Zagreb, (IKA) – On February 11, the secretariat of the Croatian Conference of Bishops issued a statement from the Meeting of Cardinals and Presidents of Bishops’ Conferences of Thirteen countries of Central and Eastern Europe, held in Zagreb on Tuesday, February 10. We present the statement in its entirety:

“The Mission of the Church in Central and Eastern Europe Twenty Years after the Fall of the Communist System (1989 – 2009)” was the topic of the Meeting of Cardinals and Presidents of Bishops’ Conferences of Thirteen Countries of Central and Eastern Europe, held in Zagreb on Tuesday, February 10, 2009, the memorial of the Blessed Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac, bishop and martyr of the communist regime. Present were cardinals from Budapest, Vilnius, Crakow, Zagreb and a cardinal from Venice representing Western Europe. The meeting, the third of its kind after Budapest 2004 and Prague 2007, was organized by the Zagreb Archdiocese and the Croatian Conference of Bishops at the initiative of Cardinal Josip Bozanić, archbishop and metropolitan of Zagreb and vice president of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences.

During an intensive working day, the participants exchanged numerous testimonies on the experiences of their Church communities in their countries during the communist era. All pointed out that even today it is difficult for the truth about these years to surface and there is a powerful tendency to remain silent about what actually happened. The psychological burden of the heritage from the previous period is still felt by these societies. Consequently, there are extreme polarization in the society and a climate of mistrust and hatred in various places. Therefore, the importance is emphasized from the one side of helping new generations learn the true history, and from the other side of preserving the memories of those who were prepared to endure martyrdom for the faith. The meeting participants clearly pointed out that communism left a profound wound in the lives of individuals and the society as a whole. Help is sought and God and the Church are needed for the healing of these wounds. Analyzing this situation, the participants spoke about the challenges awaiting the Church and Europe, especially in the fields of globalization, bioethics and the neurosciences, as well as in regard to the great waves of emigrants, peace and the building of a new social order. The common conviction was clearly evident that today the Church in Europe is called upon to conduct dialogue with everyone, protect freedom of conscience and confront new emerging ideologies. The necessity was particularly emphasized of devoting great attention to questions of the protection of life and the family, the upbringing of children and young people, and the necessity for reconciliation in society and among nations. The shepherds of the Churches of Central and Eastern Europe also noted the hope that is being awakened by so many positive signs of life in the community, signs of the authentic interpretation of the faith and the permeation of culture, which Pope John Paul II constantly encouraged, calling for new evangelization and the rediscovery of the Christian roots of the Old Continent. It was decided to promote various and articulated groups in the countries of the region, primarily of a historical character, in order to bring the truth about the life of the Church and Christians during the communist era to light.

In conclusion, the participants expressed their special kinship with His Holiness Benedict XVI and the Church in Rome.”