http://www.croatia.org/crown en-us http://www.croatia.org/crown N/A letters@croatia.org Thu, 12 Mar 2026 13:09:30 +0000 20 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11449/1/The-Apostle-of-the-Sunderbans-The-Life-and-Mission-of-Fr-Ante-Gabric-Servant-of-God.html The 176-page biography vividly depicts the holiness and Spartan lifestyle of Fr Ante Gabriæ, whom Mother Teresa (now St Teresa of Calcutta) hailed as the "living love of Jesus." Fr Ante's tomb at Maria Palli has become a place of pilgrimage, which people of all faiths visit to pray for his intercession. To Croatians and to the faithful of Baruipur Diocese, he's already a saint. He set sail for India on October 20, 1938, at 23. On October 20, 1988, exactly fifty years later, he breathed his last at Mariapalli parish, which he had founded on January 20, 1975. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Sun, 15 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11353/1/Croatian---Indian-Links-monograph-marking-30-years-of-diplomatic-relations-1992-2022.html The publication Croatian-Indian Links: Thirty Chapters for Thirty Years of Diplomatic Relations (1992-€"2022) marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between and India and Croatia and highlights a legacy in which the contributions of our writers, scholars, artists, travellers, politicians are unified in one volume. Some chapters in the volume present certain important individuals and others present some themes or groups of individuals. Preparing this publication was suggested by H. E. Mr. Raj Kumar Srivastava, ambassador of India to Croatia (on the photo). darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Sat, 29 Oct 2022 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11337/1/Blessed-Easter-Greetings-from-the-city-of-Solin-Croatia.html The city of Solin, near the city of Split, sends us a wonderful Easter greeting in the form of a traditional Croatian song "Puèe moj" (My People, or Populus meus in Latin). It is interpreted in a contemporary way by the choir of Veritas aeterna (Eternal Truth) in the church of sv. Obitelji (Sacred Family) in Solin. Arranged by Antonio Grke¹, the soloists are Ante Mlikota, Ana Dobrijeviæ, Antonio Grke¹, Doruntina Qivlaku. The Croatian original verses are translated into English. We also provide a very nice traditional Croatian melody for "Psalm 51" arranged by Ivanski from Ka¹tel Suæurac (in the vicitnty of Split). darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Sat, 16 Apr 2022 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11284/1/Miracle-from-Dubrovnik-on-the-1049th-St-Vlaho-Festivity-2021.html The aim of the article is to show just several details from the city of Dubrovnik during the festivity of Sveti Vlaho (St. Blaise), with a special emphasis on children. The festival is organized each February for more than thosand years - precisely 1049. This event connects all the citizens of Dubrovnik with numerous families from the environing towns and villages in picturesque local very solemn dresses, as well as tourists. Dubrovnik is considered as one of the most beautiful cities on the Mediterranean. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Wed, 03 Feb 2021 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11280/1/Our-Lady-of-the-Stone-Gate-in-Croatias-capital-Zagreb.html The scholarly educational film Our Lady of the Stone Gate in Zagreb, prepared by Dr. Hrvojka Mihanoviæ Salopek, shows the historical veneration of the Mother of God in Zagreb and presents a cultural travelogue through the oldest and most beautiful shrines in Zagreb. The film presents valuable images of Our Lady, as well as statues stored in Zagreb museums. Special attention is paid to rare books and manuscripts preserved in the Metropolitan Library of the Archdiocese of Zagreb, National and University Library and the Museum of the City of Zagreb and to the recitation of old verses. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Mon, 18 Jan 2021 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11277/1/Maxo-Vanka-film-to-be-made--American-Sistine-Chapel.html Society to Preserve the Millvale Murals of Maxo Vanka has the following mission: to conserve and protect for permanent public exhibition the nationally recognized Maxo Vanka Murals within St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church in Pittsburgh, enabling the immigrant artist's "gift to America" to serve as an enduring catalyst for community engagement and education, inspire social and cultural dialogue, celebrate diversity, and forge connections through reflections on the extraordinary American experience. Murals by Maxo Vanka are not just Croatian cultural heritage. Unique. One and only. The planned film should have been done 50 years ago. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Mon, 07 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11253/1/Damjan-Rodin-1910-1968-Croatian-priest-in-Brasil-founder-of-Vila-Croacia-in-Rio-de-Janeiro.html Damjan Rodin was one of the first Croatian priests to move to Brazil after the Second World War, where he organised the religious and community life of the ethnic Croatian community in Sao Paulo. In Rio de Janeiro he continued his important work for Croatians and Brazilians. He was born in the ©ibenik hinterland (in the town of Prviæ Luka on the island of Prviæ) and moved to Brazil in 1947, working as parish priest in Sao Paulo. He raised a favela in Rio de Janeiro now known as Vila Croacia, part of the Senador Camara district. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Fri, 11 Sep 2020 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11205/1/Akiane-Kramarik-spirituality-of-painting.html Akiane Kramarik: "...Realizing that nobody, except for my mother, cherished my work, I became more and more disillusioned. One time I threw my painting in the rain outside. And as it was landing into the puddle someone caught it. Just in time. It was my mother. Out of breath she shared something, 'Last night I had a strange dream. I saw thousands of people waiting for your art. The line stretched all the way to the horizon.' " At the age of 4 she started dreaming about God, indicating that God inspired her to start painting and writing poetry about Him. She has dedicated her life to God and is focused on making the world a better place. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Mon, 17 Feb 2020 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11215/1/Kresimir-Cosic-1948-1995-the-first-European-basketball-player-with-major-career-in-the-USA.html Kre¹mir Æosiæ (1948-1995) is one of the greatest Croatian basketball players in history. As a player of height 211 cm, he was equally successful on any of the five postitions in a team, a rare quality in 1970s. He has won gold medal at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, for the then ex-Yu (of which Croatia was one of six constituent republics). He also has gold medals from the 1970 and 1978 Basketball World Championships and many other trophies. Kre¹o always carried a bag of books with him... In 1990s, he worked in the United States as a diplomat (deputy ambassador) at the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Washington, D.C. In 1996, he was posthumously inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Thu, 09 Jan 2020 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11191/1/Kristian-Krekovic-connecting-India-and-Croatia-via-his-1936-portrait-of-Mahatma-Gandhi.html Distinguished Croatian painter Kristian Krekoviæ (1901-1985) portrayed Mahatma Gandhi in his atelier in Paris in 1936, while Gandhi was meditating there. The portrait is kept in the Gallery of Krekoviæ (Museu Krekoviæ) in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Two panneaus containing Ghandi's portrait have been presented in Dec 2019 to the Embassy of India in Zagreb and to the Croatian - Indian Society. This was a gift of the Society of the Friends of the Glagolitic Script, and the solemn event took place in the Napredak hall in Zagreb, during the intercofessional Christmas meeting organized by the Croatian - Indian Society, directed by Mr Joginder Singh Nijjar. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Thu, 26 Dec 2019 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11155/1/Hrvojka-Mihanovic-Salopek-Veneration-of-the-Blessed-Virgin-Mary-in-the-Diocese-of-Gospiae-Senj.html We often travel to the Adriatic coast through the spacious, desolate, forested and mountainous expanses of Lika, without being aware that there used to be a highly developed center of medieval Croatian culture and Glagolitic scriptoria. Although the brutal Ottoman invasions wrought devastation, we are attracted to the residual traces of the original old Croatian civilization. This is Hrvojka Mihanovic-Salopek's 11th DVD from the series Stella Maris of Croatia (Croatian Mariological heritage). darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Sat, 04 May 2019 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10971/1/Hrvojka-Mihanovic-Salopek-presenting-Croatian-Mariological-Heritage-of-the-Varazdin-Bishopric.html Dr. Hrvojka Mihanoviæ-Salopek prepared already her tenth DVD covering various aspects of extremely rich mariological heritage among Croatians. This DVD refers to the Vara¾din Bishopric on Croatian north. Numerous baroque churches, lavishly decorated by Ivan Ranger and other Baroque artists, provide a special touch into the architecture of the city of Vara¾din and surrounding towns and villages. A special emphasis is placed on the natural beauties of the region, liturgical and folk melodies, as well as on centuries old Croatian literature. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Fri, 07 Apr 2017 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10924/1/Zagreb-AdvEnt-Days-among-the-most-interesting-in-Europe.html The Zagreb Advent Days are among the most beautiful events of this kind in Europe, accompanied with a peaceful mood, specific music, domastic food, and unusual sceneries in richly decorated Croatia's capital. In the recent years, Zagreb was voted the best Christmas place in Europe. On the photo the advent wreath created by members of the OZANA Association for persons in need. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Sat, 19 Nov 2016 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10914/1/Hrvojka-Mihanovic-Salopek-presenting-Croatian-Mariological-Heritage-of-the-Sisak-Bishopric.html Veneration of Mary, Mother of Mercy, in the city of Sisak near Croatia's capital Zagreb is the ninth film in the series Digital Recording of the Croatian Mariological Heritage, under the auspices of the Committee for Education, Science and Culture of the Croatian Parliament and the Council for Culture of the Croatian Conference of Bishops. The project leader, scenarist and director is Hrvojka Mihanoviæ-Salopek, Ph.D, who deserves our deep gratitude for her excellent work, as well as the producers, Alojzije Prosoli and Kre¹imir Renzo Prosoli. On the photo two angels from the Sisak bishopric. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Wed, 26 Oct 2016 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10893/1/Mother-Teresa-proclaimed-a-saint-in-2016-and-her-connections-with-Croatia.html Saint Mother Teresa was deeply connected with Croatian people. Croatian Jesuits stand at the beginning of her spiritual path, and her close collaborator in India was Ante Gabric, SJ, Croatian missionary and a good spirit of Bengal. In 1995, in Kolkata, she obtained an official Croatian passpoirt from the then Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia dr. Drago Stambuk, as an authorized representative of the Republic of Croatia for Humanitarian Aid. Saint Mother Teresa had spiritual speaches in Croatian language in the Zagreb Cathedral on several occasions. The photo on the left is from her Croatian passport. We also provide some anthological photos of Mother Teresa by Zvonimir Atletiæ, distinguished Croatian photographer. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Mon, 05 Sep 2016 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10834/1/St-Leopold-Bogdan-Mandic-Croatian-saint-visited-Croatia-in-April-2016.html St Leopold Bogdan Mandic (1866-1942, memorial day 30th July) was born in Herceg Novi in Boka kotorska, and died in Padova, Italy. Physically malformed and delicate, having height only 1m 35cm, with clumsy walk and stuttering, he developed tremendous spiritual strength. Although he wanted to be missionary in Eastern Europe, he spent almost all of his adult life in Italy, and lived in Padova from 1906 until the end of his life. He spent also one year in Italian prison during the WWI, since he did not want to renounce his Croatian nationality. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Tue, 26 Apr 2016 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10810/1/Pavo-Jurisic-published-an-important-monograph-about-50-years-of-pastoral-care-among-Croats-of-Melbourne.html The monograph And the hand of the Lord was with them / Celebrating 50 Years of Pastoral Care among Croats of Melbourne, written by Dr Pavo Juri¹iæ, is dedicated to Croatian immigrants in Australia, especially those in Melbourne who lived their faith and represented their homeland, and to their fellow countrymen in Australia, their new homeland which accepted them and gave them shelter. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Sun, 21 Feb 2016 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10802/1/Anna-Givargizyan-exhbited-her-photos-of-Armenian-khachkars-in-Dubrovnik-Croatia-in-Feb-2016.html   The photo collection of khachkars, Armenian stone crosses, has been prepared by Dr Anna Givargizyan, an Armenian living in Moscow. The exhibition lasted from the February 2nd to March 3rd 2016, and was held in the hall of the Society of Friends of the Dubrovnik Antiquities. Except Dr Givarigizyen, in the solemn opening of the exhibition participated Armenian archbishop Kegham Katcherian, the Dubrovnik bishop Mate Uziniæ, Croatian historian Dr Vinicije Lupis and Mrs Naira Asatryan, who is a pianist living in Dubrovnik and is the founder of the Croatian-Armenian Friendship Society in the city. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Wed, 03 Feb 2016 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10796/1/Traditional-celebration-in-Subotica-Prelo-sicanja--to-be-organized-on-7th-February-2016.html CROWN is very proud to announce a traditional celebration of Prelo 2016 in the city of Subotica. The whole region of Baèka where the city is situated is one of the trademarks of Croatian culture, especially via beautiful songs and dances of Bunjevci Croatians in Baèka. At the beginning of the 20th century, the city of Subotica was the largest Croatian city (larger than Croatian capital Zagreb). Also, the oldest Croatian soccer club called Baèka has been founded there, and its trademark was the Croatian Coat of Arms. The celebration of Prelo siæanja starts on 7th Feb 2016 at 5pm near the Franciscan church and continues at the Croatian Cultural Center Bunjevaèko kolo at 7pm. Traditional Bunjevci suits are obligatory. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Fri, 29 Jan 2016 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10785/1/Zdravko-Basarics-conversation-with-Rabbi-Kotel-Da-Don-in-Zagreb-for-Wall-Street-International.html Zdravko Basariæ had the honour of speaking to the spiritual leader of the Jewish community Bet Israel in Croatia, Rabi Dr Kotel Da-Don.Rabi Da-Don drew a comparison between Israel and Croatia. "Both are Mediterranean countries; throughout their history both Croats and Israelis have fought for their Independence, both have a large number of emigrants all over the world and are classified as countries with small territories". Rabi Kotel Da-Don likes to say that Israel is his home, and Croatia is his house. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Tue, 05 Jan 2016 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10778/1/Merry-Christmas-and-a-Happy-New-2016-accompanied-with-beautiful-Croatian-Christams-carols.html Croatia has as many as 500 traditional Christmas carols, the oldest ones dating from the 12th century, and sung also today. This number is probably greater than in the case of any other nation in the Christian world. We provide several video recordings to illustrate this important religious and musical heritage of the Republic of Croatia, which was a source of inspiration for numerous composers. On the photo a Christmas detail from the wooden portal of Andrija Buvina in the Split Cathedral, dating from 1214, of 530 cm of height. This is a top monument of Croatian culture. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Fri, 25 Dec 2015 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10723/1/St-Paul-the-Apostle-spent-three-months-on-Croatian-island-of-Mljet.html Saint Paul the Apostle had shipwreck on Croatian island of Mljet, and not on Malta. This is the subject of the monumental book written in elite Latin language by Ignjat Ðurðeviæ, published in Venice in 1730. Ignjat Ðurðevic was Croatian Baroque writer from the city of Dubrovnik. The island of Mljet is not far from the city of Dubrovnik. In The Geography of distinguished Armenian scholar Ananias of Shirak, written between 592-636 AD, it is stated that Saint Paul stayed in Dalmatia following a shipwreck that happened on the Adriatic island of Melita (Mljet). We owe our deep gratitude to Dr. Miho Demoviæ (on the photo), distinguished Croatian musicologist and historian of culture, to have unveiled many unknown facts concerning the shipwreck of St Paul the Apostle on the island of Mljet on the Adriatic sea. darko.zubrinic@gmail.com (Darko �ubrini�) Mon, 03 Aug 2015 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10710/1/Zdravko-Basariae-Marija-Husar-Croatian-singer-and-art-director-of-Bonofest-in-Vukovar.html Marija Husar is known as a singer of spiritual music and love songs and one of Croatia's most famous singers. She is also Bonofest's art director in the city of Vukovar. “It is incredibly important for us to show musical and spiritual quality...” she said. When Zdravko Basariæ asked her why she chose spiritual music, she replied that the most supreme music is music dedicated to God and that, in general, the most beautiful art in human history is art dedicated to God. The article has been published by Wall Street International on 20 June, 2015. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Fri, 03 Jul 2015 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10703/1/Pope-Francis-in-Sarajevo-in-2015-meeting-his-old-friend-f-Petar-Galauner-SJ-Zagreb.html Petar Nodilo, SJ Zagreb: We all were indeed happy to see how the Pope embraced our f. Petar Galauner, SJ, and how he was sincerely delighted to see him again. Our dear father Galauner, we wish you God's blessing so that you spend many years to come with us, with your confreres and with  numerous flock which loves you. Petar Galauner, SJ, is distinguished educator, living in Croatia's capital Zagreb. His last encounter with Pope Francis was about thirty years ago. They first met in the Vatican in 1974. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Sun, 14 Jun 2015 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10700/1/Artur-Bagdasarov-and-Vinicije-Lupis-promoting-their-joint-book-about-Dubrovnik-in-Moscow-on-14-June-2015.html Dr. Artur Bagdasarov and Dr.  Vinicije Lupis are promoting their joint book about Dubrovnik in Moscow. The book deals with Armenian and Croatian ties via St. Vlaho who is an Armenian saint and patron of the city of Dubrovnik. The presentation is organized by ®am journal on 14 June 2015 at 19:00 at Pokrovka 27, str. 1, cultural center Pokrovskie vorota, m. Kitaj-gorod, Èistye prudy, Moscow. The admission is free. darko.zubrinic@gmail.com (Darko �ubrini�) Wed, 10 Jun 2015 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10688/1/1136-years-since-the-first-international-recognition-of-Croatia-more-than-600-years-before-the-discovery-of-America.html The Croatian Prince Branimir, 9th century, made important steps in strengthening the relations with Rome. During the solemn divine service in St. Peter's church in Rome in 879, Pope John VIII gave his blessing to the prince and the whole Croatian people, about which he informed Branimir in his letters, the first one dated on May 21, 879. This was the first time that the Croatian state was officially recognized (at that time the international legitimacy was given by the Pope), which, as we see, happened more than eleven centuries ago! darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Thu, 21 May 2015 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10679/1/Artur-Bagdasarov-and-Vinicije-Lupis-creating-a-bridge-of-friendship-between-Armenia-and-Croatia.html Artur Bagdasarov (Moscow) and Vinicije Lupis (Dubrovnik) are the authors of an important book Armenija - domovina sv. Vlaha  (Armenia - Homeland of St Blaise), dealing with the history St. Blaise tradition in the city of Dubrovnik, going back to the 10th century. St. Blaise, known in Croatia as Sveti Vlaho, is an Armenian saint who lived in 3rd and 4th centuries. The monograph provides a detailed account of historical contactcts between Croatians and Armenians. Dr. Artur Bagdasarov is an expert in Croatian linguistics, while Dr. Vinicije Lupis is a distinguished Croatian historian. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Sat, 25 Apr 2015 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10678/1/Hrvojka-Mihanovic-Salopek-and-her-Stella-Maris-Croatiae-project.html Hrvojka Mihanoviæ Salopek, PhD, of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, is the director of important cultural project Stella Maris Croatiae, the aim of which is to present the most important examples of the veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Croatia, including noted Marian shrines and an anthological selection of Marian works from the theological, artistic and musical heritage. Dr. Mihanoviæ Salopek and her team deserve our deep gratitude for her project and for their fantastic achievement, this time concentrated on the Southern Croatian islands and on Slavonian wheat fields. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Sat, 25 Apr 2015 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10666/1/Mirogoj-Cemetery-in-Croatias-capital-Zagreb-through-the-lens-of-Nikola-Piasevoli.html Mirogoj is one of the most beautiful city cemeteries in Europe. It has been designed by Austrian architect Herman Bollé, starting from 1879 to 1929 when it was completed. Many famous Croatians are burried there. Furthermore, with its pleasant atmosphere and numerous high quality works of art, it is a nice place for rest and meditation. All the photos have been taken by Mr. Nikola Piasevoli from Zagreb. With this presentation we wish all the readers of the CROWN and their families a happy Easter. nikola@piasevoli.com (Nikola Piasevoli) Fri, 03 Apr 2015 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10639/1/Blase-Joseph-Cupich-installed-as-Chicagos-Archbishop-on-November-18-2014.html Archbishop Blase J. Cupich has been installed as the Ninth Archbishop of Chicago at an Installation Mass on November 18 2014, at Holy Name Cathedral, State and Superior Streets in Chicago.  Cardinal George presided at the Monday evening Liturgy and Archbishop Cupich delivered the homily. Among the civic leaders welcoming Archbishop Cupich were Governor Patrick Quinn, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Cook County Board President, Toni Preckwinkle.  Also welcoming the new Archbishop was Dr. Jelena Grèiè Poliæ, the Consulate General of the Republic of Croatia. