Olekas awaits meeting with archbishop after abuse scandal

Lithuanian parliament Speaker Juozas Olekas is waiting for a response to his invitation to meet Vilnius Archbishop Gintaras Grušas following a sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church, LRT reported on Wednesday. The Vilnius Archdiocese curia said the meeting was being arranged.

Olekas said he had invited both Grušas and Prosecutor General Nida Grunskienė to meet, sending the invitations last week. He spoke to journalists after meeting Grunskienė.

“Yes, I requested a meeting with both the prosecutor general and the archbishop, and I am waiting for a response,” Olekas said. He added that he had been asked to wait until the archbishop was available.

“Let’s not start assigning blame. I hope we will receive [a response],” Olekas said.

Mykolas Sotničenka, a priest and communications coordinator for the Vilnius Archdiocese curia, said Grušas had received invitations not only from Olekas but also from other people. He said the archbishop had returned, canceled his planned trips and was gradually arranging the meetings.

Sotničenka also coordinates the archdiocese’s protection of minors and vulnerable adults. He declined to identify the other people who had requested meetings with Grušas.

Grušas has not publicly commented on the scandal, in which two priests under his authority face allegations of sexual offences, including offences against children. Prosecutors transferred two cases to the Vilnius Regional Court in August.

Priest Gabrielius Satkauskas, chaplain at Santaros Clinics, said he was still waiting for decisions from Church leaders. He said that victims and people with knowledge of possible crimes or serious abuse had contacted him in recent days.

One Vilnius Archdiocese priest is accused of sexual offences against 11 minors. Law enforcement has identified 34 alleged criminal episodes, including forcing children to consume alcohol and sexually assaulting them. The alleged offences took place between 2002 and 2025.

In a separate case, another priest is accused of possessing child pornography. There are no victims in that case. The allegations have also renewed discussion about establishing a public register of sex offenders in Lithuania.