Dubrovnik, (IKA) – Mass on the occasion of the Croatian Catholic Youth Rally was held on April 26 in Gruž Harbor, Dubrovnik, in the same place where the soon-to-be Saint John Paul II celebrated Mass 11 years ago.
Thirty-five thousand young people assembled for the Mass in Gruž Harbor, which was led by Bishop Mate Uzinić of Dubrovnik, in concelebration with the Apostolic Nuncio to the Republic of Croatia, Archbishop Alessandro D’Errico; Archbishop Želimir Puljić of Zadar, President of the Croatian Conference of Bishops; archbishops and bishops from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and approximately five hundred priests. The Mass was also attended by representatives of the Orthodox Church, Jewish community, Islamic community, city governments and county governments.
At the beginning of the Mass, the Apostolic Nuncio conveyed a message from Pope Francis to the young people, signed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, which said, among other things: “Dear Young People, every young person is deep in the heart of Pope Francis. I joyfully transmit his message to you: ‘Put Christ in the center of your life. Trust in him and you will never be disappointed. Faith brings about a radical conversion in us. It takes us out of the center and places Christ in the center. Today, I ask you to be bold in your freedom to choose Christ as your teacher and friend. Only then will your young lives have full meaning. Only in that way will you be free.'”
In the homily delivered at the central event of the Croatian Catholic Youth Rally in Dubrovnik, Bishop Mate Uzinić of Dubrovnik urged the assembled young people to let the Risen Christ be their role model because He is the one who calls for freedom. God created us as free and wants us to be free, with one limitation on our freedom—love of God and neighbor, said the bishop and pointed out several important dimensions of the freedom to which Christ calls us. These are our relationships with God, our neighbor, ourselves and all creation. Love of God is the foundation from which our relationships with our neighbors are derived, said the Bishop of Dubrovnik to the young people, and recalled Christ’s attitude toward those who crucified him. Jesus does not force anyone to believe—he offers himself. For a good relationship with our neighbors, we have to value ourselves, our dignity, develop ourselves and improve ourselves, cautioned the bishop and encouraged trust and connections among young Catholics, which should then spread to members of other Christian Churches and religious communities, those who do not believe and even those who are hostile toward Christians. Young people should become involved in the life of the Church, urged Bishop Uzinić, encouraging them to be engaged in the Church and society, emphasizing the importance of cooperation and openness in the Church. He recalled the words of the soon-to-be Saint John Paul II: “Do not be afraid of Christ,” urging the young people to become involved in the life of the community and bring Christ into all dimensions of public life. “Be interested, become involved, take responsibility for society,” said Bishop Uzinić to the young people, adding: “Do not believe those who say that there is no future here! You have to make the future!” At the end of the homily, Bishop Uzinić called the attention of the young people to responsibility for the cultural, historical and natural heritage, encouraging them to be environmentally aware, and spoke about the relationship toward material goods, telling them not to sell themselves.
From the Croatian Catholic Youth Rally in Dubrovnik, a message was sent to Pope Francis in which the young people thank him for the canonization of the two popes and make the following pledge: “We promise you our prayers and the openness of our hearts to accepting your words and encouragement in following Jesus Christ, serving those farthest away from and most in need of Christ and his love.”
The next Croatian Catholic Youth Rally will be held in 2017 in the city of Vukovar, which is in the Archdiocese of Đakovo-Osijek. This was announced at the end of the Mass by the President of the Croatian Conference of Bishops, Archbishop Puljić. The young people of Dubrovnik turned over the cross of the Croatian Catholic Youth Rally to Archbishop Đuro Hranić and the young people of Vukovar.
During the entire celebration of the Mass in Gruž, relics of John Paul II were exhibited on the altar in front of the cross of the Croatian Catholic Youth Rally. They were brought to Dubrovnik by the Chancellor of the Diocese of Dubrovnik, the Rev. Ivica Pervan, after they had been given to him on March 24 in the residence of the Archbishop of Krakow by Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, secretary for many years to Pope Wojtyla. A reliquary will be made for the relics of fabric soaked with the blood of the soon-to-be saint of the Catholic Church and honorary citizen of Dubrovnik, which will be carried at least once a year through the city in the procession of St. Blaise.
On Sunday, April 27, the rally will continue in the parishes of the Diocese of Dubrovnik, where the young people will celebrate Mass together with Croatian archbishops and bishops.