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Sun, 11 Jan 2015 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10632/1/Bunjevci-Croats-from-Backa-and-their-Christmas-traditions-expressed-in-straw-and-cakes.html Straw work is a unique naive art form which originates from the rich folk art of the Bunjevci-Croats settled in the north of Baèka. In Tavankut, a village near the town Subotica, the self-taught women nourish and preserve this naive art skill by entwining beads and making paintings out of straw which portray specific motifs and themes from the life of the Bunjevci-Croats. Also, delicious and richly ornamented Christmas cakes called bo¾iènjak are prepared. On the photo Christmas cake by Dubravka Vrbljanac. With this article we wish you a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Sat, 06 Dec 2014 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10615/1/Pope-Frances-appoints-bishop-Blase-J-Cupich-Archbishop-of-the-Archdiocese-of-Chicago.html His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed the Bishop of Spokane, Washington, Most Reverend Blase J. Cupich, as the ninth Archbishop of Chicago,  the Vatican announced in September 2014.  Archbishop Cupich will be installed as Archbishop of Chicago on November 18, 2014, at Holy Name Cathedral. Archbishop Cupich was born on in 1949 in Omaha, Nebraska, to Blase and Mary (Mayhan) Cupich.  He is one of nine children, five sisters and three brothers. Archbishop Cupich has Croatia roots. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Mon, 22 Sep 2014 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10570/1/Choir-of-Matrix-Croatica-for-the-region-of-Ruhr-in-Germany-singing-Ave-regina-caelorum-by-Dufay.html The Choir of Matrix Croatica for the region of Ruhr in Germany has been founded in 2006 by Professor Kre¹imir Veseliæ, distinguished Croatian mathematician. We can listen to the beautiful interpretation of Ave regina caelorum by Guillaume Dufay, a famous composer from the 15th century. The choir is also called the Mixed Choir of Croatian Catholic Mission in Dortmund in Germany, since both institutions support its activity. Professor Veseliæ is singing with Magdalena Mlikotiæ and Meri Mlikotiæ. darko.zubrinic@gmail.com (Darko �ubrini�) Sat, 07 Jun 2014 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10568/1/Memorial-plaque-to-three-Croatians-from-the-17th-century-in-the-Garden-of-Gethsemane-in-Jerusalem.html On March, 29 2014 the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem was filled with pilgrims from Croatia. The reason for this great gathering was the ceremony of putting up a memorial plaque to the Croatians, brothers Pavao, Antun and Jakov in this biblical place on the slopes of the Mount of Olives where Jesus prayed the night before his crucifixion. In 1681 these knights of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem bought the Garden of Gethsemane and donated it to the Custody of the Holy Land. On the photo Cardinal Vinko Puljiæ, the Sarajevo Archbishop, who unveiled the memorial plaque. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Fri, 30 May 2014 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10565/1/Ljubo-Krasic-director-of-Croatian-Ethnic-Institute-in-Chicago-USA.html The Franciscans established the Croatian Ethnic Institute in 1975, with headquarters in Chicago, for the purpose of preserving and promoting the Croatian heritage in the United States and Canada. This foundation was established with one far-sighted goal, namely, that all which is valuable and in any way related to the Croatians could be found in one place and used for various kinds of research. An additional goal of the Institute was to promote Croatian history, culture, literature, and heritage. The current director of the Croatian Ethnic Institute is fra Ljubo Krasiæ. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Thu, 22 May 2014 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10550/1/Happy-Easter---Sretan-Uskrs-2014-through-art-of-Jozo-Kljakovic.html Wishing a Happy Easter to all readers of the CROWN, we touch a part of the work of art of distinguished Croatian painter Jozo Kljakoviæ (1889-1969). In Zagreb there is a Memorial Museum of Jozo Kljakoviæ, dedicated to his life and work. He is well known for his frescos in the Pontifical Croatian St. Jerome Institute in Rome and in the church of St. Mark in Zagreb. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Sat, 19 Apr 2014 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10504/1/Dr-Peter-Kuzmic-authority-on-Christian-response-to-Marxism-and-on-Christian-ministry-in-post-Communist-contexts.html Dr. Peter Kuzmic is the foremost evangelical scholar in Eastern Europe and is considered an authority on the subject of Christian response to Marxism and on Christian ministry in post-Communist contexts. He co-founded and directs Evangelical Theological Seminary in Osijek, Croatia, the first evangelical theological school in Eastern Europe and the Balkans. He also founded Timisoara Theological Institute, a Romanian school affiliated with ETS. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Fri, 03 Jan 2014 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10503/1/Merry-Christmas-and-a-Happy-New-Year-2014-to-all-the-people-of-good-will.html Marry Christmas and a Happy New Year to the readers of the CROWN from Croatian painter Zdenka Sertiæ, on the photo. Croats have about five hundred Christmas carols, more than any other nation in the world. One of truly famous works of art, related to Christams, is due to Croatian sculptor Andrija Buvina from the 13th century, carved on monumental wooden doors of the Cathedral of St. Dujam in the city of Split. We also send a special Christmas greeting to Mr. Dario Kordiæ and Mr. Slobodan Praljak and their families. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Sun, 22 Dec 2013 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10498/1/Frok-Zefi-Catholic-priest-historian-and-publicist-in-Croatia.html Besides his regular duties in his parish, Don Frok Zefi (on the photo) is very active as a historian and publicist. Till now he has published about a dozen of books and monographs, most of them in Zagreb and Osijek, and some of them printed in Albanian as well. No doubt, the greatest Albanian in history was legenedary Mother Teresa, educated as a girl by Croatian Jesuits. The greatest expert in the history of Albanians was distinguished Croatian scientist and polyglot Milan pl. ©ufflay (1879-1931). darko.zubrinic@gmail.com (Darko �ubrini�) Fri, 13 Dec 2013 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10478/1/Queen-of-Croatians-Chapel-on-the-mount-of-Medvednica-near-Zagreb-celebrates---80th-birthday.html In 2013 the Chapel of Mother Mary of Sljeme near Zagreb, also known as the Queen of Croatians, solemnly celebrated 80 years since it has been built. The Holy Mass  was served in September 2013 by cardinal Josip Bozaniæ, the Zagreb Archbishop. In October 2013 an interesting mass has been served by F. Josip Ro¾mariæ, SJ, and by Rev. Oleh Hirnyk, Greek-Catholic priest from the city of Lviv, Ukraine; see the photo. darko.zubrinic@gmail.com (Darko �ubrini�) Sat, 02 Nov 2013 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10450/1/WTTW-Chicago-to-rebroadcast-documentary-film-quotThey-Never-Walked-Alonequot-on-Velika-Gospa.html Thursday, August 15, 2013 the day of the Feast of the Assumption (Velika Gospa) WTTW Prime in Chicago will be rebroadcasting the documentary film called "They Never Walked Alone" that celebrates 100 years of St. Jerome Croatian parish located in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood. The film will air starting at 2:00 pm CST. stecak@sbcglobal.net (Marko Pulji�) Wed, 14 Aug 2013 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10448/1/Pope-Francis-and-his-encounters-with-Croatians-in-Argentina-and-Brasil.html Pope Francis, as a cardinal of Buenos Aires, encountered Croatians in Argentina in various occasions. He concelebrated during a mass dedicated to blessed Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac (1898-1960). His personal confessor was Croatian Franciscan Berislav Ostojiæ. We express our gratitude to Carmen Verlichak, Croatian-Argentinean writer living in Buenos Aires, for providing us with interesting photos. darko.zubrinic@gmail.com (Darko �ubrini�) Sat, 10 Aug 2013 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10443/1/Carmen-Verlichak-Croatian-Argentinean-writer-published-a-monograph-El-Cardenal-Stepinac-in-Buenos-Aires-2013.html In 2013 Carmen Verlichak, Croatian-Argentiean writer living in Buenos Aires, wrote a monograph about Blessed Cardinal dr. Alojzije Stepinac 1898-1960, entitled El Cardenal Stepinac. It has been published by the Krivodol Press in Argentinean's capital. This is the first monograph in Castellano about this important historical and religious figure published in South America. In 1998 Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac was beatified by Pope John Paul II in Marija Bistrica, during his second Apostolic visit to Croatia. darko.zubrinic@gmail.com (Darko �ubrini�) Sun, 28 Jul 2013 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10439/1/Fr-Ante-Gabric-SJ---An-Apostle-of-the-Sundarbans-Croatian-missionary-in-Bengal-India.html Many among those who worked and lived with Fr. Ante continue to give witness to the holiness of this great missionary they knew, and some are convinced that âGod visited us in the form of Fr. Ante Gabricâ. The work started by Fr. Ante and other missionaries is being continued today among the Santals, who are much more deserving and are still in the periphery, but witnessing to the faith by their lives. The Calcutta Jesuit province while thanking the Lord for giving a worthy and zealous missionary to Bengal thank also the Croatian Province and the people Croatia for their continued prayerful support for the ever growing mission today. The article was written by Fr. Irudaya Jothi SJ of the Calcutta Jesuit Province. jothisj@gmail.com (Fr. Irudaya Jothi SJ) Sun, 07 Jul 2013 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10392/1/Happy-Easter-from-distinguished-Croatian-painter-Zdenka-Sertic-1899-1986.html Zdenka Sertiæ 1899-1986 studied painting in Zagreb, Berlin and Paris, and specialized in drawings related to Croatian folklore. From 1939 to 1941 directed the Ethnographic Museum in Zagreb. She painted some of the most beautiful Croatian postage stamps, and participated in exhibitions in Paris, Leipzig, Barcelona, Berlin, Kopenhagen, Haag and Bruxelles. She also painted several beautiful Easter greeting cards, that we show in this article. According to Dr. Vedran Deletis, NY, "Croatian glagolitic Lenten chants retrace a venerable and direct link to our ancestors, our roots, and our religious belief. Born out of Middle Ages, they continue to extend an unbroken tradition of Croatian history..." darko.zubrinic@gmail.com (Darko �ubrini�) Wed, 27 Mar 2013 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10390/1/Cantores-Maruli-vocal-quartet-promoting-Renaissance-music-and-distinguished-Croatian-guitarist-Petar-Culic.html Male vocal quartet Cantores Maruli, from the city of Split, promotes religious repertoire written by recognised or neglected Croatian composers. The name Cantores Maruli (Marul's Singers) wishes to pay a tribute to a famous Croatian Renaissance writer Marko Maruliæ - Marul 1450.-1524., named "the father of Croatian literature". The quartet cherishes rich Croatian cultural heritage and emphasises its importance within the contemporary environment. We also present Petar Èuliæ, distinguished Croatian classical guitarist. darko.zubrinic@gmail.com (Darko �ubrini�) Mon, 25 Mar 2013 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10354/1/Merry-Christmas-to-Mr-Slobodan-Praljak-and-to-Mr-Dario-Kordic-with-their-families.html Christmas of joy and pain. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Sun, 23 Dec 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10326/1/Dr-Borislav-Arapoviae-A-Remarkable-Address-Given-by-a-Croatian-Minister-to-Those-Going-to-War-1778.html An amazing anti-war, pacifist sermon was given in 1778 by an anonymous Croatian preacher to Croatian soldiers, immediately before the battle between Austrian and Prussian troops in Bohemia. While the Croatian original is still unknown, that same year eight translations were published in German in 1778, Dutch in 1778 (in the Hague (sic!), Amsterdam, and Leeuwarden), in Swedish in 1778 and 1779, and in Latvian in 1804 and 1805. The existing documents have been published by Dr. Borislav Arapoviæ, Croatian scholar living in Stockholm, honorary president of the Biblical Institute in the capital of Sweden, foreign member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. darko.zubrinic@gmail.com (Darko �ubrini�) Sun, 07 Oct 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10317/1/Gradovrh-a-new-web-portal-for-Croats-in-Tuzla-is-launched.html Until its destruction, the Gradovrh monastery was a spiritual and cultural center for Croatian Catholics in the northeastern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina centered around Tuzla. Even though the monastery no longer exists, its name is still revered by Croats in the Tuzla area to this day. Not only does the journal published by Matica Hrvatska in Tuzla carry its name, but a new website aims to preserve Gradovrh's legacy in this digital age and report on the situation of Croats there. stecak@sbcglobal.net (Marko Pulji�) Fri, 21 Sep 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10263/1/Bosnia-and-Herzegovina-where-the-God-weeps.html Even though religious freedom is enshrined in the 1995 constitution (Article 2), there are alarming cases of discrimination and violence. Muslims, Catholics and Orthodox have all reported many cases of aggression and religious intolerance. Religious practice is relatively low but there are some areas where religion is taken very seriously. Examples of this include the Croatian Catholic communities in Bosnia, where they are a minority. They find themselves in a difficult position, fighting for survival... Martyred nuns have been beatified in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2011. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Wed, 23 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10255/1/The-Society-to-Preserve-the-Millvale-Murals-of-Croatian-painter-Maxo-Vanka.html  Maxo Vanka's murals for Millvale's Croatian Church of St. Nicholas are a unique contribution to the American mural movement of the 1930s and 1940s. The Society to Preserve the Millvale Murals of Maxo Vanka is a nonprofit public supported historic art preservation organization. Vanka's work touches upon common themes of his era, including family, labor, and war, but with a focus upon the disenfranchised and the dispossessed. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Sun, 06 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10240/1/Collegium-pro-musica-sacra-Croatian-choir-founded-in-1972-celebrates-40-years-of-existence.html Collegium pro musica sacra, Croatian choir specialised for churhc music ranging from Gregorian coral to modern sacral music, with a special emphasis on Croatian church music,àhas been founded in 1972, ie. 40 years ago. It was founded by s. Imakulata Malinka on the photo, who directed the choir until 1999, and since then until 2010 it was directed by s. Cecilija Ple¹a. Now the Collegium pro musica sacra is conducted by Iva Juras, prof. The choir has won silver medals at the Internation choir competition in Jerusalem, Israel, in 1996, then in Bremen in 2004in Rome 2009, and gold medal at the International competition of choirs held in Bratislava, Slovakia, in 2010. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Mon, 12 Mar 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10235/1/The-Righteous-Road-of-Stepinac---film-by-Jakov-Sedlar-produced-by-FILMIND-Tel-Aviv.html Important testimonies of Amiel Schromony (1917-2009), Dan Baran and others about blessed cardinal Alojzije Stepinac (1898-1960) in a film by Jakov Sedlar. Text written by Rev. ®ivko Kustiæ, narrated by Rick Alerson,  produced by Ron Assouline, Jakov Sedlar and Igor Prizmiæ, executive producers Dominik Sedlar and Stephen Ollendorf. Digital postproduction by FILMIND - Tel Aviv, 2009. Available on YouTube since February 2012. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Mon, 27 Feb 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10211/1/Msgr-John-E-Kozar-Croatian-American-appointed-president-of-the-Catholic-Near-East-Welfare-Association.html Msgr. John E. Kozar, former national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States, has been appointed president of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association and the Pontifical Mission for Palestine. John E. Kozar: "Family. It is, perhaps, what comes to mindmost often during the Christmas Season. So at this time of year then, I think often of my visits with our mission family..." ... "Family in need. Family offering loving service. And through it all, you are there - at Christmas and all through the year - supporting, in prayer and generous sacrifice, the Church in the Missions in its outreach to the poor. May the hope and peace of the Lord be with you in the coming year!" darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Thu, 22 Dec 2011 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10137/1/Branko-Fucic-1920-1999-representative-collection-of-conference-papers-published-about-his-life-and-work.html  Sixty three conference papers from the International Scholarly Seminar on the Life and Work of Academician Branko Fuèiæ (1920-1999) have been published in 2011 in voluminous, representative monograph comprising 844 pp. Branko Fuèiæ was distinguished expert in Croatian Glagolitic Script, in the history of Croatian church art, in particular for the area of Istria, dr. honoris causa in theology, and recipient of Herder's prize in Vienna. The monograph has been edited by dr. Tomislav Galoviæ of the Faculty of Arts and Letters, University of Zagreb. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Sat, 02 Jul 2011 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10121/1/International-conference-in-Carmelite-convent-of-St-Elijah-in-Busko-Blato-in-Bosnia-and-Herzegovina.html The Carmelite convent of St. Eliah in Bu¹ko Blato in B&H and the Society Passion Heritage from Croatia's capital Zagreb organized a very succesful international conference dedicated to passion heritage of Croatians in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The accompaning program included two concerts of sacral music of Croatians in B&H, with participation of original groups in fantastic national costumes from various parts of the country. The principal organizer of the conference was F. Zvonko Martiæ, on the photo. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Sat, 18 Jun 2011 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10125/1/Pope-Benedict-XVI-in-Croatias-capital-Zagreb-4-and-5-June-2011.html “I offer my most cordial greetings to the beloved land of Croatia!” Here I would like to introduce the main topic of my brief reflection: the theme of conscience. This cuts across all the different fields in which you are engaged and it is fundamental for a free and just society, both at national and supranational levels. Truly, the great achievements of the modern age – the recognition and guarantee of freedom of conscience, of human rights, of the freedom of science and hence of a free society – should be confirmed and developed while keeping reason and freedom open to their transcendent foundation, so as to ensure that these achievements are not undone, as unfortunately happens in not a few cases. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Sat, 04 Jun 2011 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10120/1/Zvonko-Martic--Vido-Bagur-authors-of-ethno-monograph-about-Croatians-in-BH.html Carmelite monk f. Zvonko Martiæ on the photo and Vidoslav Vido Bagur are authors of important monograph in Croatian and English dealing with national costumes, dances, customs of Croatians throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina: Vila bana zvala priko Vrana (A Fairy Called the Viceroy Over the Mountian of Vran). The book has 200 pp. and about 100 pp contain luxorous photos. The monograph is accompanied with two DVD-s containing numerous dances and songs. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Wed, 01 Jun 2011 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10114/1/Pope-Benedict-XVI-on-his-apostolic-visit-to-Croatia-4-and-5-June-2011.html Croatia will soon host pope Benedict XVI on 4 and 5 June 2011, which is the National Day of Croatian Families. The slogan of his visit is "Together in Christ". For that occasion a very nice song has been composed, in which about 30 Croatian singers participate. The first international recognition of Croatia came in 879 from Pope John VIII, ie. 1132 years ago! darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Sat, 14 May 2011 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10105/1/Blessed-Easter-to-Mr-Gotovina-Mr-Markac-Mr-Praljak-Mr-Kordic-and-their-families.html  Happy and blessed Easter to Mr. Ante Gotovina, Mr. Mladen Markac, Mr. Slobodan Praljak, Mr. Darijo Kordiæ, and their families from Nenad Bach, Darko ®ubriniæ, CROWN Team and from the readers of the CROWN. Happy and blessed Easter to all the people of good will. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Fri, 22 Apr 2011 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10055/1/Rudjer-Boskovic-a-famous-Croatian-scientist-born-300-years-ago-in-1711.html Rudjer Boskovic (1711-1787), born in Dubrovnik 300 years ago, was a member of the Royal Society of London, a member of St.Petersbug Academy, "membre correspondant" of the French Academie Royale des Sciences. According to Werner Heisenberg, "Boskovic occupies outstanding place as a theologian, philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer." On the left portrait of Boskovic by Edge Pine, London 1760. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Sat, 01 Jan 2011 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10053/1/Andrija-Buvinas-13th-century-Christams-message-Split-Croatia.html The world famous portal of the Cathedral of Sv. Dujam in the city of Split had been finished in c. 1214. It is ranked among the most beautiful pieces of art in the medieval Europe. The height of the Buvina wooden  doors is 5.3 m. It contains 28 scenes from the life of Jesus Christ. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Tue, 28 Dec 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10050/1/New-book-by-Slavica-Jakeliae-quotCollectivistic-Religionsquot.html "Collectivistic Religions" by Slavica Jakeliæ addresses questions of religion and collective identity, religion and nationalism, religion and public life, and religion and conflict. It moves beyond the attempts to tackle such questions in terms of 'choice' and 'religious nationalism' by introducing the notion of 'collectivistic religions' to contemporary debates surrounding public religions. stecak@sbcglobal.net (Marko Pulji�) Mon, 13 Dec 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10019/1/Mile-Bogovic-opened-the-Church-of-Croatian-Martyrs-in-Udbina-2010.html A dream of dr. Mile Bogoviæ, Gospiæ-Senj archbishop on the left, and the whole of Croatia has been realized. The beautiful Church of Croatian Martyrs has been solemnly opened in Udbina, a town in the heart of Croatian region of Lika, on a spot with breathtaking view to the legendary Krbava field and surrounding mountains. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Mon, 13 Sep 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10008/1/Zvonimir-Atletic-photographs-inspired-by-Mother-Teresa.html On the occasion of 100 years since the birth of Mother Teresa, Croatian photographer Zvonimir Atletiæ has an exhibition of photographs inspired by her missionary work. The exibition will take place in The Memorial House of Mother Teresa in Skopje, capital of Macedonia, August 26, 2010, at 8.00 pm.  Photo of Mother Teresa on the left by Zvonimir Atletiæ, Zagreb, Croatia. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Fri, 20 Aug 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10006/1/Dr-Borislav-Arapovic-elected--member-of-the-Russian-Academy-of-Sciences-2010.html Dr. Borislav Arapoviæ, Croatian philologist, founder of the Institute for Bible Translation in Stockholm, was elected the foreign member of the famous Russian Academy of Sciences, in 1999 for his work on organizing the translation of the Bible into about 80 non-Slavic languages of the former SU. About eight million copies of the Bible have been issued till now. Founding the Institute for Bible Translation in Moscow in 1997 has been blessed by late Patriarch Alexij II. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Sat, 14 Aug 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9958/1/Jim-Caviezels-spiritual-journey-from-Medjugorje-to-Mel-Gibsons-Passion.html Jim Caviezel became the world famous actor with leading role in Mel Gibson's movie "Passion". In Medjugorje he had experienced certain dimension of faith that was unknown to him up to that point. In February 2010 he came to Medjugorje for the sixth time as pilgrim. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Mon, 19 Apr 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9923/1/Armenian-bishop-Nareg-Alemezian-in-Dubrovnik-Celebrating-the-Day-of-St-Vlaho.html   A special bond between Croatia and Armenia is the cult of the saint Sv. Vlaho (St. Blaise) from Armenian Sebaste, patron of the city of Dubrovnik. Armenian bishop Nareg Alemezian on the left visited the City and participated in the annual festivity, 1038th in order! The author of the first history of Armenian people published in Europe was Croatian - Josip Marinoviæ, in 18th century. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Wed, 03 Feb 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9906/1/Merry-Christmas-Happy-New-Year-2010-Happy-Holidays-Blagoslovljen-Boiae.html Merry Christmas Happy New Year 2009 Happy Holidays Blagoslovljen Bo¾iæ Sretna Nova 2010 Happy Hanukkah Happy Kurban Bajram  Happy Kwanzaa. We wish to all of us THE WORLD PEACE more transparency in human behavior and a safe planet. NO MORE WARS. No Fear in a new decade. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 24 Dec 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9804/1/Ivan-Mestrovics--Mother-Teaching-Child-to-Pray-sold-at-Sothebys-auction.html Lauded by Rodin as 'the greatest phenomenon amongst the sculptors', Ivan Me¹troviæ began his career exhibiting with the Vienna Secession at the turn of the 19th to 20th centuries. His fame led to important exhibitions across Europe, and in 1915 he made history as the first living artist to have a solo exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. mate.mestrovic@zg.t-com.hr (Rumjana Me�trovi�) Wed, 03 Jun 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9796/1/Hrvojka-Mihanovic-Salopek-and-her-Stella-Maris-project-of-St-Marys-heritage.html  Dr. Hrvojka Mihanoviæ Salopek is the leader of an important project Stella Maris - Sea Star, devoted to centuries of St. Mary's heritage in Croatia in the broadest sense: from church architecture and sacral paintings to church music, poetry, literature and Croatian Lenten chants. Till now the project resulted in 5 excellent DVD's which describe an important part of 13 centuries of Croatian spirituality and culture in Europe. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Sat, 23 May 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9776/1/Uskrsnuo-za-nas-Sretan-Uskrs-Happy-Easter-Happy-Passover.html The celebration of Easter commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his resurrection from the dead, the cornerstone of the Christian faith. The traditional Croatian Easter custom is painting Easter eggs and exchanging them as gifts. The big one created in naive style, see inside, now traveling the world as a part of the exhibition. Ever heard of Hlebine? letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Fri, 10 Apr 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9770/1/Bratislav-Lucin-leading-expert-for-Croatian-Renaissance-classic-Marko-Marulic.html  Bratislav Luèin, distinguished Croatian scholar and director of Marulianum institute in the city of Split, has recently published two important books dealing with a famous Croatian Renaissance writer Marko Maruliæ 1450-1524. Maruliæ's books were read by St Francis Xavier, Cervantes, Thomas More, King Henry VIII, etc. Marko Maruliæ is the author of the notion of PSYCHOLOGY. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Sat, 04 Apr 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9741/1/Kristian-Krekovic-portrayed-Mahatma-Gandhi-Queen-Mother-King-Gustav-V-etc.html Kristian Krekoviæ (1901-1985), distinguished Croatian painter born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, since the end of 2008 has a web site www.kristiankrekovic.com dedicated to his life and work. It was launched by the Associtiation of Friends of the Krekovic Museum in Palma de Mallorca in Spain. Among his numerous portraits, we can find those of Mahatma Gandhi, Queen Mother, King Gustav V, and many others. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Sat, 07 Mar 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9709/1/Zumberak-a-hidden-Croatian-treasure.html  ®umberak is a Croatian region south-west of Zagreb. It is a favorite place for mountaineers, those wishing to learn about rare plants and interesting archaeological sites, or about Croatian churches of Roman Catholic and Greek Catholic rites built side by side like in So¹ice. Remote villages and their hospitable inhabitants still preserve their old habits. On the photo Miroslav Peris from So¹ice in ®umberak, Croatian pilot and Hero. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Fri, 23 Jan 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9705/1/Wooden-Baroque-Church-from-1642-near-Zagreb.html The Church of St. Barbara in Zagreb is the most important example of folk wooden sacral architecture of the Baroque period in Croatia. It was built of oak timber in 1642. It is very near the Zagreb airport. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Sat, 17 Jan 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9677/1/Merry-Christmas-Happy-New-Year-2009-Happy-Holidays-Blagoslovljen-Boiae.html Merry Christmas Happy New Year 2009 Happy Holidays Blagoslovljen Bo¾iæ Sretna Nova 2009 Happy Hanukkah Happy Kurban Bajram  Happy Kwanzaa. We wish to all of us THE WORLD PEACE more transparency in human behavior and a safe planet. NO MORE WARS. No Fear. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Tue, 23 Dec 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9668/1/Bishop-Alejandro-Goic-Karmelic-Chile-in-ad-limina-visit-to-pope-Benedict-XVI.html Pope Benedict XVI met with a group of 33 bishops from Chile, who were in Rome on their ad limina visit. Three of them are of Croatian origin. Moreover, Msgr. Alejandro Goic Karmelic (on the left with the Pope), whose both parents come from Croatian island of Braè, is the president of the Chilean Conference of Catholic bishops. He was a guest at Croatian program of the Radio Vatican where he spoke in Croatian. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Tue, 09 Dec 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9667/1/Ignjat-Djurdjevic-St-Paul-was-on-the-island-of-Mljet-in-the-Adriatic-for-three-months.html  An important book by Ignjat Ðurðeviæ published in 1730 in Venice was released in 2008, in The Year of St Paul, i.e. two thousand years after the birth of St Paul. It is the Croatian translation of Ignjat Ðurðeviæ's monograph written in elite Latin language, in which he proved that St Paul spent three months on the island of Mljet in Croatia, and not on the island of Malta. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Mon, 08 Dec 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9639/1/Ante-Gabric-the-Saint-of-Sundarban-in-India.html  Fr. Ante Gabriæ (Metkoviæ, Croatia 1915 - Bengal, 1988) lived like a  Bengali, and he worked tirelessly for the spiritual development of  the Bengali community in India. People in Bengal consider Fr. Gabriæ should be beatified like mother Teresa and all the people are praying for for this. He was very much related to Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkata  and they worked hand in hand. nema@nema.in (Fr. Sylvester Xavier) Mon, 20 Oct 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9567/1/Maxo-Vanka-a-famous-Croatian-painter.html Maxo Vanka (Zagreb 1889 - Mexico 1963) created spectacular murals in the Croatian Catholic church of St. Nicholas in Pittsburgh, USA, in 1937. On each side of the altar are Croatian people, on the left from the Old World, and on the right from the New. Shooting of a feature film about Maxo Vanka is planned by Mladen Juran, Zagreb. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Thu, 19 Jun 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9562/1/Azra-Ljumanoviae-little-known-Croatian-sprituality.html Azra Kristina Ljumanoviæ (1958-1998) is one of the symbols of Croatian spirituality. Working as a school-teacher, she left deep and indelible traces on her pupils and contemporaries with her beautiful songs, poetry and inspiring Christian messages. mario.essert@inet.hr (Prof. Dr. Mario Essert) Tue, 10 Jun 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9511/1/Sretan-Uskrs-Happy-Easter-Felices-Pascuas.html Wishing you a Happy Easter, we present you beautiful Croatian and Ukrainian hand-painted eggs by Annette Czupylo, a Ukrainian living in the USA. Photographs were taken by Vladimir Novak, Zagreb. Easter eggs are called pisanice in Croatian, and pysanky in Ukrainian. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Thu, 20 Mar 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9503/1/Mother-Teresa-and-Croatians.html The Croatian Jesuits had a great role in spiritual development of Mother Teresa in her youth. Her spiritual father was Fr. Franjo Jambrekoviæ. The first monument in the world honouring this famous Albanian woman was carved in Croatia, in Supetar on the island of Brac (2002), by Petar Jak¹iæ. It was unveiled by Martin Sheen. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Fri, 07 Mar 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9497/1/Ivan-Dragicevic-Brings-Our-Lady-of-Medjugorje-to-Australia.html  For the fifth time, Ivan Dragicevic (left) came back to Australia in his mission to share the love and messages he has been receiving from Our Lady. The First of his talks in Australia was in Melbourne, Victoria followed by six other places in the states of New South Wales and Queensland. The last of these talks was held on 26 February at The Sacred Heart in Pymble. Violi Calvert (left) reports. violicalvert@optusnet.com.au (Violi Calvert) Thu, 28 Feb 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9409/1/Merry-Christmas-Happy-New-Year-Happy-Holidays-2008.html Sretan Bo¾iæ, Nova Godina 2008. Happy Hanukkah, Bajram Mubarek, Happy Kwanzaa letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Mon, 24 Dec 2007 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9408/1/Nopoki-University-for-Peruvian-Indians-founded-by-Msgr-Gerardo-erdin.html Msgr. Gerardo ®erdin, Croatian bishop and missionary in Peru in the region of the Amazon river, founded the Nopoki Center for Investigation and Intercultural Formation. The aim is to educate future school teachers for work within their native communities, in order to preserve their roots, language and customs, and ensure material and cultural prosperity. See also 32 Krekoviæ's paintings. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Sun, 23 Dec 2007 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9406/1/Abortion-in-Croatia-is-Down-90-Since-1989.html Croatia has experienced a very dramatic drop in the abortion rate from 1989 when the nation's 51,289 abortions were nearly equal to the number of live births. The latest statistics, from 2005, indicate there were 4,563 abortions - a drop of nearly 90% since 1989.  Significantly the law on abortion has not changed. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Fri, 21 Dec 2007 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9317/1/Catholic-confraternity-in-Philippines-promoting-Blessed-Ivan-Merz.html The Confraternity of Catholic Saints, Philippines, is a Roman Catholic organization of young people dedicated in promoting Holiness through the lives and works of the Saints.  It is affiliated to the Offical Promoter of Blessed Ivan Merz. kruno.poljak@gmail.com (Kruno Poljak, dipl.ing.) Fri, 26 Oct 2007 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9226/1/Spirituality-and-mission-of-the-Christian-teachers-in-Europe-today.html   The European Fedaration of Christian Teachers (SIESC) organized its 53rd Annual Meeting in July 2007 in Croatia. The host of the conference was Hrvatsko katolièko dru¹tvo prosvjetnih djelatnika (HKDPD), Zagreb. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Wed, 22 Aug 2007 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9219/1/A-river-of-the-faithful-visits-Our-Lady-of-Sinj-from-all-directions.html Mnogi vjernici iz Hrvatske i svijeta hodocastili su Cudotvornoj Gospi Sinjskoj moleci se ponajvise za zdravlje.  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 16 Aug 2007 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9213/1/Muhamed-Sacirbey-Civilization-where-religion-is-no-longer-denigrated.html   Defending the rights and access of the faithful, as well as the institutions of faith and spiritualism, is the obligation of all Bosnians and Herzegovinians, indeed the shared responsibility of civilization where religion is no longer denigrated, whether it is yours or your neighbors. aconvenientgenocide@mac.com (Ambassador Muhamed Sacirbey) Tue, 14 Aug 2007 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9016/1/Sretan-Uskrs---Happy-Easter---Veliki-Tjedan---Procesija-na-Hvaru.html Linguistically It all started with the word cult (=service to God) and culture (=creation, preserving manhood's spiritual and material creation). Commonly In ancient civilizations - both were created with service to God and around the actual service, although as history progressed circumstances continued in a more emphasized way, occasionally in a closer interaction, then separating, eventually distancing from one another. In pascal singing in Vrbanj on the island of Hvar - throughout the whole island and along our coastline - a specific service to God and spiritual culture has developed since the Middle Ages.   letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 05 Apr 2007 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/8983/1/Ljudi-previe-naglaska-stavljaju-na-pokoru-a-manje-na-duh-korizme.html     prostorduha@isusovci.hr (Marijana Kolednjak) Mon, 12 Mar 2007 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/8943/1/No-quotHand-of-Godquot-Goals-in-Priests-European-Cup.html A hundred Roman Catholic priests from all over Europe swapped their cassocks for football strips in Sarajevo this week to compete in an indoor soccer championship organised by the church.  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Fri, 16 Feb 2007 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/8882/1/Merry-Christmas-Happy-New-Year-2007---Blagoslovljen-Boiae-Sretna-2007-Happy-Holidays.html Traditional - Modern   letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sun, 24 Dec 2006 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/8879/1/Taize-Pilgrimage-Stops-in-Zagreb-from-Dec-28-Jan-1-2007.html     letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sun, 24 Dec 2006 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/8874/1/Croatian-Christmas-Traditions-by-James-Monti-published-in-The-Magnificat-Advent-2006.html And it is in the night that the Church has placed the principal liturgical act of Christmas, midnight Mass. This focus upon Christmas night is particularly evident in the tradition of Croatia   jrlunney@yahoo.com (RADM J. Robert Lunney) Thu, 21 Dec 2006 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/8852/1/Magnificent-Christmas-Concert-in-Astoria-New-York-on-December-18th-2006.html     rzubovic@aol.com (Don Robert Zubovic) Tue, 05 Dec 2006 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/8815/1/America8217s-Oldest-Croatian-Church-Could-Be-Sold-To-Italians.html   Despite efforts of Pittsburgh Croatians to buy the closed church and convert it into a shrine. St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church, built in 1901 and worshipped in until it was closed in 2004, could soon be bought by the Follieri Group. vmiocic@croatianchronicle.com (Visnja Mio�i�) Tue, 14 Nov 2006 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/8614/1/David-Parkes-Gospa-mi-je-spasila-ivot-i-brak.html   PREOBRAÆENJE OZDRAVLJENJE Samo mi je bilo va¾no blje¹tavilo, novac i presti¾. Sve prièe o Meðugorju su mi i¹le na ¾ivce. David Parkes, nogometni idol, ikona, èudo od djeteta, brz, sna¾an, jak, a najvi¹e ¾eljan slave, bio je jedan od najmlaðih koji je zaigrao za reprezentaciju Irske c.mateo@verizon.net (Martin Cvjetkovi�) Tue, 15 Aug 2006 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/8494/1/E-Medjugorje-25-years-later-Apparitions-and-contested-authenticity.html (E) Medjugorje 25 years later: Apparitions and contested authenticityBy John ThavisCatholic News ServiceROME (CNS) -- Twenty-five years after six children in Medjugorje, a village in what is now Bosnia-Herzegovina, began reporting apparitions of Mary, pilgrims are still flocking to the site and church officials are still cautious about the authenticity of the events. Marian experts continue to debate the significance of Medjugorje, and several have published books -- ranging from enthusiastically supportive to skeptical -- to coincide with the anniversary. In Medjugorje, Franciscan pastors are preparing for overflow crowds on June 24-25, the dates on which the alleged apparitions and messages began in 1981. They insist, however, that no special commemorations are planned. "Everything's been booked solid for more than a year, and we're expecting thousands of pilgrims. But we're not putting on any spectacle or festival -- just the usual program of prayer," Franciscan Father Ivan Sesar, pastor of St. James Parish in Medjugorje, said in a telephone interview. Of the six children who originally reported visions from Mary, sometimes daily, one says she still receives messages from Mary on the 25th of each month. They are published online, eagerly awaited by a large network of Christians dedicated to Medjugorje. According to Bishop Ratko Peric of Mostar-Duvno, whose diocese includes Medjugorje, the messages now number more than 30,000, a fact that only increases his own skepticism about the authenticity of the apparitions. Bishop Peric discussed Medjugorje with Pope Benedict XVI earlier this year during a visit to the Vatican. In a summary of the discussion published in his diocesan newspaper, Bishop Peric said he had reviewed the history of the apparitions with the pope, who already was aware of the main facts from his time as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. "The Holy Father told me: We at the congregation always asked ourselves how can any believer accept as authentic apparitions that occur every day and for so many years?" Bishop Peric said. Bishop Peric noted that Yugoslavian bishops in 1991 issued a statement that "it cannot be confirmed that supernatural apparitions or revelations are occurring" at Medjugorje. Bishop Peric said he told the pope that his own opinion was even stronger -- not only that a supernatural element cannot be proven, but that "it is certain that these events do not concern supernatural apparitions." Other priests and bishops have spoken favorably about the apparitions, saying there is no reason to doubt the sincerity of the visionaries or the spiritual effects among pilgrims. At Medjugorje, the debate over authenticity has been largely set aside by the Franciscan friars who minister to pilgrims and keep in contact with the visionaries. "We are not here to give a judgment about whether the apparitions are true or not. We're here to follow the people who come, to hear their confessions, to give them pastoral care," said Father Sesar, the 39-year-old pastor. Father Sesar said that, while early pilgrims to Medjugorje may have been drawn there by curiosity or a thirst for supernatural signs like rosaries turning different colors, that is less true today. Much more significant are the long lines for confession that form every day, he said. "The biggest things in Medjugorje today are prayer and the sacraments. It's no longer a place where people come to see miracles. They are coming for spiritual growth," he said. Considerable attention, however, is still given to the apparitions and messages which one of the visionaries, Marija Pavlovic-Lunetti, says she continues to receive. She now lives with her husband and children in Italy. The message from May 2006 strikes a pious tone typical of most of the thousands of alleged communications over the last 25 years: "Decide for holiness, little children, and think of heaven. Only in this way will you have peace in your heart that no one will be able to destroy. Peace is a gift, which God gives you in prayer." At the Vatican, officials said they are still monitoring events at Medjugorje, but emphasized that it was not necessarily the Vatican's role to issue an official judgment on the alleged apparitions there. More than once in recent years, the Vatican has said that dioceses or parishes should not organize official pilgrimages to Medjugorje. That reflects the policy of the bishops. But the Vatican has also said Catholics are free to travel to the site, and that if they do the church should provide them with pastoral services. That has left a margin of ambiguity among Catholics. Adding to the confusion have been claims that the late Pope John Paul II strongly supported Medjugorje in various private statements; the Vatican has never confirmed those statements. After Pope Benedict was elected, it was rumored that as a cardinal he had once traveled incognito to Medjugorje, and that as pope he could be expected to officially approve the site as a Marian shrine. In his February visit to the Vatican, Bishop Peric said he spoke to the pope about these rumors, and that the pontiff only laughed in surprise. Pope Benedict, who headed the doctrinal congregation for 24 years, once said the multiplication of Marian apparitions was a "sign of the times" and should not be discounted. But he has also counseled prudence, even when it comes to apparitions officially recognized by the church, like those at Fatima, Portugal; Guadalupe, Mexico; and Lourdes, France. Behind the Vatican's careful approach is a basic church teaching: that public revelation ended with the death of the last apostle, and that no private revelation, however interesting, will add anything essential to the faith. Yet some, like Msgr. Arthur Calkins, a Vatican official and a member of the Pontifical International Marian Academy, believe that while apparitions do not furnish new truths of faith, they can help Catholics understand them better. Private revelations recognized by the authority of the church "may serve to bring home to the faithful truths which are already known, but not fully appreciated," Msgr. Calkins said in an interview. "The apparitions of Our Lady at Fatima, for example, brought home to the faithful the need for prayer, penance, conversion of heart, reparation for sins. All of this expands on the doctrine of the mystical body of Christ," he said. Like several other experts at the Vatican, Msgr. Calkins declined to offer any opinion about Medjugorje. Marian expert Donal Foley, in his new book, "Understanding Medjugorje," reviews the public evidence, particularly from the early days of the reported visions, and says that, "sadly, the only rational conclusion about Medjugorje is that it has turned out to be a vast, if captivating, religious illusion." In a phone interview, Foley listed several factors that make him dubious: contradictions over how long the apparitions would continue, the excess number of messages, their questionable and sometimes "silly" content, excess focus on inexplicable "signs," and the credulous local culture in Medjugorje. Foley said it was obvious that some Medjugorje pilgrims have experienced spiritual awakening. But he said part of this could be attributed to a "charismatic element that grabs people's emotions." Another factor, he said, is that Medjugorje may appeal to Catholics confused by changes after the Second Vatican Council. "It's a sad reality that some people have had to go to Medjugorje to get priests who were enthusiastic about confession, and to get the things they used to be able to get in the church in the West," he said. Other writers have used the 25th anniversary as an occasion to celebrate Medjugorje. Elizabeth Ficocelli's "The Fruits of Medjugorje" offers more than 200 pages of what she says are "stories of true and lasting conversion." In a special anniversary edition of "Medjugorje, The Message," Wayne Weible says that more than 30 million people have made the trip to Medjugorje, where what is "arguably the greatest apparition in recorded Marian history" is still going on. Source:http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0603480.htm c.mateo@verizon.net (Martin Cvjetkovi�) Sat, 17 Jun 2006 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/8566/1/H-Devetnica-Srcu-Isusovu-online.html Devetnica Srcu Isusovu onlinewww.isusovci.hr/prostorduha Ove godine svetkovinu Presvetoga Srca Isusova Crkva slavi 23. lipnja. Uoci te svetkovine, molitvena internet stranica Prostor Duha tom prilikom ponudila je na svojim stranicama mogucnost obavljanja devetnice na cast Srcu Isusovu.Devetnica se sastoji od misli koje mogu pomoci pri razmatranju i molitvi, Bozje rijeci koja je posebno izabrana za svaki dan i, na kraju, od kratke molitve.Poboznost Spasiteljevu Srcu bila je i jest jedna od najrasirenijih i najomiljenijih izricaja crkvene poboznosti. Srce Isusovo je Krist, utjelovljena i spasiteljska Rijec koja je u Duhu protegnuta prema Ocu i prema ljudima. Srce Isusovo sjediste je milosrdja, mjesto za susret s Bogom, izvor beskrajne Gospodinove ljubavi, vrelo iz kojega izviru darovi i plodovi Duha. U Presvetom Srcu vjernik je pozvan na susret sa simbolom i zivom slikom neizmjerne Kristove ljubavi, koja ga potice na ljubav prema bliznjemu. Svaki krscanin, gledajuci u Srce Krista, Gospodara vremena i povijesti, Njemu se posvecuje i biva pozvan nastaviti, produbljivati i promicati stovanje Presvetog Srca Isusova.Marijana Kolednjakprostorduha@isusovci.hr letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Tue, 13 Jun 2006 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7581/1/H-Kardinal-Puljic-posvetio-misiju-u-Astoriji-New-Yorku-blazenim-Ivanom-Merzom.html ÂTijekom velike proslave 35. godiÅnjice Hrvatske katoličke misijeKARDINAL PULJIĆ MISIJU U ASTORIJI POSVETIOBLAŽENIKU IVANU MERZUPremda jedna od mlađih po nastanku, Hrvatska Âkatolička misija u Astoriji, pokazala se i tijekom svečane proslave svoje 35. godisnjice postojanja, Âkao jedna od najaktivnijih i najorganiziranijih Âhrvatskih zajednica na sjevernoameričkom kontinentu.SrediÅnja proslava ove značajne obljetnice odrzana je posljednjeg dana mjeseca travnja,u prisustvu Âvisokog gosta kardinala Vrhbosanske nadbiskupije, uzoritog Vinka Puljića, te cijelog niza specijalnih gostiju iz cijele zemlje kao i iz domovine. Ali najviÅe o samoj Misiji i njenom radu govori veliki odaziv njenih članova i Hrvata s cijelog područja New Yorka, kojih se gotovo tisuću okupilo na ovoj proslavi. Proslava 35. godina postojanja Hrvatske katoličke misije, koja se okuplja u Crkvi Most Precious Blood u Astoriji, započela je memorijalnim koncertom Ivana Merza. Pred gotovo tisuću vjernika koji su se okupili na svečanoj svetoj Misi, koncert pod ravnanjem maestra Drage Bubala odrzali su članovi Američke vojne akademije West Point St. Raphael Wind Cappella, Âkoji su izveli djela Joachima Raffa, te hrvatskog kompozitora Borisa Papandopula, čija se stota obljetnica rođenja slavi ove godine. Svečanu svetu Misu u čast hrvatskog blaženika ÂIvana Merza, čije će ime ova misija ubuduće nositi, predvodio je kardinal Puljić u zajedniÅtvu sa sadaÅnjim svećenikom vlč. Robertom Zubovićem, te svećenicima koji su u proÅlosti pastoralno djelovali u Astoriji: fra Petar Runje, vlč. Anton Zec i vlč. Anton Bozanić. Služenju misnog slavlja pridružili su se i ostali hrvatski svećenici sa područja New Yorka i New Jerseya â fra Ivica Majstorović, župnik hrvatske Crkve s. Ćirila i Metoda na Manhattanu te vlč. Giordano Belanich, voditelj hrvatske katoličke misije u Fairview, New Jersey. ÂNa početku Mise Kardinala je u ime Zajednice pozdravila Mirjam Busanić, članica Misije od njenih prvih dana, a kardinal je zatim pozdravio sve prisutne, a posebice svećenike koji su gradili ovu Zajednicu. 'Blagoslovit ćemo lik Bl. Ivana Merza, neka bude primjer ovoj Zajednici te vas u tom duhu pozivam da se ujedinimo u molitvi.' Uslijedio je obred blagoslivljanja slike Ivana Merza. Kardinal Vinko Puljić u homiliji je rekao da i njegov svećenički poziv traje otprilike koliko i Hrvatska katolička misija u Astoriji. 'Svećenici su ovdje euharistiju slavili, da bi njome izgrađivali vjeru. Srce luta krajevima odakle smo dosli, ovamo ste donijeli dusu i korijenje, ono po čemu smo prepoznatljivi. I na Isusovom krizu pise: Isus Nazarećanin. Tako ste i vi prenijeli identitet svoga kraja, te ovoj novoj domovini donijeli bogatstvo vjere i kulture' â rekao je Kardinal te je prizvao Bozji blagoslov na sve one koji su sijali riječ Bozju i svima onima koji su im u tome pomagali. Na kraju je dodao: 'Raduje me vidjeti vas u ovolikom broju, ali neću lagati, draze bi mi bilo vidjeti vas doma'.ÂÂTijekom svečane Sv. Mise pjevala se poznata Hrvatska Misa don Åme Marovića, kapelnika Splitske Katedrale. Misa je skladana za soliste, mučki ansambl, mjesoviti zbor, orgulje i orkestar, te je praizvedena tijekom posjete Sv. Oca Ivana Pavla II Splitu 1998. godine. Nastupili su Hrvatski Zbor u New Yorku (novi pjevački sastav od 50-tak članova kojeg je okupio zupnik don Robert Zubović), Klapa Astoria, Radoslav Kostan i don Robert Zubović kao solisti, a uz pratnju puhačkog orkestra "St. Raphael Cappella". Nastupio je i Zbor mladih pod ravnanjem Viviane Knapić, a kojeg je uvjezbavao i Ivo Gasparović iz Hrvatske.Nakon svete Mise brojni odrzan je domjenak u satoru postavljenom u dvoristu crkve Most Precious Blood. Bila je to prigoda za prisjećanje brojnih dogodovstina iz bogate povijesti hrvatske zajednice. Svečanost je nastavljena kulturno-umjetničkim programom u dvorani skole Most Precious Blood. Nastupile su folklorne skupine koje djeluju pri HKM Bl. Ivana Merza: Hrvatska Ruza, Hrvatski plamen i Jadranski valovi kao i gosti iz zupe sv. Ćrila i Metoda i sv. Rafaela na Manhattnu - Âfoklorna skupina Kardinal Stepinac te članovi foklorne skupine Rudar kluba. Nastupila je i Klapa Astoria, a svoj su talent iskazali i brojni drugi članovi Misije. Prisutne su pozdravili i ugledni gosti; generalni konzul RH u New Yorku Petar Ljubičić, zatim vijećnik Grada New Yorka Tony Avella, demokrat 19. distrikta â Queens, kao i Mathew Cordon iz ureda gradonačelnika Bloomberga, te Wanda Radetti, kulturni atase grada Rijeke. Prisutne je pozdravio i don Giordano Belanich, voditelj HKM u New Jerseyu i poznati humanitarni djelatnik. U kraćem razgovoru za Croatian Chronicle prijasnji voditelji HKM u Astoriji fra Runje poručio je vjernicima Hrvatima u HKM Bl. Ivana Merza da budu ujedinjeni i nastave dobar rad: 'Trudili smo se sačuvati svoj identitet i vjeru, ova proslava je dokaz da smo uspjeli, ali posao treba nastaviti'. Don Anton Zec prisjetio se lijepih vremena koje je u Astoriji proveo kao voditelj HKM te poručio: 'Neka nas nas grb nosi kao Hrvatski narod prema Kristu'. Don Bozanić također svećenik u ovoj Misiji, i brat kardinala Josipa Bozanića, Ârekao je da broj okupljenih na proslavi dokaz čvrstine ove Zajednice te poručio vjernicima da i dalje ulazu svoje vrijeme, pamet i zelju u ovu opstojnost HKM. Velečasnog Roberta Zubovića upitali smo kako je tekla priprema ove grandiozne proslave. 'Logistika je nevjerovatna; 1800 tanjura trebalo je očistiti, 5 kamiona punih stvari trebalo je utovariti i istovariti. To je pravi dokaz koliko su članovi ove Zajednice spremni raditi i dati sve od sebe da neÅto uspije.' Velika je zasluga u razvoju ove zajednice svakako i ona Âi vlč. Roberta Zubovića, koji je tijekom osam godina svog sluzbovanja u HKM u Astoriji ozivio brojne aktivnosti i potaknuo brojne nove, te će svakako i njegov rad ispisati mnoge stranice povijesti ove Zajednice. ÂKardinal Vinko Puljić u razgovoru za Croatian Chronicle:O problemu Hrvata u BiH'Moj je najvazniji zadatak u ovom trenutku drzati moj narod ujedinjen, da drze do svojih korijena i vjere u Boga i sebe. Hrvatska mora podrzati Hrvate u BIH zbog brojnih razloga, posebice zbog ekonomskih i kulturne povezanosti koje oduvijek postoje. Jedan od četiri Hrvata u Hrvatskoj potječu iz BiH. Od pomoći koja stize iz Amerike za BiH samo 2 posto dobivaju Hrvati. Tko će se boriti za nasa prava ako ne Âmi sami'. O blaženiku ÂIvanu Merzu'Blaženik Ivana Merz je izabran za zastitnika ove Zajednice zbog njegovog velikog srca punog dobrote. Zbog toga su ljudi vjerovali u njega. On je bio čovjek koji se borio za istinu, za svoja uvjerenja i za vjeru. Nastojat ćemo slijediti njegov put. ivot nas uči mnoge lekcije i ja uvijek nastojim nesto novo naučiti. U zivotu svi nosimo svoj kriz i svoju vjeru'. Sanja & Josip Bogović letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 18 May 2006 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/1/1/H-35-obljetnica-Hrvatske-Katolicke-Misije-u-New-Yorku.html Submitted by: fr. Robert Zubovic Date: Apr 28, 06 Category: Religion35. obljetnica Hrvatske Katolicke Misije u New Yorku   KONCERT: Povodom proslave 35. obljetnice Hrvatske Katolicke Misije u New Yorku na prigodan nacin bit ce obiljezena i 100-ta obljetnica rodjenja velikog hrvatskog skladatelja Borisa Papondopula. Na koncertu prije svecane mise njujorski ansambl "St. Raphael Cappella" izvest ce Papandopulovu skladbu Impresije za puhace. Bit ce izvedena i cuvena Sinfonietta op. 10 Lisztova ucenika i romanticnog skladatelja Joachima Raffa, jedno od monumentalnih djela za puhace. St. Raphael Cappella sastoji se od vrhunskih profesionalnih glazbenika Vojne Akademije SAD-a West Point kao i od povremenih clanova iz Julliard School of Music u New Yorku. Glazbeni ravnatelj i dirigent sastava je prof. Drago Bubalo, koji je od 1999. - 2003. djelovao u RH kao dirigent Orkestra Hrvatske vojske. MISA. Tijekom Svecane Sv. Mise pjevat ce se poznata Hrvatska Misa don Sime Marovica, kapelnika Splitske Katedrale. Misa je skladana za soliste, muski ansambl, mjesoviti zbor, orgulje i orkestar, te je praizvedena tijekom posjete Sv. Oca Ivana Pavla II Splitu 1998. godine. Nastupa Hrvatski Zbor u New Yorku (novi pjevacki sastav od 50-tak clanova kojeg je okupio zupnik don Robert Zubovic), Klapa Astoria, Rade .... i don Robert Zubovic kao solisti, a uz pratnju puhackog orkestra "St. Raphael Cappella" pod ravnanjem Drage Bubala. Formatted for CROWN by Nenad Bach   Distributed by CroatianWorld.net. This message is intended for Croatian Associations/Institutions and their Friends in Croatia and in the World. The opinions/articles expressed on this list do not reflect personal opinions of the moderator. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, please delete or destroy all copies of this communication and please, let us know! Ivobach2@aol.com (Ivo Bach) Sat, 29 Apr 2006 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7583/1/E-35th-Anniversary-of-Croatian-language-ministry-in-the-Diocese-of-Brooklyn.html Â35th Anniversary of Croatian language ministry in the Diocese of Brooklyn2006 marks the 35th Anniversary of Croatian language ministry in the Diocese of Brooklyn. It is an event worthy of recognition because it set the foundation for the development of today’s Croatian Apostolate, a vibrant and active community of faith in the diocese. ÂÂÂThis anniversary is a celebration of all Croats who are drawn to the apostolate by virtue of their faith and cultural heritage, as well as to the Diocese of Brooklyn itself, which truly is the diocese of immigrants. ÂThe pastoral care of immigrants has always been well demonstrated in the Diocese of Brooklyn by bishops of the past, as well as our current bishop, Nicholas Di Marzio. From its inception, the Diocese of Brooklyn reflected the great diversity of the Catholic Church, thus making the church in Brooklyn and Queens truly universal. Today in the diocese, Mass is said every Sunday in twenty-six different languages. The Catholic Migration Office, headed by Msgr. Ronald Marino, has been responsive to the spiritual needs of immigrants in the diocese for over thirty-five years. ÂMany ethnic groups, like the Croats, are organized into apostolates which are ministered by priests of the same native group, enabling immigrants to worship in their native languages. As we commemorate this anniversary, our hearts fill with gratitude for the motherly concern and solicitude expressed by the Diocese of Brooklyn in welcoming the newcomers in her midst, in the past, as well as today. Croats started arriving in large numbers in the area of Brooklyn and Queens in the 1960’s. The Croatian cultural heritage, deeply rooted in the Catholic faith, is a valuable treasure they brought with them to their new homeland. At Most Precious Blood Church, in the Diocese of Brooklyn, Croats found a spiritual home where they could share this faith and culture. Over the years, many Croats have found solace within this community; they found a part of their homeland, a place where they can continue to nurture and strengthen their faith. Many would witness that this community of faith is the backbone of their spiritual existence. This legacy of a deep faith, steeped in Croatian culture, is their contribution to the larger multi-cultural society in which they live. Today, it is lovingly being passed on to the next generation of Croatian-Americans. As we commemorate this 35th anniversary, our hearts fill with pride and gratitude for the wisdom and vision of the Catholic Church in Croatia for sending pastoral leaders to minister to Croatian immigrants living in New York City. With the presence of a Croatian priest, Croatian immigrants were able to fully participate in the sacramental life of the church; it strengthened their faith and established a living community of believers. The Croatian Apostate today is indebted to all the priests who have ministered to this community over the last thirty-five years, in particular to Father Andrea Niccoli whose ministry to the Croats of Most Precious Blood Church spanned forty years. Many celebrating this anniversary personally remember the countless baptisms and marriages Father Niccoli celebrated in this parish. His dedication to his people has left an indelible impression upon the hearts of all those who knew him. Father Runje, OFM, who arrived in Most Precious Blood in 1971, was the first priest to be officially appointed by the Diocese of Brooklyn to minister to the Croatian people. His pastoral work with Croats, who were arriving in large numbers at that time, set up a solid foundation for today’s Croatian Apostolate. The priests that ministered to the community after him, Father Anton Zec, Father Anton Bozanic and Father Robert Zubovic, have all been from the Diocese of Krk in Croatia. The Diocese of Krk, together with Bishop Zupan, and the bishops of the past, has been at the forefront in fostering the spiritual growth of the community by continuing to send priests to serve the Croatian Apostolate. Each of these priests has made a unique contribution to the spiritual well being of the community. Over the years, the support of the pastors of Most Precious Blood Parish has been invaluable for the spiritual development of the Croatian Apostolate. Last year, the community was deeply saddened by the death of Msgr. Stafford who, as the shepherd of this great church, was compassionate and understanding towards the needs of the Croatian community. We are thankful for his life of service and for God’s divine providence in sending Father Marcelo Latona to lead the faithful of Most Precious Blood. He has shown kindness, strength, and courage and, like his predecessors, is committed to the community’s spiritual growth. For this, we are very grateful. Today we commemorate an ongoing journey of a community that has found strength in its beliefs as it continues to seek God. It is a celebration of the faith and dedication to God and Church that has been manifested over the last thirty-five years by countless individuals; may their example serve as an inspiration for all of us to continue our own personal walk with the Lord. In this way, the spirit of tonight’s celebration will persevere long after the event is over. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Fri, 28 Apr 2006 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7582/1/H-35-obljetnica-Hrvatske-Katolicke-Misije-u-New-Yorku.html Â35. obljetnica Hrvatske Katolicke Misije u New YorkuÂKONCERT: Povodom proslave 35. obljetnice Hrvatske Katolicke Misije u New Yorku na prigodan nacin bit ce obiljezena i 100-ta obljetnica rodjenja velikog hrvatskog skladatelja Borisa Papondopula. Na koncertu prije svecane mise njujorski ansambl "St. Raphael Cappella" izvest ce Papandopulovu skladbu Impresije za puhace. Bit ce izvedena i cuvena Sinfonietta op. 10 Lisztova ucenika i romanticnog skladatelja Joachima Raffa, jedno od monumentalnih djela za puhace. St. Raphael Cappella sastoji se od vrhunskih profesionalnih glazbenika Vojne Akademije SAD-a West Point kao i od povremenih clanova iz Julliard School of Music u New Yorku. Glazbeni ravnatelj i dirigent sastava je prof. Drago Bubalo, koji je od 1999. - 2003. djelovao u RH kao dirigent Orkestra Hrvatske vojske. MISA. Tijekom Svecane Sv. Mise pjevat ce se poznata Hrvatska Misa don Sime Marovica, kapelnika Splitske Katedrale. Misa je skladana za soliste, muski ansambl, mjesoviti zbor, orgulje i orkestar, te je praizvedena tijekom posjete Sv. Oca Ivana Pavla II Splitu 1998. godine. Nastupa Hrvatski Zbor u New Yorku (novi pjevacki sastav od 50-tak clanova kojeg je okupio zupnik don Robert Zubovic), Klapa Astoria, Rade .... i don Robert Zubovic kao solisti, a uz pratnju puhackog orkestra "St. Raphael Cappella" pod ravnanjem Drage Bubala. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Fri, 28 Apr 2006 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7584/1/E-Zadars-Ecclesiastical-Isolation-from-the-Church-in-Croatia-Must-End.html ÂZADAR'S ECCLESIASTICAL ISOLATION FROM THE CHURCH IN CROATIA MUST ENDThe Catholic Church in Zadar is still outside of the Croatian ecclesiastical framework. Since the way has been cleared for Croatia’s entry into the EU, a discussion has taken place in Split about the “irregular situation of the Zadar Archdiocese” on the occasion of the 31st Plenary Session of the Croatian Bishops Conference. In an appeal to Pope Benedict XVI, Mons. Ivan Prenda, Zadar’s Archbishop, stressed that progress towards the spiritual wellbeing of Croatian people in Zadar is directly linked to the reintegration of their church into Croatian society and ecclesiastical territory. Also, Mons. Prenda noted that pressures from outside Croatia are intensifying regarding Zadar, as full EU membership approaches, and that full integration within the Croatian Church’s framework would eliminate such dangers. Mons. Prenda stated that the justification for the establishment of a new ecclesiastical territory in Zadar, is as strong as the support for a new see in Dakovo. In an interview published by Glas koncila (Glas Koncila, broj 44, 30 Oct 2005) Mons. Prenda correctly referred to the Croatian peoples’ spiritual, historical, cultural, and geographical right to be integrated within one ecclesiastical framework: “U prilog tome govore crkveni razlozi, pastoralni razlozi, povijesno-kulturalni i geografski razlozi te potreba crkvene integracije u okvirima nove hrvatske drzave. Mi smo jedan narod i jedna Crkva te sve govori da se i na crkvenom polju treba dovrsiti integracija. … Ovakav status Zadarske nadbiskupije zbog mnogih razloga trazi svoje pravo rjesenje.” In the modern era, within the context of human rights, the ecclesiastical integration of Zadar with the rest of Croatia is long overdue. Mons. Prenda has given new hope to Croatian people through his discussions. The ‘dangers’ spoken of above include the belief of some in Italy that Zadar should be reoccupied--but Zadar’s history, like Britain’s, pre-dates Roman occupation. Would it be reasonable for Italians to now re-occupy the military zone of Hadrian’s Wall in Britain, with a cohort of ‘Dalmatians’ or others from the Roman empire as in the 2nd century AD? The same standards should apply in Croatia, as in the rest of the EU. In addition, anti-clericalism in Zadar is the direct result of occupation by Venetians, by Italian administrators under the Hapsburgs, by Italian occupation after Versailles, and by Mussolini’s fascists. The legacy of those occupations is that the Catholic Church in Zadar has been isolated from the rest of the church in Croatia since 1917, under the direct administration of the Holy See. In conclusion, the rights of Croatian people must be honoured. Croatian people have a right to expect the ecclesiastical unity of the Catholic Church in Croatia, and they have a right to experience spiritual advancement together as a nation. Therefore, the ecclesiastical unity of the Catholic Church in Croatia is one of many issues that must be resolved before Croatia enters the European Union.Jean Lunt MarinovicOctober 2005www.croatianviewpoint.com letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Tue, 01 Nov 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7585/1/H-BILLY-GRAHAM-u-New-Yorku.html ÂBILLY GRAHAM u New YorkuDragi moji vjernici!Ovih se dana u New Yorku dogadja veliki javni navjestaj Krista - Spasitelja!Na prostoru gdje se susrecu ljudi koji govore 130 stranih jezika Sveto ce Evandjelje propovijedati evangelicki propovjednik BILLY GRAHAM. Na poticaj biskupa biskupije Brooklyn Nicholasa DiMarzio, poticem i Vas, da nadjete vremena i ne propustite ovaj milosni trenutak u nasemu gradu.Prostor: USTA, Flushing Meadow Corona Park, NY (24, 25 i 26. lipnja)Info.www.billyhraham.org Don Robert Zubovic letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sat, 25 Jun 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7587/1/E-Dateline-NBC-To-Air-A-Piece-On-Medjugorje-May-18-2005.html   Dateline NBC To Air A Piece On Medjugorje on Wednesday, May 18  Dateline NBC will air a segment about Miracles on Wednesday, May 18 (John Paul II birthday!), at 8 p.m. (EST). This segment will include a one-hour piece on Medjugorje, with interviews of Ivan, his wife (Laureen), and Artie Boyle (Boston man, father of 13, healed of cancer in Medjugorje). For program times in your area, check Dateline NBC's web page or your local TV guide. Please click here to return to Medjugorje USA's Home Page http://www.medjugorjeusa.org/If you would like to write Medjugorje USA, I welcome your comments:info@Medjugorje USA http://www.medjugorjeusa.org/datelinemedjugorje.htmAbout Medjugorje USAEstablished October 30, 1997, Medjugorje USA is a website dedicated to spreading the messages of the apparitions of the Virgin Mary. See the page titled, "Gospa's Messages. Gospa's Messages Since June of 1981, six children (now grownup) have made claim to visitations of the Blessed Mother. The visionaries are receiving hundreds of messages, which are shared with the world. See the page titled, "Story of Medjugorje." Story of Medjugorje The visionaries have undergone much testing through the years, yet no teams of experts have been able to disprove their claims of visitations. See the page titled, "Visionaries Medical Research." Visionary Medical Research Some miraculous events are witnessed by thousands of pilgrims visiting this growing hamlet in Bosnia, while other pilgrims experience a personal interior conversion or deepening of faith. Some pilgrims take pictures which when developed are quite unusual. See the page titled, "Unusual Photos." Unusual Photos Medjugorje USA first started out as Miracles and Wonder of Medjugorje, as the size of the website increased beyond the bandwidth of its free 5K limit, it was decided to create a virtual domain address and hire a web hosting company. Hence, Medjugorje USA was born. Information has been added at such a rate that today Medjugorje USA is one of the largest Medjugorje website on the Internet with about 50K of Catholic information. We not only have information on Medjugorje but carry info on other Marian apparitions as well. We also carry traditional devotional pages, and other mixed Catholic information. See the page titled, "Website Map."Medjugorje USA's Website Map Medjugorje USA is listed with all the major search engines and some search engines say that Medjugorje USA is an "Extensive web site about the apparitions in Medjugorje. Also deals briefly with other well-known and recent Marian apparitions." I don't believe my humble website is the best but Medjugorje USA is greatly motivated to provide its visitors with a host of useful Catholic information.At Medjugorje USA we receive thousands of email from all around the world. We do our very best to answer everyone who writes us and will continue answering questions or thoughts our visitors may have. We will continue the unending quest of adding new Catholic information on the website, in hopes that each and every visitor may be consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus, for the glory of God. This we will do in all humility. Medjugorje USA is owned and operated by Michael Kenneth Jones.   letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Tue, 10 May 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7586/1/E-From-Nazareth-to-Trsat-Monument-to-the-Holy-Father.html   From Nazareth to Trsat Monument to the Holy Father     by Darko Belovictranslation by Hilda FoleyMay 10, 2005. A monument to the great Pope John Paul II was solemnly unveiled in the park facing the entrance to the Trsat sanctuary. Franciscans are the guardians and servants of the Blessed Mother of Trsat sanctuary. According to tradition, the history of this sanctuary, which was only recorded by the 15th century, began with the transport of the little house of the Blessed Virgin Mary from Nazareth to Trsat on May 10, 1291. According to the same tradition, the little house was transported on Dec. 10, 1294 to Loretto. Prince Nikola Krcki-Frankopan had a chapel erected on Trsat which quickly became a place of pilgrimage. In this chapel since 1367, the miraculous picture of the Mother of God is honored, which, again according to tradition, was presented to the Loretto pilgrims from the Croatian Primorje by Pope Urban V upon the request from Ivan and Stjepan Frankopan.The bronze monument "Trsat Pilgrim", the work of Ante Jurkic, was unveiled by the Zagreb Archbishop and President of the Croatian Bishops' Conference Cardinal Josip Bozanic. The monument weighs a little less than one ton and its height is, including the base, 2.8 meters. After the unveiling of the monument, Cardinal Bozanic led a Eucharistic celebration.The imposing monument in bronze portrays John Paul II at the moment of prayer in front of the miraculous picture of the Blessed Mother of Trsat (Gospa Trsatska) during his visit to this sanctuary on May 8, 2003, on his third pastoral visit to Croatia when he stayed five days in Rijeka.Rijeka's best loved visitor Pope John Paul II came to the Trsat sanctuary to render homage the Blessed Mother. The Holy Father expressed the request that all people visiting this sanctuary pray for him during his life on earth and after his death.                           Photos by Darko Belovic  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Tue, 10 May 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7589/1/E-Applause-chanting-complements-farewell-Mass-for-Pope.html ÂApplause, chanting complements farewell Mass for PopeÂ08/04/2005 - 12:08:47Presidents, prime ministers and kings joined pilgrims and prelates in St Peterâs Square today to bid farewell to Pope John Paul at a funeral service that drew millions to Rome for one of the largest religious gatherings in the West of modern times.Applause rang out in the wind-whipped square as John Paulâs simple wooden coffin adorned with a cross and the M for Mary was brought out from the basilica and placed on the ground in front of the altar. The book of the Gospel was placed on the coffin.A choir sang the Gregorian chant Grant him Eternal rest O Lord, and the service got underway. Cardinals wearing white mitres walked onto the square, the wind rippling their red vestments and the pages of the Gospel.Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, dean of the College of Cardinals, a close confidant of John Paul and a possible successor, referred to him as our âlate beloved Popeâ€? in a homily that traced his life from his days as a factory worker in Nazi-occupied Poland to the last days of his life as the head of the worldâs one billion Catholics.Interrupted by applause at least 10 times, the usually unflappable German-born Ratzinger choked with emotion as he recalled one of John Paulâs last public appearances â when he blessed the faithful from his studio window on Easter Sunday.He was interrupted again toward the end of the Mass by several minutes of cheers and shouts of Saint John Paul, from the crowd, seeking immediate sainthood for the late Pope.âWe can be sure that our beloved Pope is standing today at the window of the fatherâs house, that he sees us and blesses us,â€? he said to applause, even among the prelates, as he pointed up to the third-floor window above the square.âToday we bury his remains in the earth as a seed of immortality â our hearts are full of sadness, yet at the same time of joyful hope and profound gratitude,â€? said Ratzinger in heavily-accented Italian.He said John Paul was a âpriest to the lastâ€? and said he had offered his life for God and his flock âespecially amid the sufferings of his final monthsâ€?.Groggy pilgrims who had camped out on the cobblestones awoke in their sleeping bags to hordes of the faithful stepping over them as they tried to secure a good spot to view the Mass. The square and the boulevard leading to it were a sea of red and white flags waved by pilgrims from John Paul's beloved Poland, many in traditional dress shouting âPolska! Polska!â€?âWe just wanted to say goodbye to our father for the last time,â€? said Joanna Zmijewsla, 24, who travelled for 30 hours with her brother Szymon from a town near Kielce, Poland, and arrived at St. Peterâs at 1am today.Before the Mass began, American Archbishop James Harvey, head of papal protocol, greeted black-clad dignitaries and religious leaders as they emerged from St Peterâs onto the steps. Many of the officials shook Harveyâs hand and offered condolences before mingling and taking their appointed seats.Turbans, fezzes, yarmulkes and black lace veils, or mantillas, joined the zucchettos or skull caps of Catholic prelates on the steps of St Peterâs in an extraordinary mix of religious and government leaders from around the world.âIâm here because Iâm a believer but also to live a moment in history,â€? said Stephan Aubert, wearing a French flag draped over his shoulders.Bells tolled as the the last of the leaders took their places on red-cushioned wooden seats. Ten minutes before the scheduled start of the funeral, the US delegation arrived, headed by President George Bush and including his father, former President George Bush, and former President Bill Clinton.President Bush and his wife, Laura, sat next to French President Jacques Chirac and his wife.Rome itself was at a standstill. A ban on vehicle traffic took effect in the city centre. Air space was closed and anti-aircraft batteries outside the city were on alert. Warships patrolled both the Mediterranean coast and the Tiber River near Vatican City, the tiny sovereign city-state encompassed by the Italian capital.Italian authorities took extraordinary precautions to protect the royalty and heads of state or government attending the funeral. Dignitaries from more than 80 countries, including the presidents of Syria and Iran, as well as Jewish and Muslim leaders, also were attending.The Popeâs death on Saturday has evinced a remarkable outpouring of affection around the world and brought an estimated four million people to Rome to see the funeral from up close.At least 300,000 people filled the square and Via della Conciliazione straight to the Tiber River, waving flags from the US, Croatia, Lebanon and elsewhere, many of them adorned with black ribbons of mourning. Banners read Sainthood Immediately.Several million more watched on giant video screens set up across Rome in piazzas and at the enormous Circus Maximus, where a group of youngsters wearing t-shirts that read The Boys of Pope John Paul The Great sold a commemorative booklet about the Pontiff.The funeral was preceded by an intimate ceremony attended only by high-ranking prelates, who placed a pouch of silver and bronze medals and a scrolled account of the Popeâs life in his coffin.John Paulâs long-time private secretary, Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, and the master of the liturgical ceremonies, Archbishop Piero Marini, placed a white silk veil over the Popeâs face before the coffin was closed.Dziwisz was seen weeping on several occasions during the service.After a series of hymns, readings and the homily, Ratzinger called all to prayer.âDear brothers and sisters let us entrust to the most gentle mercy of God, the soul of our Pope John Paul II. â May the Blessed Virgin Mary â intercede with God so that he might show the face of his blessed Son to our pope, and console the church with the light of the Resurrection.â€?The Mass ended with all standing and together singing: â€?May the angels accompany you into heaven, may the martyrs welcome you when you arrive, and lead you to Holy Jerusalem.â€?After that, the body will be carried deep under St. Peterâs Basilica, where it was to join the remains of popes from centuries past near the traditional tomb of the apostle Peter, the first Pope.On the eve of the funeral, the Vatican released John Paulâs last will and testament, written in Polish over 22 years beginning five months after his election in October 1978.In it, John Paul said he wanted to be buried âin the bare Earthâ€? and have prayers and Masses celebrated after his death.He instructed his private secretary to burn his personal notes. He also suggested he considered resigning in 2000, when his infirmities were already apparent. Revising his will just three days before a historic pilgrimage to the Holy Land, John Paul prayed that God would âhelp me to recognise up to what point I must continue this service.â€?Rome groaned under the weight of visitors. Side streets were clogged in a permanent pedestrian rush hour, mostly by children with backpacks. Tent camps sprang up at the Circus Maximus and elsewhere around the city to take the spillover from hotels. Hawkers jacked up prices of everything from bottled water to papal trinkets.http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=139231672&p=y39z3z378 letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Fri, 08 Apr 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7588/1/E-OUR-BELOVED-FATHER-WENT-HOME.html ÂOUR BELOVED FATHER WENT HOME Dear Friend, I want to share with you the experience and the role this great man, Pope John Paul II, had to play with the Croatian Nation. I met him on two occasions, once in Rome and the second time in Denver and was present at the National Shrine of Maria Bistica in Croatia when He proclaimed Cardinal Stepinace Blessed. It was also my joy to have been a TV commentator on EWTN for his last visit to Croatia and two weeks later to Bosnia. The first visit to Croatia was on September 10-11, 1994. He was the first one to recognize the independence of Croatia and called his first visit "A Pilgrimage of Peace and Unity"While in Croatia , the Pope called for unity, forgiveness and the promotion of a culture of peace, "inspired by tolerance and common solidarity" which "does not deny wholesome patriotic sentiment but will never be tempted by the nationalistic aberrations that promote one group at the expense of another."Pope John Paul II visited Croatia in September 1994 as a "pilgrim of reconciliation." The Pope came, as he said, on "an apostolic pilgrimage of the communion of the Church with the goal of reinforcing the bonds between Peter's Cathedra and Catholicism in Croatia." The Holy Father had previously expressed his heartfelt desire to visit Croatia in encounters with Croatian bishops and pilgrims. The opportunity arrived when the Zagreb Archdiocese celebrated its 900th anniversary. At the time of the Pope's first visit to Croatia, the wounds of war were still fresh. One third of Croatia's territory was still occupied. Croatia was faced with the problem of the return of displaced persons and refugees to their homes and the rebuilding of devastated cities, communities and even entire regions. On this pilgrimage of "peace and unity," the Pope, issued a fervent appeal for reconciliation and peace: "I have come to Croatia as a bare-handed pilgrim of the gospel which announces love, harmony and peace," said the Pope upon his arrival to Croatia, in an address delivered during the welcoming ceremonies at the Zagreb Airport.On this occasion, the Pope pointed out that it is imperative to promote a culture of peace "inspired by tolerance and common solidarity. The culture of peace does not deny wholesome patriotic sentiment but it will never be tempted by the nationalistic aberrations that promote one group at the expense of another. The culture of peace can cultivate great and noble souls, people who know that wounds made by hatred will never heal by harboring vindictive feelings but only through the cure of patience and with the balm of forgiveness: forgiveness must be sought and given, with humble and selfless magnanimity," said the Pope at the airport. "If we fail to create a culture of peace," continued the Pope, "war will always lurk in the shadows and glow in the embers of fragile truces. With Christian hope, in this solemn moment, I wish to cry out in pain: may the guns at last fall silent and may our hearts be open to the noble task of creating peace! It is with these wishes that I address all the responsible public officials of this honorable nation, that with support from the international community you may always follow the way of peace in seeking answers to difficult, sensitive and as yet unresolved matters, such as the issue of the establishment of sovereignty over the whole national territory, the return of refugee and displaced populations, and the reconstruction of all that has been destroyed in the war." In the light of the Great Jubilee 2000, the Pope urged everyone to prepare for this great event by "building a more just society on the eternal values of the Gospel, so that you may live in harmony and solidarity."While addressing the highest Government and Church dignitaries, the Pope expressed special compassion for the many displaced persons and refugees, with the hope that they would be able to return to their homes as soon as possible. The Pope also called to mind the many centuries during which "there has never been a decline in the relations between the Catholic Church in Croatia and the Holy See." The Holy Father spoke of "generations of the faithful" who "dedicated their lives to the providence of spiritual guidance, relief from poverty and work toward the overall progress of man in the fields of education, medical care and charitable work," making specific mention of the Croatian saints Nikola Tavelich and Leopold Bogdan Mandich, the Blessed Augustin Kazotic the priest and martyr the Blessed Marko Krizevcanin (later canonized), and "the honorable and reverend person of Alojzije Cardinal Stepinac, Servant of God, the fortress of the Church in Croatia." In addition to these, during an address to priests, religious and seminarians, he also mentioned the auxiliary bishop of Zagreb, Josip Lang, the Franciscan Ante Antic, Vendelin Vosnjak and the layman Ivan Merz.Referring to the conditions endured by Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina during the war, the Pope said that the Holy See, which was the first to recognize the independence and sovereignty of the democratic Republic of Croatia on January 13, 1992, continued "by all means available, to plead for the control of tensions and the establishment of justice and peace in the Balkans. Peace requires effort and hard work but it is the sacred duty of every religious person. Peace is possible wherever peace is sought in earnest. To achieve a peace which would be based upon justice and truth, we must first pray to our Lord for peace," said the Supreme Pontiff.In the Pope's address during the celebration of the Eucharist at the Zagreb Hippodrome on September 11, 1994, he spoke further on this subject to an assembly of over one million. "The tragic divisions of today and the ensuing tensions," said the Holy Father, "should never become a reason to forget that the peoples who are at war with one another today have always had so much in common. It is therefore an essential and urgent task to gather all that brings them together — and common things are not scarce — and to use that communality as a basis to create a future solidarity of brothers. Peace in the Balkans — I want to emphasize that now, in the midst of all this suffering — it is no Utopia! On the contrary, peace is a historically realistic perspective!" emphasized the Holy Father. "For centuries the peoples of this region have accepted each other and made many exchanges in art, language, script and cultural heritage. Is this not shared wealth for the benefit of all, this tradition of religious tolerance which has been going strong for almost a millennium, which has survived even some of the darkest chapters of history? No, this phenomenon of nationalistic intolerance that rages in the region today cannot be ascribed to religion! This is true not only of the Christians of various denominations — and God calls upon them today to work especially hard for harmony — but also of the people of other faiths, and particularly Muslims, whose presence has been so important in the Balkans. All are called to find a way to live with each other in a civilized manner and to respect each other," said the Pope.The Pope further stressed that faith must once again "become the force which unites and yields fruit," using the image of the Sava and the Danube, which flow through Croatia and its neighbors, linking the countries in this region with the rest of Europe. "These two rivers meet, much in the same way that the peoples who live on their shores are called upon to meet. The two Christian churches, the Eastern and the Western Christian Churches, must lead that effort because in these parts, they have always lived together. The metaphor of the two rivers makes rather transparent the path God wants you to take in this troubled moment of your history," said the Pope. "It is the path of unity and peace and no one should avoid it. . . . Once co-operation and solidarity are restored, the peoples living on the Balkan Peninsula will be able to face their many problems and solve them. The progress and well-being of all peoples in the Balkans has one name only, and that name is Peace!" said the Holy Father.Speaking about the design for society implied by the Lord's Prayer, the Pope said, "Such a society can be seen as an extended family in which individuals and groups feel respected and loved by others unconditionally. . . . This splendid design of a society is unfortunately vulnerable to human error. That is why the Lord's Prayer shows us the right path, upon which we must retrace our steps every time we slip from it: the way of forgiveness: ‘Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.' . . . To ask forgiveness and forgive — that in essence is everyone's duty if we wish to lay a good foundation for a true and lasting peace," said the Pope.At the farewell ceremony at the Zagreb Airport on September 11, 1994, the Pope had a message for the Croatian people: "Fortified by experiences........... through a past not always marked by joyful events, today you are called upon to build a better future, to participate actively in public life and make your irreplaceable contribution to strengthening the democratic system, institutions and perfecting a legal state. Never forget that faith shows its fruits when it is in a position to bolster initiatives of goodness, tolerance and forgiveness. Let your history truly be a ‘teacher' for the present. Your roots extend back to the tradition of thirteen centuries of fidelity to the values of the Gospels. They have brought your ancestors the fruits of tolerance and understanding expressed in respect and cooperation with neighboring nations, even when it was necessary to fight for your nation to regain independence." In this message, the Holy Father reassured the people that they had "the courage to forgive and accept" their neighbors but also provided clarification: "Obviously, forgiveness does not mean relinquishing the legal means of a legal state, whose duty it is to conduct investigations against the perpetrators of crimes. To forgive means to free the heart of emotions of revenge, which are not conducive to building a culture of love in which every person of good will participates with his/her own contribution. Peace implies that in the foundations of every initiative, there should always be the sincere desire for dialogue, respect for the rights of each individual, including national minorities, and attempts at mutual tolerance. Be firmly convinced that the good of peace has its ultimate foundation in the heart of God Himself. You have directly experienced the error into which a society can fall when it builds its foundations on the rejection of God and contempt for Divine Law. When this occurs, a person is no longer the primary good of the state but becomes an object and means for achieving goals that are against humanity. The past and contemporary history teach us that true faith in Christ provides the firmest support for the preservation and advancement of human dignity," said the Holy Father."At this moment, as I am returning to the Vatican," said the Pope, "I am taking with me as a memento your faces, your eyes in which I have read the ardent desire to repair the present and for the future to flourish. All of you, especially young people, I tell you once again: Be brave!" Our beloved Holy Father has crossed the threshold of hope. For those under the age of forty, John Paul II was the only pope they ever really knew. For a surprisingly large number of us, he was the only pope we ever met or saw in person. For virtually all of us, he was the singular face of the Catholic Church during our adult lives. We measured our lives with him by decades. He was the pope of our lives. He loved us. We loved him. We heard the sound of his voice often, and even now, in the silence, we cannot forget it. May his words, "Be not afraid! Come to Christ!" echo in our ears when our breathing, too, becomes thin and our flesh fails us.John Paul II uniquely humanized the papacy via his relentless penchant for travel, his embrace of modern media, and the force of his personality. We came to love this man the way most of us experienced our own fathers-- from the vigor of their prime to the growing fragility of physical decline.In recent centuries, perhaps because his predecessors, for whatever practical or prudential reasons, chose to not wear the leather off their shoes so publicly, it was understandable for Catholics to perceive the papacy primarily through the lens of the Chair of Peter, that is, with an emphasis on the magisterial authority of the office these men occupied. Pius XII infallibly defined the Assumption of Mary. Pope John XXIII initiated Vatican II. Pope Paul VI was the Humanae Vitae pope. If we came to know previous popes through their works, then we came to love John Paul II through his quirks. We will never forget that he was the one who skied. Our earliest popes worked, dined, ruled, and were usually slaughtered alongside the handfuls of Christians they shepherded in early Rome. As with those early popes, John Paul was the first modern pope to actively expose us so openly to his very self. He ensouled his own proclamation of Christ's teaching on the dignity and uniqueness of the individual human person.As from the upside-down martyrdom of Saint Peter, with the singularly unequivocal writ of this particular man's death, the Holy Spirit has willed for His Catholic Church a new life through a new particular man--a man already walking this earth (a man even now unlikely to be certain of his approaching destiny, if the testimony of other about-to-be-elected popes is our guide). Let us join our prayers and mourning for the soul of John Paul II to our enthusiastic anticipation and gratitude for his successor, the next Peter with the power to bind and loose on earth and heaven. We know John Paul II loved Mary, and we are sure that She welcomed him with Her Divine Son Jesus to the Eternal Home which awaits us all. God bless you and through the example of John Paul II, the saintly servant of Jesus, may we continue our journey on earth doing the things God gave us to do. May God's peace be upon you as we together wait for the day when we will meet him again in the arms of Jesus.  