Links

Pictures from the Event

Complete text of remarks

Friends of Saint Peter Lithuanian Parish – Update # 20

October 25, 2005

Greetings to all Friends of St. Peter Lithuanian Parish.

Last Sunday, October 23rd, 2005, our parish celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving to give thanks to God and Mary that our beleaguered parish is still open.

The Mass of Thanksgiving and Celebration was well attended despite the rainy weather. It was concelebrated by Monsignor Contons and Fr. Zukas. Fr. Janiunas was in attendance.

The church was adorned with purple and gold mums and banners declaring CELEBRATE and DZIAUKIMES. The bi-lingual liturgy was beautiful and the hymns uplifting and joyous. Members of parish organizations such as the sodality, Eucharistic ministers, lectors, ushers, Parish Council, youth mass organizers, Knights of Lithuania, choir and scouts, were represented in the offertory procession. It was wonderful to hear a full church of parishioners singing and praying in Lithuanian and English.
In attendance at the mass were invited guests Mr. Andrius Krivas, Counselor to the Lithuanian Embassy, who flew in from Washington, DC, to represent Ambassador Vygaudas Usackas and Mr. Peter Gelzinis, columnist for the Boston Herald.

After mass, a brief program continued in the Church. I was privileged to welcome the assembled parishioners and guests on behalf of the Friends. Letters of congratulations had been received from Archbishop Sigitas Tamkevicius of Lithuania, Bishop Paulius Baltakis and Monsignor Edmundas Putrimas and their greetings were read to the congregation. In addition, greetings were received from the Franciscan priests and parishioners of Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish in South Boston expressing their joy that our parish remains open. A greeting from the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Lithuania, Dr. Thorsteinn Gislason was read and his efforts on our behalf were remembered.

I reviewed our accomplishments during the past year and then thanked Ambassador Usackas, Peter Gelzinis, Monsignor Contons and Fr. Zukas for their support during our resistance efforts. Mr. Krivas read greetings from the Ambassador and Mr. Gelzinis remembered his grandfather, one of the founders and builders of the church, during his remarks. Monsignor Contons was gracious in his remarks. Fr. Zukas thanked everyone who had a part in the resistance and urged all to come together to strengthen our Parish.

Please click here for the complete text of my remarks.

After this brief program, everyone proceeded to the Church Hall for a luncheon. Many thanks to each parishioner who graciously and generously brought food for the celebration. The church hall was decorated with wonderfully colorful fall flowers and banners proclaiming CELEBRATE ST. PETER LITHUANIAN PARISH and DZIAUKIMES SV. PETRO LIETUVIU PARAPIJA. Participants enjoyed the opportunity to visit with friends and to savor the current moment of success.

As I said in my comments earlier, we now have the chance to make St. Peter Parish bigger and better than before. We must make it so vibrant that the archdiocese would never consider closing us again!

To do this, EACH ONE OF YOU MUST DO YOUR PART! YOU MUST COME TO MASS! YOU MUST SUPPORT THE PARISH FINANCIALLY. YOU MUST JOIN IN EFFORTS TO RECRUIT NEW FAMILIES TO THE PARISH.

If we can do this, we will be secure in the future. Please do your part.

Sincerely,

Gloria R. Adomkaitis
For the Friends

The following individuals assisted me in preparations for the Mass of Thanksgiving celebration:

Rima Knasas, Algis Adomkaitis, Daiva Kiliulis, Kazys Adomkaitis, Vytautas Dilba, Danute Dilba, Daiva Navickas, Aldona Lingertat, William Olevitz, Alice Olevitz, Peter Raskauskas, Wanda Kiely, Norma Snipas, Valentina Cepas, Gintaras Cepas, Danute Kazakaitis, Rima Girnius, Ieva Matulionyte , Aldona Turauskyte Abidaoud, Mirga Girnius, Florence Zaleskas, Joanne Shalna, Adele Povilavicius, Elena Kuncaitiene, Vytautas Suziedelis, Gintas Adomkaitis and Simas Phillips.

A sincere thanks to all the parishioners and friends who so graciously and generously provided food for the luncheon and to those who assisted with food service and cleanup on the great day.

Thanks to the Friends of St. Peter Lithuanian Parish for their contributions to make this Celebration successful.

Gloria Adomkaitis