Zagreb, 11. 2. 1996. (IKA) – 36th anniversary of the death of God#!s servant Alojzije Cardinal Stepinac was commemorated by a solemn Eucharist celebration at Zagreb Cathedral on 10th February. Zagreb Archbishop Franjo Cardinal Kuharić concelebrated the Mass with Banja Luka bishop Franjo Komarica, and several Croatian bishops.
Tenths of priests and a great number of believers were present. Cardinal Kuhariæ talked in his preach about the life and the mission of the Church, her way through history, the way that was very often the way of the Cross. He mentioned specially those, who remained faithful to the Church because of the strength of their true faith, but they were persecuted and tortured because of their standpoints. He mentioned Cardinal Stepinac whose “persecution and martyrdom enters the mystery of persecuted Christ and persecuted Church”, and emphasized that, during his pastoral service, “he had proclaimed the care for men#!s salvation and for Croatian people moral health, stamping, as a prophet, the vices of his time”.
On the eve of the anniversary of Cardinal Stepinac#! death, three days of spiritual renewal was organized at the Cathedral. By this occasion, provincial of Franciscan province of St. Cyril and Method father Mirko Mataušiæ, provincial of Croatian Jesuits father Franjo Pšeniènjak and provincial of Franciscans Conventuals father Ljudevit Maraèiæ were preaching. Father Mataušiæ took in consideration, in his preach, Cardinal Stepinac teaching on consecration and on mission of the family, discussing specially two Cardinal#!s texts dedicated to the family, years 1937th and 1940th. Text from 1937th develops the subjects on position and mission of the contemporary family.
Cardinal Stepinac had emphasized explicitly that the family is the basis of the human society, and without it there is no nation and no civilization. “Nation without family, is a nation without future”, Cardinal Stepinac had written, emphasizing the importance of mariage and to be a parent. Jesuits provincial reminded the participants, in his preach, at the care of Cardinal Stepinac for children and young people, specially during the Second World War. He emphasized Cardinal Stepinac care for children, orphans of war from Kozara, and Jewish children he had rescued from Nazis prosecutions, for what Cardinal Stepinac had got a recognition from Jewish county. Father Ljudevit Maraèiæ presented the deceased Zagreb Archbishop as a man of sincere faith, specially faithful to Virgin Mary, and as an intercessor of everyday#! prayer.
Ðakovo-Srijem bishop Æiril Kos celebrated the Mass at Cardinal Stepinac birthplace, Krašiæ. He talked, in his preach, about the life and martyrdom of the deceased Zagreb Archbishop.
The editor of Catholic Press Agency don Živko Kustiæ celebrated the Mass in memory in Stuttgart, where several thousands of Croats, who work in Germany, worshipers of Cardinal Stepinac, took part. He emphasized that Alojzije Stepinac, as a martyr for human rights and for the rights of his own people, was a precursor of John Paul II
contemporary demands to announce the Charter on Nations#! Rights as a supplement of 2l2 United Nations Charter on Human Rights. At three successive regimes – Kingdom of Yugoslavia, NDH (Independent State of Croatia) and communists#! Yugoslavia –
Stepinac was carrying himself very bravely against the dictatorship and totalitarianism in behalf of jeopardized people, no matter of the race, nationality or confession. The most recent examinations of his remains indicate that he had being poisoned at the prison, that he had died of poison, that he is a literal martyr, emphasized Kustiæ, and
asked the believers to persist in their faith in Christ and in Church, as Stepinac did.