Zagreb, October 5, 1998 (IKA) — At the conclusion of the Second Pastoral Visit by the Holy Father John Paul II to Croatia, we spoke on Sunday, October 4, in Split with several of the participants and organizers of this three-day visit.
There is marked satisfaction, according to Bishop Ivan Milovan of Rijeka-Poreč, regarding “the grace from this visit and gift of God, and the Holy Father#!s special expression of love for the Church and Homeland.” We were also told that there is satisfaction concerning the organization and the response of the pilgrims by Archbishop Ante Juric of Split-Makarska, Bishop Milovan, Bishop Valter Župan of Krk, the general vicar of the Zadar Archdiocese, Msgr. Milivoj Bolobanić; and the secretary of the Zagreb Archdiocesan Commission for Preparations for the Visit by the Holy Father, Dr. Zvonimir Kurečić.
Archbishop Jurić pointed out that the visit was “a moment of grace and a moment of great joy for the entire nation,” and that studying the faces from the youngest to the oldest, he saw “unusual joy and love toward the Holy Father. This is to me, as an archbishop, encouragement that in the souls of my faithful there is still a living faith in God when they show such great respect for the Vicar of Christ on earth.”
Evangelical Bishop Vladimir Deutsch, speaking about his meeting with the Holy Father, said that he experienced it as a personal spiritual renewal, that the Pope#!s words uttered during his visit to Croatia contain messages not only for the Catholic faithful, but for all people of good will in the Republic of Croatia.
Speaking about the content of the messages of the Holy Father during his three-day visit, Bishop Župan noted: “The time that is before us is a time to enter truly into the essence of these messages and to implement them in deed.”
Archbishop Vinko Puljic of Sarajevo emphasized that the act of the beatification of Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac was “a gift and reward for the humiliations and negative treatment,” endured by Cardinal Stepinac under communism.
The general vicar of the Varaždin Diocese, Msgr. Ivan Godina, said that this event gives strength and encouragement to the Church among the Croats for enduring all the difficulties in daily life and impetus for loving what is good.
Expressing satisfaction concerning the large number of people that assembled on the streets of Zagreb, on the square in front of the cathedral and in Marija Bistrica, Dr. Kurecic said that it was proof that people recognize that the Pope is a person who has “something to say” and is the moral authority of today.
Not only were the bishops, organizers and pilgrims satisfied with the visit, but apparently even the Holy Father, himself, as evidenced by the expression on his face and his spontaneous comment at the conclusion of the celebration in Solin, when he added, “the archbishop is satisfied, and the Pope is satisfied.”
The assistant general secretary of the Croatian Conference of Bishops, Dr. Ivan Čubelić, stated that the first priority at the next session will certainly be a review of the pastoral visit by the Holy Father to Croatia and the messages in his sermons and speeches.