Zagreb, (IKA) – On Thursday, April 15, the central celebration of the national pilgrimage by Croatian priests to Zagreb on the 50th anniversary of the death of the Blessed Alojzije Stepinac was a Mass held in the Zagreb cathedral. In concelebration with approximately six hundred priests and the Croatian bishops, the president of the Croatian Conference of Bishops, Archbishop Marin Srakić of Đakovo-Osijek; and the apostolic nuncio in the Republic of Croatia, Archbishop Mario Roberto Cassari, the Mass was led by Archbishop Cardinal Josip Bozanić of Zagreb.
Cardinal Bozanić recalled in his homily that the Zagreb cathedral has been the venue of numerous significant Church and national events during the course of history. “We may justifiably number today, an exceptional and unique priestly encounter in many ways, among such events. This cathedral preserves memories of magnificent prayers, thanksgiving, praise, sorrow and profound religious longing but we may say with great certainty that such a large number of priests had never before been assembled around its altar in the celebration of the Eucharist, that until today so many personal histories of priestly callings have never before been assembled in pilgrimage and fellowship in Christ’s priesthood,” said the cardinal.
“This is a wonderful day, for which we thank God. Seeing you assembled here, I know that none of you is indifferent today. In the celebration of the Year of the Priest, we wanted an encounter of the priests from all the parts of our Homeland on a significant pilgrimage – and it was not difficult for us to find the place where we should be, where we feel the beauty and strength of our faith, our calling to imitate Christ through the gift of the priesthood, which fills our hearts and imbues the steps we take in life with certainty,” said the cardinal.
Referring to the place of pilgrimage, around the tomb of the Blessed Alojzije Stepinac, the cardinal said that the pilgrimage was a fulfillment of Stepinac’s bond with all the priests who grew up in the gift of his obedience to God, strengthened by his steadfastness and confidence. “Here we are bound in spirit and prayer with all the priests of the Croatian nation and throughout the Catholic world, who have seen in him a sign of God’s presence in suffering; who have found ways to express closeness to him and who before earthly accusers have preserved their steadfastness and commitment to the truth. We are here today, dear brother priests, in this holy fellowship to express our fidelity to the Church, devotion and spiritual closeness to the Holy Father, especially at moments of trials when unprecedented attacks are being made against the Successor of Peter,” said the cardinal.
“In these times, given to us to be witnesses to God’s love, we feel that in many ways there are attempts to deflect our gaze from the heavenly and to introduce uncertainty and instability that can, perhaps, also ensnare a few priestly hearts. We know that there is a way of life that is offered to us priests, a way that is called a realistic approach to reality; a way that refuses to hope, to follow ideals in seeking happiness for others and ourselves. This is the way that has accepted and incorporated into itself a sense of defeat in confrontations with disappointments and failures; it is a way without the spark of evangelical zeal,” cautioned the cardinal, emphasizing that a priest is not a man who closes his eyes to difficulties, a man with his head in the clouds who is far from this world. “Moreover, only if we are deeply rooted in the truth of the cross can we feel the power of that which comes from above and experience new emotions, because eternity has become a reality in us. We are its servants and heralds, through the exceptional gift of the Holy Orders.
We have come to hear what the Blessed Alojzije has to say about our service at a time when it is desired to introduce unrest in the work of the Church and in our priestly calling; when it is attempted to make the faithful waver and impose upon them a picture of a Church on which they should not rely. We must not allow ourselves to waver,” emphasized the cardinal, and recalled how Stepinac through his example demonstrated powerful zeal and enthusiasm in his office, while expecting the same from priests. Although aware that the priests were too few in number, he was not disheartened because he knew that there were sufficient possibilities in the callings and responses, provided that they were accompanied by enthusiasm.
“The Blessed Alojzije places in our hearts a life in the Church that leads to peace and faith, although only if one lives in obedience to God according to his Word. Therefore, priestly obedience is not submission to some authority but faith in and devotion to the Spirit … The faith in God of every believer, especially a priest, creates a precious space that man greatly needs: a space which passes from the human to the divine, from an attitude of sensitivity to the person and creation to an attitude of adoration.”
The cardinal also noted that priests are a permanent reminder to the world that worldly effectiveness and success are not enough. “The priest is a symbolic expression of God’s presence, not due to human greatness or perfection – far from it – but due to the presence of God’s goodness. Actually, the priestly calling shows that Christianity cannot be reduced to humanitarian activities or social utility. The priest is in the service of the Revelation given to us by God in Jesus Christ, which proclaims that man is greater than his desires, that his history is richer than his earthly prosperity or misfortunes,” said the cardinal, and thanked all the priests, who with their fidelity reveal that “God does not give the spirit by measure,” because it is precisely the Church and priests who can contribute to the cleansing of the culture of enticing offers and proposals that are becoming a threat to people today, especially due to disregard for the safeguarding of life and human dignity, because it is forgotten that the foundation of every culture is in the acceptance of the person created in the image of God and openness to supernatural reality.
Following communion, all the priests prayed together for the Blessed Alojzije to be numbered among the saints of the Catholic Church.
At the end of the celebration of the Mass, a joint letter in which the participants in the national pilgrimage by Croatian priests expressed their devotion, support and humble prayers to Pope Benedict XVI was read by the vice president of the Croatian Conference of Bishops, Archbishop Marin Barišić of Split-Makarska.
The national pilgrimage by Croatian priests to Zagreb began with the prayer of the Third Hour, led by Archbishop Srakić. “Jesus has chosen us for his friends. He has gone to meet us. The Lord has approached us, offered us his hand, and we have accepted his friendship. As friends we have entered into the personal mystery of Christ and the meaning of His life. We see all success and failure, joy and sorrow, all that is beautiful and ugly, understanding and confusion in our own lives and in the lives of others, as friends of Christ,” said the president of the Croatian Conference of Bishops. A spiritual address entitled “The Priest in the Year of the Priest” was delivered by Prof. Tomislav Ivančić.