Mgr Paul Jatulis

Early life in Lithuania

Povilas Jatulevicius, but later known simply as Paul Jatulis, was born on January 31, 1912 in Vabalninkas, Lithuania. During 1923-1927 he studied at high school in Panevezys, then went to the Kaunas Theological Seminary, and later to Vytautas Magnus University in the faculty of philosophy and theology. He was ordained priest on October 7, 1934.

From 1934 to 1938 he served as a vicar in Leliunai and the following year he taught religion in the Madonna Junior School in Anyksciai. In 1939 he went to Rome to study at the Pontifical Biblical Institute and the Gregorian University. He completed a Doctorate in Theology in 1948. During this time, especially from 1945-47, he worked as a chaplain to Lithuanian prisoners and refugees.

Work in Adelaide

Father Jatulis was invited by Archbishop Beovich to come to Adelaide where he was appointed chaplain to the Lithuanian community. He arrived on the ship ‘Genoa” in April 1949. He resided at the Archbishop’s House, West Terrace, Adelaide.  Mass was celebrated regularly for the Lithuanian people in St Joseph’s Church, Pirie Street. As the Lithuanian people were anxious to keep alive their language and culture, Fr Jatulis called together a group of former teachers and parents and initiated a Saturday school for their children. It formally opened on December 3, 1949 with 21 students.

In March 1953 Fr Jatulis began a regular newsletter, Sunday Voice as a means of communicating with members of the community, including those who could not get to Mass regularly. Mass was celebrated at a number of parish churches as well as Pirie Street. The paper contained articles on the Christian faith, news of community activities and information about members of the community. The next year he produced a Lithuanian Hymn Book. He was a man who exercised plenty of initiative in his care for his people.

Fr Jatulis is remembered in Adelaide as the man who put the Lithuanian Catholic community on a firm foundation. In 1959 the community purchased a large property at 6 Third Ave, St Peters. It was the former Hardwick College and provided a large community hall, accommodation and chapel. On November 20, 1960,  Archbishop Beovich consecrated the chapel of St Casmir.

Back to Rome

In September 1957 Fr Jatulis returned to Rome where he took up a position as vice rector at the Lithuanian College. He also worked for Vatican Radio and in the Vatican Archives where he collected material for Lithuanian history; subsequently he published several historical articles. He also published a book on the adventures of missionaries and also a collection of Lithuanian Hymns. He became a well known literary scholar and he assisted Cardinal Joseph Slipi in publishing 12 volumes of the History of the Ukrainian Church. For this work he was awarded the Ukrainian Prelate of the Year.

Upon retirement he moved to Germany and resided in the house of Bishop Deksnys in Bad Worishofen, Bavaria. This was where he died on April 24, 1995 and he was buried in the local cemetery.

May he rest in peace.