Zagreb, November 27, 2002 (IKA) — A new document issued by the Croatian Conference of Bishops, Direktorij za obiteljski pastoral Crkve u Hrvatskoj [Directory of Family Pastoral Activity by the Church in Croatia], published by Krscanska sadasnjost, was presented to the public today November 27, in the Vjenac Auditorium of the Archdiocesan Theological Seminary in Zagreb.
During opening remarks, the president of the Croatian Conference of Bishops, Archbishop Josip Bozanic of Zagreb, noted that the document approaches the family in a positive manner, with the primary purpose of presenting the positive values of family and marriage. This document was published in Croatia at a moment when marriage and the family are being discussed in a variety of ways, said Archbishop Bozanic, adding that the family and marriage are confronted by particular challenges, especially from specific and most likely organized interests who wish to introduce some new ideas and perspectives into our society. He expressed the hope that this document would motivate all those who wish to engage in the area of family pastoral activity, which the archbishop stated was the obligation of all pastoral workers: bishops, priests, monks, nuns and the laity, especialy those who wish to engage actively in pastoral activity. We also see this document as a contribution to the society and social reality, emphasized Archbishop Bozanic, noting that the Catholic Church in Croatia wants to provide a collaborative hand to to everyone in our society who wishes to work for the good of marriage and the family.
The president of the Council for the Family, Bishop Valter Zupan of Krk, pointed out that the Directory of the Family Pastoral Activity by the Church in Croatia, particularly the first and second chapters, reiterates the theological vision of marriage and the family provided by the Second Vatican Council, especially in the document Gaudium et spes. In this conciliar document, the essence of the sacrament of marriage is defined, which elevates the marital union to the level of a symbol of the love that Christ bears his Church.
The content of the Directory was presented by the head of the Center for the Promotion of the Social Doctrine of the Church of the CCB, Dr Stjepan Baloban. In addition to a foreword and decree by Archbishop Bozanic, the introduction and conclusion, the document contains seven chapters. The first chapter presents a theological discussion of the topic, followed by chapters dealing with the person within a marriage and family, the mission of the family in the Church and society, the situation of marriage and the family in Croatia, Church activities for marriage and the family, participants and structures of family pastoral activity and marriage, and the family in Canon and Particular Law. This document, in the opinion of Dr. Baloban, is more strategic than practical. With this document, the Church in Croatia provides a small contribution that will only be useful to the extent that it serves as an impetus for the continued development of pastoral activity in our country, concluded Dr. Baloban.
Dr. Stefanija Bortek Knesaurek of the Office of the Family of the CCB focused upon the chapter on Church activity for marriage and the family which, in her opinion, provides guidelines for encouraging families to follow their consciences and not trendy concepts. She also noted that the laity required assistance in order to activate and promote the document because it is lay persons who will implement the document in their lives.