CHRONICLE OF HE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LITHUANIA No. 53 
In this Issue:
4. The Council for Religious Affairs "Brain-Washes"
5. A Victim of Soviet "Freedom of Conscience"
7. Searches and Interrogations
9. The Priests and Faithful of Lithuania Write
10. The Catholic C a l e n d a r - D i r e c t o r y
Lithuania May 31, 1982
CHRONICLE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LITHUANIA No. 53
A Translation of the Complete Lithuanian Original LIETUVOS KATALIKŲ BAŽNYČIOS KRONIKA Nr. 53 Documenting the Struggle for Human Rights In Soviet-Occupied Lithuania Today
Translated by: Vita Matusaitis
Translation Editor: Rev. Casimir Pugevičius
Copy Editor: Marian Skabeikis
Published by the Lithuanian R.C. Priests' League of America 351 Highland Blvd. Brooklyn, NY 11207
©Lithuanian Roman Catholic Priests' League of America 1982
ISSN 0197-0348
This issue was made possible, in part, by a grant from Father Jonas Maknys, S.T.D.
Franciscan Fathers Press 341 Highland Blvd. Brooklyn, NY 11207
COVER: Lithuanian pilgrims visit a shrine on Maiden Hill, in Žemaičių Kalvarija. The chapel and the shrines were demolished by atheists in April, 1982.
CHRONICLE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LITHUANIA, No. 53
Introduction
In 1940, when the Soviet Union occupied Lithuania by force, 85.5% of the country's more than 3 million inhabitants were Roman Catholic, 4.5% Protestant, 7.3% Jewish, 2.5% Orthodox and 0.2% of other persuasions.
In the two archdioceses and four dioceses were: 708 churches, 314 chapels, 73 monasteries, 85 convents, three archbishops, nine bishops, 1271 diocesan priests, 580 monks, of whom 168 were priests. Four seminaries had 470 students. There were 950 nuns.
Nuns cared for 35 kindergartens, 10 orphanages, 25 homes for the aged, two hospitals, a youth center, and an institute for the deaf-mute.
On June 15, 1940, the Red Army marched into Lithuania; the independent government was replaced by a puppet regime.
On July 14-15, rigged elections were staged. On July 21, with the Red Army surrounding the assembly house, the new People's Diet "unanimously" declared Lithuania a Soviet Socialist Republic.
On June 25, 1940, the Church was declared separate from the state, and the representative of the Holy See was expelled.
Parish lands were confiscated, clergy salaries and pensions were cut off, and their savings confiscated. Churches were deprived of support. Catholic printing plants were confiscated, and religious books destroyed.
On June 28, 1940, the teaching of religion and recitation of prayers in schools was forbidden. The University's Department of Theology and Philosophy was abolished, and all private schools were nationalized. The seminaries at Vilkaviškis and Telšiai were closed, and the seminary at Kaunas was permitted to operate on a very limited scale. The clergy were spied upon constantly.
On June 15, 1941, 34,260 Lithuanians were packed off in cattle-cars to undisclosed points in the Soviet Union. After World War II, the mass deportations resumed and continued until 1953.
Vincentas Borisevičius, Bishop of Telšiai, was arrested on February 3, 1946, and condemned to death after a secret trial. Before year's end, his auxiliary, Bishop Pranas Ramanauskas, was also arrested and deported to Siberia. Bishop Teofilius Matulionis of Kaišiadorys and Archbishop Mečislovas Reinys of Vilnius were deported to a Siberian labor camp. Archbishop Reinys perished in prison at Vladimir, November 8, 1953. By 1947, Lithuania was left with a single bishop, Kazimieras Paltarokas, of Panevėžys. He died in 1958.
In 1947, the last convents and monasteries were closed, their communities dispersed, and all monastic institutions were outlawed.
After Stalin's death in 1953, there was a slight improvement in the religious situation. Bishops Matulionis and Ramanauskas were allowed to return to Lithuania, but not to minister to their dioceses or to communicate with the clergy or laity.
Bishop Ramanauskas died in 1959, and Archbishop Matulionis in 1963.
In 1955, two new bishops were appointed by Rome and consecrated: Julijonas Steponavičius and Petras Maželis. Steponavičius has never been permitted to administer his diocese.
Bishop Vincentas Sladkevičius, consecrated in 1957, was kept under severe government restrictions until 1982. In 1965, Monsignor Juozas Labukas-Matulaitis was consecrated in Rome to head the Archdiocese of Kaunas and the Diocese of Vilkaviškis. Two new bishops were consecrated in 1969: Bishop Romualdas Krikščiūnas was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Panevėžys, and Bishop Liudvikas Povilonis was appointed auxiliary to Bishop Labukas, and succeeded him after his death in 1979.
In 1982, Bishop Sladkevičius was permitted to return to his diocese as Apostolic Administrator of Kaišiadorys. Father Antanas Vaičius was named bishop and Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Telšiai and the Prelature of Klaipėda.
Relaxation of pressure on religious believers soon revealed that the Lithuanian people were still deeply religious. It was decided in the mid-fifties to resume the attack. The principal means of attack would be unlimited moral pressure, since physical terror seemed only to strengthen and unify the faithful.
In 1972, the Chronicle of the Catholic Church in Lithuania, clandestinely published in that country, began to reach the free world at irregular intervals. Primarily intended to keep Catholics in Lithuania informed of the situation of the Church there, these Lithuanian samizdat also serve as a constant appeal to the free world not to forget the plight of a people struggling against overwhelming odds to defend their religious beliefs and to regain their basic human rights.
Rev. Casimir Pugevičius Translation Editor
Read this and pass it on! Appearing since March 19, 1972
INDEX OF PERSONS
Akstinas, 58 Andrijauskas, A., 19, 20 Anilionis, Petras, 13, 14, 15, 17 18, 39, 45, 46 Arnašius, Father Albinas, 11 Augustis, V., 19, 20 Antanaitis, Msgr. Bronislovas, 38 Antulis, Algis, 47
Badaugienė, (Mrs.) J., ?0 Balsienė, (Mrs.), 19, 20 Balvočius, A., 20 Baranauskas, P., 10 Bimbyris, Antanas, 47 Bitvinskas, Father Antanas, 14 Borisevičius, Bishop Vincentas, 1 Brezhnev, Leonid, 34, 43 Brilius, Father Kęstutis, 14 Brilius, Father Vytautas, 11 Brokevičius, Petras, 57, 58, 59 Budrikis, Father Julius, 9 Budrys, 55 Buivydas, H., 55, 56 Bunevičius, Romas, 62 Butkus, 30 Butkus, Father Viktoras, 37 Butnorienė, (Mrs.) N., 19, 20
Čeplinskienė, (Mrs.) Regina, 50-53 Černiauskas, Father Ričardas, 16 Cidzikas, Petras, 58 Ciuckis, 41 Čiupaila. Father Stasys, 11
Daknevičius, Father Kęstutis, 32-34 Danyla, Father Jonas, S.J., 35 Degutis, Father Zenonas, 11 Dilienė, Milda, 61 Dovydavičius, 58 Eidikytė (Eidukytė), (Miss), 59
Fabijanskas, Father Jonas, 18 Filipčik, Father Anton, 11 Firas, 41
Gajauskas, Balys, 64 Gargasas, 33 Gasparavičienė, (Mrs.), 61 Gauronskis, Father Vincentas, 6 Gavėnaitė, (Miss) Monika, 31 Gedvila, Father Jonas, 6, 9 Genienė, (Mrs.), 60 Giedraitienė, (Mrs.) Jadvyga, 41 Gražulis, Father Juozas, 11 Gražys, Juozas 64 Greivienė, (Mrs.), 52, 55 Grigaliūnas, Vytautas, 41 Grigas, Antanas, 47, 49 Grigas, Robertas, 24, 25, 47-49 Griškevičius, Petras, 32, 38, 39 40, 41, 47 Griškus, Jonas, 41 Gudynas, Adomas, 45, 46 Gustaitis, Msgr. Andriejus, 17 Gvadovič, Father Kazimir, 11 Gylys, 60
Iešmantas, Gintautas, 64 Jakienė, (Mrs.), 62
Jankauskienė, (Mrs.) P., 18, 20 Janulis, Anastazas, 27, 28, 64 Janušauskienė, (Mrs.) Vincenta,31 Japertienė, (Mrs.), 23 Jarusevičiūtė, (Miss) Ineta, 62 Jaugelis, Father Virgilijus, 63 Jauniškis, Bronius, 35 Jonelienė, (Mrs.), 62 Juciutė, (Miss) Rasa, 50 Judeikis, Mindaugas, 61 Juozėnas, 39 Juozumaitė, (Miss) Stefanija, 18-21 Jurašas, Jonas, 4 Jurevičius, Mečislovas, 16, 28, 64 Jurkutė, (Miss) Vilma, 50, 52 Juška, 57 Juškevičius, 33
Kalanta, Romas, 49 Kaplanienė, (Mrs.) Solomėja, 31 Kauneckas, Father Jonas, 9, 18, 19 Kavaliauskas, Father Jonas, 14 Katauskis, 61 Katauskytė, (Miss) Reda, 61, 62 Kazėnienė, (Mrs.) Janina, 57, 58, 59 Kazlauskas, 49 Keina, Father Algimantas, 38 Kelmelis, 16 Klipčius, 48 Kovalev, Sergei, 64 Krikščiukaitis, Father Kastytis, 17 Krikščiūnas, Bishop Romualdas, 2, 11 Krikštoponis, 39, 40 Kringelis, Edmundas, 30 Kudaba, Č., 5, 8 Kudžmaitė, (Miss), 62 Kulvietis, Father Edmundas, 11 Kuncevičiūtė, (Miss) Magdalena, 16 Kuroyedov, 34 Kutkutė, (Miss) Bronė, 50, 52
Labukas-Matulaitis, Bishop Juozas, 2 Lapinskas, Remigijus, 60 Larionova, (Mrs.), 23 Laskutov, 7 Lauraitienė, (Mrs.) Marijona, 41 Laurinavičius, Father Bronius, 49 Lekai, Cardinal, 12 Lidienė, (Mrs.) Valerija, 61, 62 Linkevičius, J. 35 Linkevičius, Petras, 24 Lukoševičius, Father Alfonsas, 6, 9 Lukšienė, (Mrs.), 47 Lukšys, Antanas, 46 Lybikis, Edvardas, 30, 31
Margys, Jonas, 25 Martūnas, Juozas, 47 Matulevičius, Archbishop Jurgis, 64 Matulionis, Father Jonas Kastytis, 13, 17, 38-40 Matulionis, Bishop Teofilius 1, 2 Matuševič, Valentin, 6, 8 Mažeika, 56 Maželis, Bishop Petras, 2 Mažonavičius, Father Ludvikas, 14, 37 Meilius, Father Kazys, 11 Mickevičienė, (Mrs.), 24 Mickevičius, Bronius, 46 Mickevičius, Vladas, 47 Mieželis, 48 Mikalauskienė, (Mrs.), 47 Misiūnienė, (Mrs.) Janina, 58 Molodkin, Sergei Viktorovich, 48 Molytė, (Miss) Stasė, 19 Moreinas, 19 Muliuolis, Gediminas, 48
