Zagreb, (IKA) – On the occasion of the forthcoming visit by Pope Benedict XVI to Croatia, the Croatian bishops sent a letter to all the faithful, particularly addressing families. “A Church and nation visited by the Successor to the Apostle Peter are blessed. Therefore, the news that Pope Benedict XVI has accepted our invitation to visit Croatia and will be with us in Zagreb on June 4 and 5 of this year has filled us with great joy,” write the bishops. Recalling the three Apostolic Visits to Croatia by the Servant of God John Paul II and their great importance for the Church and people in Croatia, the bishops emphasize that in Pope Benedict XVI we receive the Successor to Peter and a close friend who is bringing hope and restoring pride to our nation in these difficult times. “This time, the Holy Father is coming to us amidst an atmosphere of serious cultural, economic and political crises, behind which is actually a profound crisis of spirit. This crisis spreads despondency, deepening ideological and other divisions, reinforcing discontent, from which it is difficult to see a way out. The Pope is coming at a time when Croatia is on the brink of accession to the European Union, which confronts us with new questions and challenges, burdensome expectations and uncertainties.”
The main reason for the Pope’s visit is the celebration of the National Encounter of Croatian Catholic Families, which is being organized for the first time in our homeland Church, and for prayer at the tomb of the Blessed Alojzije Stepinac. “Marriage is the source and foundation, and the family is the primary and vital cell of human society. The family is also the first school of social virtue, without which human society cannot survive because all the virtues that it values and needs are born and inspired primarily in the family. The primordial and responsible communion cultivated in the family is the foundation and school of social unity and solidarity. Education within the family, therefore, is of crucial importance for the life of the whole society.” The Church since its beginnings has formed itself as a family in the environment of the home and is well acquainted with the difficulties through which the Croatian family is passing today. A large number of young people are postponing marriage due to unemployment and unresolved housing issues. The divorce rate is rising as is addiction and domestic violence. Living together in temporary “trial marriages,” without obligations, is increasingly prevalent, which openly assaults the values of marriage and family.

“We have decided, therefore, to begin with the celebration of national encounters, through which we want to promote marriage and family values and reinforce the healthy self-awareness of Croatian Catholic families, showing them that they are neither alone nor abandoned,” write the bishops.
During the visit to Croatia, the Holy Father will lead the celebration of the Eucharist at the Zagreb Hippodrome on Sunday, June 5, 2011. The previous day, June 4, he will meet with representatives of the world of culture, science, art, economics, politics, sports, religious communities and diplomats. This will be followed by an encounter with young people at Ban Josip Jelačić Square in Zagreb. On Sunday afternoon in the Zagreb Cathedral, the Pope will lead Vespers, together with priests, religious, seminarians, theology students and religious candidates. The Croatian Conference of Bishops has prepared a special catechesis in preparation for the encounter with Pope Benedict XVI. The bishops, therefore, urge pastors and other pastoral workers to organize encounters for families and young people at which, through deliberations, prayer and initiatives, they will contribute to the atmosphere of prayer and community.
At the conclusion of the letter, the bishops invite Catholic families, young people and all the faithful to respond and come to the encounters with the Pope, to recognize the need for the public manifestation of the beauty of the Church to which they belong, in keeping with the chosen motto: “Together in Christ.”