Blato, (IKA) – On the occasion of the celebration of the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Congregation of the Daughters of Mercy of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis, a Mass in the Croatian language was led on October 3 by the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Angelo Sodano in the parish church of All Saints in Blato. The concelebrants were the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Dubrovnik and Archbishop of Zadar, Msgr. Želimir Puljić; Archbishop Emeritus Ante Jurić of Split-Makarska, and approximately twenty priests from the Island of Korčula and the city of Dubrovnik. Also participating in the Mass were the Daughters of Mercy led by their Superior General, Mother Emila Barbarić, the superiors of other orders, many nuns; the President of the Croatian Union of Religious Superiors, Sister Ana-Maria Kustura; and pilgrims from various places on the Island of Korčula and the city of Dubrovnik.
Archbishop Puljić welcomed Cardinal Sodano in his opening address. “We are gathered together in this celebration of the Mass by the Blessed Marija of Jesus Crucified Petković, who saw the light of day in this parish and at the age of 22 began a journey that would lead her to the founding of a new congregation ninety years ago,” said Archbishop Puljić. He described the presence of Cardinal Sodano as a blessed moment and said “we are not aware of the magnitude of this gesture, that Cardinal Sodano, who for 50 years has served five popes and has been a priest for 60 years, has come to us.”
Cardinal Sodano began delivering the homily in the Croatian language, after which the Rev. Zvonimir Seršić of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, who had accompanied Cardinal Sodano from Rome, continued reading it aloud. In the homily, Cardinal Sodano spoke about the example of Marija Petković and the day of her beatification, when Pope John Paul II elevated this great daughter of the Christian community of Blato to the honor of the altar in her Croatian homeland, along the coast of Dubrovnik, with thoughts directed toward the beautiful island where the Beata was born. “It was a beautiful day, sunny outside and inside full of joy in our hearts. A new star of holiness was born in order to shed light upon our path at the beginning of the third millennium of Christianity,” said the cardinal, and recalled that John Paul II had said that the Beata showed mercy to her neighbor and was a model for all Croatian women. In this spirit, Cardinal Sodano addressed the nuns who follow the path charted by Mother Marija of Jesus Crucified: Dear Sisters, in the world be bearers of the message of Christ’s love and His great mercy.
Cardinal Sodano expressed joy at being able to convey the greetings and blessing of Pope Benedict XVI. “Before I left Rome, which I do regularly, I informed him about this trip to Blato. He expressly asked me to convey his special closeness and apostolic blessing,” said the cardinal, and urged the faithful to pray that John Paul II will be beatified soon and for the Lord to bestow abundant grace on current successor of St. Peter.
At the end of the Mass, Mother Emila Barbarić expressed her gratitude. “I thank the good Lord for the gift of the grace of caring for people in need. The call and of the Merciful Lord and the response have gathered us these days in celebration of His love and mercy,” she said.