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THE CHRONICLE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LITHUANIA, No. 74 
In this issue:
3.The Jubilee and Uninvited Helpers
Lithuania July 12,1987
CHRONICLE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LITHUANIA No. 74
A Translation of the Complete Lithuanian Original LIETUVOS KATALIKŲ BAŽNYČIOS KRONIKA Nr. 74 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 351 Highland Blvd. Brooklyn NY 11207
© Lithuanian Catholic Religious Aid, 1988 ISSN 0197-0348
Publication of this issue of the Chronicle of the Catholic Church in Lithuania was made possible by the generous gift of the
Lithuanian Roman Catholic Priests' League of America
COVER: The bishops of Lithuania in Vilnius for the celebration of the 600th anniversary of the Baptism of Lithuania in June, 1987. From second left: Bishops Vladas Michelevičius, Juozas Preikšas, Vincentas Sladkevičius, Archbishop Liudas Povilonis, Bishops Antanas Vaičius and Romualdas Krikščiūnas. (Page 8)
Printed at Franciscan Press, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A.
CHRONICLE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LITHUANIA No. 74
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, 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. 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 Liudas 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 Prela-ture 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
Aleksandravičius, Father A. 20 Alminas, Father A. 19 Andriuškevičius, Father B. 17 Anilionis, Petras 8,10,11,12,13,14, 25, 26,43,44,45,48 Anužis, Father S. 19 Arnašius, Father A. 19 Aškelovičius, Father J. 17 Atkočiūnas, Father Edmundas 11,19, 46 Avelis, Antanas 25
Babonas, Father J. 18 Bacevičius, Father B. 19 Bagdonas 52 Bakučionis, Jurgis 31, 32, 33, 36, 37 Balionas, Father F. 18 Balkevičius, Vladas 37 Balsys, A. 10 Baltinas 32, 36 Baranauskas 9 Baranauskas, Bishop Antanas 6 Baranauskas, Father J. 20 Bartulis, Father E. 18 Belickas, Father A. 17 Beniušis, Father A. 19 Bernardin, Cardinal Joseph 2, 3 Bieliauskienė, Jadvyga 11,24,46 Bilius, Father VI. 20 Blažienė, Mrs. 25 Blazevich 52 Blazukas, Romas 35 Blazukienė, Janina 35 Bobinas, Father V. 20 Borisevičius, Bishop Vincentas i Boruta, Father Jonas 11,17 Bovin 41 Bradūnas, K. 5 Bretkūnas 9 Brilienė, Ona 34 Brilius, Father K. 20 Brilius, Jurgis 34 Briliūtė, Birutė 34,35 Brogys, Father D. 20 Bruokas, Father V. 18 Bučelis, Father J. 19 Budrevičius, Father J. 17 Budrikis, Father B. 19 Buga, Father J. 20 Bulotas, Father A. 18 Bumbulis, Alfonsas 26 Burneikis, Father Bronius 44 Butkus, Father Viktoras 26
Čegelskas, Father B. 20 Čepas, Domininkas 26 Čeponis, Father A. 17 Černiauskas, Father V. 17 Česna, Father V. 20 Česnavičius 25 Cidzikas, Petras 24, 26
Daknevičius, Father K. 18 Dambrauskas, Father L. 19 Dambrauskas, Liudas 24 Deltuva, Father A. 20 Dilys, Father Antanas 47 Dirgėla, P. 7 Diskevičius, Father A. 20 Dovydaitis, Father G. 20 Dulksnys, Msgr. Kazimieras 8,12,16 Dumbliauskas, Father Petras 20,42
Gailius, Father K. 17 Gaižauskas, Father Pr. 18 Gajauskas, Balys 23,42,53 Gediminas 4,5 Genutis, Father A. 19 Giedraitis, Blessed Mykolas 9 Glemp, Cardinal Jozef 2 Gorbachev, Mikhail 2, 20, 23, 25, 26, 28, 32, 33,48 Gražulis, Father Antanas 20, 28 Gražulis, Father J. 20 Gražulis, Father Kazimieras 28,49 Gražulis, Petras 26 Griganavičius, Father V. 18 Grigas, Robertas 34, 35 Grinoveckis 6 Griškevičius, Petras 41 Groer, Archbishop 2 Grudzinskas, Father J. 20 Gumauskas, Father J. 20 Gutauskas, Msgr. Algirdas 8,16, 48
Hopner, Cardinal 2
Iešmantas, Gintautas 23, 24,40, 53 Ignotas, M. 50 Imbra, Father A. 18
Jackūnas, Father V. 20 Jadwiga 5 Jagminas, Father L. 18 Jakaitis, Father J. 20 Jakštas 9 Jakubauskas, Father A. 18 Jakutis, Father 1.17 Jalinskas, Father V. 20 Jankauskas, Father G. 18 Janulis, Anastazas 24 Janulis, Father Juozas 46 Jarušauskas, Father B. 20 Jaškūnas, Henrikas 10 Jogaila 5 Jokubauskas, Father Antanas 13 Jonauskas, Father B. 19 Juozėnas44 Jurevičius, Mečislovas 24 Juršėnas, Medardas 48 Juškevičius, Father K. 20
Kalinauskas, Father L. 18 Kauneckas, Father J. 19 Kavaliauskaitė, Ona 34,35 Kavolis 51,52 Kazakevičius 25,43 Kazalupskas, Juozas 25, 26 Keina, Father Algimantas 11,12,17 Kelmelienė, Dana 35 Kelmelis, Antanas 35 Kelpšas, Saulius 26 Kharchev, Konstantin 8,15, 25 Klebonis, Father V. 19 Koreiva 51 Krasinskis 6 Krikščiūnas, Bishop Romualdas ii, 8 Krygin 25 Kudirka, Father. 20 Kunevičius, Father L. 20 Kusas, Father J. 19 Kuvinev, B.M. 25
Labukas-Matulaitis, Bishop Juozas ii Lapienis, Vladas 24 Lauriūnas, Father J. 17 Lideikis, Father A. 19 Liesus, Father A. 20 Liniauskas 31, 36 Linkevičius, Father P. 19 Lintauskas 31 Liubšys, Father Antanas 34 Ložienė, Mrs. 48
Maironis 9 Maksvytis, Father J. 20 Malinauskas, Father J. 20 Marcinkevičius, Justinas 7 Marčiulionis, Father J. 20 Markevičius, Father S. 17 Matulaitis, Blessed Jurgis 3, 9,40,43, 44,45 Matulaitis, Father P. 18 Matulevich, Georg 45 Matulionis, Bishop Teofilius i, ii Matulionis, Father Jonas-Kąstytis 12, 22, 24, 39,45,47,49,53 Maželis, Bishop Petras ii Mažvydas 9 Menkevičiūtė, Salomėja 26 Merkys, Eitvydas 48 Michelevičius, Bishop Vladas 8 Mieldažys, Father A. 20 Mieldažys, Father J. 20 Mikalajūnas, Father St. 20 Mikutėnaitė,D.51 Mikutevičius, Father Ričardas 42 Miloscz, Czeslov 7 Mindaugas 5 Miroslavas 48 Misiūnas, J. 51 Miškinis, Father J. 19 Mockienė, Birutė 25 Montvila, Father K. 20 Moroviov 6
Našlėnas, Father Petras 11,46 Naumovičius, Father J. 17 Nezamy 7 Nicholas 15 Novikov, A.A. 29, 37,41
Orlickas, Father P. 20 Ovtsarov, J.E. 41
Pakamanis, Father A. 19 Pakuckas, Jonas 24 Paliukas, Father J. 19 Palšis, Father Petras 48 Paltanavičius, Father B. 20 Paltarokas, Bishop Kazimieras i Palukaitis, Father J. 20 Pangonis, Father A. 20 Paulaitis, Petras 44 Paulioninis, Father E. 17 Pečeliūnas, Povilas 23,24,53 Peslikas, Father V.K. 18 Petkus, Viktoras 23,40,53 Petrauskas Father J. 19 Petrikas, Father Jeronimas 28 Petronis, Father A. 17 Pilka, Father St. 18 Plioraitis, Father 1.20 Plumpa, Petras 24 Poderis, Father J. 20 Pope John Paul II15,18 Poška 9 Poškus, Father T. 19 Povilonis, Archbishop Liudas 16, 28 Povilonis, Bishop Liudas ii, 8 Prajara, Father Vytautas 27,28 Preikšas, Bishop Juozas 8,16 Pūkas, Father V. 17 Purlys, Father P. 17 Pušinaitis, Father G. 20 Puzonas, Father Rokas 44
R.G.34 Račiūnas, Father Pr. 20 Račkauskas, Father A. 20 Raila 34 Raižytė, Aldona 26 Ramanauskas, Bishop Pranas i, ii Ramanauskas, Father V. 18 Ratushinskaya, Irina 38 Razmantas, Father J. 18 Razukas, Father B. 20 Reagan, Ronald 2 Reinys 29,30,32,33,34,35,36,37 Reinys, Archbishop Mečislovas i, 6 Rekašius, Arūnas 26 Rinkevičius, Vitas 26 Roetzinger, G. 4 Ropas 6 Rubliauskas 49 Rudaitis, Ąžuolas 51,52 Rudaitis, Dr. Izidorius 50,51,52 Rudzinskas, Father V. 20 Rugeinis51 Rūkas, A. 4 Rumšas, Father Robertas 28 Rusinąs, Father J. 20 Rusteika 50,51,52
Sadauskas, Father A. 20 Sadauskas, Father V. 19 Sadūnaitė, Nijolė 24,29,33,36,37 (Sadūnas), Jonas 29 Saint Casimir9,13,43,53 Saint Peter 2 Sakavičius, Gintas 26 Sakharov, Andrei 21 Šalčius, Father J. 20 Samuolis, Father S. 20 Sarakauskaitė, Ona 34,35 Sasnauskas, Julius 24 Savickas, Father M. 17 Semaška, Father L. 18 Šeškevičius, Father A. 19 Šiaurys, Father J. 19 Simonaitis, Father A. 17 Simutis, Liudas 24 Simutis, Liudvikas 35,36 Sirvydas 9 Sitka, Father P. 20 Siugzdinytė, Miss 34 Skučas, Father Kazimieras 52 Skuodis, Vytautas 24 Slėnys, Father J. 17 Sladkevičius, Bishop Vincentas ii, 8,13, 16 Šlevas, Father V. 19 Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr 23,34 Sruoga, Balys 6 Stakėnas, Father V. 20 Stalin ii Stanelis, Povilas 47,48 Stanelytė, Gemma 24 Stankaitis, J. 10 Steponavičius, Bishop Julijonas ii, 6,8, 9,11,12,14,16, 20, 21,47,48, 49 Stepučinskas 35, 37 Stuina 10 Šuliauskaitė, Elena 37,38 Svarinskas, Father Alfonsas 11,12,13, 22, 23, 34, 36, 37,45,47,49,53 Sventickas, Father J. 20
Tamašauskas, Father J. 19 Tamkevičius, Father Sigitas 12,13, 20, 22, 23, 34, 37, 38,45,47,49,53 Tekorius 46 Terleckas, Antanas 24 Truskauskaitė, Laimutė 26 Tunaitis, Father S. 17
Urbelytė, Miss B. 44 Urbonas, Father V. 20 Užkuraitis, Father V. 20 Užupis, Father Juozas 20,52,53
Vėlavičius, Father V. 19 Vaičekauskas, Father J. 18 Vaičekonis, Father Pranciškus 14 Vaičiūnas, Vytautas 24 Vaičius, Bishop Antanas ii, 2, 3,13, 16 Vaigauskas, Henrikas 32, 33, 36, 37 Vaitauskas, Father V. 20 Vaitonis, Father J. 17 Valačius 9 Valainas, Father T. 20 Valančius, Bishop Motiejus 6 Valiukonis, Father Donatas 12,17,46 Vanagas 41 Varkala, Father J. 20 Vazgilevičiūtė, Bronė 37 Vidzenas 35,37 Vilimas 51,52 Vitkus, Father A. 20 Vladimir 6 Vyžgantas 9
Žemaitis, Father J. 20 Žilys, Father F. 19 Žukas, Father K. 19 Žukauskas, Father R. 20 Žvirzdinas, Father V. 19 Zdebskis, Father Juozas 34, 35, 37 Zemenas, Father K. 17 Zubavičius 12 Zulonas, Father Antanas 46 Zurba, A. 7 Zvieravičius 6
INDEX OF PLACES
Alksnėnai 22 Alksninė 22 Alytus 29,43,49,50 Alytus II 28 Armenia 31 Austria 2
Babtai 42 Bagotoji 22 Barashev 38 Bartinikai 34 Bartininkai 22 Brazil 2 Būdvietis 28 Butrimonys 22
Caucasus 31 Chabarovsk 42 Chicago 2 Chita 24,39,40 Chosta 31 Chumikan 42
Druskininkai 22 Dubičiai 22
Eišiškės 22 England 2
Federal Republic of Germany 2 France 40
Gadunavą 45 Gadunavas 22 Gižai 22 Gorky 21 Gražiškiai 22
Helsinki 23 Hill of Crosses 10,11
Igliauka 22 Ireland 2 Išlaužą 28
Kabeliai 22 Kaišiadorys ii, 13, 46 Kalesninkai 22 Kalvarija 22 Kapsukas 22,49 Kaunas i, ii, 6,11,12,14,17, 25,26, 27, 28,35,42,43,48,50,51,52 Keturvalakiai 22 Kharchev 14 Klaipėda ii, 18, 25,26,43,44,45 Kražiai 4 Kretinga 44 Krosna 28 Kuršėnai 46 Kybartai 22, 34, 35
Lankeliškės 22 Latvia 31 Lausoda 22 Lazdynai 31 Lieplaukė 22
Meteliai 28 Miroslavas 22,49 Mogelev 6 Mordovia 23, 38,50 Mosėdis 22 Moscow 14
N. Vilnia 22 Nevarėnai 22
Obeliai 46
Paberžė 22, 31,46 Panevėžys i, ii, 8,12, 22 Perm 23 Pilviškiai 22 Plungė 22,46 Poland 2,5,44 Prienai 49,50,52,53
Ratnyčia 22 Rietavas 22 Riga 8 Rokiškis 46 Rome ii, 3,12,40 Rudamina 34, 35
Santaika 22 Sasnava 22 Šeštokai 28 Šiauliai 11,46 Siberia i, 6 Skuodas 22,48 Šventežeris 22 Switzerland 2
Tabariškiai 42 Telšiai i, ii, 3,13,18, 22,44 Trans-baikal 40
Ūdrija 28 United States 2
Valkininkai 11,12,22 Varėna 22 Variai 6 Varlaukys 11 Varputėnai 46 Vatican 12,44,45 Veisiejai 22 Veiveriai 28,52 Vienna 2 Viešvėnai 22 Vilkaviškis i, ii, 19, 20, 22, 34, 35 Vilnius i, 2,5,6, 8,12,13,14,15,16,17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 29, 31, 34, 35, 36, 37,38,44,46,47,48 Virbalis 22 Vladimir i
Žagarė 15,16,20,21 Žarėnai-Latveliai22 Žemaitija 6 Žemoji Panemunė 28,29 Žiežmariai 46
Nijole Sadunaite
A RADIANCE IN THE GULAG
This is the heroic story of one woman's witness to the Catholic Faith in the face of an atheistic state. Harassed by the KGB, imprisoned, exiled to Siberia, released, and harassed again: Nijole Sadunaite continues to defend the Church in Lithuania. This is her own story, smuggled out in January 1987. Photos, 148pp (cloth $9.95; paper $5.95
Sale price: cloth $7.95; paper $4.75
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