Zagreb (IKA) – “To retreat before the demands of contemporary Europe is not an evangelical response,” says the archbishop of Zagreb, Cardinal Josip Bozanić, in his Easter Message to the faithful and people of good will, which is almost entirely devoted to the relationship of religion, the Church and the Croatian people toward European integration. “For the Croatian soul, that is by its tradition open to the breadth of the European spirit, to which not a small contribution was made by the Church through its Catholicism, a type of closing off and disconnection from the community of the great family of European nations represent a retreat into hopeless self-isolation that would be constantly exposed to the temptations of dwindling hope,” says the president of the Croatian Conference of Bishops. “We must prepare for a new defense of our identity in the European community,” since this is “our serious challenge that requires a type of cultural promotion.”

The archbishop of Zagreb delivered his Easter Message in the Year of the Eucharist and was inspired by Pope John Paul II’s appeal for Catholics to participate in the life of their times and the world, “particularly at moments of trial, when disappointment weakens trust and hope.” Recalling the great suffering of the Croatian nation during the 20th century, especially during the Homeland War, the president of the Croatian Conference of Bishops noted that the faithful recognize Christ’s suffering in the suffering of every person and that we are permitted to believe “that He endured the suffering of numerous innocent victims in the war and conflict that bloodied Croatian soil.”

“However, Christ knows the great challenges of all the nations, including the current Croatian generation that has entered the third millennium. He is acquainted with the elation of the nation that saw the fall of communist totalitarianism and the breakdown of the barriers that communist ideology had raised. He knows with what joy the establishment of the state of Croatia was awaited, the fulfillment of the centuries-long dream of the Croatian nation. This generation was encouraged by the international recognition of Croatia at the end of 1991 that continued in January 1992, particularly joint recognition by the countries of the European Union. This generation was sorely tried in the cruel war imposed upon it during the first half of the 1990s. Ten years ago, this generation was relieved to see the liberation of parts of the Croatian homeland that had been ethnically cleansed and occupied since 1991,” said the archbishop of Zagreb. He stated that “excitement and trials, love and sacrifices, magnanimity and economic egoism, good intentions and political intrigues” had led many people in Croatia into a state in which they can say resignedly, together with the disciples from Emmaus: ‘But we were hoping…’” Therefore, asserts the cardinal, “in such a cultural and economic situation, the Church is called to proclaim the message of hope. This message is not based upon ideology but the proclamation of Christ, the only Savior and Redeemer of the person, who is the hope of Europe.”

Recalling the Pope’s words from the post-Synod apostolic exhortation, “The Church in Europe,” in which he sees the only hope for mankind and all of history in Christ, Cardinal Bozanić stated: “In recent weeks, in some groups a certain isolation of Croatia in relation to the rest of the countries of the European continent has been promulgated, particularly in relation to the countries of the European Union. Such positions indirectly award Croatia a more permanent place in the group of countries remaining outside the European Union.” In this context, the cardinal addressed those who are starting to lose confidence and hope: “Instead of asserting that everyone is against us, that the international institutions are of no help to us or that Europe does not want us, it is more useful to make an examination of conscience and ask: Have we as individuals, as a country and as the Church done everything that we have to do? Are we doing what is in our general good today or are we hopelessly succumbing to feelings of resignation and thereby unconsciously and unintentionally helping those who are not for us?”

Referring to the Pope’s position on European integration, Cardinal Bozanić states that the Holy Father “senses Europe as a close reality,” and urges us to direct our attention to each and every step that leads forward on the long and arduous path to building the dream of a united, free, cohesive, reconciled Europe of nations, citizens, men and women, a Europe that should increasingly tend toward a “European spirit.” Pointing out that for the Pope, “’to be in the history of Europe with love’” means that it is possible to condemn forcefully all “inconsistencies toward the gospel and natural law in the life of Europeans and to express positions decisively and clearly about everything that ignobly defiles and humiliates Europe,’” the cardinal recalled that the Pope had actually led this position in his open support for the international recognition of Croatia at a crucial moment in history. “Along the same lines, always consistent, he still undeniably supports Croatian attempts to obtain membership in the European Union,” as he publicly proclaimed during his third pastoral visit to Croatia, particularly in his speech at the airport on the island of Krk on June 5, 2003. He also repeated these positions to the new ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to the Holy See.
In the cardinal’s opinion, the attitude of the Holy Father toward the Catholic Church in Croatia provides orientation “for each of our believers, a clear model and guideline,” because the Croatian nation became a European nation through its baptism over thirteen centuries ago.
“Today it is necessary to use all permissible means and institutions in the country and abroad, explaining the truth about ourselves, our past and present, as well as the Homeland War,” says Cardinal Bozanić, because this is important due to our past, present and future and out of love for the new generations. “This is our task and our due respect toward the victims of the Homeland War, so that their sacrifices shall not have been in vain. Our legal and justified struggle for the freedom of the Homeland should not be presented with provocative posters, undignified threats or sterile protests but by defending ourselves and explaining ourselves, using the international institutions, although perhaps we do not always understand their procedures and intentions.”

The cardinal nevertheless thinks that this time has been providentially given to us “to strengthen our capabilities for defending our national identity.” In this we must not forget that which was formed throughout history, but it is also not permitted to permit “uncritical capitulation to the influence of such negative cultural models that are present on European soil.” At the end of his Easter Pastoral Message, Cardinal Bozanić calls all the faithful to join the positive events in Croatia, Europe and the world, without fear, with full responsibility for today’s and tomorrow’s world, and in full measure.

“We are called to set out on this demanding journey with hope, with sincere decisiveness, according to the Word that was made flesh among us.” With the belief that we must “make our evangelic contribution to the forming of our common European home,” Cardinal Bozanić urges the faithful to accept the challenge of displaying our faith in the windswept world. “In the contemporary processes of forming bonds, can we permit our Christian presence, our Christian engagement not to be recognized?” asks the president of the Croatian Conference of Bishops at the end of his Easter Message and exhorts: “Let us be worthy of our Catholic and historical responsibilities! Let us permit the resurrected Jesus to illuminate our path and let us be prepared to proclaim “Our Father” with every person, aware that the Lord’s Prayer is the prayer of the brave.