The Forty-Seventh Plenary Session of the Croatian Conference of Bishops was held from October 16 to 18, 2013, at the headquarters of the CCB in Zagreb, Ksaverska cesta 12a. The Apostolic Nuncio to the Republic of Croatia, Archbishop Alessandro D’Errico; the Delegate from the Bishops’ Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina; Military Ordinary Bishop Tomo Vukšić; Bishop Ivan Penzeš of Subotica and Bishop Đuro Gašparović of Srijem participated.
In the opening speech, the President of the CCB, Archbishop Želimir Puljić of Zadar, noted that the session began precisely on anniversary of the election of Pope John Paul II in 1978. He emphasized that we cannot thank the Pope enough for the love and commitment he showed us in our days of trouble and everything he did to stop the war in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Archbishop Puljić also expressed his joy that next year, on April 27, 2014, the Blessed John Paul II will be canonized. He then recalled the most important events from the previous session and briefly listed the major topics to be addressed at the current session.
During the initial part of the session, the Croatian bishops spoke of the magnificent celebration of the beatification of the priest Fr. Miroslav Bulešić in the Pula Arena, where numerous priests and throngs of the faithful were assembled. Recalling the powerful message of this event, it was emphasized that many feel great closeness to the Blessed Miroslav because they recognize their own suffering and persecution in his martyrdom, which they endured from the same communist regime that killed him. Although Fr. Bulešić did not belong to any ideological system, he experienced persecution from fascists and Nazis, and ultimately was killed by communists. The bishops once again recalled the extent of the fierce persecution experienced by the Church among the Croats during the 1940s, when 434 diocesan and religious priests, 73 seminarians and 30 nuns were killed. Thus, in the person of the new beatus is united the entire tragedy that befell the Croatian nation and the nations of Europe during the previous century, which was marked by three major inhumane systems: fascism, Nazism and communism. Using the example of the Blessed Miroslav as a model for priests and confirmands, since he was killed in 1947 just after celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation in Lanišće, the bishops concluded that in our time, permeated with materialism and secularism, the beatification of Fr. Miroslav is a sign of hope and optimism, as well as confirmation of the fruitfulness of the Church.

Attention was directed to the legal regulations concerning family issues. After the adoption of the Medically-Assisted Conception Act in July 2012, legislation was adopted, such as the Family Act, Social Welfare Act and other laws that are directly related to marriage, the family and general moral and ethical issues. To this should also be connected the introduction of required curricula in the schools, such as the Health and Education Curriculum and the Civic Education Curriculum. The basic items of the draft of the Family Act were pointed out and it was noted that not a single criticism by the Croatian Conference of Bishops of this draft has been taken into account. Health education, although the disputed literature is no longer mentioned in it, continues to be imbued with gender ideology. The obvious intention is that in this phase the emphasis is being placed on the (re)education of the educators. It seems that the experimental program of civic education, which is supposed to become a required subject in the 2014/2015 academic year, is intended to replace the changes made in the original Health Education Curriculum through a module of “gender equality.”

Carrying out plans in the area of marriage and family ministry, the bishops have set the date and place for the Second National Day of Croatian Catholic Families. After a study day was held in Zadar this year, next year a diocesan family encounter is planned and in 2015 there will be a national encounter. It has been agreed to hold the encounter on April 19, 2015, at the Marian shrine in Trsat, Rijeka, with the following motto: “The Family, the Bearer of Life, Hope and the Future of Croatia.”

It is a cause for concern that unilateral measures by the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Croatia have brought the activities and fundamental mission of the Military Ordinariate into question. Therefore, the bishops discussed the status and activity of the Military Ordinariate within the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia. In order to resolve some newly opened issues, it is necessary to amend regulations and the defined function of the Military Ordinariate at all levels, which will be taken care of by the CCB. The need to define the structure necessary for the regular function of the curia and military chaplencies was also emphasized.

By eliminating the autonomy of the Religious Program of Croatian Radiotelevision (HRT), which was guaranteed by an agreement signed by HRT and the CCB, the agreement was unilaterally breached. In Article 2 of the agreement, HRT pledged that the agreed content of “the Catholic religious program would be created via the Editorial Board of the Religious Program of Croatian Television and the Editorial Board of the Religious Program of Croatian Radio, which are equal to all other programs.” The current structure is not acceptable because the Religious Program lacks autonomy and equality with other programs. A willingness has been expressed to discuss specific provisions of the agreement but respect for the agreement already in force is sought.

Analyzing some issues related to the implementation of religious education in schools, the members of the CCB expressed concern due to strained communication with the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia. On several occasions, requested meetings between the President of the Council for Catechesis of the CCB, Archbishop Đuro Hranić of Đakovo-Srijem, with Minister Željko Jovanović did not take place. Since a number of unresolved issues still remain, such as discrimination against religious education during school hours and the failure to provide religious education in the third, fourth and fifth years of secondary medical schools, we interpret ignoring requests for meetings as an obstruction.

