Zagreb, 5. 2. 1996. (IKA/KTA) – Bosnia and Herzegovina Bishops#! Conference bishops have sent an Epistle to the priests, to the members of male and female regulars#! communities and to the people of God with the title “Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God” sighed on the holiday of St. Paul#!s conversion, and distributed through all pastoral centers. It is obvious that this epistle was created because the bishops have felt a need to address the believers, in this critical moment, between war and peace, with their considerations on Church and Man, above all, to address all people who have the true values of peace and justice in their hearts, and encourage them to persist in good.
The Epistle is, according to ecclesiastic tradition, divided in three chapters and numbers. In the first, of three chapters, the historical reality of those territories is presented, containing mostly wars and persecutions, exchanging of nations and cultures. Just in this century, it is in the Epistle, “four great evil wars and change of five to six states” have happened to those territories. The second part of the Epistle, attracts the attention of the public because it happened that one bishops#! conference, immediately after the end of the war, explicitly proclaims forgiveness to everybody and ask the forgiveness from those to whom the members of Catholic Church have made some harm, and opens the door to ecumenism, dialogue and tolerance of differences. “The aggression and the tragic war have shown to everybody whereto fear of others and of different ones could lead the Man and nations. Therefore, we call all, in the first place the Catholics members of our diocesan communities, to gather the strength and determination, so we could put, in this unjust frame, a picture of just peace. We know well that there is no peace without reconciliation, and there is no reconciliation without forgiveness. Therefore, at time like this, we hope and pray that
the end of war and the beginning of peace is announced and we, in the name of ourselves and in the name of all who became, by the sacrament of baptism, members of Catholic Church, offer the hand of reconciliation. We ask all those, who feel in some way hit by the injustice by the sons of Catholic Church, for forgiveness. In the name of peace and living together, in the name of all died of evil and injustice, of fear and uncertainty, we forgive all who had done injustice and evil to us, so that God can be mercy upon us, too. We, here, express the ecumenical openness to Serbian Orthodox Church in Bosnia and Herzegovina… no less is our openness for dialogue and readiness for cooperation with Islamic confessional community in this country. In that way we could offer our share of duty to innocent people for their outcome from bewitched circle of evil. No kind and nobody#!s politics could be in the way of our religious mission in serving the Man. Today, serving the Man in Bosnia and Herzegovina is possible only if he is helped on his way towards peace and mutual
respect”.
After the call for forgiveness and establishing of everlasting and just peace, president of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bishops Conference Vinko Cardinal Puljić, bishops Franjo Komarica and Ratko Perić, and assistant bishop Pero Sudar have called to renewal of heavy damaged ecclesiastic buildings, too.