Zagreb, January 4, 2001 (IKA) — On the occasion of the publication of the Croatian translation of God’s Skateboard [Božji Skateboard], a bestseller in Germany, the author, Sister Tereza Zukić, pastoral head of the Little Community of Jesus’ Brothers and Sisters in Pegnitz, is visiting Croatia. She presented her book yesterday in Slavonski Brod and today in Zagreb before numerous journalists and others at the bookstore of her Croatian publisher, Krščanska Sadašnost.
The first speaker was the theologian and catechist Tomislav Filić, who noted that the 140-page book conveys Sister Tereza’s religious experiences. Sister Tereza then spoke to the large and attentive audience, describing her conversion, becoming a Religious and the establishment of the Little Community of Jesus’ Brothers and Sisters in Pegnitz, Germany, near Nüremberg. She spoke of herself as someone whose life did not conform to the usual image of a nun. Sister Tereza tries to win over young people and those who are far from the Church in a number of ways. She rides a skateboard, drives a motorcycle, plays basketball and soccer, and composes rock songs. Sister Tereza also appears on leading German talk shows, conducts lectures for managers, cooks and, in addition to numerous obligations, teaches catechism in school. She emphasized that the spirituality of her community has three goals: to build the community, live in friendship and find God in all things. Sister Tereza does not speak the Croatian language fluently because she has lived in Germany since the age of five.