A CALL TO RENEW ST. CASIMIR CHURCH IN LOS ANGELES

I was in your magnificent country recently and every church I visited was either beautifully restored or currently undergoing renovations. They may have been closed down during Russian occupation and used as warehouses or military barracks, today they are manifestations of renewed strong faith of the Lithuanian people. Restauruotos bažnyčios atspindi stiprų lietuvių tikėjimą.

I was attracted to the Church of St. Mary in Nida which is enclosed with glass walls, that opens to an amphitheater during concerts or special performances. It also extends to an overflow Sunday Mass. In Siluva, Bishop Algirdas hosted lunch inside a spacious and well appointed refectory or dining hall; and Bishop Kestutis Kevalas gave us a tour of his multi story parish center in a nearby Cathedral of St. Anthony of Padua. Displayed in the conference hall were intricate linen tapestries of great men and women involved in the conversion of Lithuania to Catholicism. It has also air conditioned rooms for workshops including automatic bathrooms. I asked them where they get the funding. They said it comes from cooperative efforts of parishioners. Yes, churches and spiritual centers back home have now been revived, in response to a welcoming and growing community, as well as to the needs of a high tech environment. They are all very impressive and well maintained that brings back the challenge to help restore and renovate St. Casimir Church of Los Angeles.

There is a special reason why I am involved in this church. Every day we pray for persecuted Christians all over the world. It was the fervent hope and strong faith of Lithuanian refugees that led to the construction of St. Casimir. It is here where they prayed for a missing brother and sister, it is here where they asked mūsų ponios aušros vartai to keep safe their country and belongings, it is here where they poured out their fears and loneliness, and  it is here where they celebrated and gave thanks of their new found freedom and opportunities. This church is a testament of the great sacrifices of Lithuanians who came to America. Its story must be preserved and be an inspiration to your children and grandchildren, as well as to everyone who come to worship here.

In 2017, the Archdiocese sent a team of engineers to evaluate all of its churches and related buildings to come up with a property condition report and set a time frame for repairs and renovations within the next five to twelve years. They also came up with a cost recommendation summary to help the Archdiocese and the respective parish in planning and allocating capital expeditures. The total assessment for St. Casimir‘s which includes church, rectory and garage,  parking, convent units, hall, school administration building and classrooms total to $568,000. 

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles initiated the Called the Renew Campaign a capital and endowment campaign raising a goal of $500 million to elevate parishes; strengthen ministerial outreach; support vocations and seminarian education; and provide additional funding for scholarships to Catholic schools, religious education, and college campus ministries. As of date, our parish participation in the Campaign has generated from 99 parishioners, a total commitmment of $348,000 for the next five years and $107,000 of which is our share to the various ministerial outreach of the Archdiocese. The rest will be allocated to fund the assessment for our church and parish buildings.

In behalf of our pastor Tomas Karanauskas, may I invite all of you to seriously get involved in the improvement of our parish and church. Our participation in the Archdiocesan Called to Renew Campaign is meant to create a more inviting environment for worship and community gathering. 

During his apostolic visit in Kaunas, Pope Francis reminded everyone “what it means to be a Church on the move, unafraid to go out and get involved, even when it might seem that we have to pour ourselves out, lose ourselves, in going forth to the weak, neglected and those dwelling at the margins of life.”  

The Lithuanian community in Los Angeles has survived, grown and extended to embrace the neighborhood. Lietuvių bendruomenė Los Andžele išliko, išaugo ir išsiplėtė, kad apimtų mūsų kaimynystę. Let us rebuild our church and parish center to be able to share God’s unending graces to our children and grandchildren. Mes atstatome savo bažnyčią ir parapijos centrą, kad galėtume dalintis begalinėmis Dievo malonėmis savo vaikams ir anūkams.

Please take a moment to prayerfully consider all the blessings you have received and give something in return to the Lord.  Request or pick up a pledge form, fill it up and submit it to the parish office. You can also make an appointment with the pastor on how you can make a generous tax deductible donation for this purpose.

I know you have already given much in the past but the more you give, the more you will receive. In the gospel of St. Luke, it is written, „give and it will be given to you, a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over”.

Through the intercessions of our Lady Gate of Dawn and Mother of Mercy, may we continue to be together in providing God‘s unending graces here at St. Casimir‘s.