Rome, (IKA) – On the occasion of the canonization of Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II, the Archbishop of Zagreb, Josip Cardinal Bozanić, gave an interview in Rome to the Catholic Press Agency—IKA—Zagreb on April 26. In response to a question on the relationship of Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II with Croatians, Cardinal Bozanić said that all the Croatian bishops participated in the Second Vatican Council convened by Pope John XXIII, as was not the case with bishops in other communist countries. Furthermore, Pope John XXIII appointed new bishops in our country at a time when attempts were being made to sort out relations between the Church and state in another way, so that he was a Pope who, on the one hand, opened doors, and also, a Pope who attempted to establish dialogue with everyone.
Speaking about Pope John Paul II, whose pontificate marked the final period of communism, its fall and the beginning of democracy, Cardinal Bozanić discussed the beginning of his papacy. “We recall the Masses in 1979 that he celebrated in the Croatian language together with us in St. Peter’s Basilica. This was a great event for the Church in Croatia and among the Croatian nation because these Masses were attended by Croats from Croatia and those who lived in other countries, many of whom were not able to visit Croatia due to political circumstances,” said the cardinal. He also emphasized Pope John Paul II’s closeness to the Croatian nation, “especially when Croatia needed international recognition. His contribution to this is acknowledged not only by people from the Church but also from politics and public life.” In the context of Pope John Paul II’s closeness and connection to the Croatian nation, the cardinal noted the Pope’s three apostolic visits to Croatia and two to Bosnia and Herzegovina, where Catholic Croats also live. “Moreover, this is the Pope who gave us the Blessed Alojzije Stepinac. He is the Pope who simply knew us and loved us,” said Cardinal Bozanić.
Regarding personal recollections about the two new saints, the cardinal pointed out that he never saw Pope John XXIII in person, since he died when the cardinal was in the seventh grade, but he remembers hearing talk as a child about the Pope who convened the Council and how the world followed his death. “This was even spoken and written about in our country,” said Cardinal Bozanić.
The cardinal had a lot to say about Pope Wojtyla because he met him on several occasions and, moreover, this was the Pope who appointed him bishop, archbishop of Zagreb and later cardinal. During this interview, the cardinal singled out an event that made a particularly lasting impression on him.
“It was October 3, 1998, when we were travelling by automobile together from Zagreb to Marija Bistrica. In addition to the Pope, his secretary, the driver and I were in the automobile. During this relatively long trip, I experienced what it was like to be in the proximity of this man, the Pope as a mystic. Thus, in a particular way, I experienced what it was like to be in the proximity of a man who was a mystic but also at the same time close and present, but who very easily entered God’s presence in prayer,” said the cardinal. He stressed that Pope John Paul II was a man who lived constantly immersed in the presence of God, in constant communication with God.”
In response to questions on the message of this canonization, i.e., these two pontificates, for the Church and world today and for the future, Cardinal Bozanić said that it will certainly continue to be discussed because people will become aware of the powerful message sent from the celebration of this canonization. It is significant that this is the canonization of two popes, John XXIII and John Paul II. The first convened the Council and the second ardently implemented it. Both of them are so close to people.”
Cardinal Bozanić noted that John XXIII did not travel much, owing to his age and relatively brief pontificate, “but his directness, his closeness to people has much in common with what John Paul II demonstrated throughout his pontificate. He was simply close to people.” In this context, Cardinal Bozanić recalled that John Paul II sought people throughout his pontificate, and at the end his funeral was a manifestation of a great community.
“This canonization states that John XXIII and John Paul II went to the people, they wanted to be close to them, and now people come because they feel this closeness. This is the closeness to a person who is God’s because who is close to God is close to people,” explained Cardinal Bozanić, observing that this canonization shows that the Church is not merely a human institution but that the work of the Holy Spirit is in evidence here.