The bishops expressed their profound distress regarding the fatal accidents that recently occurred in Croatian Hospitals — A pastoral message was announced on current social conditions.

The establishment of an Office for the Laity by the Croatian Conference of Bishops has been announced and should occur within a period of six months. An important place will be afforded to the implementation of the social doctrine of the Church in society and the organizing of meetings of the faithful who are actively engaged in public works as well as the creation of the structural prerequisites for the assembly of Catholic intellectuals.

Statistics show an alarming drop in the number of baptisms, confirmations and church weddings. While there were 50,761 baptisms in 1998, in the year 2000 this number fell to 43,073. In 1998, the sacrament of confirmation was received by 54,021 comfirmands, while in 2000 the number was only 44,724. In 1998, there were 19,231 church weddings, and in 2000 only 17, 559.