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The rebellion led to the church.
– You graduated from the Vilnius J. Tallat-Kelpša Conservatory of Music, so it is as if you are inclined towards the arts. How did you choose the priesthood?
– I was not an artist, at school I was always more successful in science, and music, according to classical understanding, is a kind of mathematics, because it is necessary to count tones, halves. I didn’t become a true artist, because the exact beginning overshadowed that artistic journey. I turned to the priesthood, that vocation came gradually. The church has been dear to me since childhood. And the musical life of the church was very dear to me, I kept playing the organ there, I wanted to learn to play them, it was through the church that I got closer to music.
– You grew up in Soviet times. Weren’t there actors who warned, threatened, or ordered him not to go to church?
– My parents went to church every Sunday and I went with them. In my spare time, the organist taught me how to play the organ. When I entered the music school, my life already revolved around the church. Of course, the teachers at the school knew he was attending. Such times were then. And even several times when I had been invited to an “educational” conversation, I don’t remember the details, but then I saw it as a kind of adventure, a kind of rebellion, a search for my identity.
The pope left an impression
– He also had to play the organ during Pope John Paul II’s visit to Lithuania, when the Holy Father offered mass. How were you chosen for this mission, after all, you were just a seminarian?
– At that time I was still studying at the Kaunas Priest Seminary, I had completed two courses. At that time, he was already playing the organ during mass at the seminary. I remember that in the summer I received a letter from the direction of the seminary asking if I could play during the mass offered by the Pope. During the holidays I came to the seminary, he gave me the whole program, rehearsals began. Petras Bingelis conducted the choirs at mass, and I accompanied and played the organ. A little later, I realized why this happened, because there were those who wanted to play during the papal mass and more. I suppose the choirs and organists of the city’s churches competed with each other for that. And then a neutral option was chosen: it was decided that a seminarian would play the organ during mass. So, due to the competence of those donkeys and professionals, I had that honor.
“Did you have to speak to the pope then?”
– Lost during that visit. However, we later met Pope John Paul II when we went to Rome with the seminarians. This was my first trip abroad. The general audience had to approach her. Some tried to give him a hand, a touch. I didn’t dare.However, I remember the impression was very high even after that.
Meetings: Bishop A. Jurevičius of Telšiai, who started his new position just a month ago, is also a frequent guest in Klaipėda: He participated in the event this week with a priest Vilius Viktoravičius (right), known to Klaipėda residents, and met with Vytautas Grubliauskas. / Photo by Vytautas Liaudanskis
– Did he try to speak to you in Lithuanian?
– John Paul II spoke many languages during his years of audience. When Benedict XVI, and later Francis, became Pope after his death, they limited themselves to Italian, sometimes English or any other language they spoke. John Paul II tried to learn as many languages as possible so that he could at least read or say some sentences in that language. He did his best to speak Lithuanian as well, even when it was Casimir’s 500th anniversary in 1984 or marking the round date of Lithuanian baptism in 1987. John Paul II always had love for Lithuania, but he also had love for other countries, even when He went to Africa and tried to say something in his local language. But it took preparation before that. The priest Stasys Žilys, who lived in Rome, is known to have been a Lithuanian language teacher to John Paul II. He was summoned by the Pope while preparing for a speech in Lithuanian, and then asked for the tutor’s help to help him learn to read the text correctly.
A touch for the blessed
– You have been a notary in the case of beatification of T. Matulionis for 10 years. What does this mean? What did you discover and learn about this exceptional personality?
– It was a period of discovery, and I don’t think it’s over. I had to browse many files. However, we have not received many documents yet, as they are stored in Russia, they are not available to us. Some documents even came to us by accident. For example, we contacted the Russian archives to ask for material, we got the answer that they have nothing. And then someone went to explore other questions and find out what we asked for. When they brought those copies, we realized that there were still documents unknown to us. Those 10-year discoveries were interesting and I don’t think they’re over. I am currently delegating these responsibilities to others in the Diocese of Kaišiadorys.
The church goes where there are people.
“Perhaps you have had to investigate the cases of other martyrs of the faith?”
– While still working in Kaunas, the beatification cases of two women, Adelė Dirsytė and Elena Spirgevičiūtė, began at that time. I also had to know their lives. I have a dream to help publish E. Spirgevičiūtė’s blog in the future, which is very interesting. Furthermore, the Diocese of Telšiai is well advanced due to the beatification of Bishop Vincentas Borisevičius. The documents have already been sent to Rome. A priest has already been appointed to handle the case. The Congregation for the Proclamation of Saints should be even more active this fall. V. Borisevičius was arrested, tortured and shot by the Soviets in the KGB cellars in Vilnius in the post-war years. His grave was unknown for a long time and only after regaining independence were documents discovered where he was buried a lot. Many people died there, buried in Tuskulėnai Park in Vilnius. V. Borisevičius’s remains were found and transported to the crypt of the Telšiai Cathedral. Therefore, Samogitia has a martyr who did not surrender and did not betray his ideals, did not betray Christianity or other people. He was treated with it, but it was intact.
– Are there so many martyrs of faith in Lithuania?
– In Lithuania, there are thousands of them, including Blessed T. Matulionis, Bishop V. Borisevičius and Archbishop Mečislovas Reinys. They were shepherds. I wanted to break them first. Jesus said that if you overwhelm the shepherd, the flock will scatter. The Soviets hoped that if the bishops were liquidated, the remaining people would fall, and they would be easier to manipulate and mold according to their ideology.
About tariffs and fees
– You have served as Bishop of Telšiai for a month. Are you used to it?
– During the first two weeks I was only praying, because the indulgence of the Samogitian Calvary, which lasted 12 days, had just begun. Then the priests retired for three more days. During those intense prayers, I entered that office, and now, in the past two weeks, we are beginning to work harder, visiting parishes, because the quarantine groups that have prepared for the Sacrament of Confirmation have been unable to accept it. The sacrament of Confirmation is now only being administered.
– Pope Francis’ intentions to ban money for religious rites came to light last week, so far only in Italy. Do you think this will also affect Lithuania?
– Each state has its own system to maintain a church. In Italy, as in Germany, Catholics pay taxes. They are collected by the State Tax Inspectorate and then the churches are withheld from that tax. There is no such tax in Lithuania, there are voluntary donations. And generally, people are paid when they request some kind of service: a funeral, a christening, or a mass. The church itself, its pastoral mission, is maintained from this. Our situation is slightly different from that of other western European countries. We do not have any special tax for ecclesial communities.
– Does this mean that this papal decree would not touch Lithuania?
– We do not have taxes on rites, there is a victim. Clearly, people ask what the size of the victim is. But if one person cannot sacrifice himself, others sacrifice for him, even so those rites take place. And in Italy itself, the fee for, for example, baptism or marriage can be up to € 200 each. The pope came from another country, from Argentina, where there is a different culture and such a quantity, perhaps there is a half-year salary.
The church reaches out to people.
– There was talk that the old Klaipėda post office building on Liepų street could be adapted for the diocesan curia or the pastor. What do you think about that
– I have heard of such an initiative. I know that the then bishop of Telšiai, Kęstutis Kėvalas, also participated in the public debate on who could best use this building. As far as I know, it has been said that the old post office could become a curia unit or adapted for pastors, but those ideas are not further developed.
– Would the diocese need an old post office building?
– Maybe not. First, it is a monument to the decaying and collapsing cultural heritage, something else, it is the property of the state. And the state will probably sell it. The diocese does not promise to participate in that auction. I believe the building will find its purpose, which will be acceptable to Klaipeda residents. Pastoral care does not necessarily take place in old buildings and cultural heritage protection areas. Another thing is that there is a downtown area and not many people live downtown. The church goes where there are people. In this case, it is better for us to get closer to people than to cultural values.
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