and an ever deepening spiritual vacuum. In the absence of noble incentives, this vacuum is very quickly filled by the need to satisfy primitive instincts, which drag down man's entire spiritual life: morals decline, the will weakens, national ideals are traded in for cheap pleasures or a petty way of life.
After occuring in men's souls, these changes materialize in the nation's public life in such fatal vices as a rise in juvenile delinquency, loose morals, the spread of venereal diseases, abortions and a decline in the natural population growth, mass alcoholism and a catastropic break-up of families. There arise simultaneously militant ideologies justifying and spreading these evils, whose representatives in the field of atheist education demoralize weak-willed individuals and the youth in particular not merely by bad example but even often by brutal force.
The family has always been the basic transmitter of religious and moral standards and the educator of the younger generation. Now, it is finding increasingly difficult in opposing the corrupting influence of an evil atmosphere. Who can count the believing parents who weep over their strayed children? Weak, separated, drunken or non-believing familis are even less capable of providing their children with proper moral upbringing. We can thus expect increasingly more divorces and moral collapse in future generations. And no one can say whether or not our nation will fall into complete destruction and perdition by "progressing" in this way.
True, there is comfort and hope in the nation's ever spreading spiritual renewal, especially among the youth. These individuals understand and prove by their lives that no sacrifice is too great for the good of the truth, the faith and the Fatherland.
But only a spiritual rebirth of the entire nation can save us from destruction. Of course, under present conditions, this would amount to a miracle; but for us, who believe in the omnipotence of Divine Providence, a miracle does not mean something impossible, but something that we can realistically attain. For we have been given special means to attain this—prayer and repentance — about whose power many of us can attest from our own personal experience. Thus, if we managed to send a manifesto with 17,000 signatures to the rulers of this world, hasn't the time come to send a "petition" to our Heavenly Father? For His ears are very sensitive to our pleas. We need only pray and if we rely on His mercy we will not be refused.
We are many and we are a great power. Let us unite and rise to the spiritual battle! Let there be no parish, no village, from which pleas to the Ruler of the Universe will not rise!
Lent provides the perfect opportunity to begin this fight!
We therefore urge, for the intention of our nation's spiritual rebirth, as well as that of all the world's nations, especially those whose spiritual situation is direst, for the intention of rebirth throughout this Lenten season in the spirit of repentance:
a) to refrain from using a single drop of alcohol on any occasion, for most sins are committed as a result of alcohol and it is most responsible for man's downfall;
b) to organize a daily Rosary campaign in every Lithuanian parish either in private or in church for the above named intention;
c) let all who can receive Holy Communion as frequently as possible for this intention.
We invite all people of good will of other faiths to join us in this sobriety campaign, in solidarity with our goals, as a protest against the spreading weakness and so we might feel the strength of our unity, as well as non-believers who value our nation's future.
