Zagreb, December 13, 2000 (IKA) — At a pre-Christmas press conference held in Zagreb on December 13, 2000 on the premises of the Croatian Conference of Bishops by Archbishop Josip Bozanić of Zagreb, president of the CCB, there was a presentation of the Archbishop’s newly released Pastoral Letter entitled That They Have Life. The archbishop also responded to several questions from journalists, particularly about the new system for financing the Catholic Church in Croatia and the proposed Religious Communities Act.
Asked whether everything is ready for the new manner of financing the Catholic Church, which is to begin on January 1, 2001, Archbishop Bozanić said that this is not an entirely new system but an implementation of the directives of the Second Vatican Council. It is a process that will last for several years as, for example, in Italy where approximately five years were needed to install the system for providing such financing, as was also the case in other western countries. The intention is to achieve transparency at all levels, from the parishes to the bishops and the Conference of Bishops. A second reason for introducing a new system of financing is that “all who work full time in the Church should have equal salaries,” said Msgr. Bozanić, noting that this does not concern some type of centralization but solidarity, and the faithful will continue to have the responsibility of assisting. Regarding funding to the Church from the government budget, Archbishop Bozanić said that this was “intervention assistance” and will only be used “where the concrete community is not in a state to support itself … In this we wanted to help the ‘weaker ones’ so that they would not be left on their own but to help them from the assets of the diocesan fund and seek a manner of mutual assistance. In other words, those who are ‘stronger’ will help those who are ‘weaker’ via the central fund,” said Msgr. Bozanić, noting that the Church goods are used for four purposes: worship, buildings, officials and Caritas, which is not a replacement for the activities of other social and government institutions. “The myth of the wealth of the Church will be discredited,” said the archbishop, discussing the current economic situation within the Church. He also expressed “great confidence in our faithful,” which has been confirmed on the terrain, since the proposed system has found “great understanding” in the dioceses, so that “there is hope, even more than anticipated.”
Asked about the position of the Catholic Church regarding the proposed Religious Communities Act, Archbishop Bozanić said that it was not prepared in cooperation with the religious communities but offered to them for review. The Catholic Church has criticisms of this proposed act but also sees positive aspects. It will be discussed by the Permanent Council on Monday, December 18, after which the criticisms will be sent in writing to the Commission. There are similar criticisms, said the archbishop, from the other religious communities as well. “One of the shortcomings is that, in our judgment, religious communities are not afforded sufficient importance. There is more about the individual believer and his/her rights. However, a believer is a member of a community, and the community as such has its rights and duties within society,” said Archbishop Bozanić, and referred to that portion of the Pastoral Letter that speaks about assistance to the elderly. Work with the elderly is very important, not only regarding the question of their lodgings but even more so regarding “community with them.” Not only has the Church always been engaged in this area but it is aware that it must do even more. For such activity, there are also legal possibilities based upon the signed contracts between the Republic of Croatia and the Holy See. For the present, they have still not been exercised.
Asked about specific members of the political elite and media scandals in Croatia, Archbishop Bozanić said that the most important question is confrontation with the truth, both from the past and the present. The “media war” according to the archbishop, is actually an index of the state of our society. “What is happening is unpleasant and does not benefit the media or the spiritual climate in our society,” said the archbishop of Zagreb, noting that on the terrain the Catholic press is receiving increasing attention and is expected to take positions on current events. “Don’t believe that the Church is so powerful,” said the archbishop in response to a comment by a journalist that Church officials should intervene with the authorities regarding the rights of citizens.
Regarding globalization, which can be a threat to any values, the Church acknowledges that it is not possible to be closed off but equally that it is not possible to permit the destruction of values such as those of the individual, morality, culture etc. Archbishop Bozanić did not respond to a question on whether the strike that occurred and that announced are justified, only mentioning that complex matters are involved. Regarding the return of Church property, the archbishop merely said: “We are standing and waiting!” At the beginning of the press conference, Dr. Stjepan Baloban, a professor of morality at the Catholic Theological College, presented the Pastoral Letter, briefly discussing each of its eleven topics, and adding that the subject of human life is current and will also be of central importance during the new millennium.