The bishops adopted Regulations of the CCB on Elementary and Secondary Catholic Schools for a period of three years. This document is an expression of the needs that emerged with the establishment of Catholic elementary and secondary schools in our country, in order to define their aim and structure. The special nature of the education they provide was emphasized, as well as the responsibility and mutual relations among the persons and bodies that guarantee their functioning. In accordance with these regulations, a new Council of the CCB for Catholic Education was established, to which matters concerning Church and Catholic preschools, schools and institutions of higher education are entrusted. Bishop Antun Škvorčević of Požega was chosen as the President of the Council.

The Apostolic Letter Intima Ecclesiae natura (The Church’s Deepest Nature) on the service of charity in the Church issued Moto Proprio by Pope Benedict XVI in November 2012, at the beginning of the Year of Faith, was presented to the bishops. The letter is a continuation of reflections by Pope Benedict XVI in the wake of the encyclicals Deus caritas est (God is Love) and Caritas in veritate (Charity in Truth). The deepest nature of the Church is expressed in her three-fold responsibility: of proclaiming the word of God, celebrating the sacraments and exercising the ministry of charity. The document particularly emphasizes the responsibility bishops have for exercising the ministry of charity in their territories. In this sense, the bishops have increased obligations to encourage and support activities, supervise and manage the work of charitable organizaitons and, among other things, promote cooperation and fellowship with the bodies of other dioceses, especially impoverished ones, at the national and international levels, and to support ecumenical cooperation.

The bishops were told about the Plenary Assembly of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences (CCEE), which was held from October 3 to 6, 2013, in Bratislav on the occasion of the 1,150th anniversary of the arrival of SS. Cyril and Methodius to Slovakian regions. The main theme of the assembly was “God and the State. Europe in the midst of Secularity and Secularism.” On the basis of a survey carried out within the Bishops’ Conferences, which covered various areas of life in individual countries, it was pointed out that in some areas of social life one often notices a certain secularism and the attempt to create an exclusively negative image of the Church and faith. The Church’s response cannot be one of closure, turning into a fortress in Europe. Regardless of what happens, Christians have a clear identity based on their faith, which is alive and awakens hope. In the discussion, the European bishops defined individual priority areas that need clear reflection by the Church: the educational issue, youth ministry, the topic of pastoral and family care and the topic of unemployment, especially among the young.

The activity of the Catholic University of Croatia was presented by its rector, the Rev. Željko Tanjić, Ph.D. Currently, 310 students are enrolled in the CUC, in three programs of study: history, psychology and sociology. New programs of study are being prepared: communicology, nursing and midwifery. Since the Catholic University of Croatia has been established under the auspices of the Croatian Conference of Bishops, several new forms of cooperation were proposed through the engagement of the CUC for implementing some projects of the CCB, as well as connection among Catholic elementary schools, secondary schools and universities.

The bishops also expressed support for the European citizens’ initiative One of Us, which seeks legal protection of the dignity and integrity of the human embryo within the competency of the European Union and a prohibition to financing activities that cause its destruction. The Croatian bishops, therefore, urge the faithful to join this initiative by November 1 and give their signatures via the website www.oneofus.eu/hr or on the forms provided.

We hope that a referendum will soon be held on the constitutional definition of marriage as a union between a woman and a man, as demanded by a large number of citizens who signed an initiative for holding a referendum.
The presidents and heads of commissions, councils, committees and institutions of the CCB submitted reports on their areas of activity. Delegates of the CCB were assigned to the sessions of other bishops’ conferences in 2014. With the accession of Croatia to the European Union, the Croatian Conference of Bishops acquired the right to appoint a regular delegate to the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE). During the accession negotiations between Croatia and the EU, the CCB had a delegate in the function of an observer. Cardinal Josip Bozanić was chosen as the delegate of the CCB to the COMECE and Bishop Vjekoslav Huzjak of Bjelovar- Križevci was chosen as the deputy delegate.
Members of the CCB visited the tomb of the Blessed Alojzije Stepinac in the Zagreb cathedral. Then, together with seminarians from the Archdiocesan Theological Seminary in Zagreb, they had the Ministry of the Word. An address was delivered by Bishop Josip Mrzljak of Varaždin, who recalled his personal meetings with the beatus.
The calendar for plenary sessions and important meetings for the next year was determined. A Special Session of the CCB will be held on January 27, 2014. A Joint Session of the Bishops’ Conferences of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina will be held in Banja Luka on February 24, 2014. The Spring Plenary Session of the CCB will be from May 13 to 15, 2014, and on June 2, 2014, there will be a Session with Religious Superiors. The Autumn Plenary Session of the CCB will be held from October 21 to 23. In 2014, the National Encounter of Croatian Catholic Youth will be held from April 26 to 27 in Dubrovnik.