After the loss

Catholics in Lithuania amount to 80-85% of the overall population. It is the most Catholic of the three Baltic States. Despite the fact that Lihtuania was the last European country to be christened, in 1939 Pope Pius XII defined it the “the pillar of Catholicism in Northern Europe.” The Lithuanian Church consists of 7 dioceses. Since 2002 the apostolic nuncio for the Baltic States (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia) is P.S.Zurbriggen. A.J.Backis. At present the country has one cardinal, H.Eminence A.J.Backis. We met the secretary general of the Episcopal Conference, Mons. GINTARAS GRUSAS , with whom we spoke of the Church and of Lithuanian society.AFTER THE OCCUPATION . Following the independence of the Soviet Union in 1991, along with the entire country also the Lithuanian Church had to face a series of changes. “It became necessary to build churches were there were none and restore those still standing”, recalled Mons. Grusas. “An equally important job concerned the structures: it was necessary to create structures for pastoral work with families, for the youth, etc. it was equally necessary to envisage formation of the pastoral workers. Many were purposely sent to Rome to build up their competence and know-how. New seminaries were founded and the charitable work of the Church was developed”. Mons. Grusas expressed his gratitude for the support granted during the occupation of the European Churches: “We knew we could rely on their prayers, after having achieved independence they were the ones who helped us get back on our feet again through financial contribution, by sharing experiences and with their precious counsel. We couldn’t have managed alone”.TODAY’S REALITY. The Lithuanian Church is an active member of European Bishops’ Conferences Commission (COMECE) and of the Bishops’ Commission of the European Union. “We are engaged in pastoral activity which also entails the defense of moral values and ensuring that law-makers will never neglect the dignity of the human person”, affirmed Mons. Grusas. “Our society bears the scars of Communism. It is necessary for it to heal”, were his concerns. There are also new challenges after EU entry, such as family policies. Mons. Grusas deems it necessary to support in the same way “single mothers, orphans and families”. “It’s a sad thing to see increasing numbers of families who decide to move to other countries for financial reasons leaving their children with the grandparents, and in some cases alone”, he added. “The Church has also the important mission of evangelization: the ongoing commitment to go ad gentes to bring the good news”. EUROPE. “Our greatest contribution to the Church of Europe”, emphasized Monsignor Grusas, “could consist in testifying to the fact that suffering must not be neglected. It’s a part of human life. Often modern societies want to eliminate even its memory”. The hills of Crosses, according to Cardinal V.Sladkevicius, ¨bear our communication with the Lord, our prayer and our gratitude. It’s like the heart of Lithuania open before God”. This open heart testifies that “without the cross there can be no resurrection. John Paul II, who visited the Balkan Countries in 1993, sent his own cross”. Since 1961, the Soviet regime tried to destroy the crosses in many ways. In 1988 the situation finally changed and now 50thousand crosses stand erected on the hills. LITHUANIAN SOCIETY. In this Catholic-majority country Protestants and Orthodox Christians have a relationship of deep friendship and respect which is concretized in the common defense of moral values, of the family, in the commitment in questions pertaining to the sphere of bioethics and in the cooperation in the project “Biblijos draugija” (study of the Holy Scriptures). “Our society is very open to matters pertaining to the realm of faith”, Monsignor Grusas explained, “it is society especially which seeks it”. Despite persecutions, faith became stronger but it was not possible to deepen this sphere. There were limits imposed upon teaching and writing so that faith was passed on from parents to children. “The Catholic tradition remained the same, its content however was reduced to essentials and now that society is facing new forms of ideologies and new lines of thought, there is a strong need for people capable of transmitting a deeper perspective of the evangelical message” . Monsignor Grusas believes that “when confronting ideologies aimed at contaminating culture, the Church is the point of reference embodying the moral values and the human dignity of individuals. It addresses that particular soul-searching event deemed all the more important after the loss of distinction between good and evil”.