The Marian Martyrs of Rosica

34 The Marian Martyrs of Rosica First Mass in the church in Druja. He was the first priest whol- ly educated in the Druja house. He wrote these words from the Imitation of Christ on the holy picture he was given as the sou- venir of his First Mass: “You bestowed mercy on Your servant beyond all expectation and You bestowed on me grace and friendship beyond all my merits.” These words are testimony to his spiritual maturity and his humility as a newly ordained priest. After ordination, however, he did not stay in Druja as he had probably hoped to do. At that time, Fr. Cikoto bought three buildings with a garden on Zygmuntowska Street in Vilnius for seminarians from Druja and also as a rental property, which was meant to provide the basis for sustaining those seminari- ans. Initially, there were five of them, plus another brother who was studying music. Father Kaszyra was nominated superior of this house. Having not much work in this position, Fr. George joined the pastoral work in Vilnian parishes. The pastor praised him in a letter to Rome, saying that “he beautifully organized pastoral visits during Christmas time in the Dominican parish.” After a year in Vilnius, in 1936 Fr. Kaszyra returned to Druja where he became the Master of the Juvenat, educating future candidates to the Congregation. He also served as the prefect or teacher of religion in the high school. He had to devote consid- erable time to the latter job. However, his special task was to take care of the juvenistes and scholastics, that is, young reli- gious who were still high-school students after their vows. One of his former charges, Fr. Anthony Los, described him as follows: “As the Master of the Juvenat, he emphasized spir- itual formation and communal life through prayer as well as through work and leisure. He approached us, his charges, in a direct manner, and he trusted us. He educated us by the exam- ple of his own life as a priest and religious. He was always pre- sent during spiritual exercises in the chapel, during meals, recreation, and work. He was quiet, calm, and kind. He did good deeds. He was not loath to do any work.” Father Kaszyra spent two years working in the high school, the Juvenat, the monastery, and also as a parish priest. Sudden-