Appearing since 1972
Read this and pass it on!
This issue is dedicated to Father Alfonsas Svarinskas, a member of the Catholic Committee for the Defense of Believers' Rights, who spent 21.5 years in Soviet camps for God and Country, and last September 22, had to leave his homeland against his wishes.
CHRONICLE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LITHUANIA, NO. 79 
In this issue:
1. Cardinal Vincentas Sladkevičius' Remarks at the Priests' Symposium
2. We Thank Him for His Sacrifice!
3. Father Alfonsas Svarinskas Bids Farewell
4. There Is No Freedom Without Freedom of Conscience (An Appeal to the Restructuring Movement)
Lithuania September 8,1988
CHRONICLE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LITHUANIA No. 79
A Translation of the Complete Lithuanian Original LIETUVOS KATALIKŲ BAŽNYČIOS KRONIKA Nr. 79 Documenting the Struggle for Human Rights In Soviet-Occupied Lithuania Today
Translated by: Vita Matusaitis
Rev. Casimir Pugevičius Translation Editor: Marian Skabeikis
Published by Lithuanian Catholic Religious Aid 351 Highland Blvd. Brooklyn NY 11207
© Lithuanian Catholic Religious Aid, 1989 ISSN 0197-0348
Publication of this issue of the Chronicle of the Catholic Church in Lithuania was made possible, in part, by the generous gift of
The Lithuanian Catholic Alliance
COVER: The bishops of Lithuania concelebrating Mass.
Printed at Franciscan Press, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A.
CHRONICLE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LITHUANIA No. 79
Introduction
In 1940, when, as part of its spoils from the infamous Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, the Soviet Union occupied Lithuania by force, 85.5% of the country's 2.5 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 voted" to join the 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 property was 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 continue under severe restrictions. 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. One fifth of the population was in prison, in Siberia, or dead.
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. 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 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, succeeding him after his death in 1979.
In 1982, Bishop Sladkevičius was permitted resume duties as Apostolic Administrator of Kaišiadorys. Father Antanas Vaičius was named bishop and Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Telšiai and the Prelature of Klaipėda.
Juozas Preikšas was consecrated bishop in 1984 and named Auxiliary to Archbishop Povilonis, whom he succeeded as Apostolic Administrator of Kaunas upon the latter's retirement in 1988. Bishop Vladas Michelevičius, consecrated in 1986, becaxme as Auxiliary Apostolic Administrator. In 1983, Bishop Krikščiūnas resigned as Apostolic Administrator of Panevėžys, replaced by Msgr. Kazimieras Dulksnys as Vicar Capitular. In 1988, Bishop Sladkevičius was named a Cardinal and President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Lithuania.
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.
Between the appearance of Chronicle No. 79 in Lithuania, Sept.8, 1988, and the publication of this translation, Glasnost and Perestroika have dated some of the references in this issue. In a rapprochement between the Vatican and the Kremlin, five of the six dioceses have resident Bishop Ordinaries, headed by Cardinal Sladkevičius as Bishop Ordinary of Kaunas, and Julijonas Steponavičius the Bishop Ordinary of Vilnius. The Cathedral of Vilnius, the church in Klaipėda, and St. Casimir Church in Vilnius, confiscated for decades, have been returned to the faithful, to mention but a few examples. All Lithuanian prisoners of conscience have been released.
