Dubrovnik, (IKA) – The celebration of the Eucharist with the ceremony of the episcopal ordination of Msgr. Mate Uzinić, the new Bishop of Dubrovnik, began on Saturday, March 19, with the magnificent tolling of all the Dubrovnik bells as the procession of priests and religious neared the Dubrovnik Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady that had set out from the Sponza Palace. The procession was joined by the bishops and bishop-elect at the Church of St. Blaise. More than twenty busloads of the faithful arrived from only the Archdiocese of Split-Makarska, and a multitude of believers came from all over the Diocese of Dubrovnik to attend the ordination of the new bishop. All were welcomed by the Archbishop of Zadar, Msgr. Želimir Puljić, until now the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Dubrovnik, who led it for twenty years prior to his appointment as the head the Church of Zadar. He also extended greetings to Archbishop Mario Roberto Cassari, Apostolic Nuncio in the Republic of Croatia, who represents the Holy Father in our midst; the Principal Consecrator of the Archdiocese of Split-Makarska and Metropolitan Marin Barišić, Archbishop Josip Cardinal Bozanić of Zagreb, Archbishop Vinko Cardinal Puljić of Sarajevo; and the President of the Croatian Conference of Bishops, Archbishop Marin Srakić of Đakovo-Osijek. Also assembled were the Croatian archbishops, bishops and guests from neighboring countries, a total of approximately thirty arch/bishops and 150 priests. The celebration was attended by the provincials, priests and religious of the Diocese of Dubrovnik and the Archdiocese of Split-Makarska, as well as from other dioceses in the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Those present included senior representatives of government, cultural and social institutions of the city, county and Republic of Croatia.
The celebration was introduced by Archbishop Barišić. In particular, he welcomed “Msgr. Želimir Puljić, who has been the Archbishop of Zadar for one year, whom I thank on behalf of all the bishops of the Split Metropolis for his many years of faithful service in the Diocese of Dubrovnik, wishing him a fruitful and blessed ministry in the Church of Zadar.”

In the homily, Archbishop Barišić, addressing the new bishop, said: “Dubrovnik solemnly receives you today and joyfully opens the city gates to your blessed arrival. Its guardian for hundreds of years and heavenly patron, our St. Blaise, together with all his priests and religious, is rejoicing today with God’s faithful. By the appointment of Pope Benedict XVI, in you they recognize ‘a gift that the Almighty God has given us.'”
Since the ordination took place on the Feast of St. Joseph, the fiancé of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Archbishop Barišić encouraged those present to reflect on the uncertainties and questions which, like Joseph, people ask in their lives, but also of the dreams that they dream, because Joseph’s dreams touch the deepest real and enduring questions. He wished the new bishop, in keeping with his motto “From People to People,” to “be a sign of encouragement and a message to all of us in the Church and Croatian society: there is a man! Christ became a man so that we could become people. There is a man because there are Christians! There is a man because there are people of good will!” “The motto ‘From People to People’ is a lasting call and comprehensive program of man and humanity,” added Archbishop Barišić, and commended the bishop-elect to the protection of Mary, St. Joseph and St. Blaise, the patron saint of the Diocese of Dubrovnik.

In addition to the principal consecrator, the principal co-consecrators were Archbishop Josip Cardinal Bozanić of Zagreb and Archbishop Želimir Puljić of Zadar. During the rite of episcopal ordination, ordination was requested by Msgr. Mirko Maslać, the delegate of the Apostolic Administer Želimir Puljić for the Diocese of Dubrovnik, who read part of the bull in the Latin language, while the Croatian translation was read by the Apostolic Nuncio in the Republic of Croatia, Archbishop Mario Roberto Cassari. Liturgical singing during the Mass of Ordination was led by the mixed cathedral choir under the direction of Margit Cetinić, with Darko Kristović at the organ.
At the end of the ordination celebration, the new Bishop of Dubrovnik, Msgr. Mate Uzinić, addressed the assembled bishops, priests, religious and faithful, saying that this moment should be and is a moment of gratitude to all those who made this solemn event possible: God, who combined the history of this diocese and his personal history, all those who are building the present of this diocese and all those who in his life had helped him to become what he is; Pope Benedict XVI, who appointed him; Archbishop and Principal Consecrator Marin Barišić, who ordained him; the co-consecrators, bishops and priests. “How many beautiful words, wishes, promised prayers! And great expectations! I hope that I shall not disappoint you, that I shall, with your help and despite my human shortcomings, filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit and obedient to the Father’s will, become a bishop of the kind that just at this moment in history Jesus Christ wanted to send you through his Church, a bishop of whom you speak, the kind you want, the kind you expect and the kind for whom you pray.”
Regarding his program, Bishop Mate Uzinić said: “This program is to be with you and for your bishop, priest and man, to be ‘of the people, for the people in relation to God.’ In implementing my program, which at first glance seems so simple but is not at all simple because it requires from me the complete dying of myself so that through me and my episcopal activity, Jesus Christ can act among you, I am seriously counting on my priests and religious, but also upon all the faithful of this diocese.” Believing in the ecumenical idea and inter-religious dialogue, Bishop Uzinić extended a hand of reconciliation and cooperation to the representatives of the Orthodox Church, Jewish community and Islamic community, as well as all people of good will. “All those who want to work for the benefit of this city and its inhabitants have and will have my unselfish assistance and support because I am convinced that this benefit could not be contrary to God and his will,” concluded Bishop Uzinić of Dubrovnik, once again thanking everyone for their assistance in organizing the celebration of his ordination and enthronement. His words received warm applause from the participants in the celebration.
Prior to the pastoral remarks from the new Bishop of Dubrovnik, greetings and congratulations were addressed to him by Archbishop and Metropolitan Marin Srakić of Đakovo-Osijek, President of the Croatian Conference of Bishops; Msgr. Ivan Šimić, Chancellor of the Diocese of Dubrovnik, on behalf of the priests of the Diocese of Dubrovnik; Sister Dolores Matić, Abbess of the Dominican Croatian Province of the Guardian Angel on Korčula, on behalf of the religious who serve in the Diocese of Dubrovnik; and Krešimir Marković, catechist and active lay person, on behalf of the lay faithful of the Diocese of Dubrovnik.
The celebration concluded with the singing of Heavenly Virgin, Queen of the Croats (Rajska djevo, kraljice Hrvata).