Zagreb, (IKA) – On Tuesday, November 6, the archbishop of Zagreb, Cardinal Josip Bozanić, opened the Archdiocesan Pastoral Institute in the southern wing of the renovated Theological Seminary in Zagreb. The Institute, with headquarters in Zagreb (Kaptol 29), was established by Cardinal Bozanić on October 3 of this year, after consultation with the archdiocesan bodies. At the formal opening ceremonies, Cardinal Bozanić pointed out that the Archdiocesan Pastoral Institute is an educational institution and when necessary a research institution of the Zagreb Archdiocese. According to the cardinal, there are three main areas of the Institute’s activities. The first is the formation of ordained and nonordained church officials, which includes the formation of permanent deacons and deacons who are candidates for the priesthood, the permanent theological-pastoral formation of presbyters and deacons, religion instructors and catechists; as well as the formation of laity for pastoral service. The second area of the Institute’s activity is the family and family problems. The third area is dialogue with the modern world.
Cardinal Bozanić said that the activity of the Institute will be carried out according to programs. Some existing archdiocesan programs will be adopted and developed, and new ones will be established. The Institute is administered by the Council of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Institute and the head of the Institute, Dr. Tomislav Markić. The cardinal said that the Institute will work closely with the Archdiocesan Theological Seminary, parishes, institutions of consecrated and apostolic life, and other institutions of the Zagreb Archdiocese. The Institute, by its nature, will be particularly associated with the Catholic Faculty of Theology of the University of Zagreb and the Croatian Catholic University. Cardinal Bozanić expressed the hope that the Institute will be “a new meeting place of the Zagreb Church, a place of community, exchanges of experiences, spiritual inspiration, missionary testimony and the seeking of new paths for Jesus’ gospel.”
Dr. Tomislav Markić, episcopal vicar for the permanent formation of priests and permanent deacons, and the newly appointed head of the Institute, presented the program of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Institute for this pastoral year. Dr. Željko Tanjić, a professor at the Catholic Faculty of Theology of the University of Zagreb, delivered a lecture on the Archdiocesan Pastoral Institute as a response by the Zagreb Archdiocese to the signs of the times.
The opening ceremonies were attended by the apostolic nuncio in the Republic of Croatia, Archbishop Francisco Javier Lozano; Military Ordinary Bishop Juraj Jezerinac, Bishop Josip Mrzljak of Varaždin, Auxiliary Bishops Valentin Pozaić and Vlado Košić of Zagreb, the general secretary of the Croatian Conference of Bishops, Dr. Vjekoslav Huzjak, and many other distinguished guests.