Rev. Casimir Pugevičius
INDEX OF PERSONS
..., Gintas 34
Abraitis, Kostas 30 Adomonis, Father Petras 23 Aliulis, Father Vaclovas 21 Andriuškevičius, Father Antanas 20 Anilionis, Petras 48 Antanaitis, Father Bronius 23 Antanavičius, Father Juozapas 23 Arlauskas, Father Klemensas 41 Arnašius, Father A. 25 Aškelovičius, Father Josifas 20
Babonas, Father 8 Babrauskas, Father Boleslovas 23 Bagdonas, Father Jonas 23 Bagdonas, Father Juozas 23 Bagužas, Father B. 25 Bakučionis, Jurgis 37 Balaiša, Father Bronius 23 Balaišis, Father Antanas 23 Balašauskas, Father Vytautas 23 Balčiūnas, Father Jonas 23 Balčiūnas, Father Juozas 23 Balickaitis, Father Jurgis 23 Balsys, Father Kostas 23 Baltrušaitienė, Marija 30 Baltrušaitis, Benius 30 Baltrušaitis, Rimantas 30 Baltuška, Father Petras 23 Baniulis, Father Petras 23 Baronas, Father Kazimieras 23 Barškietis 35 Belickas, Father Aušvydas 21 Bernatovočius, Father Henrikas 23 Bilickas, Alfonsas 30 Bindokas, Juozas 30 Borisevičius, Bishop Vincentas i Boruta, Father Jonas 20,25 Braukyla, Father Valdas 23 Brazdžionis, Bernardas 9,15 Breivė, Father Adolfas 23 Brezhnev 26,16 Briliūte, Birute 30 Bruožienė, Teresė 30 Bubnys, Father Prosperas 46 Bučelis, Father Jonas 20,25 Budriūnas, Father Petras 23 Budvius, Father A. 25 Bulotas, Father Alfonsas 20 Bulzgis 44 Burneikis, Father Bronislovas 25,42
Čeponis, Father Aldas Antanas 20 Čeponis, Father Medardas 21,43 Černiauskas, Father Vladas 21 Čišauskas, Father Feliksas 23 Čiučkis, Father Povilas 23
Dailidavičienė, Ona 30 Dambrauskas, Father L. 25 Danielius, Vincas 44 Dauknys, Father Algirdas 23 Dobilas 37 Dobiliauskienė, Elena 30 Dobliauskienė, Gintas 30 Dulksnys, Msgr. Kazimieras ii Dumbliauskas, Father Petras 45,46 Duriagina, Tatiana 28
Filipavičius, Father Saulius 23
Gajauskas, Balys 8,19,49 Galvydis, Father Steponas 23 Garška, Father Juozas 23 Gauronskis, Father Vincentas 20,25 Gedvilą, Father J. 25 Genutis, Father A. 25 Giedraitis, Father Juozas 23 Girnius, Father Kazimieras 23 Gobis, Father Antanas 23 Gorbachev, Mikhail 19,21 Gražulis, Father Kazimieras 44 Gražulis, Petras 19,32,34,49 Gražys, Father Alfonsas 23 Grigalevičienė, Ona 30 Grigas, Father Robertas 7 Grinevičiūtė, N. 45,46 Griškaitienė, Ona 30 Griškaitis, Romas 30 Gruodis 34 Gružauskas, Father Antanas 23 Gudaitis, R. 26 Gutauskas, Father Klemensas 23 Gvozdovich, Father 48,49 Gylys, Father A. 25 Homer 10
Iešmantas, Gintautas 37,49 Ignatov, A. 28 Ikamas, Father Gaudentas 23 Inkratas, Father Vincentas 23 Ivanovskis, Father Tadas 23
