Lithuanian Catholics ‘keep the faith alive’
Lithuanian Catholics see ways to ‘keep the faith alive’ at LA event
Irene “Jurate” Venckus knows the saga and strength of her Lithuanian family.
Her grandfather was shot by invading Russians during World War II. Her uncle joined the resistance fighters.
No one attended church for fear of arrest.
The family eventually had to flee their homeland before finding safety and religious freedom in North America.
Venckus shared this harrowing story at “Su Kristumi,” the West Coast’s first religious congress of Lithuanians held Dec. 6-7 at St. Casimir Catholic Church in Los Feliz. Inside the parish hall that’s covered with flags and folk art, passions ran high on the subject of preserving Lithuanian identity.