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The Friars in Lithuania

We have had our own Dominican church and priory since 1992. At the present there are six friars in our community: Vladislavs who is Latvian, Jonas, Pijus and Augustinas who are Lithuanians, Artur and Jacek who are Poles. We try to maintain the traditions of a Dominican community, even with our small numbers.

A brief period of personnel adjustments in the Vicariate left the Vilnius community without its full complement of brothers. But the renewed community is again actively working in different ministries. It is also an international community - Lithuanian, Latvian, and Polish. Given Vilnius's importance as the national capital, a major university city, and the seat of the archdiocese we often welcome guests who live here and serve as professors and consultants in specialized ministries.

We have an active group of Dominican Laity who work with us in our ministries. Among other things they organize a professional summer school and program in the teachings of St Thomas Aquinas which draws participants from Lithuania as well as other countries. With the support of the fund based in Poland, called "Over the Borders," they publish some of the theological essays in Lithuanian. They also publish a newspaper "The Logos" which is development of themes presented during the Aquinas summer program. Our brothers also teach in local high schools, at Vilnius University and at the country's Higher Pedagogical Institute, which prepares the teachers for Lithuania's public school system.

The brothers are also active in youth ministry. In 1999 the ministry was sufficiently well established that the "Vilnius Dominican Youth Center" was registered with the City as a public organization, a status that grants some benefits in Lithuanian law.

Our youth ministry now includes a charismatic community, the "Moons of God;" an evangelical rock band "The PassWord;" and a small or base community simply called "The Smaller Community". There is also a group for the deaf and hearing-impaired.

Copyright © OP 2005