Gintaras Grušas

Gintaras Linas Grušas (born 23 September 1961) is a Lithuanian–American prelate of the Catholic Church. He has been the Archbishop of Vilnius, Lithuania, since April 2013.

His Excellency Gintaras Linas Grušas
Archbishop of Vilnius
Archbishop Grušas
Church	Roman Catholic Church
Archdiocese	Vilnius
Province	Vilnius
Metropolis	Vilnius
See	Vilnius
Appointed	5 April 2013
Installed	23 April 2013
Predecessor	Audrys Juozas Bačkis
Other posts	Military Ordinariate of Lithuania
Orders
Ordination	25 June 1994 by Audrys Juozas Bačkis
Consecration	4 September 2010 by Audrys Juozas Bačkis
Rank	Archbishop
Personal details
Birth name	Gintaras Linas Grušas
Born	(1961-09-23) 23 September 1961 Washington, D.C., USA
Nationality	Lithuanian  American
Alma mater	Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Angelicum
Motto	Gratia, Misericordia Et Pax
Coat of arms

Biography

Grušas was born in Washington, D.C., on 23 September 1961. After World War II, his mother and sister had spent 16 years behind the Iron Curtain before they were able to join his father in the United States. They were among just 200 people allowed to leave the Soviet Union to be reunited with family members 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]

As a seminarian, Grušas studied at the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Steubenville, Ohio.[3] Subsequently, Grušas studied at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome where he earned a Bachelor of Sacred Theology in 1994. He was ordained a priest.

After his ordination he worked as secretary-general of the Lithuanian Episcopal Conference until 1997 and from 2001 to 2003 he was rector of the seminary in Vilnius.

He earned a Licentiate of Canon Law in 1999 and a Doctorate of Canon Law in 2001 from the Angelicum.

On 2 July 2010, Pope Benedict XVI named him Military Ordinary of Lithuania[4] and he was consecrated a bishop on 4 September.[5]

On 5 April 2013, Pope Francis appointed him Archbishop of Vilnius to succeed Cardinal Audrys Juozas Bačkis.[6][7] He was installed on 23 April 2013.[8]

On 9 June 2014 he was named a member of the Congregation for the Clergy[9] and on 13 July 2016 of the Secretariat for Communications.[10]

He was elected President of the Episcopal Conference of Lithuania on 28 October 2014.[8]

References

1. Soderberg, Wendy (1 January 2011). "Higher Learning". UCLA Magazine.
2. Glatz, Carol (8 September 2010). "Multicultural, business background come in handy for bishop-designate". Catholic News Service. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
3. "Higher Learning". UCLA Magazine. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
4. "Rinunce e Nomine, 02.07.2010" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 2 July 2010. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
5. Tumenaite, Ruta (9 July 2010). "Bishop for Lithuanian military feels close to late pope at consecration". Catholic News Service. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
6. "Rinunce e Nomine, 05.04.2013" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 5 April 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
7. "Pope names Washington, D.C., native archbishop in Lithuania". Catholic News Service. 4 May 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
8. "Archbishop Gintaras Grušas". Lithuanian Bishops' Conference. 22 January 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
9. "Rinunce e Nomine, 09.06.2014" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 9 June 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
10. "Rinunce e Nomine, 13.07.2016" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 13 July 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2018.

External links

• Biography, Archdiocese of Vilnius

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Eugenijus Bartulis	Military Ordinary of Lithuania 2010–2013	Succeeded by Vacant
Preceded by Audrys Juozas Bačkis	Archbishop of Vilnius 2013–present	Succeeded by Incumbent