Krk, June 11, 1999 (IKA) – Media in a plural society was the subject of a meeting of Croatian and Slovenian Catholic journalists held from June 9 to 11 at the Carmelite center in Krk. On the first day of the meeting, Catholic publications from Croatia and Slovenia were presented. The second day was devoted to commemoration of the journalistic activity of Bishop Anton Mahnić of Krk, who was the liaison between the Churches in Croatia and Slovenia at the beginning of this century. During the end of the last century and the first half of the present century, Bishop Mahnić stressed the importance of the Catholic press for evangelization, founded Catholic publications and the Catholic press, and engaged himself in the society, stated Dr. Anton Bozanić in his presentation. Regarding Bishop Mahnić#!s efforts on behalf of the Catholic press, while holding the office of bishop he published approximately 15,000 pages of text. Also speaking about Bishop Mahnić, a Slovenian by birth, was Pavel Bratina, who noted the bishop#!s pastoral activity among young people. He knew how to listen to young people, believed in them and inspired them. He often went to cafés with them, where he listened extensively and spoke little, noted the lecturers. At the meeting, collaboration between the Catholic publications in Croatia and Slovenia was also discussed, with particular praise for the cooperation of the Catholic Press Agency (IKA) with Slovenian Catholic publications. Certain problems encountered by Catholic journalists and publications in both countries were pointed out, and the need for greater collaboration in the future was stressed. On the second day of the meeting, the participants were received by the mayor of Krk. On the final day, they met with the bishop of Krk, Valter Župan, and visited the Franciscan island of Košljun.
At the meeting, organized by the Croatian Association of Catholic Journalists and the Slovenian Association of Catholic Journalists, participants included Croatian journalists from the Catholic Press Agency (IKA), Croatian Catholic Radio, Glas Koncila, Kvarnerski vez, Veritas and Pogled; and Slovenian journalists from Družina, Ognjišče and Radio Ognjišče. Also attending was Auxiliary Bishop Vlado Košić of Zagreb, who is in charge of public relations for the Croatian Conference of Bishops. It was agreed that the next meeting will be held next year in Celje, Slovenia.