Požega, (IKA) – The Twenty-Seventh Assembly of the Bishops of the Đakovo-Osijek Ecclesiastical Province was held at the Residence of the Bishop of Požega on March 25. In addition to Metropolitan Archbishop Đuro Hranić of Đakovo-Osijek, and the host, Bishop Antun Škvorčević of Požega, Metropolitan Archbishop Emeritus Marin Srakić and Bishop Emeritus Đuro Gašparović of Srijem participated.
Bishop Škvorčević noted that in two days the Diocese of Požega would be commemorating Victims’ Remembrance Day during the year of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, when respects will be paid to all victims, particularly during the central worship service in Jasenovac.
He noted that this diocesan meeting was imbued with a particular spiritual dimension by the 500th anniversary of the birth of St. Teresa of Avila, the patron saint of the Požega cathedral, which would be celebrated in three days. He said that in the light of the 50th anniversary of the end of the Second Vatican Council, it was challenging to reread the conciliar documents and the particularly moving words with which the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et spes, begins: “The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the men of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ. Indeed, nothing genuinely human fails to raise an echo in their hearts.” The bishop said that in this sense, all the weight of poverty, especially that of the Slavonian person, and the sadness of the departure of many young families from this region to foreign countries are profoundly felt, and it was the task of this assembly to reconsider how to respond pastorally.
Archbishop Hranić also spoke about the serious situation in Slavonia and the canonical visitations of parishes in the Danube region. He had witnessed the extent of the decrease in the population due to the flight of entire families from poverty. He expressed the hope that at all levels of responsibility in Croatia, something will finally begin to be undertaken to remedy the economic and demographic situations.
Then he introduced a discussion on ecumenism in the Đakovo-Osijek Ecclesiastical Province, which was the central topic of the assembly. Based on prepared statistical data on mixed marriages and transitioning into full communion with the Catholic Church, there was a discussion on the possibilities for pastoral guidance in regard to the religious life of members of various religious communities in a family. This and other issues highlighted the need for greater cooperation with the episcopes of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The bishops also discussed what has been undertaken so far by the Church in our country regarding an objective and comprehensive approach to the events from the Second World War and afterwards, as well as during the Homeland War, in terms of the evangelical healing of the wounds of the past left by evil and violence, and the promotion of forgiveness and reconciliation. They pointed out that Jasenovac and Vukovar have special significance in this respect and should be connected with ecumenical efforts.
They also spoke about the situation in the Diocese of Srijem and in the spirit of metropolitan unity concluded that efforts will continue to promote connection with the Church in Serbia in order to provide encouragement to neighboring local Churches and eventual support for their pastors and faithful. In this respect, the recent meeting of the Bishop of the Đakovo-Osijek Ecclesiastical Province with Archbishop Stanislav Hočevar of Belgrade in Srijemska Mitrovica was deemed important.