Rev. Msgr. Jonas Kučinskas-Kučingis
Reflections
On Creating a Lithuanian-American Community…
Rev. Msgr. Jonas Kučinskas-Kučingis retired from his duties as pastor of St. Casimir Parish of Los Angeles, California in 1984, but will always be the driving force behind the successful Lithuanian-American community.
Rev. Msgr. Jonas Kučinskas-Kučingis chronicled not only his life's experiences, but also the creation and growth of the Lithuanian-American Community in Los Angeles, California. His memoirs bring to life what many communities throughout the United States experienced and are still experiencing, as new communities form to embrace and maintain the Lithuanian culture, traditions, and language. The following is an excerpt from the Reverend's book, Along the Paths of my Life. (published in Los Angeles in 1997).
In 1948 new work began in the life of the parish -- the settling of exiles. America, Canada and Australia opened up the ways for the exiles to come to their countries.
On April 14, 1948 Los Angeles archbishop McIntyre published a pastoral letter, in which he urged the faithful to render all possible help, to make out affidavits and give financial assistance to persons displaced by fear of terror. Msgr. T. J. O’Dwyer was appointed by the archbishop to be in charge of the exiles’ settlement Los Angeles. Mrs. Bronë Starkienë, Antanas Skirius and I were members of this committee. Since I was not yet an American citizen (I became one in 1952) I could not give such documents. Hence through the church, advertisement[s], at meetings and in the press I asked the old immigrants to help me. Amazingly, within a few months we succeeded in finding several hundred persons, who took the risk to help them. It was necessary to guarantee a place to live, work and, in case of illness, medical costs. And in [a] short time several hundred exiles, single persons, and families came to Los Angeles. The sponsors felt a national pride. The newcomers themselves were able to find sponsors for their acquaintances and relatives. Los Angeles rapidly became richer in poets, writers, composers, artists, journalists, generals, and, after spending a short time in Boston, our great poet Bernardas Brazdţionis also moved to Los Angeles.
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| According to the Los Angeles Lithuanian-American
Community’s web page (www.langas.com), St. Casimir's Lithuanian
Saturday School of Los Angeles was founded in 1949 by Msgr. Jonas
Kučingis, pastor emeritus, and is presently under the gracious
guardianship of St. Casimir's Pastor, Msgr. Dr. A. Olđauskas.
This Saturday School has been a meeting point for young Lithuanian families for over four generations. The school will be celebrating it's 50th anniversary during the school year 1999 - 2000. In the photo above, the school's founder Msgr. John Kučingis is being congratulated by the present School Director Marytë Newsom and her daughter Inga, on the occasion of his 90th birthday. |
Under the Parish Roof an Exile Camp
Not all sponsors could accommodate the exiles, especially those with families. It was necessary to shelter them under the roof of the parish. All the rooms at the church (the present hall), upstairs, and downstairs, became their first shelters. In addition, it was necessary to look for work right away. Thus in the mornings, after saying the Mass, I got into the car and we went to the factories’ area to look for work. It was most difficult to place the first one. But the exiles were diligent and the employers liked them so well, that they often called asking for more of such workers. There were also days, when after trying all day, we returned back home with our “load.” Only one of them said to me: “Why did you invite me, if you don’t have any work.”
Exiles’ Moods
Among the exiles were persons of various professions. In spite of that, they were delighted to get any kind of work, just so they could find, so to say, a toehold. I remember, how an attorney Vincas Kazlauskas, when asked about work he had found, used to answer that he worked at the university, not mentioning that he was sweeping hallways at the university. But that same university sweeper, after working for several years, bought himself a small truck and used it to deliver ready-made food and drinks to construction workers.
I should say, that almost all the newcomers joined parish activities, organizations, and assiduously attended church, even though in those days there were no broad freeways. They traveled by buses, since only a few had automobiles. All that was my greatest reward.
I myself being an exile, like one of them, tried to assure that there should be no friction among the old immigrants and the exiles. Hence I used to organize dinners, introducing the exiles and honoring the sponsors. All of that united us into one large, common family.