Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Pumpenai (Fides Service) - “It was Divine Providence which led our Congregation to this lands which is living a crucial moment in its history. Twelve years after the country was freed of Soviet occupation the Catholic Church is coming to life again. But at the same time the country is threatened by another “occupation” western materialism and secularism.” This is how young Father Marko Mikalonis, from Argentina a member of the Institute of the Incarnate Word Incarnato (IVE), began his report to Fides with regard to his mission in Lithuania.
“There is a lot to do but the raw material is of good quality - said Father Marko -. It is clear that what is needed is new evangelisation although we do have something to build on because there is a long Catholic tradition here and people are ready to listen and obviously thirsting for God. The Church also has the testimony of many Lithuanian martyrs and confessors of recent decades. The main challenge is to re-awaken the Christian life among the people in order to help them face with the faith the ‘cultural flood’ coming from western Europe”.
The Institute of the Incarnate Word was founded in San Rafael, Mendoza province, Argentina, 25 March 1984, by Father Carlos Miguel Buela. Today the institute which comprises priests, women Religious and lay consecrated persons, as well as a contemplative order of nuns, has members in 21 countries.
This year on 22 February the Institute opened a community in Pumpenai, Lithuania. At Our Lady of the Scapular parish in Panevežys diocese Lithuania, there are two young Argentinean priests on mission ad gentes: Father Domingo Avellaneda Cabanillas, 26, from Salta, and Father Marco Mikalonis, 27 from Buenos Aires. Pumpenai is a small rural community of about 1,000 in northern Lithuania, situated about 40 km from the border with Latvia.
In these first two months in Pumpenai the priests are mainly occupied with looking after the parish and studying the language, an essential factor for the apostolate also in view of IVI charisma to evangelise culture. “When we first came to Pumpenai - Father Marco told Fides- I was a little homesick. It was so quiet, all white with snow and 20 degrees below freezing. You see few people in the streets because they only go out in the few hours of day light. We seemed to be all alone, but it was only a first impression: actually we are very busy, every day brings something new, celebrations of Mass, funerals, visiting families, tidying the house, chopping wood and lots of other jobs fill the day and time passes quickly”.
The people are very kind and hospitable. - the priest said - They are also very generous and supply pans, potatoes, carrots, logs of wood etc… “Slowly we are getting to know our parishioners. Many are elderly people who kept the faith persevering in their simplicity under the strong communist regime. Although the majority of the people declare themselves Catholic, only very few practice the faith, especially among the middle aged and younger ones. Religious formation is lacking”. From the social point of view, abuse of alcohol and shortage of jobs are two serious problems in Pumpenai.
There is much to do in the field of apostolate, including visits to the school and a Home for mentally disabled adults and although they have not been here long the two young priests are already fully immersed in pastoral activity. “Before Holy Week started we made a point of visiting all the families in the parish, although we still have difficulties with the language. In Pumpenai it is a tradition for priests to visit families in the period which goes from Christmas to Lent. The visits are something like a “home mission”. Just walking along the roads in our cassocks, surplice and stole, with our boots full of mud and snow is a way of witnessing to the people. These visits help us meet people personally, see how they live and discern their spiritual needs. We always invite them to come to church and with God’s grace these visits are already bearing fruit”.
“The Catholic faith is the only religion in Pumpenai. There is one little Russian Orthodox chapel but it is not used because no one of Russian origin lives here anymore, they have moved away.”
“Our missionary adventure is also full of funny things - Father Marco said -. For example, one of the first evenings we poured hot water on the pavement in front of the house to melt the snow. Of course next morning we found the pavement and the road covered with ice. Another time we used 11 kg of salt to melt the ice in front of the church and people coming to church said that all that salt would have been enough to melt all the snow in the city of Panavežys”.
“We can say that our mission has started. Mission is a also the Cross, but it is at the foot of the Cross that we find the fruits and the joys of our missionary work” Father Domingo Avellaneda and Father Marco Mikalonis conclude. (R.Z.) (Agenzia Fides 28/4/2004; Righe 60; Parole 862)
