Aid to the Church in Need: LITHUANIA - SITUATION OF THE CHURCH STILL DIFFICULT, 11 YEARS ON

LITHUANIA - SITUATION OF THE CHURCH STILL DIFFICULT, 11 YEARS ON

Posted by Press Release on 17/10/2002, 10:20 am
Message modified by board administrator 18/10/2002, 1:35 pm

PRESS RELEASE
LITHUANIA - SITUATION OF THE CHURCH STILL DIFFICULT, 11 YEARS AFTER INDEPENDENCE
17th October 2002. Even today, 11 years after Lithuania regained its independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the situation of the Catholic Church is anything but easy in this Baltic republic. This was the view of Bishop Jonas Kauneckas, of Panavézys, during a recent visit to the international headquarters of the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need(ACN). "In the most recent census some 80% of the population of Lithuania described themselves as Catholics; however, on average only around 10% attend Sunday Mass," the bishop remarked. He likewise regretted the fact that only around 6% of all school pupils are registered for religious instruction. Among the reasons for this state of affairs Bishop Kauneckas cited the decades of persecution and oppression of the Church by the communist regime, but above all, during the years since independence, the damaging influence upon the Church of Western liberalism, materialism and hedonism.
"In many people's minds a purely materialistic consumer mentality has become established", the bishop said and stressed the role of the media and especially of television in this regard, which, he said, "promote such tendencies." The mission of the Church, he believes, is to improve parish work and the teaching of the Faith, especially for young people and families, and so to offer them the way of Christian faith as an alternative to the prevailing materialism. "For this the Church in Lithuania is dependent on outside help. In particular we urgently need resources for repairing our Church buildings and building new parish centres. But we must also improve religious instruction, for many teachers of religion are themselves not sufficiently qualified for their duties", the bishop stated.
In conclusion, Bishop Kauneckas thanked ACN and all its benefactors for the help already given. In the year 2001 ACN supported pastoral projects in Lithuania with a total of over $810,000.
Photo: Bishop Jonas Kauneckas
For further information please contact
Information Service
Phone: 02 9679-1929
e-mail: info@aidtochurch.org
Internet: www.aidtochurch.org

This message is locked.

Responses are not allowed!

Aid to the Church in Need PO Box 6245 Blacktown DC NSW 2148 ABN: 62 418 911 594
Ph/Fax (02) 9679-1929 e-mail: info@aidtochurch.org web: www.aidtochurch.org