Zagreb, September 11, 1997 (IKA) Fra Bernardin Dukić has been relieved of his duties as delegate for curates in the Croatian Catholic Missions in Germany, and will be replaced by the current head of the Croatian Catholic Mission in Offenbach, Father Josip Klari , according to a statement by the Croatian Conference of Bishops issued on Wednesday, September 10. The corresponding documents were signed by the president of the Croatian Conference of Bishops, Cardinal Franjo Kuhari . In a communication sent to Fra Bernardin Dukić, it was stated that the Provincialate of the Franciscan Province of the Holy Redeemer in Split had proposed that Fra Bernardin be relieved of his duties as delegate to the Croatian missionaries in Germany in order to assume new duties within the Province.
In this communication, the president of the Croatian Conference of Bishops praised Fra Bernardin#!s many years of fruitful work and contribution to the pastoral activity in the Croatian Catholic missions in Germany. Cardinal Kuharić also noted that he remembered how Fra Bernardin arrived in Germany in 1965 and established the Croatian Catholic Mission in Frankfurt, which he led successfully until 1971, when, at the proposal of the Croatian episcopacy, the German Conference of Bishops named him delegate for the Croatian missionaries in Germany. The cardinal also recalls the most important undertakings that were realized owing to the efforts of Fra Bernardin. Examples include the preparations for the Catechism Olympics, meetings of Croatian Catholic youth, festivals of Croatian folk song and dance, publication of the monthly Živa zajednica, Vodič -kalendar, with the addresses of all our missions around the world, various editions in collaboration with Glas Koncila and Kršćanska sadašnjost; the distribution of large numbers of Bibles, catechisms and other religious, historical and similar books in the Croatian language, and the especially successful publication of the prayer book Slavimo Boga, in nearly 180,000 copies.
In informing Father Josip Klarić of his nomination, Cardinal Kuharić noted how this act also relieved Father Klarić of his duties as head of the Croatian Catholic Mission in Offenbach. Cardinal Kuharić emphasized that Father Klarić , since he had already performed pastoral work in Germany, has had the opportunity to become acquainted with the practical work of Fra Bernardin Dukić , who has served for the past 26 years. “Under your leadership, our pastoral workers will have to turn increasingly toward the new generation, who saw the light of day far away from the homeland of their parents and who are completely integrated within the Germany society,” stated the Cardinal, noting that he also must take care that Croatian youth, “through their personal experience of faith, will be capable of making their contribution to the Church in Germany to which they belong … However, you shall also maintain the closest ties with the Church in the old homeland, with the Croatian bishops and heads of orders in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and especially with the Council for Croatian Emigrants of the Croatian and Bosnian-Herzegovian Conferences of Bishops … the leader of the curates for Croats in foreign countries, Msgr. Vladimir Stanković ,” as well as “diplomatic-consular representatives of the Republics of Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina in Germany, and the other cultural institutions in that country.”