Zagreb, May 19, 1998 (IKA) On May 18, Radio Station HKR [Croatian Catholic Radio] celebrated its first anniversary with a Holy Mass led by Cardinal Franjo Kuharić.
Together with Cardinal Kuharić, the Eucharist was celebrated in the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on Šalata in Zagreb by the head of HKR, Dr. Mirko Mataušić, a number of priests who are members of the administrative council of the station, provincials of religious orders and station associates. At the beginning of the Mass, a telegram was read from the president of the Croatian Conference of Bishops, Archbishop Josip Bozanić of Zagreb. Dr. Mataušić greeted those present, thanking all who in any way have helped inaugurate and support the station. Dr. Mataušić pointed out that the goals of Croatian Catholic Radio are to introduce the values of the Gospels and Christian culture into society, assist the general development of Croatia, promote awareness of the co-responsibility of the members of the Church, and further ecumenicism and dialogue with the other religious confessions, faiths and ideologies.
Cardinal Franjo Kuharić delivered the sermon in which he referred to Church documents that stress the importance of the mass media for the proclamation of the Joyful News and the testimony of Christian values in contemporary society. Cardinal Kuharić called particular attention to a document of the Second Vatican Council, Inter Mirifica, urging greater Church participation in the mass media. In this sermon and a speech at the reception held after the Mass, Cardinal Kuharić pointed out that as the president of the Croatian Conference of Bishops, he had supported the establishment of Croatian Catholic Radio, and now, although retired, continues to support it wholeheartedly.
Following the Mass, a short concert was presented by the Augustin Kažotić Choir and the Zagreb Ensemble for Sacred Music. There was also a reception for eminent persons from Church and cultural life, station staff and supporters.
The Croatian Catholic Radio Station was established by the Croatian Conference of Bishops and began operations on May 17, 1997 at a ceremony conducted by the former archbishop of Zagreb and president of the Croatian Conference of Bishops, Cardinal Franjo Kuharić. HKR is the first radio station outside the Croatian Radio-Television Network that covers the entire territory of the Republic of Croatia and is also heard in most of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The signal is transmitted via satellite and the station broadcasts are audible, with the suitable equipment, in all parts of Europe and North America. Croatian Catholic Radio broadcasts for twenty-four hours daily, with programming devoted to news, religion, music, sports, culture, economics, children and young people. The news broadcasts of Croatian Catholic Radio are prepared by the Catholic Press Agency (IKA). Of particular interest is a weekly program in the Romany language prepared and presented by Roms under the supervision of Sister Karolina Miljak, from the Council for the Pastoral Ministry for Roms of the Croatian Conference of Bishops. Moreover. The parishioners of the Banja Luka Diocese have their own weekly program, prepared with the support of Bishop Franjo Komarica of Banja Luka.
Refugees from Bosanska Posavina [Bosnian Sava River Valley] also have their own program.
The Croatian Catholic Radio Station has fifteen staff members and forty outside associates. It is particularly important to emphasize that these are mostly young people, of whom the majority are Catholic laity, and all the program editors are lay persons. During the seven months of operations in 1997, there were 92,000 minutes of spoken broadcasting, with the rest devoted to music. According to a study on the HKR audience prior to Christmas 1997, 5% of the total audience in the territory of the Republic of Croatia listens to the station daily. Croatian Catholic Radio has a nonprofit concession, i.e. it is not permitted to broadcast advertising. Therefore, the station is financed chiefly by the Croatian Conference of Bishops and Friends of HKR. Friends of HKR is an association of listeners who contribute 10 kunas monthly toward station operations, and in return receive discounts on HKR publications (booklets and brochures of religious content, and CD#!s of sacred music).