Rev. Jonas Duoba

1922 – 2013

Thompson – Rev. Jonas Duoba, 91, of Chase Rd., died Thursday, January 2, 2014 in Matulaitis Nursing Home.  Born in  Versiai, Lithuania, he was the son of the late Provas and Petronele (Urbaityte) Duoba.

He entered the Marian Congregation in 1938 and on August 15, 1939, he made his first profession of vows; he pronounced his perpetual vows on August 15, 1943.

Seminary education took place at the Seminary in Kaunas (1941-1944) and in Eichstatt, Bayern, Germany (1945) Pontificium Athenaeum Angelicum-Rome (1945-1946), receiving a Licenciate in Theology in 1946. Father Duoba was ordained in Rome, Italy on July 21, 1946 by Archbishop (later Cardinal) Traglia.

From 1946-1950 he studied Sacred Scripture at the Pontifical Institute “Biblicum” in Rome, receiving a Licentiate in Sacred Scripture in 1949.

Father Duoba is a member of the Lithuanian Catholic Academy of Sciences. From 1969-1974 he also presented cycles of homilies on Vatican Radio and authored some articles in various Lithuanian magazines and newspapers.

From 1950-1960 Father Duoba served in Argentina in both Rosario and Avellaneda. From 1960-1966, he taught at MarianapolisPrep School in Thompson, CT. This was followed by an assignment to Rome, Italy where he was a member of the General Council of the Congregation and Secretary General from 1967-1975. In 1975 he returned to the United States and was assigned to the Chicago House where he remained until 1977 when he left for one year to assist at the Marian Parish in Dorschausen, Bavaria in Germany. He returned to Chicago in 1978 where he has remained.

Among his Pastoral assignments we can include Professor of Sacred Scripture and biblical languages at S. Carlos Boromeo Seminary in the Province of Santa Fe in Argentina from 1950-1954, Chaplain in the Asilo del Buon Pastor in Rosario, Argentina from 1954-1957. From 1957-1960 he was Pastor of the Parish “Madre de la Misericordia” in Avellaneda, Argentina; worked at the Draugas from 1975-1977.

Within the Congregation he has held the offices of Superior, Provincial Councilor, Provincial Secretary, General Councilor, General Secretary, Assistant Postulator General, House Councilor and House Treasurer.

All are invited to the National Shrine of Devine Mercy, 2 Prospect Hill Rd. Stockbridge, MA, on Wednesday, January 8, 2014 for a wake at 9:30 am followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 am. Burial will follow in National Shrine of Devine Mercy Cemetery. If you would like to have Mass said in Rev. Duoba’s memory, please contact the Marians at 860-923-2220. Arrangements are entrusted to the Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam. For memorial guestbook visit www.GilmanAndValade.com.