Easter Message from Cardinal Bozanić

Zagreb (IKA) — At the beginning of the Easter Message from the archbishop of Zagreb, Cardinal Josip Bozanić, he explained that Jesus’ Resurrection touches every person, especially Christians, and this event renews not only mankind’s future and eternal life but is the renewal of all human life and its relationships. In this sense, the cardinal reiterated the conciliar doctrine of the universality of the impact of Jesus’ Resurrection, that extends to all people of good will. “Carried by Jesus’ Resurrection, we are called not only to be witnesses but also the prophets of his Resurrection,” says the archbishop of Zagreb, stating that Christians confirm their dignity by no longer acquiescing “to anything that diminishes us, diminishes our humanity or divides us,” and thus “Easter becomes our identification, the measure of our lives, the measure of our axis, duty and humanity.” This testimony among the faithful should be experienced in daily life as well as at liturgical celebrations and should permeate all relationships. From this testimony, a Christian becomes a person of hope. This orientation also has an effect on public life. The cardinal points out the Pope’s attempts for Christ to be unequivocally recognized as a source of hope for the Europe of today.

In this context, Archbishop Bozanić reminds the faithful of the significance of the religious gathering that will take place under the motto: “Christ — Hope of Europe” to be held on May 22 and 23 of this year in the Austrian Marian shrine of Mariazell, as the final celebration of Central European Catholic Day, in which eight Central European countries are participating. “I believe that this great and significant pilgrimage, unprecedented in recent times in Europe, inspired by the Holy Spirit, leads toward a visible community that is capable of proclaiming the Christian good news with new inspiration and new strength,” writes the Cardinal, expressing the conviction that this gathering will inspire “renewal of faith, and the promotion of forgiveness and reconciliation, love in solidarity and community that can be the yeast of the new European society, which shall not be enslaved by conflicts and disputes but imbued by the values of the gospel.”

Christianity has no meaning if it removes believers from this world. Instead, Christianity should make them increasingly responsible for the world and for mankind, and thus for all the challenges in Croatia today, whether economic, political, cultural or environmental. In this sense, taking into account the forthcoming Pilgrimage of Nations of the Central European Catholic Day, Cardinal Bozanić pointed out that the Resurrection removes all borders among people. “Our borders do not speak of our faith in God but of our insecurity, of our lack of readiness to live for God and mankind with our whole heart. Today Europe is not divided solely by geographical boundaries or the people therein. If we make the boundaries more open, we shall thereby to be more connected. In Europe today there are many borders, and all are the consequence of a lack of love, a lack of spirituality, a lack of respect for the person, a lack of a sensitivity to the needs of others, especially for the littlest. Only with concrete acts of love shall we overcome the borders among people, the borders by which we oppose God,” writes the archbishop of Zagreb. He urges the faithful to participate in this important act of religious community in order to demonstrate their readiness to build better relations on the foundations of the gospel. In the conclusion of his Easter Message, Cardinal Josip Bozanić wishes everyone a Happy Easter.