Sincerely Yours in Christ, Fr. Giordano M. Belanich letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Fri, 08 Apr 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7593/1/E-Strict-Protocol-Will-be-Followed-to-Elect-New-Pope.html ÂStrict Protocol Will be Followed to Elect New Pope ÂBy VOA News 02 April 2005Pope John Paul II Following the death of a pope, the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church meet in a session known as a conclave to elect a successor.The conclave, derived from a Latin word meaning locked together, must begin between 15 and 20 days following a pope's death. The tradition of isolating the cardinals developed following a nearly three-year deadlock over a papal election in the 13th century. Church members, tired of waiting, locked the cardinals in a palace and removed the roof, forcing a quick election.During the conclave, the 117 eligible cardinals gather in the Sistine Chapel to vote four times a day, twice each in the morning and evening. Every time there is no winner, an official burns the ballots with a special chemical to produce black smoke that rises from a chimney above the chapel.When the cardinals succeed, only the ballots are burned, sending white smoke rising from the chimney and signaling to the world that the 1.1 billion-member Roman Catholic Church has a new pontiff.A senior cardinal then steps out onto the central balcony in front of Saint Peter's Basilica and announces in Latin to thousands of the faithful assembled in the square below - "habemus papam," or we have a pope. The new pontiff then steps out in his papal robes and gives the city and the world his first blessing. http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-04-02-voa35.cfm letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sat, 02 Apr 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7592/1/E-Karol-Jozef-Wojtyla-Jr-Pope-John-Paul-II-1920---2005.html ÂPope John Paul II, spiritual leader of Roman Catholic Church, diesBY DAVID O'REILLYPosted on Sat, Apr. 02, 2005 Knight Ridder Newspapers(KRT) - Pope John Paul II, 84, spiritual leader of the world's one billion Roman Catholics for a quarter of a century, died Saturday.Firmly conservative in matters of morality and theology, yet passionately progressive on behalf of the poor, immigrants and world peace, John Paul was an uncompromising moral voice and a giant on the world stage.Even as ill health visibly overtook him, he carried his message around the world - slowed, but never stopped, by bullets, a tumor, a broken hip, arthritis, Parkinson's disease and advancing age.As he took on such controversial topics as abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment, communist oppression and capitalist greed, John Paul found himself allied with differing factions of the secular world. But it was the issues that varied, not his stance: All his positions were grounded in his unwavering belief in the worth and dignity of every human life.The pontiff's failing health had become an acute public concern in recent years as he grew visibly weaker and struggled at times to walk and speak.Yet images of John Paul in his prime, stepping off airplanes, kissing the ground of each new nation he visited, or stretching his arms out to cheering crowds in cities as diverse as Manila, Dublin, Sao Paolo and Philadelphia are an indelible part of his legacy.In 103 pontifical journeys around the globe, including four official visits to the United States, John Paul earned a reputation as the most evangelical pope in the 2,000-year history of Christianity.He also declared a record 476 people to be saints of the Catholic Church, including Philadelphia's St. Katharine Drexel, foundress of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, in 2000.The intense national pride John Paul's 1979 visit aroused in his native Poland is credited with hastening the collapse of communism there and across Eastern Europe. He reached out to other faiths: He paid the first papal visit to a synagogue, concelebrated the first papal Mass with an Orthodox patriarch, and promoted reconciliation between the Roman Catholic Church and major Protestant and Orthodox denominations.At the same time, however, he challenged trends of the secular world. From the very start of his papacy he warned that a pleasure-seeking, materialistic "culture of death" was eroding Western European and North American cultures, as evidenced by their embracing of extramarital sex, birth control, drugs, abortion, euthanasia and divorce.He also suppressed liberal dissent within the church, once dismissed Buddhism as an "atheistic" religion, irked the Orthodox Church by seeking a larger Catholic presence in postcommunist Russia, steadfastly opposed the ordination of women, and proposed in a 1995 encyclical that all denominations recognize the pope as supreme bishop of Christianity.In the final stage of John Paul's pontificate, the church in the United States was rocked by scandal involving sexual abuse by priests and complaints that the Vatican had done too little to address the problem. In June 2002, the Holy See approved an unprecedented set of rules spelling out how American bishops should respond to cases of clergy sex abuse.Many Catholics in Western Europe and North America chose to disregard his strict moral teachings, especially on matters of sexuality.Because of his firm stances, John Paul II leaves behind a Roman Catholic Church far more assertive on faith and morals than the institution he inherited. His clarity "strengthened the foundations" of the church for the next century, according to Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, Philadelphia's retired archbishop.Agree with him or disagree, John Paul was impossible to ignore."When you do the reckoning of the 20th century, his will be one of the top five or 10 names, along with the likes of Gandhi and Roosevelt and Churchill," said Martin Marty, a prominent Protestant lecturer and historian of Christianity.Whether the church continues along the path that John Paul pointed it, or embarks in new directions depends on the 135 elector cardinals now preparing to converge on Rome.Their first order of business will be papal funeral. Then, in about two weeks, the cardinals will gather under Michelangelo's great ceiling mural in the Sistine Chapel, where they will begin casting ballots for John Paul's successor in a manner little changed in nearly 1,000 years.And they will announce the result just as John Paul's was announced 25 years ago.On Oct. 16, 1978, at 6:18 p.m., puffs of white smoke erupted from a chimney atop the Sistine Chapel.Far below, in St. Peter's Square, 200,000 people cheered as Cardinal Pericle Felici of the College of Cardinals, appeared at a balcony. "Habemus Papam!" he declared in Latin - "We have a pope!"The crowd roared once more.Then Felici announced the new pope's identity: "Cardinale Karolum Wojtyla."The roaring paused."Voy-teeya?" That wasn't Italian. The crowd stood dumbfounded until someone recognized the name. "Il Polacco!" a voice cried. "The Pole!"The words zigzagged through the crowd like lightning, and then turned into a cacophony as all grasped their stunning implication: The archbishop of Krakow had been named the first non-Italian pope in 455 years."As the crowd cheered, the 58-year-old Pope stepped to the balcony."I was afraid to receive this nomination," he said, "but I did it in the spirit of obedience to Our Lord and in the total confidence in His mother, the most holy Madonna."In the square and around the world, millions listened and wondered: Who IS this Cardinal Karol Wojtyla?Journalists scrambled for details: The new pope was 5-foot-10 and weighed 175 pounds. He did not smoke. He drank wine with meals and liked to ski, kayak and climb mountains.He was fluent in French, English, Spanish, Greek, Italian, Latin and German, and wrote his own speeches longhand.During World War II he had done factory labor, and he had dated before entering the priesthood. There was even talk (never confirmed) that he had once been engaged. He was a playwright, a poet, a philosopher and an accomplished actor.What these charming details failed to convey, however, was the iron that Karol Wojtyla was made of - iron forged by his experiences as a seminarian, priest, bishop, archbishop and cardinal in occupied Poland.Persecuted first by the Nazis during World War II and by a communist government afterward, the Polish church had responded with toughness. Demanding rigorous obedience from its members, the Catholic hierarchy renounced the material atheism of communism and distanced itself from the Kremlin-backed government for its repressions, executions and abuse.Within that confrontational context no one within the Polish church - clergy or laity - dared to challenge the authority of the prelates.And this model of the Polish church as an unyielding bulwark against secular materialism would serve as Karol Wojtyla's model for the worldwide Catholic Church.About 15 years before he became pope, for example, he led the opposition when the reform-minded Second Vatican Council considered adopting a new vision of the church as a "community of equals" in which laity, clergy and hierarchy seek consensus. The archbishop of Krakow dismissed the "community of equals" model, arguing persuasively that in "a perfect society" the laity take direction from the clergy, the clergy from the prelates, and the prelates from the pope.That vision of the church as a hierarchically disciplined moral voice would become the hallmark of his papacy.It was not a universally popular position. French theologian Marie-Dominique Chenu, one of the architects of Vatican II, grumbled that John Paul harked back to the "prototype of the church as an absolute monarchy."And Chicago sociologist William McReady described John Paul as a "peasant intellectual" who "understands the life of a peasant, but he doesn't understand urbanized, pluralistic societies."George Weigel, John Paul's official biographer, scoffs at such glib characterizations."To read the pontificate of Pope John Paul through the political lens of `liberalism' and `conservatism' is to miss the radical character of the Pope's approach to the papacy," Weigel wrote in 1995.The pontiff's "distinctively contemporary enunciation of Christian dogma, and his bold departures in papal diplomacy ... will reshape Catholicism's world role well into the third millennium of Christian history.""Strip away the caricatures," Weigel declared, and history will judge John Paul II a "Christian radical" deserving of the title "Pope John Paul the Great."Karol Jozef Wojtyla Jr. was born on May 18, 1920, in Wadowice, Poland, 30 miles outside Krakow.His family's modest home was religious, even by the devoutly Catholic standards of rural Poland. Biographer Tad Szulc wrote that the apartment had a font of holy water at the front door and a small altar in the parlor; Karol Wojtyla Sr. and his wife, Emilia Kaczorowska Wojtyla, read to their two sons from the Bible in the evenings.Emilia Wojtyla was sickly, and began suffering an undiagnosed paralysis when Karol - nicknamed "Lolek" - was about 5. She died when he was 8. His older brother, Edmund, a physician, died in a scarlet-fever epidemic when Karol was 12.That left Karol alone with his father, a reserved and devout man who was a lieutenant in the Austro-Hungarian army. After Edmund's death, his father quit the army and lived on a meager pension, close to poverty.Despite its modest size and rural setting, Wadowice was an intellectual center boasting three public libraries, two theaters, and well-regarded secondary schools. About a fourth of Wadowice's 7,000 residents were Jewish.Young Karol excelled at the local boys' school, where, starting at age 10, he took eight years of Latin and five years of Greek, and participated in dramatics and athletics. He sometimes played goalie for the Jewish soccer team - an unusual gesture in those days.During adolescence he professed no interest in joining the priesthood, but he was something of a straight arrow, according to Szulc, who reports that his school chums avoided using coarse language in his presence. At age 16, he organized a youth group that pledged to go a year without using tobacco or alcohol.He graduated first in his class of 44, and in 1938 enrolled on full scholarship in Jagiellonian University, a Catholic college in Krakow. There he studied literature, acted in student dramas, and participated in poetry readings.And he might have become an actor or playwright except that his life - and all life in Poland - turned upside down when Hitler's army invaded the nation in September 1939."The nobility, priesthood, and Jews must be liquidated," declared Reinhard Heydrich, who had been appointed Nazi governor of the region. The cathedral and seminary were closed at the end of October. A month later, Jagiellonian University was closed; 186 professors were deported to concentration camps.Wojtyla was sent to do hard labor in a stone quarry. Later, he was assigned to a chemical factory.It was during these turbulent times that Wojtyla encountered the ardently spiritual Jan Tyranowski, a gruff, self-educated Krakow tailor who lectured passionately about mysticism and spoke of his own experiences of divine presence. The two became close friends, and Wojtyla would later credit Tyranowski for helping to turn him to religious life.That move began in earnest after his father's sudden death from a heart attack in February 1941. Karol was 21. "I never felt so alone," he said years later.Tyranowski's company and fervent spirituality filled that void, and in the months that followed "I gradually became aware of my true path," he told a group of seminarians two decades later."My priestly vocation took shape ... like an inner fact of unquestionable and absolute clarity. The following year, in the autumn, I knew that I was called."He presented himself to a Carmelite monastery in November 1942, only to be turned away. The monastery was not accepting candidates during the war, the Rev. Josef Prus told him.There is a legend that Prus declined with the prophetic words "Ad majora natus es" - "You are born for higher things." But Szulc, who interviewed the pontiff in 1994, reported that Prus simply encouraged him to reapply "after the war."Wojtyla did not wait, instead presenting himself to Krakow's archbishop, Adam Stefan Sapieha, for seminary training. Soon he began to study for the priesthood in secret locations around the city.After the great Warsaw uprising of Aug. 1, 1944, the Nazis rounded up 8,000 young men in Krakow but failed to discover Wojtyla, who was kneeling at prayer in the basement of his boarding house. Afterward, Archbishop Sapieha concealed Wojtyla and six other seminarians in his residence. In November of that year, Wojtyla took tonsure, the symbolic haircutting that marked his formal entry into religious life.By the time Soviet troops liberated Poland from the Germans in January 1945, the Nazis had exterminated - along with three million Polish Jews and three million other Poles - 2,000 members of the country's Catholic clergy.The Soviet occupiers proved slightly more tolerant of religion than the Nazis had been. The cathedral reopened and Archbishop Sapieha ordained Father Wojtyla on Nov. 1, 1946. Eager to rebuild the church intellectually, the archbishop sent this promising young priest to the Pontifical Atheneum of St. Thomas Aquinas, known as the Angelicum, in Rome.That the archbishop's young protege was "destined for higher things" today is self-evident.In 1946, however, neither the old archbishop nor the 26-year-old priest could have imagined just how high or fast he would soar. Father Wojtyla would become bishop at 38, archbishop at 44, cardinal at 47, and supreme pontiff of the world's largest religious denomination at 58 - the youngest pope in 132 years.Like most Christian denominations, the Roman Catholic Church in the 1940s was untroubled by today's fractious debates over sexual morality or the authority of the hierarchy. Most Catholics - and virtually all in the Catholic clergy - shared the 19th-century English Cardinal John Henry Newman's view of the Roman church as "God's oracle." While in Rome, Father Wojtyla studied under the eminent French Dominican Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, an uncompromising traditionalist - he is said to have disdained telephones as too modern - who reinforced the young priest's conservatism.For his doctoral dissertation, Father Wojtyla chose to study the 16th-century Spanish mystic St. John of the Cross, a favorite of his old friend Tyranowski's. Although enchanted by John's luminous advice for those seeking union with the divine (it was John who coined the phrase "dark night of the soul"), Father Wojtyla's dissertation faulted John for failing to posit an objective basis for morality.Father Wojtyla's critique offers an early example of the future pope's lifelong insistence that certain acts are morally wrong for all humans, regardless of culture or tradition.Upon his return to Poland, he was assigned to a parish but continued his academic career. In 1951, Sapieha - by now a cardinal - urged him to earn a second doctorate so that he could become a university teacher.This time his thesis was on the 20th-century German philosopher Max Scheler, who believed that just as the mind can intuitively recognize certain mathematical truths, it can intuitively recognize certain moral truths, such as the categorical evil of murder.Such a view appealed to Father Wojtyla, who, as a professor of ethics, later as a prelate, and ultimately in the role of moral arbiter for one-sixth of the world's population, would decry moral relativism, insisting there were knowable moral truths binding on all human beings.In 1957, Father Wojtyla was named a professor of ethics at the Catholic University of Lublin. In 1958, he was consecrated auxiliary bishop of Krakow. After Archbishop Eugeniusz Baziak's death in 1962, he was named vicar capitular in charge of the archdiocese - a post he held until becoming archbishop two years later.The year 1962 also marked the start of Vatican II. During the three years of that council, the young prelate began to shape one of the most controversial church teachings of this century: that the use of artificial contraception is a grave sin.In a series of lectures in Krakow, he argued that contraception closes sexual intercourse to the divine creation of life, and degrades women by turning them into sex objects.His views profoundly influenced Pope Paul VI's 1968 encyclical, "Humanae Vitae," which declared artificial birth control a mortal sin.Paul had presented Archbishop Wojtyla with the red cap of a cardinal on May 29, 1967.Also elevated that day was Wojtyla's good friend John Krol, archbishop of Philadelphia, who in later years took special pride that his gold, cross-shaped cardinal's ring matched that of the Pope.Cardinal Wojtyla made two trips to the United States. The first, in 1969, included his first helicopter trip - a flight with Cardinal Krol from Philadelphia to Doylestown's Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa. He returned in 1976 for the International Eucharistic Congress at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul on Logan Circle.By then he was an intimate of Pope Paul, who had assigned him to direct three of the Holy See's most prestigious congregations, approximately equivalent to cabinet-level departments.His growing reputation as a "papabile" - a contender in the discreet competition to be the next pontiff - was enhanced in 1976 when he was invited to the Vatican to deliver a series of Lenten lectures before Pope Paul and the papal household.Paul even encouraged him to deliver the lectures in Italian, not Latin, to show the other cardinals how well he fit in."We are in a lively battle for the dignity of man," Cardinal Wojtyla declared. Secular society was promoting self-indulgence, he said, and pressuring the church's hierarchy to relax its traditional moral norms.But the church and pope are called upon to contradict such trends, Cardinal Wojtyla insisted: "It is the task of the church, of the Holy See, of all pastors to fight on the side of man - often against men themselves!"His words may have been an exhortation to the aged and ailing Paul. Intellectual, progressive, and anxious to implement the reforms of Vatican II, Paul provided hesitant and uncertain leadership for the church at a time when the West was going through a cultural revolution.European and American students were in the vanguard of change. Many laughed at taboos against premarital sex, experimented with drugs, demonstrated against their governments. Some urged armed revolt. In Latin America, priests and nuns preached "liberation theology" and made public stands against totalitarian regimes.Cardinal Wojtyla was clearly prepared to take on the unruly forces of the era - and the Lenten lectures might have been a way of informing other cardinals what kind of pope he could be if elected.When Paul VI died on Aug. 6, 1978, the cardinals chose the progressive, intellectual Cardinal Albino Luciani of Venice, Italy, who took the name John Paul I. Only 33 days into his papacy, the church was stunned by John Paul I's death of apparent heart failure. The College of Cardinals had to convene once again.This time, on the eighth ballot, the cardinals elected Karol Wojtyla.As the first Slavic pontiff in church history, he briefly considered taking the papal name Stanislas, after the patron saint of Poland. Instead, however, he chose to honor the 45 Italian popes who came before him, specifically his three immediate predecessors: John XXIII, Paul VI and John Paul. He became John Paul II.He declined coronation, opting instead for the less formal ceremony of installation at a pontifical Mass. He was installed as the 263rd Bishop of Rome in ceremonies in St. Peter's Square on Oct. 22, 1978.The new pontiff would not be content to play chief bureaucrat of Vatican City, as so many of his predecessors had.Instead, he