Narvydas, Arvydas, 62 Našlėnas, Father Petras, 13 Nausėda, 63 Navickaitė, (Miss) Genovaitė (Genė) 21-24 Navickaitė, (Miss) Lionginą, 23 Navickas, Father Zenonas, 17, 24 Neimantienė, (Mrs.) 41, 42, 43, 44 Nestiuk, Father Leonid, 11 Norkūnas, 18 Norkūnas, Father Juozas, 11 Novikovą, (Mrs.), 23 Nykšta, Father, 17
Orantas, Father Aloyzas, 11
Paliukas, Father Jonas, 56 Paltanavičius, Father Albinas, 11 Paltarokas, Bishop Kazimieras, 2 Paulaitis, Petras, 64 Pečeliūnas, Povilas, 27, 28, 64 Pečiulis, Albinas, 44 Pesliakas, Father Vytautas, 41, 42, 43, 44 Petkus, Viktoras, 4, 26, 64 Petraitis, Father Alfonsas, 11 Petravičius, Arvydas, 60 Petrošienė, (Mrs.) A., 51, 53, 56, 57 Petrulėnas, 48 Petruševičienė, (Mrs.), 62, 63 Pintverienė, (Mrs.) Marytė, 60 Plioraitis, Father Ignas, 44 Poška, Father Tadas, 9 Poteliūnaitė, (Miss) Aurelija, 60, 61 Poteliūnas, 60 Povilonis, Bishop Liudvikas, 2. 11, 14, 17, 37 Prajerienė, (Mrs.), 52 Prajerius, 55 Pudžemys, Father Adolfas, 9 Pūkaitė, (Miss) Lina, 62 Puzaras, Father Petras, 9 Puzonas, Father Rokas, 11
Radzevičienė, (Mrs.), 19, 21 Ramanauskas, Bishop Pranas, 1,2 Rapalius, Eugenija, 56 Razmantas, Father Juozapas, 40 Razminas, 7 Reinys, Archbishop Mečislovas, 1, 2 Remeikis, Jonas, 30 Rimkuvienė, (Mrs.) A., 20 Ročaitytė, (Miss) Naria 60 Rubavičienė, (Mrs.) Regina, 50, 51, 52, 53
Sadauskaitė, (Miss) Jolanta, 61 Sadūnaitė, Nijolė, 4, 16, 17, 23, 40 Sadūnas, Jonas, 40 Sakalauskienė, (Mrs.) Irena, 40 Sakharov, 15 Saprigonis, Father Raimundas, 11 Sasnauskas, Julius, 27, 28, 29, 64 Savickas, Father Leonas, 17 Senkus, Father Vincentas, 9 Šeškevičius, Father Antanas, 9, 17 Simanas, P., 40 Šimanauskas, 52 Šimanskas, 52 Šimanskienė, (Mrs.), 60 Šimkus, 56 Sireika, 23 Širvys, 25 Skiparis, Father Vytautas, 61 Skiparytė, (Miss) Birutė, 50 Skuodis, Vytautas, 26, 27, 64 Sladkevičius, Bishop Vincentas, 2, 15, 36 Slepkov, Artur, 62, 63 Šniauskaitė, (Miss) Gražina, (Šniukaitė), 50, 52 Sniaukas, Alfredas (Sniukas), 50, 55 Sprindys, R. 24, 25 Stalin, 2, 43, 48 Stanelytė, (Miss) Gemma Jadvyga, 23 Statkevičius, Algis, 64 Steponavičius, Bishop Julijonas, 2, 36 Stonkus, 55 Subačiūtė, Marytė, 25, 26 Sudžiuvienė, (Mrs.) Aldona, 50, 52, 55, 57 Svarinskas, Father Alfonsas, 29, 32,
Tamašauskienė, (Mrs.), 19 Tamkevičius, Father Sigitas, 38, 39 Tamonis, Mindaugas, 49 Terleckas, Antanas, 64 Tervydytė, (Miss) Gita, 61 Tičkus, Edvardas, 61 Tilvikaitė, (Miss), 52 Tonaitytė, tMiss) Sonata, 50 Tunaitis, Father Jonas, 38
Urbonas, Juozas, 46 Urbšaitė, (Miss) Jolanta, 62 V, 7
