Bishop Jonas Ivanauskas

Born: February 18, 1960; Ordained priest: April 14, 1985; Ordained bishop: November 23, 2003; Bishop of Kaišiadorys: February 11, 2012. Bishop Jonas Ivanauskas was born on February 18, 1960, in Kaunas, into the family of Pranciškus and Genovaitė Ivanauskas. He was baptized on March 15, 1960, at the Church of Christ's Resurrection in Kaunas. In 1978, he graduated from Kaunas Secondary School No. 29 and entered the Kaunas Interdiocesan Seminary, enrolling in the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy. A few months later, he was called up from the seminary for military service. Upon returning from the army in the autumn of 1980, he resumed his studies and spiritual formation at the seminary. He was ordained a deacon on March 4, 1984, at the Kaunas Archcathedral Basilica, and a priest on April 14, 1985. On May 31, 1985, he graduated from the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy in Kaunas, obtaining a Bachelor's degree in Theology. From 1985 to 1987, he served as a vicar at the church in Raseiniai. During those years, he also continued his theological studies in the licentiate program at the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy. On May 27, 1987, the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy awarded him the degree of Licentiate in Theology. From 1987 to 1988, he served as a vicar at the Church of the Holy Cross in Kaunas and taught at the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy. Continuing his teaching work, in 1988–1989... He also served as prefect of the seminary. In December 1989, at the behest of His Eminence Cardinal Vincentas Sladkevičius, he went to Rome for further studies. From 1990 to 1992, he studied moral theology at the *Alfonsianum* Academy of the Pontifical Lateran University. Since the autumn of 1992, he has been a lecturer at the Faculty of Catholic Theology at Vytautas Magnus University and has assisted with pastoral care at the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (Vytautas Church). On November 11, 1994, the Senate of Vytautas Magnus University awarded him the academic rank of associate professor. He has been a member of the Lithuanian Bible Society since 1994. From 1997 to 2002, he served as Head of the Department of Special Theology at the Faculty of Catholic Theology, Vytautas Magnus University. In January 2002, Archbishop Metropolitan Sigitas Tamkevičius of Kaunas appointed him Vicar General. From 2005 to 2014, he chaired the Council for the Lay Apostolate of the Lithuanian Bishops' Conference. On February 11, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Bishop Ordinary of Kaišiadorys; he was installed in the See of Kaišiadorys on March 25, 2012. From 2014 to 2017, he served as Chairman of the Education Commission of the Lithuanian Bishops' Conference. Since November 20, 2017, he has chaired the Council for Relations with the Polish Bishops' Conference of the Lithuanian Bishops' Conference.