Auxiliary Bishop
Arūnas PONIŠKAITIS

Date of birth: 1966-08-01

Date of priestly ordination: 1992-05-31

Date of consecration: 2010-04-04

Arūnas Poniškaitis was born on August 1st, 1966 in a devoutly practicing Catholic family. He was christened in the Griškabūdžio church and lived in his native village of Vyšpiniai (in Šakiai) in the parish of Žvirgždaičiai up until the age of four. Then his family lived in Vilkaviškis, where he finished the Second Middle School in 1984 (the current Aušros High School). After required service in the Soviet army, he was accepted into the Kaunas Priest’s Seminary in 1987. He completed his studies on May 31st, 1992 and received his blessings from Bishop Juozas Žemaitis MIC and was assigned as vicar at the Church of Guardian Angels in Alytus. He continued his theological studies at the Pontifical St. Grigalius University in Rome, where he received a degree in Theology in 1997.

In 2001, he received a PhD in Theology. Upon his return to Lithuania, he was appointed as parish pastor at St. Casimir’s parish in Alytus.

From 2001–2004, he was the Spiritual Father at the Blessed Jurgis Matulaitis Seminary in Marijampolė, part of the Vilkaviškis Diocese. From 2001–2009 he taught fundamental theology at Vytauto Didžiojo University, courses at the Seminary in Marijampolė, and the College in Marijampolė. In 2003, Fr. Arūnas Poniškaitis was appointed as the Notary for the Curia of the Archdiocese of Vilkaviškis. In 2004, he was appointed as the bishop’s General Vicar in Vilkaviškis. In 2005, he was given the title of chaplain-monsignor by the Holy Father. He was also a member and consultant of the Vilkaviškis Diocese Priest’s Council and the chaplain for the Faith and Light Community in Marijampolė. He acted as a Vilkaviškis Diocese representative for the publication Bažnyčios Žinios, and is also the spiritual advisor for the Ateitininkų Federation’s board members in Marijampolė.

On February 5th, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Monsignor Arūnas Poniškaitis to the Vilnius Archdiocese as a Bishop Auxiliary and a Titular Bishop of Sinna.

On March 4th, 2010 he was consecrated Bishop in the Archcathedral. On the same day, Cardinal Audrys Juozas Bačkis appointed him as General Vicar. Archbishop Metropolitan Gintaras Grušas renewed this position in 2013.

2011-2017 bishop Arūnas Poniškaitis was president of the Council of youth pastoral care of Lithuanian Bishops‘ Conference. On November 20, 2017 he was elected for the presidency of the Council for Family of Lithuanian Bishops’ Conference. He is the member of the LBC Commission for Education and LBC Commisssion for Liturgy, as well as the member of the Council for the Relations with the Polish Bishops‘ Conference.

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COAT OF ARMS

The Archbishop Metropolitan of Vilnius Gintaras Grušas’ COAT OF ARMS

Jau aštuoni šimtmečiai, kai popiežius ir kiti Bažnyčios hierarchai naudoja asmeninius herbus. Herbo simbolika išreiškia herbo turėtojo gyvenimo idealą, veiklos programą ar nurodo į kokį nors svarbų gyvenimo momentą. Ji taip pat nurodo herbo savininko turimus titulus, rangą ir pan.

Vilniaus arkivyskupo metropolito Gintaro Grušo herbo skydo mėlyname lauke vaizduojamas sidabro spalvos nuleistais sparnais žemyn skrendantis balandis, simbolizuojantis Šventąją Dvasią, ir dvylika auksinių žvaigždžių – Švč. Mergelės Marijos simbolis. Du spinduliai, sidabrinis ir raudonas, primena Dievo gailestingumą, kuris per Šventąją Dvasią veikia Bažnyčioje. Apatiniame raudoname skydo lauke – auksiniai Gedimino stulpai, seniausias Lietuvos valstybės simbolis.

Galeras (skrybėlė) su virvelėmis ir kutais nurodo herbo turėtojo rangą. Žalias galeras su žaliomis virvelėmis ir keturios eilės kutų abejose pusėse byloja, kad šis herbas yra arkivyskupo. Už herbo skydo esantis pastoralas su dvigubu kryžiumi ilgesne apatine kryžma rodo herbo turėtojo hierarchinį arkivyskupo laipsnį.

Herbo apatinėje dalyje esantis šūkis (devizas) skelbia: „Gratia, Misericordia et Pax“ (Malonė, gailestingumas ir ramybė). Herbo skydo baltos ir raudonos spalvos spinduliai, simbolizuojantys Dievo gailestingumą, yra aliuzija į šventajai seseriai Faustinai Vilniuje įvykusį apsireiškimą ir pagal tai nutapytą Dievo Gailestingumo paveikslą. Raudonos, mėlynos ir baltos spalvų derinys primena JAV, šalį, kurioje arkivyskupas gimė ir augo, o mėlyna herbo skydo spalva su dvylika auksinių žvaigždžių sietina su Europos Sąjunga, kuriai priklauso Lietuva.

