Rijeka, (IKA) – At the beginning of the celebration of the Mass on Pentecost Sunday, June 8, at the Delta in Rijeka, Archbishop and Metropolitan Ivan Devcic welcomed the Pope on the behalf of the entire metropolis and civil authorities, conveying special greetings on the behalf of the many families to whom this meeting with the Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church was dedicated. Archbishop Devcic noted the Pope’s ongoing concern for the family as the fundamental unit of the Church and society. Together with the Croatian bishops, the Mass was concelebrated by cardinals, archbishops and bishops from neighboring countries and several hundred priests. It was attended by Prime Minister Ivica Racan, Primorje-Gorski Kotor County County Executive Zlatko Komadina and Mayor Vojko Obersnel of Rijeka. In Archbishop Devcic’s greetings to the Holy Father, he asked him to encourage Croatian families, who are enduring many trials of an economic, moral and cultural nature, so that in the third millennium, with the systematic support of the entire society, they can be successful transmitters of life and faith in Jesus Christ as the sole Savior of mankind. Expressing boundless gratitude to the Holy Father for visiting our Church for the third time, Archbishop Devcic emphasized that the local Church and entire region are especially honored because the Pope selected the seminary in Rijeka as his residence. The archbishop of Rijeka also recalled with gratitude that eighteen years ago, at the initiative of Archbishop Emeritus Josip Pavlisic, the Pope provided assistance for the construction of the seminary building in which he is residing.

Attempting to guide the pastoral course of our Church more decisively on the path to holiness and in response to the Pope’s call to the Church at the beginning of the third millennium to make holiness the standard measure of regular Christian life, Archbishop Devcic noted that the Croatian bishops had prepared pastoral guidelines for our Church in this spirit, with increased emphasis on furthering holiness in these regions. Expressing particular gratitude to the Pope for the beatification of the Blessed Mary of Jesus Crucified Petkovic on this visit and the forthcoming beatification of the Venerable Ivan Merz, Archbishop Devcic informed the Pope that there are several candidates for the altar in the Rijeka Ecclesiastic Province: the Venerable Miroslav Bulesic, a priest of the Porec-Pula Diocese, a martyr of the communist regime; the Venerable Placido Cortese, Order of Friars Minor Conventuals, born on the island of Cres, a martyr during World War I; and the Venerable Vendelin Vosnjak, Order of Friars Minor, former guardian of the Shrine of Our Lady of Trsat. Initiation of the canonization process is also being considered for Bishop Antun Mahnic of Krk, promoter of the Catholic Movement in Croatia; the Catholic lay brother Friar Ante Tomicic, who spent many years in silent witness to the faith; and Sister Marija Krucifiksa Kozulic, foundress of the autochthonous Rijeka Congregation of the Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart. Among the other objects for the Pope’s blessing, Archbishop Devcic asked the Holy Father to bless the cornerstone for the Church of the Croatian Martyrs St. Nikola Tavelich, St. Mark of Krizevci (Marcus Stephanus Crisinus), and the Blessed Alojzije Stepinac, to be built in Udbina as a constant reminder of all those who have borne witness to the love of Jesus Christ and neighbor with their lives and blood, as well as a lasting memento of the Pope’s third pastoral visit to our country.
“Holy Father, you are in a city that for centuries has been built and beautified, by members of other nations together with Croats, especially Italians and Hungarians,” said the Archbishop and Metropolitan of Rijeka, observing that periods of genuine co-existence were far longer than periods marked by misunderstanding or enmity. In this context, Archbishop Devcic saluted the formation of the new community of European nations, “in which both their individual distinctions and also that which unites them will be evinced,” noting that Rijeka is in the immediate vicinity of the newly expanded European Union, in which the Croatian nation sees its future. “As we thank you for your efforts to remind Europe of its deep Christian roots, we also ask you to continue to help us on our road to the new European community,” said the Archbishop of Rijeka to the Holy Father. Archbishop Devcic added that the local Church sees its main task in the new evangelization and wants to “set forth bravely on the high seas” into the future, with our hope in Christ and the power of His Spirit.