JAV lietuvių katalikų organizacijų požiūris į Rapolo Skipičio vizitą 1935 m

Abstract

The leading figure of the Lithuanian American Catholic delegation in the Congress was the activist of the well-known organizations of the Lithuanian Roman Catholic Federation of America (ALRKF) and the Lithuanian Roman Catholic Association (LRKSA) and the editor of the daily paper Draugas Leonardas Šimutis, who was an active supporter of democracy and freedoms. The visit of the chairman of the Society to Aid Lithuanians Abroad Rapolas Skipitis in the US and the Lithuanian colonies (03 April – 29 June1935) promoted the organization of the first Congress of World Lithuanians in Kaunas. The Lithuanian American nationalists, members of the Lithuanian American party Sandara and socialists expressed their open support to the idea of the congress promoted by Skipitis, whereas Catholics and communists remained rather reserved. The success of the visit was first of all guaranteed by the position of the Lithuanian Catholic Church supporting the call of the Congress of World Lithuanians. The recommendation of the church members ensured the positive attitude of larger part of the Catholic leaders of Lithuanian Americans, who also decided to take part in the Congress and organised the meetings of the delegate from Lithuania with the members of Lithuanian parishes. The confidence of the Catholic organizations of Lithuanian Americans, especially the Catholic Unity, in Skipitis and the Lithuanian government was slightly impaired by the restricted position of the Catholic Church in Lithuania and the absence of democratic rights of its citizens. It was believed that the government of Lithuania sought to take advantage of the Congress of Lithuanian Americans to consolidate and legitimate its regime. Nevertheless, the decision of the Catholic leaders of Lithuanian Americans to participate in the Congress was grounded on the aspirations to take advantage of the Congress as the platform for claiming more rights for the Catholic organizations and the society in Lithuania, establishing closer contacts with the Lithuanian Catholics and searching for ways of reducing the loss of national identity within the emigrant community.