Zagreb, (IKA) – On Monday, January 22, at the Archbishop’s Residence in Zagreb, the regular annual joint meeting of the Croatian Conference of Bishops and the Conference of Bishops of Bosnia and Herzegovina was held, presided over by Cardinal Josip Bozanić, the archbishop of the Zagreb Metropolitan Archdiocese and the president of the Croatian Conference of Bishops; and Cardinal Vinko Puljić, the archbishop of Sarajevo and the president of the Conference of Bishops of Bosnia and Herzegovina. All the bishops of both conferences attended, with the exception of Msgr. Slavomir Miklovš, the vladika of Križevci. The director of Croatian Foreign Pastoral Activity, the Very Rev. Ante Kutleša, and the head of Croatian Caritas, Prof. Ivan Milovčić, participated in part of the meeting.
In the statement issued from the meeting by the secretariats of both bishops’ conferences, it was emphasized that particular attention was devoted to the questions and problems of Croatian foreign pastoral activity. Reports were submitted on the situation of Croatian Catholic missions in Europe and other continents, with particular attention to the question of the preservation of the religious and national identity of our people dispersed throughout the world. It was said, among other things, that some missions are in a difficult financial position and that the administration of Croatian foreign pastoral activity has been prompted to establish a solidarity fund from which the missions will be helped in their pastoral and other activities. There was specific mention of the situation of the Catholic missions in neighboring Slovenia, and petitions were presented for the opening of several new missions in the world. A report was submitted on the Pontifical Croatian College of St. Jerome in Rome, the most significant Croatian Church institution outside of the homeland. Emphasis was also placed on the importance of the Institute for the Postgraduate Studies of Croatian Priests. The bishops discussed the broad and all-inclusive assistance from the Catholic Church in Croatia to the Catholic Church in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which in the future will be implemented via Croatian Caritas and Caritas of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The bishops once again emphasized the dramatic situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, particularly regarding the survival and existential problems of the Croatian nation. In this respect, the Croatian Conference of Bishops will organize a week of solidarity with the Catholic Church in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and urge the faithful and all people of goodwill to respond to this campaign. The entire Croatian public will be informed of this via the media. There was also mention of the preparations and printing of liturgical publications for the territories of both bishops’ conferences, and a new joint edition of the Lectionary for Sundays and Holy Days, according to the statement from the regular annual joint meeting of the Croatian Conference of Bishops and the Bishops’ Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina.