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CHRONICLE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LITHUANIA, No. 68 
In this issue:
2. The Jubilee of Lithuania's Bapt ism Approaches
4. From the Trial of Vladas Lapienis:
A. Vladas Lapienis' Defense and Closing Statement
5. Thoughts Upon Reading the Articles by J. Kazlauskas and V. Balkevičius Entitled
"The Making of a Holier-Than-Thou" and "The Meaning of Jesuitical Truth"
9. Catholics In the Soviet Republics
10.New Underground Publications
Lithuania October 16, 1985
CHRONICLE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LITHUANIA No.68
A Translation of the Complete Lithuanian original LIETUVOS KATALIKŲ BAŽNYČIOS KRONIKA Nr. 68 Documenting the Struggle for Human Rights In Soviet-Occupied Lithuania Today
Translated by: Rev. Casimir Pugevičius Translation Editor: Marian Skabeikis
Published by Lithuanian Catholic Religious Aid, Inc. 351 Highland Blvd., Brooklyn, NY 11207
© Lithuanian Ctholic Religious Aid, 1987
ISSN 0197-0348
This issue of the Chronicle was made possible by the generous support of the Tinitarians. (See p.12)
Franciscan Fathers Press 341 Highland Blvd. Brooklyn, NY 11207
COVER:
The Tomb of St. Casimir, over the high altar of the Church of SS. Peter and Paul in Antkainis, Lithuania. The saint's remains were transferred here in 1953, when the Soviet authorities confiscated the original resting place, the Cathedral of Vilnius.
CHRONICLE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LITHUANIA No. 68
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 persuas i ons.
In the two archdioceses and four dioceses were: 708 churches, 314 chapels, 37 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. Cathol ic 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 Telšial 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 workd 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 Translator
INDEX OF PERSONS
(Gudaitis), Antanas 50, 51 (Lapienis), Antanas 17, 20 (Šeškevičius), Kazys 33 Marytė 35
Adomavičiūtė, Rūta 33 Adomonis, Father Petras 34 Aleksandravičienė, Mrs. 35 Alekserūnas, L. 38 Ambrasai tė, Miss 51 Ananev, N. 33 Aničas, J. 12 Anilionis, Petras 2, 30, 31, 38 Armanavičius, Mykolas 46 Astrauskas, Kęstutis 43, 44
Bakučionis, Jurgis 16 Balčiūnas, Father Juozas 31 Baliūnas, Father Feliksas 32 Balkevičius, V. 1, 3, 20, 21. 22, 23, 24. 25 Balsys, Father Kostas 31 Baltuška, Father Petras 40 Baranauskas, Bishop Antanas 10 Baronas 31 Baškys, Stanislovas 41 Bernotienė, Mrs. 32 Bieliauskienė, Jadvyga 54 Blaževičiūtė, Miss 51 Bobinas, Father Vladas 38, 39 Bobliauskaitė, Rita 41 Borisevičius, Bishop Vincentas i Brusokienė, Mrs. S. 17 Bubnaitienė, Kazimiera 42 Buiika, Father Bronius 5 Butkevičius 33 Butkus, Father Vytautas 29
Česnavičius 21
Daknevičius, Father Kęstutis 41 Dambrauskas, Liudas 21, 54 Danyla, Father Jonas 3, 21 Darkevičienė, Jūratė 33 Daumantai 18 Degutytė, Janina 23 Deksnys, B. 2 Diržius, Vidmantas 43, 44 Dort, Raiša 18 Dranginytė, Ona 13, 18, 19 Dudko, Father D. 14. 18 Duobida 35
Gajauskas, Balys 49 Galeckienė, Vanda 32 Gediminas 9 Ghandhi 16 Giedraitis, Bishop Merkei is 10 Giedraitis, Blessed Mykolas 10, 37 Gimbutas, Justas 47 Girnius, J. 17, 18 Gorbachev, MikhaiI 51 Grabažienė 32 Gražulis, Petras 43 Grigalavičienė, Mrs. A. 17, 20 Gudaitis, Algimantas 43 Gudaitytė, Marytė 49, 50, 51 Gudalevičius, A. 17, 20 Gudynas, Adomas 42 Gustaitis, Msgr. Andriejus 35
Hitler 47
Iešmantas, Gintautas 54 Ivinskis, Z. 9
Jacikas 48 Janulis, Father Juozas 30 Jocas 49, 50 Jogaila 9 Jokūbaitis 43, 44 Jokubauskas, Father Antanas 41 Jozėnas 37, 38 Jozėnas, Father Povilas 40
Kačergis, Vyt is 43, 44 Kairaitytė, Miss 51 Kalinauskas, Father Leonas 37, 40 Kalvaitis, Alfonsas 42 Kazlauskas, J. 1, 20, 21, 22 Kazlauskas, Msgr. Vytautas 4 Kerbedis 32 Kiriliauskas, J. 33 Klevenskas, S. 33 Klimas, P. 53 Klizas 48 Krikščiūnas, Bishop Romualdas ii
Labukas-Matulaitis, Bishop Juozas ii Lankei is 33 Lapienis, Vladas 1, 12, 13. 17. 18. 19. 20, 28, 54 Lapinskienė, Elena 42 Laukienė, Mrs. 39 Lingevičius, Saul i us 48 Lipniūnas, Father Alfonsas 10 Liutkauskaitė, Miss 51 Lukošaitis 41 Lukošaitis, Father Antanas 41, 42
Maironis 5, 10 Makštutis 38 Manusevičius, Algis 43 Maslinskaitė, Miss 51 Matulaitis, Archbishop Jurgis 5, 10 Matulionis, Bishop Teofilius i, ii Matulionis, Father Jonas-Kąstyti s 2, 27, 28, 30, 41, 45, 53 Mažeika, Father Stanislovas 52, 53 Maželis, Bishop Petras i i Mažylis, P. 49, 50, 51 Mindaugas 8, 9 Morauskas, J. 17 Mutaškienė, Ona 42
Naglytė, Miss 51 Narbutas 32
Pabrėža, Father Ambroziejus 10 Pakamanis, Father Algirdas 41 Paltarokas, Bishop Kazimieras ii Patackas, Antanas 53 Pečeliūnas, Povilas 54 Pečiūlienė, Mrs. 49 Pečiulonis, M. 53 Pečkauskai tė, Mar i ja 10 Petkus, Viktoras 21, 22. 53 Petravičius, Antanas 32 Pilelis, Vytautas 14 Piman 5 Pluisch, Leonid 18 Pope Innocent IV 8 Poškus, Father 31 Povilonis, Bishop Liudvikas i i Pranevičius, Father Jonas 40 Puodžiukas, J. 18, 19 Puodžiukas, J. 19 Puzonas, Father Rokas 5, 37, 38, 46
Račaitė-Paškauskienė, Angelė 53 Ramanauskas, Bishop Pranas i, ii Reinys, Archbishop Mečislovas i, 18, 19 Riepšas, J. 17, 20 Rimkus 16 Rimutis, J. 12 Rinkevičius, G. 38
Sadūnaitė, Nijolė 23 Saint Adalbert 7 Saint Boniface 7 Saint Casimir 6, 10, 11, 12 Saja 21 Šakalienė, Genovaitė 47 Šalkauskis. Stasys 10 Šapoka, Father Leonas 37 Sasnauskaitė, Eleanora 47 Sasnauskas, Julius 54 Šatkauskas 33 Šaulys, Vytautas 47 Seibutis 35 Senavaitytė, Miss 51 Seporaitienė, D. 33 Šeškevičius, Father Antanas 33 Simaška, Father Vladas 32 Sirunas, Father Kazimieras 34 Škerienė, Mrs. 33 Skuodis, Docent Vytautas 53 Skuodis, Vytautas 21 Sladkevičius, Bishop Vincentas i i, 38 Slėnys, Father Jordanas 33 Slipyj, Cardinal Josyf 26 Smaidžiūnas, Vytas 39, 40 Šnapštys-Margalis, Father J. 40 Stakėnas, Father Vaclovas 35, 36, 37 Stalin ii, 13, 34. 38 Stalis. A. 33 Stanelytė, Jadvyga-Gemma 35 Stankienė, Mrs. 33 Steponavičius, Bishop Julijonas ii Stonys, J. 52 Stulginskis, S. 53 Svarinskas, Father Alfonsas 4, 13. 21. 25, 26. 31. 37. 38. 41, 45, 49, 50, 51, 53 Svidnicky, Father Josef 52 Tamašauskienė, Mrs. 49, 50, 51
Tamkevičius, Father Sigitas 4, 13, 21, 26, 31, 38, 41, 45, 49, 50, 51, 53 Tamulėnas. J. 38 Tamulionis, Father Stasys 34 Tamulynas 39 Teresiūtė, Regina 41, 47 Terleckas, Antanas 14, 21, 22, 54 Tvirbutas, D. 37
Urbonas 16 Urbonas, Juozas 41, 42
Vaičius, Bishop Antanas i i, 52 Vaitauskas, Father Vytautas 41 Valančius, Bishop Motiejus 4, 10 Velickaitė, Miss 51 Vytautas 9 Vytenis 9
Žagarietė, Barbora 10 Žemaitis, Msgr. Juozas 34 Žemaitis, Romas 30, 53, 54 Zdebskis, Father Juozas 37
INDEX OF PLACES
Aginskij 28 Aleksnėnai 42 Alizava 34 Alytus 25. 30. 35. 37. 38, 39. 47 Amur 25 Antakalnis 12
Baikal 25 Belgrade 14, 18. 19
Chelyabinsk 28 Chita 2, 28 Czechoslovakia 5
Daugailiai 40 Daugirdai 35 Daugpilis 17 Didvydžiai 41 Dushamb 52
Elektrėnai 25
Fatima 52 France 47
Gargždai 33, 48 Garliava 34, 35 Gelgaudiškis 45 Germany 47 Giedraičiai 37 Griškabudis 45
Helsinki 15 Hill of Crosses 40, 41 Hungary 5 Irkutsk 28
Jerusalem 30 Josvainiai 46
Kėdainiai 25, 46 Kaišiadorys i i, 38 Kalnaberžė 25 Kapsukas 42 Kaunas i, ii, 11. 13, 18, 19, 25, 29, 30, 34, 35, 39, 49, 50, 51 Kelmė 41, 47 Kiaukliai 37, 38, 46 Klaipėda ii, 33, 47, 48 Klausučiai 42 Kražiai 34 Kriokialaukis 35, 38 Kudirkos Naumiestis 45 Kužiai 34 Kybartai 2
Latvia 5, 17 Laugaliai 47 Leliūnai 34
Mažeikiai 25 Meškuičiai 40 Miežiškiai 31 Moscow 5, 52, 53
Naujoji Vilnia 31 Nazareth 12 Nemunas 47 Normandy 47 Novo-Orlovsk 28 Novosibirsk 52
Padubysis 32 Palestine 7 Panevėžys ii, 30, 31, 34 Plokščiai 51 Plungė 41 Poland 5, 8, 9 Prague 7 Prienai 30, 35, 49 Pskov 28
Riga 8 Rome ii, 8, 9
Šakiai 34, 43, 44, 45 Santaika 38, 39, 40 Sasnava 42, 43 Šeduva 32 Seirija 47 Šiauliai 34, 40, 41 Siberiai, 2, 27, 28 Šiliai 31 Šiluva 27, 32 Simnas 37 Širvintai 37 Skaudvilė 52 Skuodas 49 Smolensk 28 Sniečkus 25 Sudeikiai 40
Tauragė 52 Telšiai i, ii, 41, 52 Trans-Baikhal 2
Utena 40
Vadokliai 30 Varėna 33 Vatican 5. 29, 30, 34 Verpių Kalvarija 37 ViIkaviškis i, ii, 41 Vilnius i. 2, 4, 9, 12, 13. 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 27, 28, 31, 33, 42, 47 Vladimir i Voronezh 28
Žalioji 41, 42 Žalpiai 47 Žarėnai 41 Žemaičių Kalvarija 41 Zhitomir 52
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