Zagreb, May 25, 2000 (IKA) — Today, Thursday, May 25, a new diocese was established on the territory of the Republic of Croatia. According to a papal bull issued by Pope John Paul II, the Gospić-Senj Diocese has been established. Dr. Mile Bogović, formerly the auxiliary bishop of the Rijeka-Senj Diocese, has been appointed as the first bishop of this new diocese in the central part of Croatia.
Together with the dismemberment of the large Zagreb Archdiocese in 1997, which resulted in the establishment of the dioceses of Varaždin and Požega, today’s division of the Rijeka-Senj Archdiocese fulfilled the desire of the Croatian Conference of Bishops for three new dioceses to be established on the territory of the young Republic of Croatia. The new diocese will remain within the Rijeka Metropolis and its see will be in Gospić. In addition to approximately 100 km of Adriatic coast, the new diocese will also encompass the famous Plitvice Lakes and the popular Mt. Velebit. This is a territory that has already had four diocesan sees history: Senj, Krbava, Modruš and Otočac. With the penetration of the Turks in the 15th and 16th centuries, these diocesan sees were destroyed and the bishops moved westward. Over three hundred years ago, Orthodox Serbs began to settle in this territory. Their influence was particularly felt following the Second World War, when formerly Catholic areas became desolated. During the most recent war, a great portion of this territory was engulfed by warfare. More than half of the territory of the new diocese was under Serbian occupation from 1991 to 1995. The Catholic population was expelled and many people were killed or wounded. Catholic churches and property were destroyed, as well as other private and public property. After the liberation in 1995, the former Catholic inhabitants began to return to this territory. During the past year, the number of Orthodox returnees has been constantly increasing. In 1991, the population of that territory numbered 146,000, of whom 57,920 or 39% were of Serbian nationality (generally Serbian Orthodox) and 56% or 80,380 of Croatian nationality (generally Catholic). Today, including refugees from Bosnia, the number of Catholics is nearly what it was in 1991, while there are far fewer Serbs than in 1991. There are a total of 83 Catholic parishes, 33 active diocesan priests, and 8 religious. In some parishes, the priests expelled in 1991 have not returned because their parishioners have not returned yet.
In a statement issued to IKA in Zagreb, Bishop Bogović said that this event is of “historical importance” because the diocesan see is “returning” to the faithful. Although bells announcing the establishment of the new diocese will not be heard from 18 churches, the bishop pointed out that there are still 10 parish churches in ruins, and that he himself is subleasing an apartment in Gospić as his rectory. Bishop Bogović noted that this is not only a description of the situation of the Church but also “of how the people are living here. In this territory, the people have demonstrated that they love their Church. The Church by this act has shown us that it wants to be as close to the afflicted people as possible. That is why the Church is coming here with its strongest institution — with a diocese.”
Bishop Bogović points out a need for “a forceful turnabout in the historical procession, a different attitude toward this region and a different mutual attitude among the people of this region. I am primarily referring to the relations between Croats and Serbs, Catholics and Orthodox. Serbs should accept Croatia as their homeland, and Croatia should treat Serbs as its own. They are not newcomers but have been present in this area for over three hundred years. We need a forceful turnabout toward peace and coexistence; we must liberate this territory from the ideologies that feed upon enmity among nations and faiths,” said Bishop Bogović.
The formal establishment of the new diocese and the installation of the first bishop of Gospić-Senj will be held on July 25, the feast of St. James, patron saint of the former Krbava Diocese.