would be pope to the world: an evangelist who traveled the globe proclaiming the "indelible truth" of the church's teachings."The church needed direction" in the late 1970s, according to retired Archbishop Rembert Weakland of Milwaukee, a leading church liberal, and the cardinals were looking for "somebody energetic, somebody who could make decisions, somebody who would bring a little more discipline in the ranks." They found that commanding leader in John Paul II.From the first, he called on bishops to adhere to church teachings and discipline. He admonished clergy members not to get involved in politics, reminded them of their obligations of chastity, and insisted they wear their habits in public "to remind you of your commitment, which sharply contrasts with the spirit of the world."On his first papal trip outside Rome, to Assisi on Nov. 5, he told the cheering crowds that the church "speaks with my voice."Then, when Cardinal Jean Villot, the Vatican's secretary of state, asked the new pontiff if he might allow the national bishops' conferences to elect a permanent synod to serve as a papal cabinet, John Paul declined. "The Pope will remain supreme and sole legislator," he replied.He wasted no time in staking out his position. In his first year as pope, he revitalized the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith - the Vatican's watchdog panel on dogma - which began cracking down on Catholic theologians who deviated too far from church teachings.In the most celebrated case, the Congregation in 1979 barred the Rev. Hans Kung - a liberal Dutch professor who had challenged the notion of papal infallibility - from teaching at pontifical Catholic universities."The present Pope suppresses problems instead of solving them," Kung complained, and he instantly became a martyr in the eyes of liberal Catholic intellectuals. But theologians who valued their jobs took it as a warning to toe the Vatican line, at least in public.John Paul used his first papal trip abroad, to Central America in January 1979, to make it plain he disapproved of "liberation theology," the belief that the church had a moral obligation to engage politically in the struggle for economic and political justice for the poor. The Marxist-tinged dogma had particular appeal among clergy opposed to the right-wing (and at least nominally Catholic) dictatorships of Latin America.John Paul was unambiguously opposed. "The church cannot approve of this idea of Christ as a political figure, a revolutionary," he declared.Yet only months later, the Pope himself would help launch a revolution.On June 2, 1979, over the strenuous objections of the Kremlin and the communist leadership in Poland, Karol Wojtyla returned to his homeland as pontiff.It was the eve of Pentecost, the feast of the Holy Spirit. A million Poles greeted him in Warsaw's Victory Square, where a giant cross had been erected. He celebrated Mass and, at the close of his homily, spoke words that lit a fire in the hearts of his countrymen:"Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of thy faithful, and renew the face of the Earth," he said, adding with a sweeping gesture, "of THIS Earth." He used the Polish word "ziemen," meaning "land" or "country - and told them again and again, "Be not afraid!"What might sound like a trifling difference in emphasis to English-speakers was a cry of defiance that every Pole recognized. "He was beseeching the Holy Spirit to liberate Poland," observed British journalist Peter Hebblethwaite.The communist government was not amused. The cross in Victory Square was dismantled before nightfall, but the Polish people seemed never again to be so cowed. Within a year, thousands of workers defied the government by staging massive strikes and creating a trade union, Solidarity.As the Solidarity movement grew in strength, it had strong backing within the Vatican and the U.S. government. The support was probably not unconnected. In their 1996 biography, "His Holiness, journalists Carl Bernstein and Marco Politi wrote that "the Reagan administration maintained an intelligence shuttle at the highest level between the White House and the Pope," with Cardinal Krol of Philadelphia serving as "intermediary between the White House, Poland, and the Vatican."When, in 1989, Poles broke the communist monopoly on power by electing a Solidarity Party government, John Paul II was given significant credit for hastening the triumph."The tree was rotten," he would say. "All I did was shake it."This former actor and playwright knew the power of theater. His celebrated foreign visits became dramatically staged affairs designed to thrill the faithful and affirm papal primacy.Upon his arrival at an airport, he would kiss the ground of each new nation he visited. Government leaders - often visibly awed - would greet him. Local cardinals, archbishops and bishops, in chasubles and miters, would follow him in entourage as he visited shrines, cathedrals and seminaries, and concelebrate Mass with him. It became customary for the diocesan bishop to publicly proclaim at length his devotion and obedience.In October 1979, he made his first papal visit to the United States.Of the six cities he visited, one was Philadelphia, the archdiocese of his old friend Cardinal Krol. It was a spectacular event. Thousands of people lined his route from the airport. As sun broke through a day of clouds, a crowd that police estimated at one million saw him celebrate Mass outdoors, before a shining white altar in Logan Circle.The homily he delivered that day - after an introduction that honored Philadelphia as the birthplace of U.S. independence and a cradle of liberty and freedom - highlighted themes he was rapidly defining as hallmarks of his papacy:"Human-Christian values," he said, "are strengthened when power and authority are exercised in full respect for all the fundamental rights of the human person, whose dignity is the dignity of one created in the image and likeness of God. ..."Freedom can ... never be construed without relation to the truth as revealed by Jesus Christ and proposed by His church, nor can it be seen as a pretext for moral anarchy. ..."Divine law is the sole standard of human liberty."He spoke in English, as he spoke in the local language to so many foreign audiences. The spectacle was exhilarating. The Pope, not yet 60, was commanding; the crowds were rapt.The U.S. visit, which included an address to the United Nations, was just one trip in a jam-packed schedule of work, travel - and, indeed, exuberant fun. The athleticism and vigor of this young pontiff were unlike anything modern Vatican-watchers had seen. "How many popes since St. Peter have skied?" he would ask with a grin, and then glide down the slopes in his parka as photographers scampered to keep up.The answer? One.The Polish toast "Stolat" "_ "May you live 100 years" - sometimes seemed in his case a prediction.But on May 13, 1981, a Turk, Mehmet Ali Agca, shot John Paul twice in St. Peter's Square, nearly ending his vibrant papacy in its 31st month. One of the bullets struck his hand. The other went through his torso, barely missing his heart, and ripped into his intestine. Doctors feared fatal peritonitis, but his recovery was swift.There was dark talk that Agca had been in the pay of the Bulgarian secret police and that the assassination plot had been masterminded by the Soviet KGB, though no convincing evidence has ever emerged.Although he never knew for sure who wanted him dead, the Pope never doubted who saved his life: He forever gave credit to the "special protection" of the Blessed Virgin Mary. "One hand fired," he said later, "and another hand guided the bullet."He eventually had the bullet removed from his body set into the crown of Mary at the Portuguese shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, and donated the bloodied sash to the Polish shrine of Our Lady of Jasna Gora.He wore a bulletproof vest after the shooting, and henceforth toured the crowds in a bulletproof "Popemobile." But he often left its window open - evidence, perhaps, of his surrender to divine will.Who could have blamed John Paul if he afterward had shuttered himself within the Vatican's garden walls, as his predecessors had done for a century?Instead, after the assassination attempt, he seemed to loom larger than ever. With breathtaking vigor, he resumed his evangelism, his assertion of papal authority, and his clarification of moral teaching. The 1980s became his decade.Within the church, he continued to dominate the hierarchy, appointing like-minded conservatives to important offices and quelling liberal dissent. Inside and outside the Vatican walls he continued to fight communism, a battle that culminated in the collapse of Kremlin rule in Eastern Europe in 1989.As years went by, he was perhaps most famous in the secular Western world for his uncompromising stance on issues of marriage, sex and sexuality. He never deviated from the church's traditional teachings on sex and marriage - but he repeated them with an emphasis that had not been heard since before the days of Vatican II.He believed it was contrary to God's law for anyone - Catholic or otherwise - to engage in birth control, abortion, homosexuality, in-vitro fertilization, masturbation, artificial insemination or sterilization. Intercourse between married partners, with no barrier to pregnancy and childbirth, was the only permissible sexual act in his eyes."I don't think there was any uncertainty regarding what the teaching of the church was before the election of John Paul II," said Archbishop John Patrick Foley, a prelate of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia who heads the Vatican's communications office."I think there was uncertainty on the part of many in "perceiving what the teachings of the Church was. ... I think the Holy Father has made it clear where the limits are."His teachings earned him a reputation as a stern moralizer, especially in North America and Western Europe. But those close to him understood that his moral certitude emanated from a deep spirituality: Since his early friendship with Jan Tyranowski, a powerful vein of mysticism had run through his faith.Aides told of finding him lying on the marble floor of his chapel, his arms stretched in the shape of a cross, groaning at prayer. Sometimes, in the middle of a meeting, he would suddenly close his eyes in silent prayer - not as if he chose to pray, but as if prayer somehow took possession of him.Armed by this inner religiosity, he stood firmly behind the church's traditional bans on remarriage after divorce. He rejected all talk of allowing priests to marry. And he adamantly opposed the ordination of women.In his sixth encyclical, the 1987 "Redemptoris Mater (Mother of the Redeemer)", he wrote at length of Mary's special status in the church. His assertion that only the male apostles, not Mary, were instructed to spread the faith - and that women are, therefore, excluded from the priesthood - stirred one of the principal controversies of his pontificate.He affirmed the ban again in a 1994 pastoral letter, "Sacerdotalis Ordinatio," in which he declared: "Christ chose only men as his Apostles, and the Church has imitated Christ in its constant practice of choosing only men."I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that all the faithful are definitively bound by this judgment."That assertion, and the Vatican's attempt to thwart a U.N. initiative on population control in Cairo, Egypt, in 1994, provoked so much outcry that he took pains to explain that he indeed endorsed education and careers for women."Women have a full right to become actively involved in all areas of public life," he declared in a 1995 letter to the United Nations. But, he noted, "equality of dignity does not mean `sameness with men.'"It is necessary to counter the misconception that the role of motherhood is oppressive to women, that a commitment to her family, particularly to her children, prevents a woman from reaching personal fulfillment. ..."Some observers have speculated that his devotion to motherhood, and to Christ's mother, sprang from the death of his own mother when he was 8. Still, his views of women were received coolly by most feminists."John Paul always sees women in their biological dimension; either as mothers or as virgins who must follow the model of the Madonna," complained Ida Magli, an Italian anthropologist."It's always the way they relate to their body: Either they make children or they abstain from sexual intercourse. Wojtyla never sees women as persons in the same way he sees a male as a person. I think that deep in his heart he fears the rebellion of women."John Paul's dealings with other religions also stirred public emotions. In 1986, he became the first pontiff ever to visit a Jewish synagogue, the ancient Synagogue of Rome. In 1994, he ignored his own secretary of state and established full diplomatic relations between the Vatican and the government of Israel. In January 2002, the Vatican published a document that said Christians should respect the Jewish belief that the Messiah has not yet come.But there were many areas of strong disagreement with Jewish leaders. In 1987 and 1988, he received former U.N. Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim, then the president of Austria, despite widely credited allegations that Waldheim had ordered the roundup of Jews in his native Austria during World War II. In 1994 John Paul quietly conferred on Waldheim a papal knighthood, though by that time the Austrian was something of an international pariah. The Pope never explained his reasons publicly.Jews also complained about his handling of a decade-long controversy over the presence of a cross and convent outside the site of the former Auschwitz concentration camp. Eventually, the Pope ordered the convent to move.And in 1989, he angered Jews when he remarked that "the history of the Old Testament shows many instances of Israel's infidelity to God," who sent prophets to "call them to conversion, to warn them of their hardness of heart, and to foretell a new covenant still to come."Although he never addressed the alleged failure of Pope Pius XII to publicly denounce - and possibly thwart - the Nazi Holocaust, the pontiff apologized in a special Year 2000 Mass of Forgiveness "for the sins committed ... against the people of the Covenant" and later prayed at the Holocaust Memorial and the Western Wall in Jerusalem.In 1994, he offended Buddhists in his popular book, "Crossing the Threshold of Hope," in which he called Buddhism an "atheistic system" - in other words, not a religion. When Buddhist leaders around the world protested, and those in Sri Lanka threatened to boycott the pontiff's forthcoming visit, the Vatican issued an apology.No one ever accused him of failing to speak his mind. The complexity of his teachings made it impossible to categorize him simply as a conservative or a liberal.He was a lifelong opponent of communism, for example, which did not stop him from finding fault with its opposite. He cautioned repeatedly against the materialism, hedonism and exploitation that are the dark side of capitalism. In 1991, two years after the Berlin Wall fell, he issued an encyclical warning against a "radical capitalistic ideology" and calling for a capitalism that cared less about profits and consumer goods and more about its responsibilities to the poor."Western countries ... run the risk of seeing this collapse as a one-sided victory of their own economic system, and thereby failing to make necessary corrections in that system," the Pope wrote in "Centesimus Annus."These were themes he echoed in his visit to the United States in 1995. In his homilies and speeches, he reminded audiences that the power and wealth that many Americans enjoy carry with them "heavy responsibilities.""Use it well, America!" he exhorted a crowd of 50,000 in Baltimore. "Be an example of justice and civic virtue, freedom fulfilled in goodness, at home and abroad! ... Every generation of Americans needs to know that freedom consists not in doing what we like but in having the right to do what we ought."His voice was strong, but the extraordinary energy he had expended throughout his pontificate and the physical assaults he had suffered seemed to have taken their toll. After undergoing surgery to remove a benign intestinal tumor in 1992, and breaking his thigh in 1994, he slowed what had been a superhuman pace.A persistent hand tremor and slurred speech raised questions about whether he was suffering a neurological disorder such as Parkinson's disease.Steely beneath his infirmities, John Paul continued to travel and hold public audiences. Though more and more public tasks were delegated to his assistants, he was determined to carry on rather than resign. 2003, The Philadelphia Inquirer.http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/world/11296214.htm  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sat, 02 Apr 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7591/1/E-Pope-John-Paul-II-died-peacefully-today.html ÂJohn Paul II died peacefully todayPope John Paul II: 1920-2005A look at the life and legacy of the pope By TONY KARON Saturday, Apr. 02, 2005John Paul II died peacefully today, after a protracted illness that had sapped his physical strength but never quenched the evangelical fire within him that burned as brightly in his final days as when he first assumed the papacy almost 27 years ago. In his quarter-century in the Vatican, John Paul II made himself synonymous with the papacy in the minds of many of the faithful— dramatically redefining the role with his relentless evangelizing energy and reinvigorating the Catholic Church. He also played a critical role as moral arbiter in the wider world events of his time. While most of his predecessors rarely ventured beyond the walls of the Holy See, John Paul II took the Catholic Church out on the road, ministering every year to millions of the faithful ecstatic at his presence. Those travels, more than anything, may have helped him energize and grow the Church in Africa, Latin America and Asia even as it struggled to retain its flock in the industrialized West. The former Archbishop of Krakow, Karol Wojtyla was elevated to the papacy in 1978, at a time when the Church was engaged in an internal debate over how to interpret the doctrinal changes adopted the previous decade in the process known as Vatican II. He steadfastly held the line against those in the European and North American clergy and laity who saw in Vatican II an opening to democratize the Church and emphasize the primacy of individual conscience — or at least help them to reconcile their opposition to Church edicts on issues such as birth control and divorce. Under John Paul II, even discussion over the ordination of women priests was impermissible, and liberal critics charged that under his watch the Church failed to rise adequately to the challenge of AIDS. But to most of the Catholic faithful worldwide, John Paul II was venerated not simply for his evangelism and his interventions in the political world, but as a contemporary Catholic philosopher without peer, capable, at times, of immense forgiveness (such as the forgiveness of his would-be assassin) and driven by an evangelical passion recalling the great wanderings of the Apostle Paul. In his witness they see the latter-day equivalent of an Old Testament prophet, standing as a bulwark and beacon against those aspects of Western culture deemed both ungodly and death-oriented. In the world outside the Catholic Church, John Paul II is best remembered for his epic role in helping bring down Polish communism at the same time as ensuring a soft landing for the society it had scoured. His epic “Fear not!” injunction to Polish Catholics symbolized the importance of the Church in providing the moral center that emboldened them to peacefully and yet forcefully challenge the reign of the regime imposed by Moscow — and in the process it established the model for the civil society revolutions across Eastern Europe that dismantled most of the Soviet empire with scarcely a shot being fired. But inside the Church his own rule will be remembered as nothing if not authoritarian. John Paul II reasserted, and even amplified the doctrine of "Papal infallibility," and beatified its author, Pope Pius IX. Under the rubric of "collegiality" — and its assumption of a diversity of views — John Paul II quickly made clear that he was less interested in hearing from his bishops than in overseeing their enforcement of Church (and papal) doctrine. The world's Catholic bishops are traditionally called to Rome for consultations every five years, and while those sessions had, certainly since Vatican II, involved a measure of give-and-take, under John Paul II they were more concerned with disseminating a line and quizzing the bishops on instances in which they may have been deemed insufficiently aggressive in defending Church doctrine. But if his insistence on theological conformity inside the church was absolute, his warmth and generosity in reaching out to Christians outside the Catholic communion and to other faiths was without precedent. The tension between those two qualities occasionally prompted his own theological enforcer, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, to issue pastoral letters clarifying the limits of the Vatican's embrace of the protestants or the Orthodox. But John Paul II has offered eloquent and heartfelt apologies to many of those he believes have been wronged by the Church — or more precisely, in his view, by its adherents. He expressed remorse to the Orthodox over the sacking of Constantinople, and to Muslims and the Jews for the violence committed against them during the Inquisition and the Crusades. His unparalleled campaign to repair the Church's relationship with the Jewish people made him the first Pope of the modern era to enter a synagogue; the Vatican recognized the State of Israel in the course of his tenure and he went to Jerusalem to deliver a heartfelt apology for the history of Catholics' mistreatment of Jews. Although they were not satisfied by what they saw as his failure to acknowledge the corporate responsibility of the Church — as distinct from individual members — for such maltreatment, and also his failure to criticize the wartime pontiff Pius XII for his silence in the face of the Holocaust, Jewish leaders today freely acknowledge John Paul II as a great and true friend to the Jewish people and the first pontiff to truly live the conciliatory language on Jews of Vatican II. Nor was his outreach confined to followers of other faiths. Perhaps his greatest disappointment has been the failure of his efforts to heal the rift with the Orthodox churches, particularly of Russia, which has remained opposed to any rapprochement and inclined to see Catholic overtures in Russia as an attempt to poach for souls. There again, however, some of the theologians around the pope may be inclined to see his outreach to the Orthodox as somewhat naÃve, given the theological chasm that divides the two churches on such basic issues as the papacy itself. There was an internal logic to the pontiff's philosophy of "the dignity of the human person." That inner consistency may also account for the fact that measured by the yardstick of the politics of his age, Pope John Paul II looks over the map. His views on the sanctity of life may have made him an opponent of abortion and contraception, but equally so of capital punishment and war — most recently, the U.S. invasion of Iraq. And his fierce bearing of witness against communism may have made him a favorite of Western conservatives, yet he has been equally disdainful of the "soulless materialism" that has accompanied the emergence of free market capitalism in Eastern Europe. Cold War concerns may have prompted him to drive the leftist bishops of Latin America out of the Church, and yet he has found