The Church in Croatia and the Second Vatican Council

Rome, (IKA) – The Church in Croatia and the Second Vatican Council – Participation, Contribution and Reception, was the topic of an international meeting organized by the Pontifical Lateran University on December 4 and 5, in cooperation with the Catholic Faculty of Theology in Zagreb and the Croatian Embassy in the Holy See. In addition to Croatian Church and public officials, the meeting was also attended by Italian, French, Czech, Albanian, Rumanian and German professionals, who, owing to the Croatian Conciliar and post-Conciliar theologians, had succeeded in learning much up to now about lesser known and some entirely unknown details, because, as it was said at the meeting, the Croatian bishops and theologians have succeeded in helping Central Eastern Europe to become acquainted with the main moments and guidelines of the Second Vatican Council.
The goal of this scholarly assembly was to deliberate not only upon the contribution of the Croatian bishops and theologians to the Second Vatican Council but also upon the acceptance of the Conciliar documents in the Church among the Croats, where the Catholic Church, as noted by Msgr. Walter Brandmueller, has encountered Orthodoxy and Islam for centuries, and its experience was very useful to the Conciliar fathers as the experience of a Church, which at that time was being oppressed by a totalitarian regime, as was most of Central Europe. The archbishop of Zagreb, Cardinal Josip Bozanić, particularly noted the role of the former archbishop of Zagreb, Cardinal Franjo Šeper, at the Second Vatican Council, about which Dr. Željko Tanjić, who for years has studied the heritage of this distinguished representative of the Catholic Church, spoke in greater detail. Unlike many bishops from the countries with communist regimes, the Croatian bishops were able to participate in the Council. Archbishop Franjo Šeper of Zagreb, later the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, was one of a small number of bishops from communist countries who participated in the preparatory work for the Council as a member of the preparatory commission, emphasized Cardinal Bozanić.
In Croatia, the announcement that the Council would take place was received with great enthusiasm, according to Cardinal Bozanić. Despite the isolation in which the communist countries found themselves, in 1962 the publication of a bulletin began immediately with the goal of providing information about the events at the Second Vatican Council. The bulletin was called Glas s Koncila (Voice from the Council). Initially, publication was only intended during the period of the Council. However, the next year it assumed the new form of a newspaper, initially bi-weekly and then weekly, under the name Glas Koncila (Voice of the Council). This newspaper became an important means for learning about the Council and for its acceptance, and today is the most important Catholic weekly in Croatia, said Cardinal Bozanić.
The Czech Cardinal Tomaš Špidlik presented an interesting theological lecture on truth, freedom and a person’s relationship with God, while Philippe Chenaux, a professor of contemporary history at the Pontifical Lateran University, spoke about the origin and crucial development of Vatican Ostpolitik (direct contacts with communist regimes). Dr. Mato Zovkić, a professor of theology from Sarajevo, mentioned that the bishops from various countries met at the Council, not only at sessions but outside the Conciliar halls. In this manner, they became acquainted with each other and shared thoughts about religious freedom, continuity and changes. It is a fact that the world is pressuring Catholics to draw closer to persons of various convictions. In Bosnia and Herzegovina the situation is very sensitive because Catholics live among fellow citizens of other religions: Muslims, Orthodox and Jews. Therefore, it is necessary to be faithful to one’s own and open to the neighbor, who has the right to be different. Dr. Pero Aračić and Dr. Dušan Moro spoke generally about the pastoral aspects of the appearances of Croatian bishops at the Second Vatican Council, while the Croatian ambassador to the Holy See, Emilio Marin, analyzed the ideas, testimonies and reflections of Archbishop Frane Franić, who was quite active at the Conciliar sessions. A highly interesting lecture was presented by Dr. Anton Tamarut, who spoke about the little known but worthy bishop of Krk, Karmelo Zazinović. In a lecture by Dr. Franjo Šanjek, which was read at the meeting, there was a discussion about the relations between the Church and the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the light of the Conciliar reforms and the complex conditions under which the Protocol with the government in Belgrade was signed. Dr. Jure Zečević from the Catholic Faculty of Theology in Zagreb spoke about the development of ecumenicism and dialogue in Croatia according to the guidelines of the Second Vatican Council. The professors Dr. Marijan Biškup and Tonči Matulić discussed Post-Conciliar theological thought in Croatia, with particular reference to Dr. Jordan Kuničić. Prof. Mirjana Polić Bobić of the University of Zagreb spoke about the well-known Croatian theologian and sociologist Ivan Illich. Dr. Adalbert Rebić presented the role of the Croatian Mariological section at international Mariological congresses. Dr. Mario Cifrak presented the Zagreb Bible, with all the problems that accompanied this edition. For the general public, the roundtable discussion on the Post-Conciliar renewal of Catholic theology in Croatia and other countries of Central and Southeastern Europe, i.e. Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Rumania, Bulgaria, Albania, the Ukraine and Poland, was of particular interest. Archbishop Nikola Eterović, who led the roundtable discussion, mentioned several of the most distinguished theologians from these countries as well as Catholic universities that were established there, including those in Poland, Hungary and Zagreb.