Jadviršis, Father K 25 Jakutis, Father Ignas 20 Jalinskas, Father V. 38,39 Jančys, Father Alfonsas 23 Jankevičius, Father Povilas 23 Janulis, Father Juozas 23,47 Jasaitienė, Ona 30 Jasiūnas, Father Vytautas 23 Jatulis, Father Jonas 23 Jelskis, K. 24 Jonauskas, Father Boleslovas 20,25 Jozenas, Father Povilas 23 Jukšas, Father Juozas 23 Jukšas, Father Leonas 23 Juodeika, Juozas 42 Juras, Evaldas 30 Jurevičius, Danielius 47 Jurevičius, Mečislovas 44 Jurgaitis, Father Jonas 23 Juška, Father Antanas 23 Jusys,FatherV.25
Kadžius, Father Alfonsas 23 Kairys, Father Antanas 24 Kalinauskas, Father Leonas 20 Kapočius, Father Vytautas 24 Karaliūtė, Aušra 30 Kauneckas, Father Jonas 20,40 Kavaliauskaitė, Ona 30 Kazėnas, Father Stasys 24 Keina, Father Algimantas 7,20,39 Kharchev, Konstantin 17 Kicla, Father Petras 24 Kietis, Father Antanas 24 Kisielius, Father Anicetas 24 Klezys, Father Povilas 24 Kojelavičius 37 Kremenskas, Father Vladas 24 Krikščiūnas, Bishop Romualdas ii, 38 Krumpliauskas, Father Stanislovas 24 Ksavelis 42 Kudirka, Vincas 37 Kudreshev, Julius 42 Kukta, Father Jonas 20 Kuzmickas, Father Petras 24
Labakojis, Father Jonas 24 Labukas-Matulaitis, Bishop Juozas ii Langaitienė, Ona 30 Latakas, Father B. 25 Lenin 25 Leščinskas, Father Leonas 43 Linda, Father Leonas 24 Liubonas, Father Petras 24 Lukošius, Steponas 42
Mačiulaitienė, Anastazija 30 Mačiulaitis, Kęstutis 30 Mačiulaitytė, Lina 30 Maironis 37 Makačkinas, Alfonsas 43 Mališkaitė, Bernadeta 30 Mališkienė, Matilda 30 Markevičius, Father Stasys 21 Masys Father Vytautas 23 Masys, Father Aleksandras 23 Matekaitis, Father V. 25 Matulaitis, Blessed Jurgis 2,12,38,42,44, 48,49 Matulionis, Bishop Teofilius i, ii Matulionis, Father Jonas-Kąstytis 7,20 Maželis, Bishop Petras ii Meilius, Father Petras 20 Menčinskienė, Eugenija 30 Michelevičius, Bishop Vladas ii Mikelinskas, J. 37 Miklovas,FatherJ.25 Mikutavičius, Father V. 25 Miškinis, Father Algirdas 23 Miškinis, Father Povilas 23 Mitrikas, Father Antanas 23 Mockuvienė, Stasė 27 Mozūras, Father Kazimieras 23
Nagulevičius, Father Jonas 23 Navickas, Father Zenonas 39 Neniškis, Father Lionginas 23 Nesterov33,34 Norkienė, Stanislava 30 Norkus, Vytas 30 Nykštas, Father Petras 23
Pačinskas, Father J. 25 Pakalniškis, Father J. 25 Pakamanis, Father Algirdas 20 Palšis, Father P. 25 Paltanavičius, Father Albinas 23 Paltarokas, Bishop Kazimieras i Paulauskas, Father J. 25 Paulionis, Father Edmundas 20 Pažinskas, Father Juozapas 20 Pečiūra, P. 43 Petkūnas, Father Algimantas 23 Petkus, Viktoras 8,19,49 Petrauskis, Father J. 25 Petravičius, Father Mykolas 20 Petronis, Father Alfonsas 20 Pietaras, V. 37 Pilkauskas, Zenonas 43 Pilvelis, Algirdas 35 Pipiras, Father Albinas 23 Plateliai 25 Poška, Father T. 25 Povilonis, Archbishop Liudas ii Pranckaitis, Father A. 25 Pranevičius, Father Jonas 23 Preikšas, Bishop Juozas ii, 38,40 Pudžemys, Father A. 25 Pukėnas, Father Kazimieras 21 Pūkas, Father Vytautas 21 Pukenis, Father Robertas 23 Puliukis, Bronius 47 Puluikis, Bronius 47 Purlys, Father Petras 20 Putramentas, Father A. 25 Puzaras, Father Petras 20,25
Rabašauskas, Father Vladas 23 Ragauskaitė, Vanda 44 Ramanauskas, Bishop Pranas i, ii Rameikis, Father Antanas 23 Razmantas, Father Juozapas 7,20,25 Reagan, Ronald 15 Reinys, Archbishop Mečislovas i Ričkus,FatherA.25 Rigys,T.24 Rimkus, Father K. 25 Rimša, Father Jonas 23 Rinkevičius, Father Edmundas 23 Rokiškis 47 Rudis, Father Vytautas 20
Sabaliauskas 44 Sabaliauskas, Father Pranas 23 Sablinskas, Vytautas 47 Sabučius, Liudvikas 25 Saint Augustine 13 Saint Casimir 4 Saint Monica 13 Saint Paul 11 Šalčiūnas, Father Ignas 23 Samuolienė, Salomėja 30 Samuolis, Jeronimas 30 Saprigonas, Father Raimundas 23 Šarakauskaitė, Ona 30 Šarkauskas, Father Liudas 20 Savickas, Father Leonas 20 Savickas, Father Marijonas 20 Šepetys, L. 24,37 Šeškevičius, Father Antanas 25,46 Šiauliai 20 Simonaitis, Father Antanas 20 Simonaitis, Father Aurelijus 23 Simsonas, Father Bronius 23 Šioraitienė, Teresė 30 Šiurys,FatherJ.25 Skardinskas, Father Leonardas 23 Skirmantas, Father D. 25 Sladkevičius, Cardinal Vincentas ii, 1,2,4, 38,42,43 Šlapelis, Father Bronius 23 Šlenys, Father Jordanas 21 Šlevas,FatherV.25 Šliauteris, Father Povilas 23 Slurys, Father Juozapas 20 Sobkovskis, Father N. 25 Sruoga, Balys 35 Staleronka, Father Eugenijus 23,47 Stalin i, 26, 29,16,19 Stamkunas, Father Stasys 24 Stankevičius, Father Vincentas 23 Steponavičius, Bishop Julijonas ii, 3,19,38, 39,40,44,46,48,49 Stepšys, Father Sigitas 23 Stimpfle, Bishop J. 7 Stonys, Father Mykolas 23 Strazdas, Father Bronius 23 Strielčiūnas, Father Alfonsas 23 Striukis, Father A. 25 Stulgys, Kęstutis 44 Šukys, Father Gediminas 23 Šukys, Father J. 25 Šulcas, Father M. 25 Šumskis, Father Juozas 23 Svarinskas, Father Alfonsas 1,6,8,9,13,19, 25,26,27,29,39,46 Svirskis, Father Povilas 23
Talačka, Father Albertas 23 Talaišis, Father B. 25 Talbott, Matt 40 Tamašauskas, Father J. 25 Tamkevičius, Father Sigitas 19,25,26,27, 28,29,30,32,39,46,49 Tamošauskas, Father Leonardas 23 Tamulionis, Father Pranas 23 Tamulionis, Father Stasys 23 Taraškevičius, Father Česlovas 20 Tarulis, Father Petras 23 Tarvydas, Father Petras 20 Tijušas, Father Petras 23 Tunaitis, Father Juozapas 21,43 Tunaitis, Father Steponas 20 Tvarijonas, Father Vytautas 23
Ulickas, Father Albertas 20 Urbonas, Father Benediktas 24 Uždavinys, Father Sigitas 24 Užkenis, Audrius 28
Vėlavičius, Father Vincentas 20 Vaičius, Bishop Antanas ii, 38,40,48 Vaitonis, Father Jonas 20 Valančiūnas, Father Antanas 24 Valantinas, Father Antanas 24 Valiukonis, Father Donatas 20 Varnas, Father Juozas 24 Varžinskas, Father Povilas 24 Vasiliauskas, Father Kazimieras 21 Vaškevičius, Father Antanas 24 Veilentas, Father Virginijus 24 Vėlavičius, Father Vincentas 7,25 Veloniškis, Father K. 25 Verbylaitė, Dalia 30 Veselis, Father L. 25 Vivolskis 24
Žemaitis, Arvydas 30 Žemaitis, Edmundas 30 Žemaitis, Petras 30 Žemaitis, Romas 30 Žilinskas, Father Bronius 24 Žilys, Father Ferdinandas 20 Žukas, Father K. 25 Zdebskis, Father Juozas 27,46,49 Zembleckas, Arūnas 44 Zembleckas, Gintaras 44 Zubavičius, Father Stasys 24 Zulonas, Father Antanas 24
INDEX OF PLACES
Adutiškis 20 Akmenė 20,25 Alsėdžiai 25 Augsburg 7
Batakai 19 Breslau 49 Butrimonys 21 Byelorussia 48
Cana2 Ceikoniai 20 Chusavov 9
Darbėnai 25 Daugėliškis 20,21 Druskininkai 20 Dubičiai 20 Dubingiai 26,29 Dūkštas 20
Eigirdžiai 25 Eišiškės 20 England 32 Eržvilkas 20
Galilee 2 Gargždai 25,48 Gaurė 19 Geniai 48 Germany 32 Gervėčiai 48,49
Helsinki 20 Hungary 22
Igliauka 7 Ignalina 20,21
Josvainiai 42 Jurbarkas 20 Justiniškiai 44
Kėdainiai 42 Kabeliai 20 Kaišiadorys ii, 39 Kalesninkai 20 Kaltinėnai 19 Kapsukas 42,46 Kaunas ii, 4,21,38,45 Kavarskas 8 Kelmė 20 Kiaunoriai 19 Klaipėda ii, 19,24,25, 26, 39,42,46,48 Kretinga 20,25,48 Krivoshayn 30 Kuršėnai 25 Kybartai 7,13,26,30
Lapiai 48 Laukuva 25 Laukžemė 25 Lazdijai 38 Liubavas 46 Lukiškiai 33,36
Marcinkonys 21 Marijampolė 2,7,42,43 Mažeikiai 20,25 Mielagėnai 20 Mikoliškės 48 Mosėdis 25 Moscow 9,49
Navikai 20 Nemakščiai 25 Nemenčinė 21,26,29
Paberžė 7 Palanga 25 Paluknys 21 Palūšė 20 Panevėžys ii, 21 Pašilaičiai 44 Plungė 25,40 Poland 22 Pravieniškiai 32,36
Raseiniai 13 Rietavas 25 Rokiškis 47 Rome ii Rostov 28 Rudamina 49 Rudnia 20 Ryliškės 19
Salantai 25 Šalčininkai 20,21 Salininkai 16 Samogitia 41 Šaukėnai 20,25 Seda 20,25 Seireijai 27 Šeškiniai 44 Šiauliai 44 Siberia i Šiluva 7,14 Skaudvile 20 Skuodas 25 Staro-Sainakov 30 Stulgiai 20 Suvalkija 43 Švenčionys 20
Tabariškės 45 Tauragė 20,25,7 Telšiai i, ii, 7,20,24,25,40 Tomsk 32 Trakai 21 Troy 10 Tverai 25 Tverečius 20
Vadžgirys 20 Valkininkai 20,39 Varėna 20,21 Varniai 25 Vėžaičiai 25 Vidiškė 7 Viduklė 7,9,10,13,14,25 Viekšnaliai 25 Viekšniai 20,25 Vilkaviškis i, ii Vilnius i, 5,7,8,16,18,19,20,20,24,25,26, 33,36,39,43,44,46,47 Viršuliškiai 44 Vladimir i Vydžiai49
West Germany 6
Ylakiai 41
Žagarė 3,19 Žalpiai 20,25 Žarėnai-Latveliaiu, 20 Žemaičiu Kalvarija 25,40,41 Žiciūnai 48 Židikai 25 Žygaičiai 25
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
ORDER TOLL FREE AT 1-800-247-9079
Virginia and Alaska, call 703-369-2429
TO HELP THE CHURCH IN COMMUNIST-OCCUPIED LITHUANIA OR TO OBTAIN FURTHER INFORMATION, SEND YOUR TAX-EXEMPT DONATION, OR WRITE TO:
Lithuanian Catholic Religious Aid, Inc. 351 Highland Boulevard Brooklyn, NY 11207
