Bernadeta Miliauskaite-Harris

Rev. Juozas Zdebskis — Defender of the Faith

The Chronicle of the Lithuanian Catholic Church, to which Fr. Zdebskis contributed vital information.

Bernadeta Miliauskaite-Harris is a member of the Council of Religious Affairs in the Lithuanian American Community, Inc.

How much would you be willing to sacrifice in order to defend your faith? Chapter 5 of the Acts of the Apostles gives the account of the 12 Apostles' arrest and trial. When told by the high priest that they had violated the orders not to teach about Jesus, Peter and the apostles replied: "Better for us to obey God than men!" (verse 29). After that, they were whipped and ordered not to speak about Jesus again. Upon their dismissal, they left joyfully as a result of being able to suffer for Jesus' sake and continued to teach and proclaim the Good News.

The same words with which Peter defended himself were spoken once again on November 11, 1971 by a Lithuanian priest, Rev. Juozas Zdebskis (1929-1986), at his trial for catechizing children in Soviet-ruled Lithuania. Like the apostles, Fr. Zdebskis was a threat to the system because he was not afraid to go out and preach to all men as our Lord instructed. His persistence and unyieldingness to the Communist government earned him the code name "Akipleša" assigned to him by the KGB. This colorful word, literally translated, describes someone who tears or claws your eyes out. Father Zdebskis never harmed anyone and loved his enemies as Jesus commanded, while courageously suffering to defend the rights of the faithful.

Father Juozas' fascinating life has been documented in a series of eight books published in Lithuania during the past few years. They include his diaries, letters, sermons, and reminiscences of friends and people whose lives he touched. A documentary video has also been released. One of the books entitled, "Akipleša", discloses information from the KGB file on Father, which miraculously survived destruction along with all of the other KGB files when Lithuania regained independence. It consists of 2,040 pages including 465 agents' reports signed by 115 different KGB agents -- all on this one priest's activities. It provides information on the special means they employed to destroy his credibility. A look at Father's life may inspire us to be more courageous in defending our faith.

His Life…

Juozas Zdebskis was born on May 10, 1929 in the parish of Mindaugai, Marijampole district. His parents were farmers, who had three other daughters, two of which died young. Father's older sister, Maryte, lives in Marijampole. His father died in 1955. His mother, who spent the last years of her life with Fr. Zdebskis, died in 1979.

After high school, Juozas entered the seminary in Kaunas and was ordained a priest on Sept. 21, 1952. After serving in various parishes, Father was transferred to Kaunas in 1956 to further theological studies and assist in two churches. In 1961, he was appointed pastor of the Gudeliai Church.

Father Juozas believed in fulfilling his duties in regard to the catechization of children and did so, even though the government forbade it. He was arrested and sentenced to one year in prison on Nov. 26, 1964. He was released on June 4, 1965 after serving with hardened criminals. Next he worked in the parishes of Alytus and Leipalingis before becoming pastor of Kapciamiestis in Nov. 1966. Besides faithfully serving his parish, he also gave retreats in other towns.

Father Juozas became concerned with the sorrowful state of the seminary. While about 30 priests died annually, only five to seven were ordained. Government, not Church, officials chose candidates for the priesthood. If the young men agreed to collaborate with the KGB, they were permitted to enter the seminary.

At the end of 1968, Fr. Zdebskis, along with Fr. Sigitas Tamkevicius (currently Archbishop), began to gather signatures for a petition protesting this situation. For this he was transferred to Valakbudis. After signing another petition demanding that more seminarians be allowed into the Kaunas Seminary, his and Fr. Tamkevicius' registration certificates and the right to officially function as priests were taken away. Both worked as laborers in land reclamation for one year. In the spring of 1970, Father was allowed to resume his priestly duties in Prienai. He continued organizing retreats, ministering to Catholics throughout the Soviet Union and catechizing children, which led to his second arrest on Aug. 26, 1971. He was sentenced to one year in the Pravieniškiu correctional work facility, where he remained until Aug. 26, 1972.

The Tribulations Begin…

After Father’s return, he was not assigned to any parish but continued to minister to Catholics in various towns. In the summer of 1973, he was assigned to Šlavantus as pastor where he remained for 12 years. Being in an out of the way parish gave him more time to broaden the scope of his activities.

