By Michael F. Flach
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 12/9/04)

Bishop Anton Justs, a former priest of the Arlington Diocese now serving in Latvia, recently returned to Northern Virginia to visit family and friends. He also met with Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde and celebrated Mass for Latvian Catholics on Long Island before returning to the Diocese of Jelgava.

The bishop preached at All Saints Church in Manassas and Blessed Sacrament Church in Alexandria during his brief visit to the area. Special collections were taken at both locations to help with seminarian education.

Bishop Justs, former pastor of St. Mark Church in Vienna, was ordained by Pope John Paul II in Rome on Jan. 6, 1996. He made his first ad limina visit with the Holy Father in 1999 and will make another trip to Rome in 2005.

He said he looks forward to participating in the Synod for Europe, which is scheduled to take place in Rome next October. There also will be a celebration in July 2006 marking the 100th anniversary of the dedication of the Cathedral in Riga.

The bishop proudly reports that the Latvian seminary is flourishing. There are 130 priests in Latvia and 40 seminarians. Eight of those seminarians are from Jelgava. Latvia has an affiliation with the Lateran University in Rome and five bishops have received seminary training in Latvia. Two-thirds of the priests in Latvia have been ordained since 1992 when Bishop Justs first returned to his native country.

The transition for the laity has not been as quick. The old Soviet ideology left the Latvian people with no spiritual values, Bishop Justs said. "They have no hope, no belief in an afterlife." He had to overcome this mindset among the men and women to bring religious values to society.

"There continues to be lots of negativism," he said. "People feel powerless. The Soviet Union was a society built on command. Self-initiative is slowly coming back."

Bishop Justs said the cultural shock between Northern Virginia and Latvia goes beyond the obvious physical differences. The United States has "educated believers," lay people who are knowledgeable about their faith, as well as their area of professional expertise. Catholics in Latvia, on the other hand, weren’t highly educated under the Soviet regime because they were usually outside the government circle, he said.

Bishop Justs’ greatest effort has been trying to "build up the laity" by educating Catholic intellectuals who can argue and defend the faith.

The Legion of Mary has played an active role in the evangelization effort, he said. Each diocese in Latvia has its own curia. Legion members work mainly with the elderly.

"The faith is dynamic in Latvia," the bishop said. "People want to believe. That is how they survived 50 years of oppression. We do not have gold or silver, but we have great faith."

The Latvian people are very grateful for the support they receive from the United States, he said. His diocese has a "sister parish" in San Antonio, Texas, that recently exchanged flags.

Latvian soldiers are part of the U.N. peacekeeping force serving in Iraq, Bishop Justs said. "Latvia wants to be part of the U.N., not for the material goods we receive, but to be able to belong to the universal Church."

One thousand Latvian youths are expected to attend World Youth Day next August in Cologne, Germany, Bishop Justs said.

"It’s important for the Latvian people to see the universal Church," he said. "To see that in action is a great way to bring about change. They can see there is life beyond Latvia."

How to Help

One particular ministry supported by Bishop Justs’ diocese is a nursing home for the elderly. Some residents returned to Latvia after years of incarceration in Siberia under the Communist regime. Their families and friends were killed or scattered, so there’s no one else to take of them, the bishop said.

The complex includes a small farm and two frame houses where about 40 elderly people live. The bishop said a $200,000 addition to one of the homes is needed because new European regulations prohibit them from using the second floor.

Those interested in supporting the Latvian Mission can send care packages to: Latvian Mission, c/o Bishop Justs, Katolu Iela 16, Riga, LV 1003, Latvia. Financial contributions can be sent to: Latvian Mission, c/o Bishop Justs, P.O. Box 7107, Alexandria, Va. 22307.