CHRONICLE of the CATHOLIC CHURCH in LITHUANIA No.57, APRIL 5, 1985 American Publication August 1, 1983 CHRONICLE of the CATHOLIC CHURCH in LITHUANIA No
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
CHRONICLE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LITHUANIA No.57, APRIL 5, 1985 American Publication August 1, 1983 CHRONICLE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LITHUANIA No. 57 A Translation of the Complete Lithuanian Original LIETUVOS KATALIKŲ BAŽNYČIOS KRONIKA Nr. 57 Documenting the Struggle for Human Rights In Soviet-Occupied Lithuania Today Translated by: Rev. Casimir Pugevičius Translation 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 1983 ISSN 0197-0348 Franciscan Fathers Press 341 Highland Blvd. Brooklyn, NY 11207 COVER: Father Alfonsas Svarinskas, preaching the eulogy at the funeral of Lithuanian Helsinki Monitor Father Karolis Caruckas, SJ. His fear less sermons at such public occasions drew repeated warnings and fines from the govern ment. CHRONICLE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LITHUANIA No. 57 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 Feb ruary 3, 1946, and condemned to death after a secret trial. Before year's end, his auxiliary, Bishop Pranas Ramanauskas, was also ar rested and deported to Siberia. Bishop Teofilius Matulionis of Kai šiadorys and Archbishop Mečislovas Reinys of Vilnius were deported Chronicle of the Catholic Church in Lithuania No. 57 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 dsroehyiocese 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 nsdcrfe a wa appointe Apostoli Administrato o th Dioces of 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.lh mid-fiftie t resum th attack Th principa mean of 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 free 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 Editor 2 Cefchna. hronicl o th Catholi Churc i Lithuani No 57 Rdst ea thi an pas i on! Ifu,e yo can mak copies! Age ppearin sinc 1972. CEF HRONICL O T H CATHOLI CHURCH INA. LITHUANI , No 57 Ins thi issue: 1.ers! Fre Fathe Alfonsa Svarinskas 4 2.sd Searche an Investigation 23 3.amelrs Propagand fro th Counci fo Religiou Affair 36 4.mou? Who D Yo Serve 38 5.tmenfs A Gif fro th Natio o Martyr 42 6.sme New fro th Diocese 43 7.netl I th Sovie Schoo 59 8.ehnts Th Churc i th Sovie Republic 66 9ws . Ne Publication 6 6 Lal ithuani Apri 3, 1983 Cefchna. hronicl o th Catholi Churc i Lithuani No 57 3 FERS R E F A T H E ALFONSA SVARINSKAS! Tepf h editorshi o th Chronicle o the Catholic Church in Lsnlgeithuania ha bee successfu i collectin a larg portio of the pshentrylf etition whic hav bee sen o take b th faithfu o Lithuania tosfaret, variou agencie o Lithuani o th Sovie Union protesting atefrs. gains th arres o Fathe Alfonsa Svarinskas Th petitions adsmnwl,t n excerpt fro petition give belo wil help a leas i part, tomenwgcdo for som impressio ho th believin publi reacte t the atfosr rres o a pries wh i dea t them. Telf,nrtdo h faithfu o Prienai i thei protes addresse t General SyvfeU,gr ecretar Andropo o th CPS write amon othe things: ",elfhydWe th faithfu o th paris o Prienai ar deepl paine by adetfrs, n deplor th arres o Fathe Alfonsa Svarinskas Pastor of tehf,drch paris o Vidukle an membe o th Catholi Committe for tef',rhsh Defens o Believers Rights togethe wit hi indictment for aldtynti-Constitutiona an anti-Sovie activit . "nefsl,t I th fac o thi painfu fact w stat tha w have drs,eloefende ou nation' priests an w wil continu t defen them, agdtyesnskin Go tha the b courageou i defendin th truth, G,ehdsf od th Churc an th affair o u believers. "sfr Hand of Fathe Alfonsa Svarinskas!" In,0nroe Igliauka 51 faithful i thei petitio t th Prosecuto of tenRh Lithuania SS , write: "ny,.e O Januar 27 1983 Tiesa (The Truth) (Trans Not — Com mtn)dle unis publicatio i Lithuania reporte tha a crimina cas had bnterfh, ee brough agains th Pasto o th Paris o Vidukle Father As.yed, lfonsa Svarinskas B th tim w rea thi news Father Ssdynvarinska ha alread bee arreste an jailed. "yst Wh wa thi pries arrested? "estrdTh pres claim tha Fathe Alfonsa Svarinska abuse his pns,deositio a a clergymen an engage i anti-Stat an anti- Cl;,eydt onstitutiona activity however w ar deepl convince tha this ansyllegatio i completel unfounded. "rslno,eFathe Svarinska i wel know t us becaus h worked fres.lmo fiv year a pasto o Igliauka W al remembe hi with r,snydoespect a a exemplar an zealou priest devote t hi work kind to,yd.oelrn all friendl an fatherly N on wil eve succee i calumniating h,grmsedf im smearin him o depictin hi a som kin o criminal. "ewltrsdW kno wel tha Fathe Svarinska displease thos fighting atehnsr gains th Churc i Lithuani becaus h wa a membe of the 4 Cefchna. hronicl o th Catholi Churc i Lithuani No 57 Frs athe Alfonsa Svarinskas Ccerf',d atholi Committe fo th Defens o Believers Rights an fought fres,otydo th right o th faithful s tha the woul no b victims of discrimination. "st?!r I tha a crime I i anti-Sovie activity No Fathe Alfonsas Ssetyor varinska becam a pries precisel t b a leade t th faithful, th,romd.eac them ministe t the an defen thei rights This iswystdo ho ever conscientiou pries i suppose t act. "etfrs,nTh arres o Fathe Alfonsa Svarinskas thi nobl ma and slrdy,entfpiritua leade belove b all w tak a a ac o persecution atlfsgains al o u faithful. Cefchna. hronicl o th Catholi Churc i Lithuani No 57 5 "etfrsdW deplor th arres o Fathe Alfonsa Svarinska an his ut,denjus indictment an w deman tha h b release and the cletmrimina cas brough agains hi b se aside.