RALLY SUNDAY, JUNE 13, 2004
FRIENDS OF SAINT PETER LITHUANIAN PARISH
REMARKS

LABAS RYTAS…GOOD MORNING,

12 days ago, we gathered as a community of parishioners to hear the details of the archdiocese’s misguided intent to close our beloved parish.

We listened and we learned that the hierarchy in the archdiocese decided that we Lithuanians no longer needed our own parish.

We learned that Lithuanians, not just in South Boston but in the entire Greater Boston area and beyond, no longer needed their own space in which to gather to worship, pray and sing in the Lithuanian language.

We were told that our beautiful, newly renovated church celebrating its 100th jubilee this year, would be closed, our Lithuanian artifacts and stained glass windows would be sold at auction and we were told to look for another space in which to continue Lithuanian ministry.

12 days ago, at our parish meeting, we overwhelmingly rejected the notion put forth by the archdiocese that Lithuanians were superfluous.

We rejected the archdiocesan plan to shutter our church! We rejected their plan to appropriate our assets.!!But we unanimously accepted a plan to challenge the archdiocese’s ill-conceived intention to close Saint Peter Lithuanian Parish.

And so, 12 days ago, the Friends of Saint Peter Lithuanian Parish were organized to pursue actions which could save our parish. Your support for the cause is heartening! You have volunteered to help and as a result, The Friends of Saint Peter Lithuanian Parish has a steering committee to coordinate activities. ( Gintaras Cepas, Rima Knasas, William Olevitz and Anthony Shalna). We have a Finance committee that is engaged in recording and managing all donations (Algis Adomkaitis, Vytautas Dilba and Wanda Kiely Griganavicius). We have an Appeals Committee and a Public Relations committee which has organized our gathering this morning. We have a website where you can find the latest news about our activities and an email address where we await your comments, suggestions and questions.
In just 12 days, we have reached 40% of our monetary goal. With your continued commitment, we are confident that we will reach a 100%. There are pledge sheets available today, if you have not pledged.

There is much work to be done but with our collectives determination and hard work, with our indomitable Lithuanian spirit and sense of community, WE SHALL SUCCEED!

May Saint Peter Lithuanian Parish continue to flourish and endure! Tegyvuoja ilgai musu numyleta Svento Petro Lietuviu Parapija!

Please remember that on September 12, 2004, we will gather again as a community of Lithuanian American catholics and parishioners to celebrate the 100th Jubillee of our Parish with a special mass in our church with a luncheon to follow.