The Communists had confiscated and destroyed all Catholic literature, which was desperately needed to raise the people's awareness from the materialistic to the spiritual level. Father organized the copying and passing around of what little pre-war literature he had. He also worked on obtaining information for the "Chronicle of the Catholic Church in Lithuania", an underground publication which was smuggled out to inform the free world of violations of believers' rights under the Communists. Father was also a founding member of the Catholic Committee for the Defense of Believers' Rights. He recognized the needs of younger people growing up in an atheistic environment and organized them into the "Friends of the Eucharist" movement.

Robertas Grigas, a former member, describes their meetings, which were held at different homes under the guise of feast day or farewell dinners. During the summer, they met outside to enjoy the beauty of God's creation. They learned Lithuania's real anthem and history. Father Juozas encouraged abstinence from alcohol and taught the youth to do penance by sacrifice. For example, giving up candy and television for Lent.

At the time, this seemed childish to Robertas but now he understands Father's insight. It was the youngsters who sacrificed little things like candy, who later were able to withstand interrogations and not succumb to fear or persecution. Whenever Father learned of a member in trouble, all would appear offering consolation and support.

When the time came for Robertas to serve his time in the Russian Army, he refused to go against his conscience by taking the atheistic oath. Because of this he was terrorized. Father Juozas and Robertas' mother traveled to Kazachstan, where Robertas was stationed three times. Father secretly heard his confession, held Mass and gave him Holy Communion. This strengthened Robertas to go on. Today, he is a priest. Other former members also entered religious life; while, those who chose matrimony created strong Catholic families. All were taught by Father to love their persecutors.

The Persecution is Stepped Up…

This extraordinary priest was not without a sense of humor. To get rid of KGB agents who were always following him, Father Juozas would enter an apartment building, which he did not have to go to, wait, and leave. The agents would then have to question each tenant on every floor. This enabled him to move about freely for a time.

Father would attend all the trials of dissidents in order to show his support. Once security agents approached him in the courtroom to inquire why he was there. He replied with a smile that he had come to gather material for the "Chronicle of the Catholic Church."

Monsignor Svarinskas tells of another instance when after hours of interrogation, Father Juozas was released. He stood at the door and beckoned for the interrogators to come over. They thought he was at last ready to divulge information and ran up to him. Instead, he offered to baptize their children.

Needless to say, the KGB did not like Father Zdebskis. Daily Mass, prayer, and contemplation strengthened him to continue carrying out his duties. Unable to break him by trials, warnings and threats, the Communists resorted to measures of terror. He was beat up in Marijampole in Oct. 1972. On several occasions accidents were set up followed by raids and interrogations. An especially cruel plan to discredit him reads like a thriller.

On October 4, 1980, family and friends were gathered in a Marijampole home awaiting Father Juozas to baptize his sister's grandchild. He did not arrive until 11:30 p.m. because he was being followed. After christening the baby, Father was invited to dinner. He sat down hesitantly. When he got up half an hour later, the chair was stained with blood. He explained that it might be a skin infection and asked Dr. Genovaite Drasutyte to accompany him. Two KGB cars followed.

When they arrived at the rectory at 2:30 a.m., Father's blood pressure had dropped and he was very weak. His lower back, buttocks and backs of thighs were red, swollen and covered with blisters filled with bloody fluids. Some had broken causing his clothes to stick to them. They were caused by chemicals, which the KGB had poured on Father's car seat to disable him. These chemicals not only burn but are absorbed into the skin where they damage the heart, kidneys, central nervous and gastrointestinal systems.

Due to the severity of the burns, it was necessary to hospitalize Father Juozas. Three people accompanied him to the Kaunas Clinic's burn unit. They prayed all the way. This time they were followed by three cars and stopped once. The doctor's driver license was checked. After looking in the car to verify that Father Zdebskis was actually in it, the agents allowed them to proceed.

A stop was made at Dr. Drasutyte's place to administer medicine, change the bandages, and take a blood sample, which was sent to the lab under an assumed name to be tested for venereal disease. The results were negative.

It was now October 6th. The next stopped at a house in Kaunas where the Franciscan Sisters lived. Father, despite all his pain, offered Holy Mass. An ambulance was called and he was taken to the clinic, where the doctor who was consulted asked him if he had sat in a pot of boiling water. The diagnosis was second and third degree burns.

On October 8th, through God's will, a friend who worked in the lab notified Father's friends that a lab specimen without a name was brought in and ordered to be diagnosed as positive for venereal disease. The KGB was demanding that Father Juozas be diagnosed as having venereal disease, and that he be transferred to that section of the clinic. The only solution was for Father to escape.

His medical record still stated that he was being treated for burns. Friends took it, and Father wrote on it that he was leaving to be treated at home. They also photographed his chart to have proof in case someone did change it to read venereal disease.

