Kun. Pranciškaus Kuraičio laiškai kun. Aleksandrui Dambrauskui-Jakštui
LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Pranciškus Kuraitis; Aleksandras Dambrauskas - Jakštas; Kunigai; Laiškai; Pranciškus Kuraitis; Aleksandras Dambrauskas - Jakštas; Priests; Letters.
ENPrelate Pranciškus Kuraitis (1883–1964), the author of the letters, and the addressee prelate Aleksandras Dambrauskas-Jakštas (1860-1938) are personalities well known in the history of Lithuanian culture and science. Kuraitis distinguished himself as a philosopher and the dean and professor of the Faculty of Theology-Philosophy of Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas. He also edited magazines "Vadovas" (The Guide) and "Tiesos kelias" (The Path of Truth) that were of great importance to priests. His contribution to intellectual nurturing of Catholics was considerable. The published letters come from the period when, following his studies at the spiritual seminary of Seinai and the Roman Catholic Spiritual Academy in Saint Petersburg, Kuraitis was studying philosophy at Leuven University in Belgium. Dambrauskas-Jakštas was a professor at the Roman Catholic Spiritual Academy in Saint-Petersburg, the chairman of St. Casimir book publishing society in Kaunas, and the editor of the Catholic intellectual magazine "Draugija" (Association). He was also a well-known philosopher, theologian, poet, and literary critic. The article presents all ten letters that Kuraitis wrote to Dambrauskas-Jakštas, which are kept at the Manuscript Department of the Vilnius University Library. Kuraitis wrote these letters in Leuven. They are important in two aspects. First of all, they refer to the establishment of a Catholic inter-university student association that would involve students from foreign universities and the universities of the Russian Empire. The founding of this student association is considered the begining of the "ateitininkai" organisation of Catholic youth in education. The association was organised by correspondence. The second issue addressed in these letters was the establishment of a newspaper for young people. The article reveals Kuraitis' pricžncipal attitudes to the future newspaper and the development in its orga.He supported the publishing of two newspapers, one for students and the other for the young people in the village. In Kuraitis' opinion, laypersons and not priests needed to head the newspaper. In his opinion, priests could not be be in charge of a newspaper intended for young people or lead their organisation as this would protect them against their opponents' reproaches that all that would serve the clergy. [From the publication]
