THE DIOCESE OF VILKAVIŠKIS
PRIENAI
On July 26, 1972, the faithful of Prienai traveled to the Pravieniškės Prison Camp to greet the about-to-be-liberated curate of Prienai, Father J. Zdebskis; however, he had already been released. That was because the camp administration had been ordered to release Father Zdebskis the previous evening in order to prevent a "political demonstration." The government officials were apprehensive about what would happen if many people were to come to welcome the priest.
The parishioners greeted Father Zdebskis with ceremony on Sunday, August 27. Little children scattered flowers as the priest was returning to the sacristy after mass. In the churchyard children and adults congratulated the former prisoner. There were so many flowers that the priest could not hold them all in his arms, and the people covered the ground with them.
Rugienis would not allow H.E. Bishop Labukas to appoint Father Zdebskis to the Vilkaviškis Diocese. Two months later, Father Zdebskis was appointed curate of the parish in Šilutė.
This is a "civilized" kind of exile: if you want to work in a parish, then leave your diocese!