With God’s help, the escape took place at night. While two friends, Dr. Birute Žemaityte and Vytautas Vaiciunas, entered the hospital, a third, Dr. Drasutyte, waited in the car. The two made it safely past the guards. The elevator operator was an acquaintance of Dr. Žemaityte and agreed to wait with closed doors on the floor of the burn unit. Mr. Vaiciunas hid in the toilet with Father's clothes. All was quiet. As Dr. Žemaityte entered the doctor's office, who was on call, she quietly thanked God that it was a friend of hers, Dr. Rimantas Žebrauskas. After informing him that she had to take Fr. Zdebskis, he agreed to conveniently disappear in the cardiac section.

Dr. Žemaityte then brought Father to the toilet where Mr. Vaiciunas helped him to dress. They waited until the corridor was empty before taking the elevator to the basement, where they passed through dismal tunnels, before climbing the stairs and finally making it outside to the waiting car. Each step for Father was very painful. Once in the car, they prayed to their Guardian Angels and the Blessed Mother before hurrying away. They were not sure where to go but decided that Vidukle, where Fr. Alfonsas Svarinskas was, would be a safe place.

Father remained there until Oct. 12, when his heart rhythm became irregular. It was decided to move him to the Franciscans' apartment in an out of the way section of Kaunas. Before leaving, Father went to Confession and received the Last Rites. Dr. Drasutyte arranged for his treatment. In order to keep his location a secret, no one left the house or answered the telephone. If he were discovered, the KGB plan would succeed. Food and medicine were delivered at night. Father offered his pain and suffering for the souls in Purgatory and the conversion of sinners. He refused pain medication so that he would have something to offer. Prayer, meditation and celebration of the Holy Mass, which he could only do lying down, filled his days.

On Oct. 21st, news reached them that the authorities were searching for Fr. Zdebskis in order to seize him and two women, and hospitalize them for venereal disease. All turned to prayer. Brave priests, such as Rev. Indriunas in Kaunas, spoke out from the pulpit about the KGB's plot to disable and discredit Fr. Juozas. Once this was out in the open, the KGB kept its distance.

God’s Work Continues…

Slowly, Father recovered and began to walk again. He returned home on Dec. 5, still under treatment. He was able to continue his priestly duties in Šlavantai for 11 years. Among them he visited the sick every first Friday in order to bring them the Holy Eucharist, educated for abstinence, taught by example, and continued to obey God instead of the atheistic government.

His last assignment was the parish of Rudamina where he served until his death on Feb. 5, 1986 when he was killed in an automobile accident arranged by the KGB. Fr. Juozas' car, driven by Algis Sabaliauskas, collided with a milk truck. Three passengers died and a fourth, Romas Žemaitis, was injured. Monsignor Vincentas Jalinskas, who prepared Father's body for burial, observed that his forehead did not look quite right. When he touched it with his finger, his finger immediately penetrated very deeply. Monsignor Jalinskas speculated that either Father died instantaneously, or someone "helped" him die.

Various obstacles were posed to claiming Fr. Juozas’ remains and personal effects. The authorities wanted to forbid his burial in Rudamina’s churchyard, but the grave had already been dug. The KGB kept the entire funeral under special surveillance, especially those taking care of the arrangements. Nevertheless, this did not prevent thousands of people and hundreds of priests from attending and paying their last respects to this martyr for Christ.

A cover from "The Chronicle of The Lithuanian Catholic Church."

Father’s Legacy…

Even though Father Juozas is no longer with us physically, he is present in spirit. The seeds of faith, hope, and love that he sowed have borne fruit. Thanks to him, many young people whom he taught are now priests, sisters and lay people bearing witness for God and building up the Catholic Church in Lithuania today.

Many reading about Father Zdebskis' life may find motivation to defend their faith against the excessive materialism and hedonism of today's society. Behaviors, which used to be sins, are no longer called sins. It has become acceptable to engage in premarital sex, engage in homosexuality, live together without marriage, enter into same sex marriages, commit adultery, kill the unborn and the sick — all to the detriment of the family. Promoting chastity, especially among teens, is discouraged. Pornography, sex, violence, and profanity in the media, especially the entertainment industry, have destroyed the innocence of today's children. Like Fr. Zdebskis, let us pray to the Holy Spirit to strengthen us to fight against these evils by following the Ten Commandments and proclaiming their existence to others even in the face of ridicule and disdain. Then, like the apostles, we too will be obeying God, rather than men.