Zagreb, May 23, 2003 (IKA) — On the occasion of Pope John Paul II’s 100th and 101st missionary travels throughout the world, his forthcoming visits to Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatian Caritas, Croatian Catholic Radio and the Radio Maria Association are planning a prayer chain and fundraising campaign: Pope-Ecumenicism-Tolerance (PET) as announced on Friday, May 23, at the Secretariat of the Croatian Conference of Bishops in Zagreb. It will include five weeks of unbroken prayer for the success of all the dimensions and reasons for the Pope’s visits. It will also be five weeks of heartfelt giving to benefit the most needy, regardless of nationality (ethnic origin) or religious affiliation.
The details of the PET Campaign were presented by the president of the Radio Maria Association, Ivica Relković. The prayer chain will begin at 12 noon on May 25 and continue until 12 noon on June 29. The prayer chain will be organized so that all times will be covered for a full five weeks, except during the Holy Masses we shall be celebrating together with the Pope. Vigil participants will include both individuals and various associations. Families or individuals can register for the particular date and time during which they will pray for half an hour. Radio Maria and Croatian Catholic Radio will set up the prayer chain schedule and also publicize and support the chain in their broadcasts. Catholic communities can also register: parishes, Croatian Catholic Missions, movements, associations and various other formal and informal prayer groups, who will commit themselves to cover periods of one hour. All applicants for prayer chain times should telephone 385-1/234-7965 or 385-1/232-7111.
Monetary contributions to the PET Campaign can be made in one of two ways: 1) With every call to the telephone number 385-60/505-505, the caller contributes five kunas directly to the Croatian Caritas Account. 2) Contributions can be sent directly to the current (giro) bank account of Croatian Caritas: 23400009-1100080340, Reference No. 555, and should be marked “For the PET Campaign.” All the funds collected will go straight to Croatian Caritas, which has the sole authorization for their use and distribution.
The head of Croatian Caritas, Mario Bebić, spoke on behalf of the PET Campaign and observed that if the synonym for faith is love, then the synonym for the Pope is ecumenicism and tolerance. Mr. Bebić announced that the collected funds will go to those in the greatest need, including displaced persons, refugees, those already receiving assistance from diocesan branches of Caritas and those who should be receiving assistance but have yet to be identified.
The head of Croatian Catholic Radio, Mr Robert Šreter, pointed out that the media are currently more focused upon the peripheral aspects of the Pope’s visits to Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina than upon the head of the Catholic Church, as the Peter of our days who seeks to confirm our brothers and sisters in their faith. The Pope-Ecumenicism-Tolerance (PET) Campaign emphasizes two essential dimensions of the Pope’s pastoral visits — prayer and good works