Members of the Croatian Conference of Bishops and the Bishops’ Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina held their fifteenth regular annual joint session on January 21, 2013, in the CCB building in Zagreb. Archbishop Želimir Puljić of Zadar, President of the CCB, presided and greeted those assembled. The bishops were then addressed by the President of the Bishops’ Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bishop Franjo Komarica of Banja Luka.
During the joint session, the bishops of the two bishops’ conferences also met with the Apostolic Nuncio in the Republic of Croatia, Archbishop Alessandro D’Errico, who conveyed a special blessing from the Holy Father. He referred to the Letter-Message from the Secretary of State of the Holy See, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, addressed one year ago to the bishops of the Croatian Conference of Bishops and the Bishops’ Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which expressed the concern of the Holy Father and Holy See regarding the future of the Catholic Church in Bosnia and Herzegovina due to the lack of support for the organized return of displaced and refugee Croats, i.e., Catholics. He expressed regret that the situation concerning the return of Croats to Bosnia and Herzegovina during the last year had not improved. Cardinal Bertone added that the Holy See expects reports on the activities undertaken by the two bishops’ conferences to improve the unenviable situation of Catholics in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He also emphasized the importance of conducting joint campaigns such as Solidarity Week and similar joint initiatives by the two bishops’ conferences in dealing with the existential challenges and difficulties facing the Catholics in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He informed the bishops of his meetings with representatives of the Croatian authorities, who promised him greater and more decisive commitment to the rights of the Croatian people in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the sustainable return of displaced and refugee Croats who so desire.
The bishops from Bosnia and Herzegovina thanked all who had participated and supported Solidarity Week in the dioceses of the Republic of Croatia and all who have shown understanding for the unenviable situation of Catholics in Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially in the entity of the Republika Srpska, where only five percent of the prewar Catholic population remain. They stressed the particular importance of mutual spiritual and other bonds and support. They expressed their solidarity and support to the bishops of Croatia in their efforts to present the official moral and social doctrine of the Catholic Church clearly and decisively before the members of the diocesan communities and the entire domestic population.
The bishops of both bishops’ conferences listened to a report on the work of the Episcopal Commission of the Croatian Conference of Bishops for the Liturgy regarding a new translation of the Missal and discussed several issues related to the liturgical calendar as well as the publication of a cantual and gradual, and made suggestions.
The also heard and discussed a report by the Joint Council of the Croatian Conference of Bishops and the Bishops’ Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Office for Croatian Pastoral Ministry Outside Croatia, which is concerned with the activities of the 197 Croatian Catholic parishes and missions throughout the world. They approved the delegates selected as members of the Council for Croatian Pastoral Ministry Outside Croatia. They expressed gratitude to all the bishops and religious superiors who make their members available for pastoral ministry in foreign Croatian congregations. They expressed particular gratitude to all the priests, religious and engaged lay faithful in the Croatian missions and parishes who help Croatian Catholics in other countries remain steadfast to the faith of their ancestors in the homeland.
Upon listening to a report on the work of the Commission of the Croatian Conference of Bishops and Bishops’ Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina for Croatian Martyrology, the bishops approved new members of the Commission and provided guidelines for the preparation of Commission Regulations. They supported a proposal for the presentation of the Croatian Martyrology project in all the diocesan sees and major centers in every diocese and the continued collection of the necessary data on all the victims in the parishes, the sites of mass graves and the testimony of surviving witnesses, with the aim of later identifying persons for whom the process of canonization could be initiated.
The bishops also listened to the annual report on the work of the Commission for the Pontifical Croatian College of St. Jerome in Rome. They thanked Msgr. Ratko Perić, Bishop of Mostar-Duvno and the Apostolic Administrator of Trebinje-Mrkan, for his help to the Commission and the Administration of College regarding the editing of the Bylaws and Regulations approved by the authorized Congregation. They also accepted a proposal to appoint new members to the Board of Supervisors of the College.

Zagreb, January 21, 2013
Secretariats of the Croatian Conference of Bishops and the Bishops’ Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina