The faithful in Lithuania hold the Virgin Mary and the Saints in high esteem. This devotion is often expressed liturgically, through celebrations at numerous Marian shrines and pilgrimage sites and also through personal, popular piety. Only a few people know about St. Gerard, primarily priests who studied in Rome or studied moral theology with the Redemptorists and visited our Church of St. Alphonsus to pray before the famous icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. There they often began to learn about our spirituality and our saints as well. It is impossible not to hear about St. Gerard when one studies in Rome or elsewhere in Italy.
When members of the Tree of Life missionary fellowship, working with the Redemptorists in Kaunas, first heard about the life and spirituality of St. Gerard from Fr. Gianluigi Colluci, shortly after the start of the Jubilee Year of St. Gerard, it was clear that the life and message of this saint are very relevant for people today. His simple yet mystical spirituality, his closeness to people and his radical surrender to God’s will, as well as his answered prayers, manifested in numerous miracles, make Gerard’s life and story an inspiration to follow.
Some time ago, Fr. Laureano De Ottero, as head of the newly established working group for new apostolic initiatives of the European Conference, proposed that the working group meet in Kaunas, where the Redemptorists have been living and serving for nearly eight years. A typical missionary, he suggested that we also engage in some apostolic or pastoral activity during our meeting. The working group met in Lithuania from April 22 to 24. In addition to meetings with various groups of mission partners and other lay collaborators, we also planned a Mass at the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, where Redemptorists are currently assisting the local rector with pastoral care. Fr. Peter Morris addressed the congregation during Mass and afterwards, Fr. Peter and Fr. Laureno presented the life and story of the Saint to the congregation. Our confreres in the London Province held several spiritual retreats on St. Gerard during his Jubilee Year, with a prayer of blessing with the Saint’s relics so, due to the positive feedback, testimonies, and answered prayers, we decided to do the same in Kaunas after Mass. A good number of the faithful responded to the invitation. Everyone came forward and asked for a blessing with the relics. Among those who came for the blessing were young people seeking their vocation, engaged couples and families with children, as well as women and mothers who brought petitions for their children and their health. A touching moment occurred when a married couple with children—a Lithuanian woman and a Spanish man—came forward, and Fr. Laureno and Fr. Pedro Lopez prayed for them in Spanish.
Archbishop Kęstutis Kévalas of the Archdiocese of Kaunas also spoke about this event to the priests of the archdiocese at the end of a meeting for the ongoing formation of priests.
During a chance encounter with the director of Radio Mária, we were invited to produce a program about St. Gerard. It will premiere on May 22nd. In this way, people across Lithuania and elsewhere in the world (through recordings and online broadcasts) can learn about our Saint. Fr. Peter Morris blessed the listeners with the relics of our three Saints: St. Alphonsus, St. Clement, and St. Gerard. And in the radio station’s chapel, we left pictures for the listeners that Fr. Laureano had brought. At the end of the program, there will be a call to contribute to the collection for Ukraine, which is currently being organized by the Church in Lithuania.
We were also pleased that, just as we were meeting as a working group for new apostolic initiatives to reflect on evangelization and discussing Gerard, Pope Leo XIV wrote a short letter (on April 23) in which he encouraged the faithful to be inspired by St. Gerard.
During the Jubilee Year, we decided to prepare a publication about St. Gerard in Lithuanian. The preparations are being coordinated by Fr. Peter Hertel, a member of the community in Kaunas.
Fr. Rastislav Dluhý, CSsR.
Superior of the Redemptorists in Kaunas
