Pastor of Detroit-area Lithuanian parish drowns in rescue attempt
by Robert Delaney of The Michigan Catholic
Published July 31, 2009
Fr. Repsys
Detroit - The pastor of a Lithuanian ethnic parish in suburban Detroit drowned July 28 after diving into the water in an attempt to save his 13-year-old nephew.Neither Fr. Ricardas Repsys, 59, nor his nephew, who was visiting from Lithuania were able to make it back to the boat in which they and two others had been enjoying an outing on Lake St. Clair.
Fr. Repsys, had come from Lithuania in 2004 to become administrator of Divine Providence (Lithuanian) Parish in Southfield, just north of Detroit.
The parish has a membership of 245 families, but also serves as a community center for many Lithuanian-Americans who belong to other Catholic parishes throughout metropolitan Detroit.
Detroit Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron said July 29: "The sudden loss of Fr. Repsys is a great tragedy, as is the loss of his young nephew, Tautvydays Skudas."
Archbishop Vigneron added that he hoped it would be of some comfort to the people of the parish "that the last act of Fr. Repsys was a heroic one."
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Fr. Repsys, his nephew. Also keep his loved ones in your prayers, as well as his freinds and parishioners.
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