Zagreb, (IKA) – The Archbishop of Zagreb, Cardinal Josip Bozanić, said in an interview for the daily newspaper Večernji list, published on June 15, that the Church is not afraid of secularization, adding: “What we must fear is our own laziness and lack of accountability, in order to respond to the challenges to which our faith calls us and which faith places before us.” Regarding relations between the Church and state at the moment, the cardinal said: “They develop within the framework of the law,” adding that the Church gives and can give a lot to society, so that a wise statesman “knows how to recognize and use the power of an individual or institution for the good of the state and the society that he leads.”

He pointed out that the Church spends the funds received from the state as reparation for expropriated property and as assistance for socially beneficial work transparently and sends an annual report to the government. These reports are available to everyone and show that the funds are strictly earmarked and spent for the construction of new churches and pastoral centers, charitable activities and the support of priests and other Church personnel. The cardinal would like such transparency to exist in all the organizations of the civil society. He fully supports the demands of taxpayers and other citizens of this country to know who is spending the more than one billion HRK given to the nonprofit organizations in the civil society and on what, of which the Church receives somewhat more than two hundred and fifty million HRK, noting that this amount also includes reparation for expropriated property, so that the allocation to the Church from the budget is actually lower than this figure.

To allegations that the Church is rich, wasteful and lacks a social sense, Cardinal Bozanić replied that he does not agree with those who criticize the Church “and do not show the slightest willingness to become familiar with its activities, nor will I bow my head before criticism that has its origin in the ideological opposition to the Church and the teachings of Jesus.” The primary task of the Church is to proclaim the gospel of Jesus. The Church exists to save all the nations, every person. “Effective love of neighbor expressed by concern for the needy is one of the ways in which the Church and each of its members demonstrate their authenticity. Therefore, it is very important and gives credibility to the proclamation of the gospel,” said the cardinal.
Referring specifically to what the Church has given to help the victims of the recent flooding, Cardinal Bozanić expressed particular concern for the situation in Slavonia and urged all the media to continue to be the voice of conscience and write about the problems being confronted by our neighbors. He especially urged young people to serve as volunteers to help the flood victims, both in our country and neighboring countries, saying: “A smile should be returned to Slavonia’s face. Croatia cannot be happy if Slavonia, that warm soul, is filled with sadness.”

Asked whether the Archdiocese of Zagreb helps the poor with funds it receives from the state budget, Cardinal Bozanić responded that Caritas of the Archdiocese of Zagreb annually publishes a detailed report on its work. “I have not noticed that any of the “secular” media or your newspaper has made even the barest mention of this report,” said the cardinal, and discussed some of the information it contains.

Cardinal Bozanić also warned of the problem of unaccountability, which causes all the evil at the individual and social levels. “In Croatia, we urgently need to build a culture of accountability! Without it, I fear, we shall not be able to extricate ourselves from this hopeless situation. It is impossible to deal with the structures of sin that have permeated the entire system through populist and cosmetic measures except through the systematic change of everything that permits corruption, crime, nepotism, bribery, tax evasion, nonpayment of obligations to workers and suppliers, racketeering—whether via the media or in some other way, and a host of other evils that are destroying the future of our country and people,” said the cardinal, adding that changes must occur in all areas, at the level of each individual and at the institutional level of the society as a whole.

Among other things, Cardinal Bozanić expressed satisfaction with the development of the Catholic University of Croatia, which aspires to become a leading educational and scientific institution. Data from the Agency for Science and Higher Education show that among all the non-state colleges, the study of psychology at the Catholic University of Croatia attracted the highest number of applicants. “It is our wish that eventually the university will conduct studies in all the branches of science,” said the cardinal, observing that the Croatian Catholic University is a gift from the Church to the Croatian nation and its future, a gift from the Archdiocese of Zagreb, which established and largely finances it. Cardinal Bozanić expressed the belief that the state, city and local authorities in Croatia recognize the importance of Catholic educational institutions because “ultimately, it is not about creating competition with state-operated educational institutions but investment in the person, in the future of our nation and country, which we all share in common.”