Juozas Matulaitis

Juozas Matulaitis was born on 8 March 1936 in Užgirėlis, a village in the parish of Darsūniškis, then in the Kruonis rural district and now in the Kaišiadorys district of Lithuania. His parents, Petras and Uršulė, were devout Catholics, and he had two sisters, Bronislava and Ona.

He attended the primary school in Užgirėlis from 1944 and school in Kruonis, completed his secondary education at Žiežmariai, and studied at a technical school in Kaunas from 1955 to 1957. Because of obstruction by the Soviet authorities he was not admitted to the Kaunas Interdiocesan Seminary at first. He entered in 1957 but was called up that year for compulsory service in the Soviet army, and returned to the seminary in 1960.

Bishop Petras Maželis ordained Matulaitis a priest in Kaunas Cathedral on 25 March 1964. He then served in the Diocese of Kaišiadorys as curate in Pivašiūnai (from 1964) and as parish priest in Nemajūnai (from 1966), Vievis (from 1973), Butrimonys (from 1975) and Merkinė (from 1983), also serving as vice dean of Stakliškės and dean of Merkinė. He carried out major restorations of the churches in Nemajūnai and Butrimonys, revived parish choirs, organised pilgrimages and visited the exiled diocesan bishop Vincentas Sladkevičius, for which, as recorded by the Chronicle of the Catholic Church in Lithuania, he was warned by the Soviet authorities. He was active in the Sąjūdis movement and received the Lithuanian Independence Medal.

On 7 February 1989 Pope John Paul II appointed him titular bishop of Sicilibba and apostolic administrator of Kaišiadorys. He was consecrated in Kaunas Cathedral on 18 March 1989, together with the future bishop of Vilkaviškis Juozas Žemaitis, by Cardinal Sladkevičius, assisted by bishops Julijonas Steponavičius, Juozas Preikšas and Vladas Michelevičius. He took charge of the diocese on 31 March 1989 and was named diocesan bishop on 24 December 1991.

As bishop he: - moved the diocesan curia back into its pre 1947 building and established youth, catechesis and family centres and Caritas - as chairman of the interdiocesan catechetical commission from 1991 to 1994, took the first steps in returning religious education to Lithuanian schools - oversaw construction of the Lithuanian Bishops' Conference Adomas Jakštas printing house in Kaišiadorys - built partnership with the Diocese of Magdeburg in Germany - founded St Joseph's children's home in Paparčiai, an old people's home in Kruonis and a social studies centre in Aukštadvaris - founded the parish of Elektrėnai and supported new churches in Ryliškiai, Senoji Varėna, Elektrėnai and Kiaukliai - in 2004 had the diocese build what was then the first wind turbine in Lithuania - created the Rosary Way at Guronys, the birthplace of Cardinal Sladkevičius, and invited women's religious communities into the diocese - ordained more than thirty priests

One of his most significant works was the diocesan beatification process for Bishop Teofilius Matulionis, opened in 1990 and completed in 2008. He met Popes John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis and attended the funeral of John Paul II. His resignation was accepted in 2012, and from 25 March 2012 he was bishop emeritus.

In retirement Matulaitis lived in Kaišiadorys. He continued to visit the parishes of the Varėna area where he had served, including Merkinė, Senoji Varėna, Perloja and Nedzingė, administering confirmation and meeting parishioners. He marked his 90th birthday in March 2026 with an interview in the local paper Kaišiadorių aidai. Those who knew him described him as sincere, prayerful and attentive to the needs of others.

Juozas Matulaitis died on Sunday 8 November 2026, around midday, after a serious illness. He was 90. His death was announced by the Diocese of Kaišiadorys and by the mayor of the Kaišiadorys district, Šarūnas Čėsna, who said he radiated sincerity, simplicity and human warmth.

His body was to lie in state in Kaišiadorys Cathedral from 14:00 on 9 November, with visiting on 9 and 10 November and evening Masses and the Rosary. The funeral Mass was set for 12:00 on 11 November in the cathedral, followed by burial in the crypt of the bishops of Kaišiadorys.

Matulaitis led the Diocese of Kaišiadorys through the transition from Soviet rule to independence and rebuilt its pastoral, educational and charitable institutions. He is remembered for his part in restoring religious education to Lithuanian schools, for the beatification cause of Teofilius Matulionis, who was beatified in 2017, and for the publications he sponsored on the diocese's history and spiritual heritage. He was named an honorary citizen of the Kaišiadorys district in 2012, and in May 2026 the Varėna district awarded him its honour For Merit to the Varėna Region.