Zagreb, (IKA) – The bishops assembled at the regular thirty-second plenary session of the Croatian Conference of Bishops in Zagreb from April 25 to 28 devoted most of their attention to questions concerning the media, the acceptance of the directory “Pastoral Guidelines of the Croatian Conference of Bishops for the Mass Media,” and issued decisions regarding several personnel changes in the media established by the Croatian Conference of Bishops The bishops appointed Suzana Peran as the editor-in-chief of the Catholic Press Agency IKA – Zagreb, Zvonimir Ancić as the head of the Press Office of the Croatian Conference of Bishops, spokesman of the Croatian Conference of Bishops and head of Croatian Catholic Radio. The Rev. Enco Rodinis was appointed as the head of IKA. These appointments will go into effect as of July 1. At the session, the mandate of the chairman of the Committee of the Croatian Conference of Bishops for the Mass Media, Archbishop Ivan Devčić of Rieka, was extended.

At a press conference held on April 28 at the secretariat of the Croatian Conference of Bishops in Zagreb, Archbishop Devčić announced that with these appointments the local Church is entrusting particular confidence in the lay faithful, which is also a sign of the appreciation and openness of the Church toward the laity in the media and other areas. He announced that the directory for the mass media would be more completely presented on the occasion of the commemoration of World Mass Media Day, which is otherwise celebrated on the seventh Sunday of Easter, and will be celebrated in Zagreb, most likely at the secretariat of the Croatian Conference of Bishops, on May 24.
The document has four chapters. The first discusses the importance of communication, including the mass media, for the Church. The second chapter speaks of the pastoral guidelines of activity in the world media, with particular mention of the individual types of media, the media established by the Croatian Conference of Bishops, electronic media, printed media, publishing and the Internet, new technologies, film, Catholic associations that have the task of promoting media activity and pastoral media, and media activity on the various levels of the Church. The third chapter, entitled “Ethics, Participation and Training for the World Media Culture,” speaks of the fundamental ethical principles, public opinion, the need to study mass communications and schooling for work in the media, incentives, and training for an active presence in the world media. Practical guidelines are presented in the last chapter.

Among the specific directives, Archbishop Devčić mentioned the creation of the anthropology and theology of communication, especially at schools of theology, new personnel, personnel already involved in the media and assistance to priests who could more easily participate in the world media and use them more effectively in the implementation of their mission. Cultivating relations with the public is one of the important points repeatedly mentioned in the guidelines. One of the guidelines speaks about the cultivation of awareness regarding the usefulness of the media in pastoral activity and suitable initiatives. There was also a discussion about the need for a central web portal for the Catholic Church and some other initiatives.

At the session, the bishops also heard reports on the preparations for the establishment of the Catholic university, which are going well. According to Archbishop Devčić, it can be hoped that the university will begin operations for the 2007/08 academic year. The sponsor of the founding of this university is the Croatian Conference of Bishops and the founder is the Archdiocese of Zagreb because the university will be located within its territory.

At the regular spring plenary session, there was also discussion of preparations for the visit Ad Limina Apostolorum, to be held in Rome from July 3 to 11.

The president of the Committee for the Young of the Croatian Conference of Bishops, Bishop Ante Ivas of Šibenik, announced the National Meeting of Catholic Youth, April 29 and 30, in Pula and the Istrian parishes, for which 18,000 young persons have registered from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and our missions in Europe. In addition to all the Croatian bishops, the meeting will be attended by many guests from other European countries, especially those with whom we are connected via Central European Catholic Day. The central events and Mass will be on Saturday in the Pula Arena, where there is room for 10,000 young people, while the rest of the participants will be able to follow the program via video projections.

Assistant Bishop Vlado Košić of Zagreb informed the bishops of preparations for the European Young Adult Meeting that will be organized by the ecumenical community of Taizé and held in Zagreb from December 28 to January 1, at which between 30 to 50 thousand young people from Europe and the world are expected. There was also discussion about several initiatives regarding the Central European Catholic Day and participation in the first step of the preparations for the Third European Ecumenical Assembly in Rumania, September 4 to 8, 2007.

Bishop Košić also mentioned that the Croatian Conference of Bishops is preparing a document regarding Croatia’s entry into European integration. “We should like to reinforce the awareness of the faithful that we are Europe, that we have been building this European community for centuries with our Christian values and that we want to receive values through entering this association but also to contribute our own values to this community of European nations,” concluded Bishop Košić.