Zagreb, March 12, 1996 (IKA) – With the solemn invocation of the Holy Spirit, Archbishop Cardinal Franjo Kuharić opened the Ninth Plenary Session of the Croatian Conference of Bishops today, March 12, that will continue until Thursday, March 14. All the members of the Croatian Conference of Bishops will participate in this session except Archbishop Ivan Prenđa of Zadar and Bishop Ćiril Kos of Ðakovo-Srijem, due to illness. Also attending are the Apostolic Nuncio in the Republic of Croatia, Giulio Einaudi, Bishop Janoš Penzeš of Subotica and the secretary of the Croatian Conference of bishops, Vjekoslav Milovan. At this three-day session, the bishops will discuss the life and work of a priest today in the Church among the Croats as well as initiatives and
undertakings in preparation for the Great Jubilee Year 2000. There will also be discussions about the establishment of new episcopal sees in the Republic of Croatia, the current status of the proposed Denationalization Act, questions about the better safeguarding of Sunday as “the day of the Lord” and outlined directives to pastoral workers on the concern of the Catholic Church in Croatia for “persons with developmental disorders.” Cardinal Franjo Kuharić will celebrate Holy Mass in the Zagreb Cathedral at 6:00 p.m. and Archbishop Ante Jurić of Split-Makarska will deliver the sermon.