Meeting of croatian delegations to the Second European Ecumenical Assembly to be held in Graz, Austria

Zagreb, June 3, 1997 (IKA) — A Delegation from the Croatian Conference of Catholic Bishops that will attend the Second European Ecumenical Assembly to be held in Graz, Austria in late June, met on June 2 in Zagreb with representatives of other Christian Churches in Croatia. Speaking about the reason for this meeting, Bishop Martin Srakić of Đakovo-Srijem emphasized the following: “The delegations met in order to analyze the basic document that will guide them through that ecumenical week, what everyone will do in this sense at the level of the Churches in Croatia, and what is being done by individual groups promoting a dialogue among the people and Churches in our land. In Graz, what has occurred at the level of the Republic of Croatia will be presented at two national meetings. Speaking about this and the current subject of the meeting, reconciliation, Bishop Srakić emphasized: “The subject of reconciliation is very sensitive for our region. However, we must not dwell on wounds but we must heal them. Reconciliation and forgiveness are our only path and future.” Bishop Vladimir Deutsch of the Evangelical Church in Croatia expressed his dissatisfaction because of the lack of objectivity by the World Conference of Churches toward the situation in Croatia. Bishop Deutsch emphasized how “some political currents in the World Council of Churches are attempting to promote a lack of objectivity toward us in Croatia. This lack of objectivity was evident during the war when there was more support for the attackers than for the victims. At the assembly in Graz, we shall take a critical stance toward such a lack of objectivity and seek a change.” Also present at the meeting were Dr. Antun Škvorčević, secretary of the Council for Ecumenicism and Dialogue of the Croatian Conference of Catholic Bishops; Dr. Branko Lovrec on behalf of the Association of Baptist Communities in Croatia; Secretary Stanko Jamberk on behalf of the Evangelical Church; and representatives of the lay group of Dialogue. No representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church attended this meeting, although they were invited.