Gintaras Grušas

His Excellency

Gintaras Grušas
Archbishop of Vilnius
Archbishop Grušas
ChurchRoman Catholic Church
SeeVilnius
Appointed5 April 2013
Installed23 April 2013
PredecessorAudrys Bačkis
Other post(s)Apostolic Administrator of the Military Ordinariate of Lithuania
Previous post(s)Military Ordinary of Lithuania (2010–13)
Orders
Ordination25 June 1994
by Audrys Bačkis
Consecration4 September 2010
by Audrys Bačkis
RankArchbishop
Personal details
Born
Gintaras Grušas

(1961-09-23) 23 September 1961 (age 63)
Washington, D.C., USA
Nationality Lithuanian
 American
Alma materPontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas
MottoGratia, Misericordia Et Pax
Coat of armsGintaras Grušas's coat of arms

Gintaras Grušas (born 23 September 1961) is a Lithuanian-American Catholic prelate who has served as Archbishop of Vilnius since 2013. He was previously Bishop of the Military Ordinariate of Lithuania from 2010 to 2013.

Biography

Grušas was born in Washington, D.C., on 23 September 1961. His parents had reunited only a year earlier after 16 years apart when his mother was able to leave the Soviet Union and join his father in the United States. The family relocated to California and raised their son in Agoura.[1] He earned a BS degree in Mathematics and Information Science at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). He spent five years working as a technical consultant in marketing for IBM, which, he said, helped prepare him for the management and project-planning skills that a pastor needs.[2]

Grušas began his preparation for the priesthood at the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Steubenville, Ohio.[1] He then earned a Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in 1994. He was ordained a priest on 25 June 1994.

After his ordination he worked as secretary-general of the Episcopal Conference of Lithuania until 1997. He earned a Licentiate of Canon Law in 1999 and a Doctorate of Canon Law in 2001 from the Angelicum. From 2001 to 2003 he was rector of the seminary in Vilnius.

On 2 July 2010, Pope Benedict XVI named him Military Ordinary of Lithuania[3] and he was consecrated a bishop on 4 September.[4]

On 5 April 2013, Pope Francis appointed him Archbishop of Vilnius to succeed Cardinal Audrys Juozas Bačkis.[4][5] He was installed there on 23 April 2013.[6]

On 9 June 2014 he was named a member of the Vatican's Congregation for the Clergy[7] and on 13 July 2016 of the Secretariat for Communications.[8]

He was elected president of the Episcopal Conference of Lithuania on 28 October 2014.[6] On 26 September 2021, he was elected President of the Council of the Bishops' Conferences of Europe.[9]

On 23 October 2024, the Synod of Bishops elected Grušas a member of the Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b Soderberg, Wendy (1 January 2011). "Higher Learning". UCLA Magazine. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  2. ^ Glatz, Carol (8 September 2010). "Multicultural, business background come in handy for bishop-designate". Catholic News Service. Archived from the original on 5 May 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  3. ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 02.07.2010" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 2 July 2010. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Rinunce e Nomine, 05.04.2013" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 5 April 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  5. ^ "Pope names Washington, D.C., native archbishop in Lithuania". Catholic News Service. 4 May 2013. Archived from the original on 29 October 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  6. ^ a b "Archbishop Gintaras Grušas". Lithuanian Bishops' Conference. 22 January 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  7. ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 09.06.2014" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 9 June 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  8. ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 13.07.2016" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 13 July 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  9. ^ "US-Born Lithuanian Archbishop Elected President of European Bishops' Council". National Catholic Register. 27 September 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  10. ^ "Synod elects new members to Ordinary Council". Vatican News. 24 October 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
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Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Military Ordinary of Lithuania
2010–2013 		Succeeded by
Vacant
Preceded by Archbishop of Vilnius
2013–present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent