THE MAIN INFORMATION

The Address of the Church
Radvilėnų pl. 11
LT-50257 Kaunas
Tel. (37) 38 05 38
Web page: kaunas.lcn.lt/parapijos/antanas

Rectory
B. Sruogos g. 12
LT-50256 Kaunas
Tel./fax +370 37 73 67 92
Email: antanas@kaunas.lcn.lt

The Office of the Parish receives the visitors:
On weekdays: 7:00-8:00, 9:00-13:00 and 14:00-18:30
On Saturdays: 7:00-13:00 and 17:00-18:30
On Sundays and holidays: 7:00-13:00 and 17:00-18:30
Tel. +370 37 38 05 38

Funeral Halls of the Parish
Radvilėnų pl. 15a
LT-50257 Kaunas
Tel. +370 37 73 18 55, m. tel. 8-685 04216

The House of the Parish
(Caritas, The rooms of the children and young people repetitions and prayer groups, library)
Radvilėnų pl. 15

The Ministers of the Parish
The rector rev. Vytenis VAŠKELIS
The bishop most. rev. Juozas PREIKŠAS
The vicar rev. Juozas ČEPĖNAS
Rev. Antanas MILAŠIUS
Rev. Juozas INDRIŪNAS

The Liturgy

The holy Mass
On weekdays at 7, 8, 17:30
On holidays at 7, 8, 10 (or 12) and 17:30
On Saturdays and universal holidays at 8, 10, 11, 12 and 17:30

The adoration of the Holy Sacrament
On Saturdays - after 8 p.m. holy Mass till 10 p.m.
Durig the saint Antanas festival after 12:00 Mass till 18:00
On the lats Mondays of the month after 18:00 Holy Mass till 20:30 (asking for the spiritual graces and the health).

Other public prayer
The May prayers - on the month of May at 18:00
The July prayers - on the month of July at 18:00
The prayer of the Rosary - on the month of October at 17:00

The confessions are being listened before and during the holy Mass in the church.
For the sacrament of the Marriage one can apply three months before to the office at the time of reception. The curses of catechesis and the preparation for the family are being held.
For the sacrament of the Baptism one can apply three weeks before to the office at the time of reception. The occupation of catechesis is being held.
For the other sacraments one can apply to the office at the time of reception.

Church festivals, that are being moved to Sunday:
St. John Bosko - about the 31st of January.
St. Antanas Paduvietis - about the 13th of July.
St. Teresa of St. Baby Jesus - about the 1st of October.
Immaculate Conception of Holy Mary  - about the 8th of December.

The parish and the church is waiting for the financial support for the people, who are in need for Your help - children and the poor people:
The current account: AB Vilniaus bankas 70440 LT 2070440600035851492

THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH AND THE PARISH

"The church can be built everywhere: one shouldn`t be afraid to build even if apparently there are no means, no building materials, because there never has been piled up for the special purpose of building the church. Everything is being done with love and opened kind heart".
The founder of St. Antanas parish church canon Juozas ŽELVYS.

The parish of St. Antanas was founded in 1933. Canon Juozas Želvys was designated as the rector of the chapel. At the beginning the temporal church of st. Antanas was arranged at the asylum house place situated near the present church.

In the 1936 January 26, when the project of the church was already prepared, at the joint gathering it was decided to built the church of bricks as fast as possible, because the chapel was cramped and stuffy. There was no separate fund for the building of churches. Banks wouldn`t lend the money for this purpose, as it was impossible to sell the church by auction. So it was decided to collect dues every month within the parish limits. At the time of collecting the dues the pictures of the built St. Antanas church were given. The warship of St. Antanas leaded this work. The foundation was consecrated in 1936 May 10. The documents with the act of consecration, written by Kaunas` archbishop and Lithuanian signatures, the paper and the metal money of independent Lithuania in these days, were put into the glass pipe witch was varnished ant put into the copper one. This pipe was bricked into the base of the tower by the door, at the right side of the middle wall about a meter from the ground, between the great and the side door. The foundation was consecrated and the pipe was bricked up by the priest Stasys Ūsorius.

In 1936 March 28 the bricked church was begun to built and in the same year it was consecrated by canon Juozas Byla.

The sculpture of St. Antanas was created by the sculptor Juozas Zikaras. In 1937 May 9 it was given a solemn consecration. The president of Lithuania Antanas Smetona took a part in this ceremony. Later there were bought three cement sculptures: of St. John Bosky with two babies, Jesus Heart and St. Teresa. The first cross, that was stood at the churchyard, was oaken, made for the 550 year anniversary of the Christianity in Lithuania - in 1938 October 30.
The church of St. Antanas was consecrated in 1942 September 20 d. from 8 till 11.30 p.m. The archonship Dr. Juozapas Skriveckas was the consecrator. The St. Mass was sacrificed by the bishop Vincentas Brizgys.

Later the parish has become larger. Different organizations were created, giving the beginning for the activity of today`s parish. The church is still being built, but not of bricks and not outside, but of love in people`s hearts...

THE Rectors OF ST. ANTANAS PARISH

The founder and the first dean priest canon Juozas Želvys,
Mons. Pranas Juozapavičius,
Rev. Juozapas Jasiukas,
Rev. Povilas Jančauskas,
Rev. Kazimieras Stadkevičius,
Rev. Antanas Ranusas,
Mons. Steponas Telksnys,
Rev. Juozas Vaičeliūnas,
Rev. Pranas Šniukšta,
Rev. Izidorius Butkus,
Rev. Krizantas Juknevičius,
Mons. Petras Meilus,
Today`s Rector - rev. Vytenis Vaškelis.

ABOUT the PARISH

In 1998 April 28 Kaunas` archbishop Sigitas Tamkevičius from St. Antanas parish has founded the new parish of the Good Pastor. Both parishes are separated by one limit - the street of Kovo 11-osios.

Today there are about 50 thousand inhabitants in St. Antanas parish. During the Easter about 20 thousand believers come to the church and every Sunday - about 6 - 8 thousands. Every year about 450 children are being prepared for the First Sacrament about 150 couples are being married.

Three organists work at the church - Antanas Tavoras, Raimonda Liaskauskaitė, Laimutė Katilienė. On Sunday`s St. Mass the choirs of Sum, Young People, Children, Sisters Monks and the group of Living Stones community are leading the praise.

The parish has tree burying halls (Radvilėnų pl. 15a). There is catholic library biblioteka (Radvilėnų pl. 15). The second house of Sts. Virgin Mary The Shelter of the Sad monastery is at the St. Antanas parish too.

Caritas of the parish (Radvilėnų pl. 15) takes care for the poor, the teachers D.Gromnickienė and A.Puidokienė take care of a large group of the socially supported children. Sisters Teresa, Otilija and Loreta take care of the spiritual development of parishioners, especially children and young people, also help to prepare for taking the Sacraments. The Legionnaires of Mary help to take care of spiritual needs of parishioners.

THE TERITORY OF ST.ANTANAS PARISH TODAY

Kovo 11-osios street unpaired house numbers; Baršauskas street unpaired house numbers from the hill of Crosses till the Songs valley; Radvilėnų highway till Vydūnas alley; Vydūnas alley till Kipras Petrauskas street; Kipras Petrauskas street unpaired house numbers till the prospect of Savanoriai;
From Kipras Petrauskas street beginning Savanorių prospect paired numbers till Kovo 11-sios street.

STATISTICS

The area of the parish - 4 square kilometers. 6 priests are working. On Sundays St.Mass about 7 000 believers take part.