Auxiliary Bishop Arūnas PONIŠKAITIS

COAT OF ARMS

The Archbishop Metropolitan of Vilnius Gintaras Grušas’ COAT OF ARMS

Jau aštuoni šimtmečiai, kai popiežius ir kiti Bažnyčios hierarchai naudoja asmeninius herbus. Herbo simbolika išreiškia herbo turėtojo gyvenimo idealą, veiklos programą ar nurodo į kokį nors svarbų gyvenimo momentą. Ji taip pat nurodo herbo savininko turimus titulus, rangą ir pan.

Vilniaus arkivyskupo metropolito Gintaro Grušo herbo skydo mėlyname lauke vaizduojamas sidabro spalvos nuleistais sparnais žemyn skrendantis balandis, simbolizuojantis Šventąją Dvasią, ir dvylika auksinių žvaigždžių – Švč. Mergelės Marijos simbolis. Du spinduliai, sidabrinis ir raudonas, primena Dievo gailestingumą, kuris per Šventąją Dvasią veikia Bažnyčioje. Apatiniame raudoname skydo lauke – auksiniai Gedimino stulpai, seniausias Lietuvos valstybės simbolis.

Galeras (skrybėlė) su virvelėmis ir kutais nurodo herbo turėtojo rangą. Žalias galeras su žaliomis virvelėmis ir keturios eilės kutų abejose pusėse byloja, kad šis herbas yra arkivyskupo. Už herbo skydo esantis pastoralas su dvigubu kryžiumi ilgesne apatine kryžma rodo herbo turėtojo hierarchinį arkivyskupo laipsnį.

Herbo apatinėje dalyje esantis šūkis (devizas) skelbia: „Gratia, Misericordia et Pax“ (Malonė, gailestingumas ir ramybė). Herbo skydo baltos ir raudonos spalvos spinduliai, simbolizuojantys Dievo gailestingumą, yra aliuzija į šventajai seseriai Faustinai Vilniuje įvykusį apsireiškimą ir pagal tai nutapytą Dievo Gailestingumo paveikslą. Raudonos, mėlynos ir baltos spalvų derinys primena JAV, šalį, kurioje arkivyskupas gimė ir augo, o mėlyna herbo skydo spalva su dvylika auksinių žvaigždžių sietina su Europos Sąjunga, kuriai priklauso Lietuva.

Date of birth: 1966-08-01

Date of priestly ordination: 1992-05-31

Date of consecration: 2010-04-04

Arūnas Poniškaitis was born on August 1st, 1966 in a devoutly practicing Catholic family. He was christened in the Griškabūdžio church and lived in his native village of Vyšpiniai (in Šakiai) in the parish of Žvirgždaičiai up until the age of four. Then his family lived in Vilkaviškis, where he finished the Second Middle School in 1984 (the current Aušros High School). After required service in the Soviet army, he was accepted into the Kaunas Priest’s Seminary in 1987. He completed his studies on May 31st, 1992 and received his blessings from Bishop Juozas Žemaitis MIC and was assigned as vicar at the Church of Guardian Angels in Alytus. He continued his theological studies at the Pontifical St. Grigalius University in Rome, where he received a degree in Theology in 1997.

In 2001, he received a PhD in Theology. Upon his return to Lithuania, he was appointed as parish pastor at St. Casimir’s parish in Alytus.

From 2001–2004, he was the Spiritual Father at the Blessed Jurgis Matulaitis Seminary in Marijampolė, part of the Vilkaviškis Diocese. From 2001–2009 he taught fundamental theology at Vytauto Didžiojo University, courses at the Seminary in Marijampolė, and the College in Marijampolė. In 2003, Fr. Arūnas Poniškaitis was appointed as the Notary for the Curia of the Archdiocese of Vilkaviškis. In 2004, he was appointed as the bishop’s General Vicar in Vilkaviškis. In 2005, he was given the title of chaplain-monsignor by the Holy Father. He was also a member and consultant of the Vilkaviškis Diocese Priest’s Council and the chaplain for the Faith and Light Community in Marijampolė. He acted as a Vilkaviškis Diocese representative for the publication Bažnyčios Žinios, and is also the spiritual advisor for the Ateitininkų Federation’s board members in Marijampolė.

On February 5th, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Monsignor Arūnas Poniškaitis to the Vilnius Archdiocese as a Bishop Auxiliary and a Titular Bishop of Sinna.

On March 4th, 2010 he was consecrated Bishop in the Archcathedral. On the same day, Cardinal Audrys Juozas Bačkis appointed him as General Vicar. Archbishop Metropolitan Gintaras Grušas renewed this position in 2013.

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