Vabalas, A., 10 Vaicekauskaitė, (Miss), 55 Vaičiulionis, Father Lionginas, 17 Vaičiūnas, Vytautas, 16, 16, 64 Vaičius, Bishop Antanas, 2, 55 Valikonis, Vytautas, 59 Vanagas, 44 Vardys, 17 Vaselka, Father Z y gi na ta s, 11 Vasiliauskas, Sigitas, 47 Vėlavičius, Father Vincentas, 9 Velioniškis, Father Kostas, 50, 55 Vičys, 56 Vilutis, J., 48 Vilutis, Father Kęstutis, 11 Vyšniauskas, Boleslovas, 60 Vitkauskaitė, (Miss) Ona, 22 Volskis, Aloyzas, 13, 14, 15 Voveris, 24
Zalepūgaitė, (Miss) Alma, 50 Žąsytienė, (Mrs.) Aldona, 41 Zdebskis, Father Juozas, 16, 61 Žemaitis, Father Juozas, 17 Žemgulytė, (Miss) Audra, 50 Žerebeckis (Žarebeckis), 38 Žičkus, Vaižgantas, 62 Žilys, Father Kazimieras Mindaugas, 24 Žiukienė, (Mrs.) Sofija, 62
INDEX OF PLACES
Ablinga, 10 Adakavas, 40, 41 Aleksotas, 17 Alkakalnis, 7, 10 Alytus, 24 Anulėnai, 4, 5, 9
Berlin, 37 Birštonas, 62
Chicago, 59
Deltuva, 43 Didvyžiai, 12 Druskininkai, 48
Eigirdžiai, 4
Fatima, 4
Gadunava, 7 Garliava, 62 German Democratic Republic, 47 Germantas, 9 Girdžiai, 60
Jomantai, 4 Jonava, 41, 42 Juodkrantė, 35 Juodupėnai, 44 Jurbarkas, 60
Kabeliai, 46 Kaišiadorys, 1, 2, 36 Kapčiamiestis, 44 Kapsukas, 16, 23-24 Kaunas, 1, 2, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 24, 37, 62 Kėdainiai, 32, 33, 34 Kelmė, 40 Klaipėda,, 2, 9, 18, 34, 35 Klausučiai, 45, 46 Kungiai, 4 Kybartai, 12, 17, 38, 39
Lazdijai, 24, 44, 48, 60 Leipalingis, 24, 47, 48, 49 Lenin (Rayon), 48 Luokė, 6
Maiden Hill, 4-8, 10 Marcinkoniai, 46 Mažeikiai, 6 Moscow, 37, 41, 57
Nida, 35
Pabaiskas, 43 Pajevonis, 12 Pajūralis, 17 Palanga, 4, 9 Panoteriai, 41-44 Pasruoje, 6, 7, 8 Panevėžys, 2, 11, 21, 23, 24 Pirčiupys, 10 Plinkšių Lake, 10 Plungė, 6, 50, 55 Poland, 15 Prienai, 62 Pušinė, 9
Rainiai, 5, 9 Raseiniai, 29, 31, 32 Rokiškis, 25, 41, 61 Rome, 2, 15
Šakiai, 17 Samogitia, 8 Seda, 8, 10 Šeduva, 38 Šiauliai, 4, 9, 17 Siberia, 1, 2 Šilalė, 17, 59, 61 Šiluva, 16, 17 Skaudvilė, 59 Strėvė River, 10
Tauragė, 40, 41, 59 Telšiai, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 18, 19, 20, 36, 55 Tirkšliai, 6 Tūbinė, 61 Tverai, 50, 51, 55, 56, 57 Tytuvėnai, 16 Valkininkai, 38
Varėna, 46 Varniai, 4, 9 Varsėdžiai, 59, 60 Veisiejai, 60 Vembutai, 5 Vepriai, 43 Viduklė, 17, 29, 30, 31, 32 Vilkaviškis, 1, 2, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 38, 44, 45, 46 Vilnius, 1, 25, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 47, 48, 49, 57, 59
Žalioji, 44-46 Žalpiai, 40 Zarasai, 23 Žarėnai, 18, 20 Žemaičių Kalvarija, 4, 5, 6, 7 Žiegždriai, 63
Places mentioned in the Chronicle of the Catholic Church in Lithuania No. 53
