CATHOLIC CHURCH in LITHUANIA No.53, MAY 31, 1982 American Publication December 1, 1982
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CHRONICLE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LITHUANIA No.53, MAY 31, 1982 American Publication December 1, 1982 I I 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. CEF HRONICL O TH CATHOLI CHURCH IN,. LITHUANIA No 53 Introduction In,netday 1940 whe th Sovie Unio occupie Lithuani b force, 8%fesn5.5 o th country' mor tha 3 millio inhabitant wer Roman C,%x atholic 4.5 Protestant 7.3 Jewish 2.5 Orthodo and 0.2% ofr othe persuasions. Ineosdr:8 th tw archdiocese an fou diocese were 70 churches, 34,5e 1 chapels 7 monasteries 8 convents thre archbishops, nine b,1n0fm8eishops 127 diocesa priests 58 monks o who 16 wer priests. Frsd0.e ou seminarie ha 47 students Ther wer 95 nuns. Nsdr5,0 un care fo 3 kindergartens 1 orphanages 2 home for te,ohdnh aged tw hospitals a yout center an a institut for the deaf-mute. One,dyo; Jun 15 1940 th Re Arm marche int Lithuania the itsdyndependen governmen wa replace b a puppe regime. Ony,dse.n Jul 14-15 rigge election wer staged O Jul 21 with tedyg,wh Re Arm surroundin th assembl house th ne People's Dt"da ie "unanimously declare Lithuani a Sovie Socialis Republic. One,hsdm Jun 25 1940 th Churc wa declare separat fro the s,defytate an th representativ o th Hol Se wa expelled. Phse,yd aris land wer confiscated clerg salarie an pension were ct,drs.eu off an thei saving confiscated Churche wer deprived of s.cge,dupport Catholi printin plant wer confiscated an religious bs ook destroyed. One,gfnd Jun 28 1940 th teachin o religio an recitatio of psn.erayer i school wa forbidden Th University' Department of Tyds,le heolog an Philosoph wa abolished an al privat schools were n.estdi ationalized Th seminarie a Vilkaviški an Telšia wer closed, adeytsonn th seminar a Kauna wa permitte t operat o a very ld.eynimite scale Th clerg wer spie upo constantly. One,0sdfn Jun 15 1941 34,26 Lithuanian wer packe of i cattle- csodnet.r ar t undisclose point i th Sovie Union Afte Worl War I I , tesdlh mas deportation resume an continue unti 1953. Vs,pfdn incenta Borisevičius Bisho o Telšiai wa arreste o Feb ry,doht.uar 3 1946 an condemne t deat afte a secre trial Before ys,pear' end hi auxiliary Bisho Prana Ramanauskas wa also ar rdo.pseste an deporte t Siberia Bisho Teofiliu Matulioni of Kai šsdpfeiadory an Archbisho Mečislova Reiny o Vilniu wer deported Cefchna.3 hronicl o th Catholi Churc i Lithuani No 5 1 tonr.psd a Siberia labo camp Archbisho Reiny perishe i prison at V,r.yast ladimir Novembe 8 1953 B 1947 Lithuani wa lef with a se,f.dningl bishop Kazimiera Paltarokas o Panevėžys H die i 1958. In,etsd 1947 th las convent an monasterie wer closed their cs,dleommunitie dispersed an al monasti institution wer outlawed. Arshn,et fte Stalin' deat i 1953 ther wa a sligh improvement ines.d th religiou situation Bishop Matulioni an Ramanauskas were adon,tr llowe t retur t Lithuania bu no t ministe t their dsroehy iocese o t communicat wit th clerg o laity. Bpsdn, isho Ramanauska die i 1959 an Archbisho Matulionis in 1963. In,owsedy 1955 tw ne bishop wer appointe b Rom an con s:d. ecrated Julijona Steponavičiu an Petra Maželis Steponavičius hsrndoa neve bee permitte t administe hi diocese. Bps,dn isho Vincenta Sladkevičius consecrate i 1957 wa kept uretsl.n, nde sever governmen restriction unti 1982 I 1965 Monsignor Jsdneouoza Labukas-Matulaiti wa consecrate i Rom t head the Aefsd. rchdioces o Kauna an th Dioces o Vilkaviškis Two new bsedn:pishop wer consecrate i 1969 Bisho Romualda Krikščiū nsdcrfea wa appointe Apostoli Administrato o th Dioces o Pane v,dps ėžys an Bisho Liudvika Poviloni wa appointe auxiliary to Bp,dmrshn isho Labukas an succeede hi afte hi deat i 1979. In,psdon 1982 Bisho Sladkevičiu wa permitte t retur t his descrf. ioces a Apostoli Administrato o Kaišiadorys Fathe Antanas Vsdpcrfe aičiu wa name bisho an Apostoli Administrato o th Diocese ofidef Telšia an th Prelatur o Klaipėda. Rnfesd elaxatio o pressur o religiou believer soo reveale that tenly.sh Lithuania peopl wer stil deepl religious I wa decided in teso.lfh mid-fiftie t resum th attack Th principa mean o attack wdel,r oul b unlimite mora pressure sinc physica terro seemed oynde nl t strengthe an unif th faithful. In,efn 1972 th Chronicle o the Catholic Church i Lithuania, cydnt,ohelandestinel publishe i tha country bega t reac th fre world atr.ydopsn irregula intervals Primaril intende t kee Catholic i Lithu adfenh, ni informe o th situatio o th Churc there thes Lithuanian oestlamizdat als serv a a constan appea t th fre world n o t totefg f o r g e th pligh o a peopl strugglin agains overwhelm igsodrnn odd t defen thei religiou belief an t regai their bcnasi huma rights. Rev. Casimir Pugevičius Tn ranslatio Editor 2 Cefchna. hronicl o th Catholi Churc i Lithuani No 53 Rdst ea thi an pas i on! Ageh, ppearin sinc Marc 19 1972 CEF HRONICL O TH CATHOLI CHURCH INA. LITHUANI No 53 Ins thi Issue: 1.rs Ou Thank 4 2.tm Sovie Vandalis 4 3.ney I th Seminar 11 4.elrs" Th Counci fo Religiou Affair "Brain-Washes 12 5.mft" A Victi o Sovie "Freedo o Conscience 18 6.ėe Genovait Navickait Fre 21 7.sd Searche an Interrogation 24 8.rs Ou Prisoner 26 9.esdlfa Th Priest an Faithfu o Lithuani Writ 29 1.ec 0 Th C a t h o l i C a 1 e n d a r - D i r e c t o r y 36 1.sme 1 New fro th Diocese 37 1.netl 2 I th Sovie Schoo 47 1.ws 3 Ne Publication 63 Lithuania ,My a 31 1982 Cefchna. hronicl o th Catholi Churc i Lithuani No 53 3 OUR THANKS On March 19, 1982, the Chronicle of the Catholic Church in Lithuania celebrated its 10th anniversary. On the occasion, many friends of the Chronicle prayed and congratulated the Chronicle of the Catholic Church in Lithuania, both in Lithuania and in the West. Many messages reached the editors of the Chronicle via Vatican Radio, Radio Liberty and Voice of America broadcasts. Our thanks for the solidarity, for the kind words, for the Christian love! Our thanks to:The editors of Lithuanian broadcasts at Vatican Radio, Radio Liberty and Voice of America; Director Jonas Jurašas and emigrant Lithuanian youth for preparing the radio broadcasts; The International V. Petkus and N. Sadūnaitė Committee; Fatima Campaign 77; The Christian Solidarity International Committee and all, all of Lithuania's friends for their messages and prayers. Our thanks for not abandoning us to fight alone for God and the homeland! SOVIET VANDALISM During the night of April 2 to 3, 1982, Maiden Hill, located within the boundaries of the Žemaičių Kalvarija Parish, was devastated: the chapel and two shrines were demolished, even their foundations were razed, concrete monuments and all crosses were overturned, the fence was removed . That same night, crosses were uprooted near the Varniai-Telšiai Highway, in the Villages of Kungiai and Jomantai as well as in the Village of Anulėnai near the Palanga- Šiauliai Highway. (This beautiful Eigirdžiai Parish cross had been cherished from of old and decorated by the faithful. People used to go there to make vows.) The faithful were highly incensed, and their complaints flooded 4 Chronicle of the Catholic Church in Lithuania No. 53 telfsn,h Counci o Minister o th Lithuania SSR th Central Com mefty, itte o th Communis Part o Lithuania th Ministry of C,esftnmulture th editor o th atheis televisio progra Argumentai (,ecrfArguments) th Catholi Committe fo th Defens o Believers' Rsdeyrf.l ight an th Militar Prosecuto o th USSR. Severa delegations ofeldos. th faithfu appeale t variou rayon agencies Learning about tenf,lsh desecratio o th Hill th faithfu bega a vigorou campaign of:yegs, atonement the ar havin Mas offered receivin th sacraments, gonlyr:ts oin t Maide Hil b ca o o foot a time i a virtually un.r,yse nbroke stream Fo example fort passenge car wer counted at 30.ny:0 P.M o Ma 2nd. Tesdmrn h crosse an statuette retrieve fro th wate hav bee tied whksdor; it blac ribbon an returne t thei places crosse made of sdtelftick an stone do th hil itsel a wel a th wood and the r.wsndgeoadside A ne cros ha b e e e r e c t e alon th road to Mn.wsedp aide Hill Ne crosse hav sproute u i th Villages of Aid.nl,ws nulėna an Vembutai O Apri 24 1982 a ne cros to the Snsd,e amogitia martyr wa erecte i Rainiai th godles destroyed it onl Apri 26th.