Zagreb, (IKA) — The participants of the Summer University of the International Catholic Union of the Press — UCIP, held in Croatia from September 22 to 29, visited the Krscanska Sadasnjost bookstore in Zagreb on Kaptol on Wednesday, September 25, where the director, Stjepan Pogacic, acquainted them with the history and current activities of the largest Catholic publishing house in this part of Europe. The first lay person to serve as the director of Krscanska Sadasnjost, Stjepan Pogacic, briefly resented the history of the enterprise, which began operations in 1968 amidst the general atmosphere of the Second Vatican Council and post-Conciliar renewal. Krscanska Sadosnjost currently has 34 publication divisions that publish books of various genres, including Church documents, liturgical materials, editions of the Bible, manuals for students of theology, works on general Church history and works devoted to ecumenicism and inter-religious dialogue. Krscanska Sadasnjost also publishes five periodicals, of which the most popular is the family monthly, Kana. It employs 55 persons, in addition to associates who work on various projects, the majority of whom are lay persons. Krscanska Sadasnjost played a special role during the period of communist rule in Eastern Europe, when, with the support of the Holy See, it printed the Bible for young people in various languages and scripts of the former communist block, and sent them to countries behind the Iron Curtain, where Christian literature and theological books were not allowed.
Mayor Milan Bandic of Zagreb received participants of the International Summer University at the Dverce Palace in the Upper Town of Zagreb during the afternoon. In greeting the Catholic journalists, Mayor Bandic said that they were genuine champions of the truth who fight for ethics and values in daily activity, promoting equality and respect for all people and cultures in their press reports, as stated in their program of activity. He acquainted them with the cooperation between the City of Zagreb and the Zagreb Archdiocese. In order arrive at optimal solutions for questions affecting of the City and Archdiocese, a separate commission has been established that meets on an average of once a month, and whose work has been considered exemplary. In the following days, a meeting would be held with the highest representatives of the Church in connection with the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Zagreb Metropolitan Archdiocese, and the City wishes to be included in the celebration of this important anniversary, said Mayor Bandic. He emphasized that the City of Zagreb enjoys exceptionally good relations with the Catholic Church and other religious communities that are active in its territory.
He took the opportunity to congratulate UCIP of Geneva on its 75th anniversary, wishing the participants of the Summer University a pleasant stay in Zagreb. He also congratulated the Croatian Association of Catholic Journalists, led by its president, Suzana Vrhovski, who organized this significant Summer University.
Mirko Ivanusevic and Damir Stimac, of the Croatian Center for Mine Clearance, informed the journalists about the problem of mines in Croatia. They presented data on the number of mines planted in Croatia, mine victims, and all the consequences that mines have for the general conditions of a country. They spoke about the current situation in connection with the mined territory in Croatia, and the efforts Croatia is making, in cooperation with numerous nongovernment organizations and sponsors, in order to solve the problem of mines. This was followed by a presentation of the Catholic monthly publication Veritas and the work of Caritas at Sveti Duh, including its soup kitchen. The presentation on Veritas and the publishing activities of religious orders was conducted by Fra Marko Puskaric, a member of the executive committee of the Croatian Association of Catholic Journalists.

Auxiliary Bishop Vlado Kosic of Zagreb received UCIP Summer University participants on September 27 at the Secretariat of the Croatian Conference of Bishops and spoke about the activities in the Zagreb Archdioceses, including the preparations for the Second Archdiocesan Synod in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Zagreb Metropolitan Archdiocese.
The participants of the Summer University were interested in Bishop Kosic’s position regarding the charges by The Hague War Crimes Tribunal against Croatian General Janko Bobetko. Bishop Kosic replied that the situation in Croatia is such that the majority of the people are dissatisfied with The Hague indictment against the central figure in the defense of Croatia. For the people, it is difficult when they have to see our liberators at The Hague next to Slobodan Milosevic, the creator and organizer of the aggression against Croatia, said Bishop Kosic. According to him, it is possible that crimes were committed during the defense of Croatia, but individual responsibility should be borne by the perpetrators. In response to a question on the inclusion of the Church in the democratic processes in Croatia, the auxiliary bishop of Zagreb answered that during the past decade Croatia has passed through the difficult experience of war, and that both during and after the war the Church played a major role in emphasizing and preserving the moral values of the society. During the war, the Church cared for refugees and displaced persons and was a guardian of hope amidst great misfortune. Following the war, said Bishop Kosic, the Church has actively supported social justice in the Croatian society.
Afterwards, the Summer University participants became acquainted with the history and activities of the only Catholic weekly newspaper in Croatia, Glas Koncila. Following greetings by its director, Nedjelko Pintaric, the distinguished Catholic journalist Zivko Kustic, for many years the editor-in-chief of Glas Koncila, spoke about the founding and survival of this publication during the communist regime. Glas Koncila began publication as a bulletin at the beginning of the Second Vatican Council, with the task of reporting on the Council, and it was operated by the Franciscans on Kaptol. In the autumn of 1963, the publication acquired the form of a newspaper. Many people in Croatia, not all of whom were practicing Catholics, experienced Glas Koncila as a “crack of freedom” in the communist regime, said the Rev. Kustic, adding that it was the first time that it was permitted to speak clearly and think differently than the Party ordered. They were the only ones that the Party could not influence, except through the confiscation of issues, and the Party was afraid to confiscate them, stated the Rev. Kustic, noting that only four issues of the newspaper were confiscated, because they had dared to mention the Blessed Cardinal Alojzje Stepinac. The current editor-in-chief, the Rev. Ivan Miklenic, spoke about the activities of Glas Koncila under the new circumstances in a pluralistic and democratic society. After the establishment of a democratic system, according to the Rev. Miklenic Glas Koncila had maintained continuity while also opening itself to new challenges. The continuity was in regard to its Church content, connection to the Church hierarchy and the providing of information. Of particular significance, said the Rev. Miklenic, was that Glas Koncila has continued its editorial commentary, which was a unique phenomenon in Croatian journalism. Such texts are generally considered by the public to be the official position of the Church. In such commentary, said the editor-in-chief, positions are presented from the ethical point of view regarding actual events in the society. During the war, from 1991 to 1995, Glas Koncila spoke out against warfare, promoted respect for the dignity of each person and nation, and opposed the spread of hatred and allegations of collective guilt and responsibility, stated the Rev. Miklenic. As of 2002, the newspaper has 32 pages, each of which is in color.