Zagreb, (IKA) – For the Sake of the Justice and Peace — The Justitia et Pax Commission of the Croatian Conference of Bishops (1989-2009), was presented on Monday, November 23, in Zagreb. It was published by the Justitia et Pax Commission of the CCB, the Center for the Promotion of the Social Doctrine of the Church of the CCB and Kršćanska sadašnjost.

The presentation of this volume containing the collected tatements, press releases, appeals and reports issued by the Justice and Peace Commission of the Croatian Conference of Bishops since its founding in the year 1989 to 2009 was attended by Archbishop Cardinal Josip Bozanić of Zagreb; the president of the CCB, Archbishop Marin Srakić of Đakovo Osijek; the apostolic nuncio in the Republic of Croatia, Archbishop Mario Roberto Cassari; the president of the Justitia et Pax Commission of the CCB, Auxiliary Bishop Vlado Košić of Zagreb; one of the first presidents of the Commission, Bishop Ivan Milovan of Poreč-Pula, Military Ordinary Bishop Juraj Jezerinac, Bishop Nikola Kekić of Križevci, Auxiliary Bishops Valentin Pozaić and Ivan Šaško of Zagreb; the general secretary of the CCB, Msgr. Vjekoslav Huzjak; the director of Kršćanske sadašnjost, the Rev. Željko Tanjić; former and present members of the Justitia et Pax Commission, professors of the Faculty of Catholic Theology of the University of Zagreb and public figures.
During introductory remarks, Cardinal Bozanić recalled that the Catholic Church throughout its history, particularly during the post-Conciliar period, conscious of its vocation and role, has always sought and accepted new ways to promote justice and peace, and permeate all the spheres of human life and the society through the leaven of the gospel. In this mission, the Church is also served by its Justitia et Pax Commission. At the very beginning, the Commission was entrusted with the task of promoting the social doctrine of the Church, especially in questions of social justice and human rights; to monitor our legislation and provide critical reviews of laws that deny or violate human rights; and to gather data on specific instances of the violation of human rights, especially the right of the believer in the area of the authority of the body, said Cardinal Bozanić. Welcoming this bilingual edition, Cardinal Bozanić stressed that it is not the Church’s task to provide technical solutions to the problems of society but to proclaim the truth about man and his integral development. Therefore, the service of love and truth is a powerful factor and guarantee for human freedom and its integral development.

Archbishop Srakić noted that a question is often heard that sounds like a complaint: why does the Church remain silent. In this case, the Church refers to the bishops. However, cautioned the archbishop, this question is difficult to answer to those who have not followed what has been happening in the Church and what the Church has said. After the publication of this collection, it will be clear to people of good intentions that the Church has not remained silent, particularly during crucial moments of our recent national and Church history. In the spirit of its mission, the Church has expressed its positions and provided critiques, without desiring to replace those entrusted with the leadership of our society. In many instances, subsequent experience has shown that the Commission had been right. The archbishop noted that many statements have been ignored by the media and society or severely criticized, although there have also been moments when they were accepted seriously.

Bishop Košić, the president of the Justitia et Pax Commission and co-editor of the collection, thanked Cardinal Bozanić for participating in the presentation of the collected documents, recalling that the cardinal had served as the vice president of the Commission from 1989 to 1994. He also thanked Archbishop Srakić for his remarks and presence, and all those attending, expressing particular gratitude to the Center for the Promotion of the Social Doctrine of the Church, whose personnel worked on the book.
He recalled attacks when the Commission spoke out about The Hague, the media, the current global crisis, the recent statement on the demarcation of Croatian-Slovenian borders and negationism. Viewed pragmatically, some of these statements did not yield successful results, and time will tell whether others were correct or not. … We believe that it is worthwhile fighting for the good, extending the horizons of the truth and, thereby, contributing to the establishment of justice and peace among people and nations, said Bishop Košić.

Prof. Špiro Marasović, Ph.D., of the Faculty of Catholic Theology, University of Split, noted that the volume represents a specific manner of fulfilling the mission of the Church in these territories during the past 20 years. These texts are statements by the Church and not some political or other purely secular organization. He also mentioned the foreign influence upon us, our Church and Commission, which is one of the reasons why the texts were presented in the original Croatian together with English translations, and expressed the hope that judgments about us in other countries will now be much more objective, which is a contribution to justice, peace and human rights.

Prof. Ivan Rogić, Ph.D., of the Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences, emphasized that the collected documents provide testimony and proof that the Commission, and through it the Catholic Church, has witnessed and testified to events during the past twenty years. The Commission has offered an abundance of valid contemporary social and political insights, indicating possibilities for more profound critiques of totalitarian tendencies under contemporary and future conditions.