(ANS – Telšiai) – In recognition of the valuable contributions of the various communities of consecrated life to the pastoral growth of the Diocese of Telšiai, which is celebrating its centenary this year, the Bishop of Telšiai, Msgr. Algirdas Jurevičius, awarded the Salesian Community of Telšiai, together with other religious communities of the diocese, the Medal of Saint Justin. The award was conferred at the conclusion of the liturgical celebrations for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord and the World Day of Consecrated Life, held at the Minor Basilica of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Samogitian Calvary (Žemaičių Kalvarija).

The Diocese of Telšiai was established by Pope Pius XI el April 4, 1926, through the apostolic constitution Lituanorum gente, with Msgr. Justinas Staugaitis—one of the signatories of the February 16, 1918, Act of Lithuanian Independence—as its first bishop. Saint Justin, philosopher and martyr, was designated as the patron of the diocese, and the Parish of Saint Anthony of Padua in Telšiai was chosen as its cathedral.

The medal features the image of Saint Justin, philosopher and martyr and patron of the diocese, along with the bishop’s coat of arms. The colors of the ribbon represent the regions of the diocese: Samogitia (red) and Lithuania Minor (green). The blue color symbolizes the largest bodies of water in Lithuania—the Baltic Sea and the Curonian Lagoon—which wash the shores of the diocese. At the center of the ribbon is the tricolor (yellow, green, and red) of the Republic of Lithuania.

The Salesian Community of Telšiai has been actively serving the diocese since September 2017. It has been entrusted with the pastoral care of the Vincent Borisevičius School of Telšiai, a state-run Catholic school. The Salesians also contribute to various youth pastoral activities of the diocese and organize summer camps for young people.

The two Salesians currently assigned in Telšiai, Fr. Massimo Bianco y Fr. Ryan Oliver Bautista, have organized several activities to make Don Bosco known and loved by students, teachers, and school administrators. They were invited to celebrate Sunday Masses and preach homilies in honor of Don Bosco at the Parish of the Assumption and the Cathedral of Telšiai. Journeying together with the local Church and its faithful, the Salesians, serving the Lord with joy, accompany the young people of Telšiai toward an integral formation in faith.