Zagreb, April 3, 2003 (IKA) — During the course of the 26th Plenary Session of the Croatian Conference of Bishops thus far, the bishops have discussed preparations for the forthcoming third Pastoral Visit by the Holy Father to Croatia, Catholic laypersons with degrees in theology, problems regarding the implementation of the contracts between the Holy See and the Republic of Croatia, the Croatian Institute for Pastoral Liturgy and the functioning of the CCB, about which journalists were informed at today’s press conference conducted in the Secretariat of the CCB by the president of the CCB Council for Culture and Croatian Foreign Pastoral Activity, Bishop ZZelimir Puljic of Dubrovnik; the president of the CCB Board of Mass Media and the Board of Catholic Schools and High Church Magisterium, Bishop Ivan Devcic of Rijeka; and the president of the Commission of the CCB for Relations with the Government and the Episcopal Commission of the CCB for the Liturgy, Bishop Antun Skvorcevic of Pozzega.
According to Bishop Puljic, the Croatian bishops see the visit by the Holy Father to Croatia as an event of grace but also as a historical event, because it will be the Pope’s third trip to our country as well his hundredth trip outside of Italy. Bishop Puljic discussed the preparations underway on several levels: the diocesan level, that of the Church in general, and on the levels of the cities and counties. He also presented the official logo and motto of the Pope’s third Pastoral Visit to Croatia: “The Family — The Way of the Church and Nation.” He announced that the Croatian bishops will issue a pastoral letter summarizing the significance of the visit by the Holy Father at the present time and under the present circumstances.
The entire morning portion of the session was devoted to Catholic laypersons with degrees in theology. It has been determined that approximately 450 more lay catechism instructors are still needed. Archbishop Devcic pointed out that our Church has a large number of laypersons with degrees in theology, which is something new in our country. It is now necessary to determine the optimal manner for utilizing this potential in Church pastoral activity. Thus, the need was noted at the session for an analysis of pastoral activity in order to identify the areas where lay theologians can be of service. It would then be possible to define the profile of lay service. It was established that these persons should be prepared to perform services within the Church and society for which theological Magisterium is a prerequisite. It was also said that it is necessary to work on the spiritual preparation of priests and the faithful, particularly lay theologians, because until now everyone has been accustomed to having priests do everything. Therefore, it will be necessary to change our mentality. Archbishop Devcic said that in addition to the professional formation of the laity, spiritual formation is also required because pastoral engagement in the Church is not merely a profession but also a calling. It was determined that it is also necessary to review the possibilities for financing lay theologians. The entire project has been entrusted for further investigation to the Commission of the CCB for Catholic Schools and High Church Magisterium. At the session, the bishops also stressed the importance of the development of volunteer work in the Church. Archbishop Devcic announced that in the afternoon part of the session, bylaws would be passed regarding the formation of permanent deacons in our Church. He mentioned that representatives from all the bishops’ conferences of Central Europe were participating at this session.
The Croatian bishops also discussed the implementation of the contracts between the Holy See and the Republic of Croatia, about which Bishop Skvorcevic reported. He reminded them that in connection with the contract on legal affairs, protocols were signed last year regarding the manner of registering the legal persons of the Church and the Agreement on Pastoral Activity in Jails, Prisons and Reform Institutions. At the session, the bishops mentioned that difficulties had been encountered in the registration of the legal persons of the Catholic Church using the official form issued by the Ministry of Justice, Administration and Self-Management. Bishop Skvorcevic noted, for example, that the form uses terminology such as “religious community” and its “organizational forms,” in which the Church does not recognize itself. The evidence on the legal persons of the religious communities must be completed by the end of June. Bishop Skvorcevic also spoke about the contract on economic affairs, pointing out that the financial obligations by the Republic of Croatia to the Croatian Conference of Bishops are being carried out but not in their entirety, and the return of confiscated Church property has stagnated. He noted that the Croatian bishops will invite the president of the government of Croatia, Ivica Racan, to meet with the Permanent Council of the CCB in order to resolve the legal and economic questions arising from these contracts. At the session, the bylaws and resolution on the question of the Croatian Institute for Pastoral Liturgy were approved. Bishop Skvorcevic stated there had also been mention of the translation of the third edition of the Latin Missal that was published last year. Until now, the introduction to the Missal has been translated.