Zagreb, (IKA) – Msgr. Mijo Gorski was ordained an auxiliary bishop of Zagreb on July 3 by the laying on of the hands of the principal consecrator, the archbishop of Zagreb, Cardinal Josip Bozanić, in the Zagreb cathedral. The ordination Mass was attended by many bishops, priests, religious and the faithful, led by the apostolic nuncio in the Republic of Croatia, Mario Roberto Cassari and the president of the Croatian Conference of Bishops, Archbishop Marin Srakić of Đakovo-Osijek. The principal co-consecrators were Bishops Valentin Pozaić and Ivan Šaško.
In the homily, Cardinal Bozanić stressed the importance of the bishop’s office and explained that “the ordination of a bishop is a special manifestation of the Church community because it concerns not only a particular Church but the Universal Church. (…) Through episcopal ordination, every bishop is included in the hierarchical communion of the College of Bishops, which, under the leadership of the Roman Pontiff, participates in the responsibility for the whole Church,” said the archbishop of Zagreb, and stated that the newly ordained Bishop Mijo Gorski would assist his archbishop in the territory of the city of Zagreb in the complex pastoral ministry of the Croatian metropolis. He then mentioned the great changes in the Archdiocese of Zagreb during the past 12 years, when four new dioceses were established within its territory, and that a quarter of the population of Croatia is currently living in the present territory of the Archdiocese of Zagreb. “Therefore, with all the authority of your mission as a bishop, you will have to promote the significant presence of the Church in our city, a presence based upon human dignity, that affirms the values of life, family, solidarity, acceptance and unity,” said the archbishop of Zagreb. “We, the Church of Zagreb, are making immediate preparations for the celebration of the Second Synod of the Archdiocese of Zagreb. Therefore, it is necessary, following the establishment of the Dioceses of Sisak and Bjelovar-Križevci, to continue new evangelization with greater enthusiasm at a time of the increasingly aggressive dictatorship of relativism, as Pope Benedict XVI urges us. In the immediate future, it is necessary to devote greater attention to worship so that our celebrations will be even more harmonious and pious, to promote greater holiness in the priesthood, to pray to the Lord of Harvest to give us a sufficient number of holy priests; to spread education through all means, especially religious, to spread Catholic culture and Catholic media, and to strengthen the charitable activities of the Church,” emphasized Cardinal Bozanić. He pointed out that this ordination is being held in the year when the 50th anniversary of the death of Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac is being commemorated and commended the new bishop to the intercession of that beatus, noting that the fruitfulness of an office comes from the spirit of sacrifice of the one who holds that office.
Prior to the singing of a hymn of thanksgiving, Tebe Boga Hvalimo, greetings to the newly ordained bishop were extended by the president of the Croatian Conference of Bishops, Archbishop Marin Srakić of Đakovo-Osijek; on behalf of the clergy of the Archdiocese of Zagreb by the Rev. Tomislav Subotičanec, the pastor of the St. Matthew Parish in Zagreb-Dugave; and on behalf of the laity of the Archdiocese of Zagreb by Lidija Flegar Jukić of the parish of St. Blaise in Zagreb.
Archbishop Srakić spoke about the demanding role of a bishop as witness, recalling the episcopal motto of Bishop Gorski, “My Lord and my God!” Following these words of greeting, the newly ordained Bishop Mijo Gorski thanked everyone. “I shall not make great promises today. I am aware of the situation in the Church and society, with all its beautiful and painful aspects. This is my, this is our Church and society. I do not have another time or different circumstances. I want to do what is in my power here – to live, work and pray with you and for you, dear brothers and sisters. And if I succeed, at least a little, in confessing the faith of Thomas as my own, I shall know that I have not run the race in vain. Everything else is in God’s hands. Regardless of what life will bring, I shall always say in faith: “Blessed be God!” said Bishop Mijo Gorski