Đakovo, September 6, 1999 (IKA ) — The State Secretariat of the Holy See has decided that Bishop Marin Srakić of Đakovo-Srijem is to appoint Bishop Đuro Gasparović as his general vicar for Srijem. A letter to this effect from the State Secretariat of the Holy See, signed by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, was officially presented to Bishop Srakić by the apostolic nuncio to the Republic of Croatia, Archbishop Giulio Einaudi, when the two met at the apostolic nunciature in Zagreb on Friday, September 4. The Vatican rescript is in response to a request made by Bishop Srakić on March 1 of this year for the Holy See to take measures to provide more suitable pastoral activity in the Srijem area of the Đakovo-Srijem Diocese, which is presently within the territory of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
Pope John Paul II has granted Bishop Gašparović “particular authority to transfer priests in this territory, bypassing Can. 523 C.I.C., and to coordinate pastoral activities there personally, periodically reporting to Bishop Srakić.” This decision also stipulates that if the new general vicar “should require other authorization, he can request it” and he is required to maintain permanent residence in Srijem. In a statement to the press from the Diocesan Ordinariate in Đakovo, it was noted that inauguration of the general vicar in Srijem will take place at the basilica in Srijemska Mitrovica during a Solemn Pontifical Mass on Tuesday, October 26, on the feast of St. Dimitrius, the patron saint of the Srijem Diocese.