Varaždin, (IKA) – On Saturday, April 26, in the stadium of the Sloboda Sports Center in Varaždin, a celebration of the Eucharist was held as the central event of the fifth two-day Encounter of Croatian Catholic Youth, which this year had the motto “They Devoted Themselves …” (Acts 2, 42), held in the diocese of Varaždin. The Mass was concelebrated by the archbishop of Zagreb, Cardinal Josip Bozanić; the host bishop of Varaždin, Msgr. Josip Mrzljak; the president of the Croatian Conference of Bishops, Bishop Marin Srakić of Đakovo-Srijem; the president of the Committee of the Croatian Conference of Bishops for Young People, Bishop Ante Ivas of Šibenik, fifteen other arch/bishops from Croatia and Bishop Franjo Komarica of Banja Luka, and 350 priests from all the Croatian arch/dioceses and other countries.
Twenty-two thousand young people from Croatia as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Kotor Diocese, the Subotica Diocese, Germany, Austria and Slovenia participated in the celebration. The participants also included the deacons of the local Church, many religious and seminarians. The liturgical singing was led by the Youth Choir of the Varaždin Diocese, conducted by Ivan Malbašić, during the celebration of the Mass and the entrance procession, in which the bishops, general vicars, provincials and arch/diocesan commissioners for pastoral ministry to the young participated.
Bishop Mrzljak welcomed everyone who had come to Varaždin, to the see of this new diocese that is barely ten years old. He mentioned that Varaždin is called “Little Rome” due to its large number of belfries, and during the 18th century was briefly the capital of the Kingdom of Croatia, Slavonia and Dalmatia. He pointed out to the young people that they were being received not only by that city but with joyful hearts by thousands of homes that had been opened to them in numerous parishes in Međimurje, Podravina and Hrvatsko Zagorje. He pointed out that the city remembers many great gatherings, recalling that this year the local Church is commemorating the 70th anniversary of the magnificent Eucharistic Congress at which 50,000 of the faithful were led by the late archbishop of Zagreb, who is today the co-patron of the Varaždin Diocese, the Blessed Alojzije Stepinac. He mentioned that the local Church had been preparing for this encounter a long time, and a great contribution had been made by the members of the preparation committee. Bishop Mrzljak also noted that the first bishop of Varaždin, Msgr. Marko Culej of blessed memory, had been looking forward to this gathering and was surely rejoicing in heaven.
The homily was delivered to the assembly by the bishop of Šibenik, Msgr. Ante Ivas, president of the Committee for Young People of the Croatian Conference of Bishops, who spoke about the devoted, lasting and unwavering love of Jesus for humankind. This love urges people to be as devoted as during the first apostolic Christian times, and today, during these times and in this land, to live “devotedly in community with Jesus, devotedly in the teaching of the apostles, devotedly in the breaking of bread, and devotedly in prayer.” The bishop reminded the assembled Croatian young people that for the baptized to be in community with Jesus Christ means to be in community with others, with everyone. “In such a community and faith, it is possible to preserve the beauty and purity of the soul and body, the earth and heaven, the water and sea. It is possible to establish sincere relationships and build a better, more just and happier world,” said the bishop, urging young people here in Varaždin to write their own Acts of the Apostles of the Croatian Catholic youth of the 21st century. “Acts that will bear witness to all that you young Christians in community with all “people of good will” want to be part of your human and Christian, your Croatian and European identity, and that you want to build a material and spiritual culture of your homeland, Europe and the world. And you should be ‘devoted in love, devoted in prayer, carried together by the Spirit, imbued with faith, nourished by the Body of God.’ You want to be open to Christian marriage, family and responsible parenthood, as well as consecrated priestly and religious life. In your life’s calling, you want to be engaged and effective, devoted and proud, everywhere, throughout Our Beautiful Homeland of Croatia, or wherever the Lord has encountered, called or sent you to live,” said Bishop Ivas to the young people and wished them victory in all their battles for their freedom, growing up and maturation. “We need your youth, your enthusiasm and your courage. We need your support and devotion. We love you,” said the bishop to the young people, and urged them, as Christ’s victors, to sing the hymn of the Encounter, which the young people did enthusiastically, accompanied by the Diocesan Choir
The Fifth Encounter of Croatian Catholic Young People began on Saturday, April 26, with an assembly in the stadium in Varaždin. The young people were greeted by Bishop Mrzljak and Archbishop Prenđa. The preliminary program was conceived as a combination of songs and testimonies on the four fundamental devotions in faith – the Bible, community, Eucharist and prayer. During the preliminary program, there was also talk about the patron of the Encounter of Croatian Catholic Young People, and two proposals were singled out: the Servant of God Pope John Paul II and the Blessed Ivan Merz.

On the second day of the Encounter of Croatian Catholic Youth, Sunday, April 27, a program for the some 20 thousand participants was organized in the parishes of the Varaždin Diocese. After the visiting participants had been welcomed into the homes of seven thousand families in 98 of the 104 parishes of the diocese, the young people together with their hosts assembled at the Sunday Masses that were celebrated in the parishes and monastery churches by eight bishops participating in this event.
In the afternoon, the guests bid farewell to their hosts. Thus concluded the jubilee Fifth Encounter of Croatian Catholic Youth 2008 in Varaždin.