himself also at odds with some of their successors who critics have accused of mimicking Pentecostalism's "theology of prosperity." On visits to Latin America during the 1990s, John Paul II was moved to emphasize — like the leftists he had silenced a decade earlier — that the Church's priority and natural constituency is the poor. And that, of course, is also where its great growth potential lies today. John Paul II was also extraordinary in his embrace of a mystic spirituality centered on the cult of the Virgin Mary. He was known to have prostrated himself for hours at a time before statues of the Virgin, and believed she interceded to save him from an assassin's bullet fired on the anniversary of the appearance of Mary in apparition at Fatima. Once recovered from his wound, he made a pilgrimage to Fatima to give thanks, and the assassin's bullet is now welded into the crown of the statue of the Virgin at Fatima. His devotion to the Cult of the Virgin may not necessarily move the elites of the post-modern West, but they strike a deep chord in the Church's primary growth zones in the developing world. John Paul II's longevity allowed him to appoint all but three of the 117 cardinals that will choose his successor. And that, as much as his theological and evangelical legacy, means he leaves behind a Catholic Church remade in his image. Still, it is unlikely that any of his potential successors will be even remotely like him. The combination of gifts, passions and experiences that Karol Wojtyla brought to the Holy See made him a truly unique personification of the role of "God's Vicar," whose afterglow will inspire and illuminate the Catholic faithful for years after his passing. http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1044120,00.html letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sat, 02 Apr 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7590/1/E-Pope-John-Paul-II-1920-2005.html ÂKarol Jozef Wojtyla Jr. - Pope John Paul II 1920 - 2005ÂPope John Paul II looks at white doves that were freed at the end of the Angelus prayer in St. Peter's square, at the Vatican City in this Jan 30 photo. (AP/Plinio Lepri) letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sat, 02 Apr 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7594/1/E-Pascal-singing-in-Vrbanj.html ÂPascal singing in VrbanjÂÂÂLinguistically It all started with the word cult (=service to God) and culture (=creation, preserving manhood’s spiritual and material creation). Commonly In ancient civilizations - both were created with service to God and around the actual service, although as history progressed circumstances continued in a more emphasized way, occasionally in a closer interaction, then separating, eventually distancing from one another. In pascal singing in Vrbanj on the island of Hvar - throughout the whole island and along our coastline - a specific service to God and spiritual culture has developed since the Middle Ages. This is emphasized through the Christian pascal heritage, which is common in the Mediterranean circles, which throughout the whole of Europe tells us of the beauty of interaction. It was created from believers and material sacral signs and symbols, in a touching way in a vocal form celebrates liturgical texts in the Great week. Near Hvar, Stari grad, Vrboska, Jelsa and Vrbanj, both the cult and culture are extended. Vrbanj itself is an agricultural area, while the other mentioned towns are more urban. Because of this we can conclude that the pascal singing in Vrbanj is more authentic. For centuries the local population has loved and admired such texture -because Catholics on Hvar have preserved and nurtured this pascal texture. Ethnologists and musicians have paid special attention to this spiritual singing, starting from the collectors of customs from the 19th century, A. I. Caric, musician B. Sokol between the two world wars, all up to the living musician Ljubo StipiÅic. Miki Bratanic not only nurtures Vrbanj's pascal heritage but also records it. M. Bratanic has decided to present just one source of pascal service in the final three days in the Great week in Vrbanj. This version is full length and contains melodies, which have not been released to date, which is why this version is so treasured. These melodies are no longer even sung in mass ceremonies. Due to the norms of the Second Vatican Council a large proportion of the texts have been changed and when this was combined with the heads of church choirs which did not appreciate the essence of pascal singing, then the true richness was lost. Even though not everything that is old is necessarily worth while, we can definitely say that when pascal heritage is in question that 'older the better' is the case (Luke 5, 39). In M. Bratantc's records of 26 melodies, which are on this CD, the first collection of pascal melodies is from one Hvar parish. Vrbanj's parish priest and himself an excellent singer father Branimir Marinovic has always seen the need to maintain this form of cultural heritage.This CD not only contains the evangelical passages which during the Great week are celebrated in services, but truly contain great and Holy days within the Great week which were once part of services and today cannot be heard. In Bratanic's recordings we can hear the preserved liturgical voice, which the biblical translator Franciscan Petar VlaÅic would say is the feeling for the old1. He also knew how to create the relation between the voice of the cult and linguistic culture in our cultural circle. Most of all, we have an ethno-musical recording where we can see the interaction of the cult of service to God and a local culture. This CD truly enriches our vocabulary for pascal heritage, and gives me great pleasure that it has been compiled.Father Bernard in Skunca. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 24 Mar 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7596/1/H-Veliki-Tjedan.html ÂVeliki Tjedan  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Wed, 23 Mar 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7595/1/H-Veliki-Tjedan---Vrbanj-Hvar-Hrvatska.html ÂVeliki Tjedan - Vrbanj 1 :: Antifona Revnost za dom tvoj izjeda me i ruženja onih koji tebe ruže padaju na menePsalam 68 Spasi me Bože: * jer dodoÅe vode sve do duÅe mojePropadam u duboku glibu: * gdje nema dnaTonem moru u dubine: * i oluja me potapljaPotomstvo sluga njegovih imat ce ga: * koji ljube Ime njegovo prebivat ce u njemuAntifona Revnost za dom tvoj izjeda me, i ruženja onih koji tebe ruže padaju na meneOdstupili natrag i zasramili se , koji mi zlo misle.2 :: Pocinje plac Jeremije proroka Alef. Kako sjedi osamljen grad pun puka: postade kao udovica gospodar naroda:Glava zemalja potpade pod danak.He DuÅmani postaÅe glavari njegovi, neprijatelji se njegovi obogatiÅe, jer je Gospodin progovorio nad njim za mnoÅtva bezakonja njegova: djeca njegova povedena su u ropstvo pred licem mucitelja.Jeruzolime, Jeruzolime, obrati se Gospodinu Bogu svojemu. 3 :: Iz razlaganja svetoga Augustina biskupa o psalmima UsliÅi Bože, molitvu moju i ne prezri proÅnju moju: pogledaj na me i usliÅi me.TeÅko mucena , u nevolji postavljena rijeci su ovo.Ne mislite, da su zli za niÅta na ovom svijetu, i da Bog niÅta dobra od njih ne izvodi. Svaki zao covjek ili zato živi, da se popravi, ili zato živi, da se po njemu dobar covjek vježba.V Nesretnik ne obazre se na cijenu krvi i najposlije se zamkom objesi.4 :: Iz poslanice prve bl. Pavla apostola Korincanima A ovo naredujem : ne odobravajuci Åto se ne sastajete na korist, nego na Åtetu.Prvo dakle, kad se sastajete u crkvi, cujem, da ima razdora medu vama, i dijelom vjerujem.Eda li nemate kuca, da blagujete i pijete? Ili crkvu Božju prezirete, zasramljujete one, koji nemaju? Åto da vam recem? Da vas pohvalim? Za ovo ne hvalim.V Svi neprijatelji moji miÅljahu zlo proti meni, govoreci: *Dodite, stavimo drvo u kruh njegov, i istrjebimo ga iz zemlje živih.5 :: Antifona za Blagoslovjen A izdajnik dade im znak govoreci: Komu podam cijelov, onaj je, uhvatite ga. BlagoslovljenBlagoslovljen Gospodin Bog Izraelov, * jer pohodi, i otkupi puk svoj.I podiže nam jakost spasenja * u domu Davida sluge svojega.Da prosvjetli one koji sjede u tminama, i u sjeni smartnoj: * da upravi noge naÅe na put mira.Antifona A izdajnik dade im znak govoreci: komu podam cijelov onaj je uhvatite ga.6 :: V Isukrst posta za nas posluÅan sve do smrti, i to smrti na križu.Psalam 50 Smiluj se meni, Bože,* po velikom milosr|u svome.I po mnoÅtvu smilovanja svoga * zbriÅi zlocu mojuTada ceÅ primati posvetiliÅte pravde, prinose i žrtve: * tada ceÅ na žrtvenik svoj stavljati juncice.Pomolimo sePogledaj, molimo Gospodine, na ovu obitelj tvoju, za koju Gospodin naÅ Isukrst nije se ustezao predati se u ruke zlotvora i podnjeti muku križa. 7 :: Ulazna Mi treba da se hvalimo križem Gospodina naÅega Isusa Krista; u kojemu je spas, život i uskrsnuce naÅe, po kojemu smo spaÅeni i oslobodeni. 8 :: Slava Bogu na visini Slava Bogu na visini, i na zemlji mir ljudima dobre voljeHvalimo te, blagoslivljamo te9 :: Pripjevni psalam Åto da uzvratim Gospodinu za sve Åto mi je ucino; uzet cu caÅu spasenja i zazvati ime Gospodnje.CaÅa blagoslovna, zajedniÅtvo je krvi kristove!10 :: Åtenje knjige blaženoga Pavla apostola Korincanima Braco!Kad se sastajete ujedno to viÅe nije blagovanje Gospodnje vecere.Jer svaki uzme prije svoju veceru da blaguje i tako jedan blaguje a drugi je pijan.Ali kad smo osudeni od Gospodina smo pokarani, da se s ovim svijetom ne osudimo.11 :: Evandeoski pripjev Zapovjed vam novu dajem, govori Gospodin: ljubite jedni druge, kao Åto sam ja ljubio vas.Citanje svetog Evandelja po IvanuBijaÅe pred blagdan Pashe.Znajuci da je doÅao njegov cas da prijede s ovog svijeta Ocu, Isus, jer je ljubio svoje, one u svijetu, do kraja ih je ljubio.Ako dakle ja - Gospodin i Ucitelj - vama oprah noge, treba da i vi cinite kao Åto ja vama ucinih.12 :: Antifone PoÅto Gospodin ustade od vecere, nalije vode u praonik i pocne ucenicima prati noge: taj im primjer ostavi.Gospodine, zar ti da meni pereÅ noge? Odgovori mu Isus: Ako ti ne operem noge, neceÅ imati dijela sa mnom.13 :: Svet, svet Svet, Svet, Svet: Gospodin Bog Sabaot, puna su nebesa i zemlja tvoje slave, Hosana u visini. Blagoslovljen koji dolazi u ime gospodnje, Hosana u visini.14 :: O jezici O jezici, hvale dajte tajni tijela slavnoga,I krv svetu opjevajte, cijenu roda ljudskogaKoju Kralj u smrtnoj boli, da otkupi svijet proli.Roditelju, rodenome, vijecna slava i radost,Cast i slava budi k tome, i blagoslov i krepost;Ista Duhu cast u svemu, od njih ishodecemu.Amen15 :: Psalam 21 Bože, Bože moj, pogledaj na me: zaÅto si me zapustio?*Daleko su od spasenja moga rijeci vapaja mojih.Bože moj , vapim danju, a ti me ne sluÅaÅ:*I nocu, ali mi nema pokoja. Åtrofa O propeti mucni Isuse Nut pogledaj naÅe suze.ÅtrofaTi nam Oce bi proslavljen Duhom Svetim uvik. Amen. 17 :: Åtrofa Tužna mati tad se uputi puten cinec plac preljuti Pomiluj mene Bože Pomiluj mene Bože, po velikom milosarju tvome Ipo mnoÅtvu pomilovanja tvojih pomarsi zlocu moju 18 :: Åtrofa Ovo rece malo dahnu, prignu glavu ter izdahnu. 19 :: Citanje knjige proroka Izaije Gle uspjet ce Sluga moj, uzvisit ce se, podignuti i uzdici veoma! Kao Åto se mnogi nad njim užasnuÅe. Zato cu mu mnoÅtvo dati u baÅtinu, i s mogucnicima plijen ce dijeliti, jer sam se predao na smrt i medu zlikovce bio ubrojen, a on grijehe mnogih ponese na sebi i zauze se za zlocince. 20 :: Citanje poslanice HebrejimaBraco! Imamo velikog svecenika koji prodrije kroz nebesa - Isusa, Sina Božjega.Zato se cvrsto držimo vjere.I bi usliÅan zbog svoje predanosti: premda je Sin, iz onoga Åto prepati, naviknu sluÅati i,postigavÅi savrÅenstvo, posta svima koji ga sluÅaju zacetnik vjecnog spasenja.21 :: Evandeoski pripjevKrist postade posluÅan do smrti, do smrti na križu. Zato ga Bog preuzvisi i darova mu imekoje je nad svakim imenom.Muka Gospodina naÅega Isukrsta po IvanuP: U ono vrijeme: izade Isus s ucenicima svojim preko potoka Cedrona, gdje bijaÅe vrt, u koji ude on i ucenici njegoviA Isus znajuci sve, Åto ce biti od njega, stupi naprijed i rece imI: Koga tražiteP: OdgovoriÅe muZ: Isusa NazaraninaP: A kad ovo rece, jedan od prisutnih momaka dade mu zauÅnicu govoreci :J: Tako li odgovaraÅ velikome sveceniku?P: Vojnici dakle, kad ga propeÅe, uzeÅe haljine njegove (i naciniÅe cetiri dijela: svakome vojniku po dio)i odjecu. A odjeca ne bijaÅe Åivena, nego istkana sva od vrha do dna. RekoÅe dakle medu sobom:Z: Ne razdirimo je nego bacimo kocke za nju, cigova da bude.P: Da se pismo ispuni koje govori: RazdjeliÅe medu sobom haljine moje, i za odjecu moju baciÅe kocke.P: UzeÅe dakle tijelo Isusovo, i obaviÅe ga platnom s mirisima, kao Åto je obicaj u Židova ukopavati.A bijeÅe na mjestu, gdje ga propeÅe vrt, i u vrtu grob novi, u koji joÅ nitko ne bijeÅe bio položen. Ondje dakle radi petka židovskoga, jer bijaÅe blizu grob, položiÅe Isusa.22 :: Otkrivanje križa Evo drvo križa, na kome je visjelo spasenje svijeta.Dodite poklonimo se. 23 :: Puce moj Puce moj, Åto ja ucinih tebi? Ili u cemu ožalostih tebe odgovori meni.Puce moj, ja tebe hranih manom kroz pustinju: a ti si mene bio zauÅnicama i bicima.24 :: Pocimje molitva Jeremije proroka Spomeni se, Gospodine, Åto nas zadesi; pogledaj i vidi sramotu naÅu.Nasljedstvo naÅe preÅlo je tudincima; kuce naÅe inostrancima.Koža naÅa spržena je kao pec od ljute gladi.Žene u Sionu oskvrnuÅe, i djevice po gradovima JudinimJeruzolime, Jeruzolime, obrati se Gospodinu Bogu svojemu. 25 :: Åtrofa Svako hiti za nositi tilo Isusa sprovoditiBarjaci krecu kraljevi Barjaci krecu kraljevi, otajstvo križa blista se, na kojem život umrijei smrcu život donese.Zdrav, Križu, nado jedina u dane muke Gospodnje, umnoži milost dobrima, krivicu digni s grijeÅnika. 26 :: ÅtrofaTila tvoga sveti zlamen svarh nas budi uvik. AmenÂhttp://www.eco-hvar.comÂa info mail jezakrizen@eco-hvar.com  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Wed, 23 Mar 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7598/1/E-I-am-a-seminarian-studying-to-be-a-priest-looking-for-parish.html ÂAntony Sumich studying to be a priest, looking for ParishZdravo,Although Mr Saban (New NFL team coach) made a commentabout Bill Belichik (Coach of the N.E. Patriots) &himself beings Croats, I wonder if Belichik is. Thename is not Croatian, and it would have to be somesort of a derivative to be so.Do you know anymore about this?If so, could you drop me a line please?On another note. I am a seminarian studying to be aCatholic priest. I am in a Seminary in Nebraska of allplaces (I know, I know), and last year under obediencefrom my superiors I had to go looking for benefactorsto help with my tuition. I wrote a letter to the 50Croatian parishes in the USA and Canada. UnfortunatelyI received NO replies! Not even a negative reply.Actually I was not asking the parishes to support me.My letter clearly stated that if any individual wouldbe interested in helping a seminarian of Croatiandescent, then they could contact me. It was a bit sadactually. I thought that Croatians would be a bit morepolite here in the US. Anyway, just thought I'd tellthe story. Perhaps you have some suggestion for what Icould try?Keep up the good work, your site is very informativeand helpful.Bog i Hrvati,Antony Sumichantonysumich@yahoo.com ÂDear Anthony, ÂI hope that you will get few emails from Croatian priests and as well Croatians around the world.We should be able to host you either here in New York or anywhere where Croatians live.ÂGood Luck and feel free to contact me to inform you directly to our religious and community leaders. To CROWN readers: Please feel free to help Anthony in which ever way you can.ÂI thank you for that,Nenad letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Tue, 08 Feb 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7597/1/E-TODAY-MASS-IN-HONOR-OF-BL-ALOJZIJE-STEPINAC.html ÂMASS IN HONOR OF BL. ALOJZIJE STEPINACA solemn mass in honor of Bl. Alojzije Stepinac willbe celebrated at 7pm on Tuesday, February 8th 2005 atOur Lady of Victory Church, 4835 MacArthur Blvd.,N.W., Washington, D.C. 20007.ÂThe main celebrant of the mass will be Rev. FrancisMoloney, S.D.B., S.T.L., S.S.L., D.Phil., the Dean of the School of Theology and Religious Studiesat the Catholic University of America. Rev. Moloney isa world renowned scripture scholar and has servedseveral years on the Papal Theological Commission inRome.Besides the various priests from The Washington area,other priests in concelebration include Rev. Dr. JamesMcCann, S.J., Director of the Office to Aid the CatholicChurch in Central and Eastern Europe, at the UnitedStates Conference of Catholic Bishops; Rev. Paul Lee,Pastor of Our Lady of Victory Parish; and Rev. DamirStojic, Pastor of the Croatian Pastoral Mission.Also in attendance there will be various dignitaries,the Minister of Culture in the Republic of Croatia Mr.Bosko Biskupic and his wife Ljerka; the Ambassador ofthe Republic of Croatia to the United States ofAmerica His Excellency Mr. Neven Jurica and his wifeDunja; and, Member of the Croatian Parliament Mr.Mario Zubovic and his wife Dora. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the death ofBl. Stepinac, it we will be our honor if you join usto commemorate this hero and martyr of the Church.There will be a reception in Hess hall after the mass.Rev. Damir Stojic letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Tue, 08 Feb 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7599/1/E-Pope-appoints-Croatian-bishop-from-his-hospital-bed.html ÂPope appoints bishopsFrom correspondents in Vatican CityFebruary 02, 2005POPE John Paul II named a number of new bishops from his hospital bed today, continuing to work hours after being admitted with breathing difficulties, the Vatican said. The pope appointed two bishops in Brazil and a suffragan bishop inCroatia, and named several cardinals to a Vatican committee, including two tipped as possible successors to the 84-year-old head of the Roman Catholic Church. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,12131018%255E1702,00.html letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sun, 06 Feb 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7600/1/E-Rabbis-Thank-Pope-for-Defense-of-Jews.html ÂRabbis Thank Pope for Defense of JewsPosted on Tue, Jan. 18, 2005 FRANCES D'EMILIOÂ"Most of the participants in the long-scheduled audience came from the United States, particularly from the New York metropolitan area, but there were also prominent Jews from Israel, France, India, Canada and Croatia."Associated PressVATICAN CITY - A delegation of prominent rabbis and Jewish leaders from around the world met with Pope John Paul II on Tuesday to thank him for what they called a lifelong commitment to the defense of Jews.Recalling the pope's visit to Auschwitz during his first trip to his Polish homeland in 1979, Gary Krupp of the Pave the Way Foundation praised John Paul for setting a "tone of reconciliation" in his papacy."You have defended Jewish people at every opportunity, as a priest in Poland and during your 26-year-old pontificate. You have denounced anti-Semitism as sin against God and humanity," said Krupp, whose foundation works to better relations between religious groups, as he stood before the pontiff in a frescoed, marble-lined hall of the Apostolic Palace.John Paul thanked Krupp, who is from Long Beach, N.Y., and then urged Catholics and Jews to further improve relations. Only decades ago the two groups were divided by Christian thinking that Jews were to blame for Jesus' death.John Paul noted that this year marks the 40th anniversary of a Vatican declaration rescinding the accusation holding Jews collectively responsible for the crucifixion of Christ."May this be an occasion for renewed commitment to increased understanding and cooperation in the service of building a world ever more firmly based on respect for the divine image in every human being," the pope said.Most of the participants in the long-scheduled audience came from the United States, particularly from the New York metropolitan area, but there were also prominent Jews from Israel, France, India, Canada and Croatia.Rabbi Jack Bemporad recounted that John Paul, shortly after being ordained a priest in 1946, refused to baptize an orphaned Jew in Krakow, Poland, and ordered the Catholic couple who had cared for the boy during the Nazi occupation to see that he was returned to Jewish relatives.Jews were a vibrant part of the community in southern Poland, where John Paul grew up in the 1920s and 1930s, before being persecuted under German occupiers."I felt genuine affection," said Bemporad, of his encounter Tuesday with the pontiff. "I really thought he was moved" by the meeting."We were there for no other reason than to say `thank you,'" said the rabbi from Alpine, N.J., who has served on Vatican-Jewish committees. "We were not demanding anything, we were not asking for anything."The pontiff has made better relations with Jews a hallmark of his papacy and has met large gatherings of Jews on several occasions, including his groundbreaking 1986 visit to Rome's main synagogue and his 2000 trip to Israel."Upon all of you, I invoke the abundant blessings of the Almighty and, in particular, the gift of peace. Shalom aleichem," John Paul said, using the traditional greeting when two Jews meet.Many Vatican audiences are almost somber affairs, with participants often stilted or hesitant when their turn comes to greet the pope. But Tuesday's gathering radiated with warmth as the rabbis, their spouses and even some of their children came up one by one to shake the pope's hand. Cantors broke out in brief song.While the Vatican under John Paul has been hailed by Jews for such strides as opening diplomatic relations with Israel, Jewish-Vatican relations are not without controversy. Among the sore points for some Jewish leaders are Vatican's efforts to consider Pius XII for beatification. Some Jews contend that the wartime pontiff, who died in 1958, didn't do enough to oppose the Holocaust.http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/world/10675101.htm  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 20 Jan 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7601/1/E-Wayne-Weible-author-on-Medjugorje-speaks-in-the-Wash-DC.html ÂRenowned author on Medjugorje, Wayne Weible,will be speaking in the Washington DC areaÂRenowned author/speaker on Medjugorje, Wayne Weible, will be speaking in the Washington DC area 9/10-9/12/04 Medjugorje is a village in Croatia where since 1981, six children claimed to see Mary the Mother of Jesus Christ every day. Wayne Weible is a former Protestant journalist who completely changed the direction of his life upon getting aquainted with Medjugorje. He has a marvelous story and has now much experience after many years spent traveling the world to talk and write about Medjugorje & he will be here to speak the Washington DC area. There will also be a pilgrimage from the WDC area to Medjugoje the week of Oct. 23 - 30, 2004. (PRWEB) September 3, 2004 -- Medjugorje*, Croatia is where Mary, the Blessed Mother of Jesus Christ, allegedly appeared to six children ages 10 -17 (2 boys and 4 girls) on June 24, 1981, and has reportedly continued to appear every day since. Millions upon millions of pilgrims have made the trip to Medjugorje and, having seen miracles and experienced physical and spiritual healings, return home with a renewed faith, strengthened prayer-life, a sense of true peace and much more.The visionaries say that Mary is coming to invite the whole world to a change of heart - conversion - or a return to God. She asked for an increase in faith through prayer, fasting, reconciliation and penance in order to bring about true peace in every heart. Her call is to all people of all faiths. Catholics, Christians and Muslims among other faiths have all been attracted to Mary's plan for a return to God and a unity among faiths. This June 25, 2004, marked the 23rd anniversary of the apparitions.Wayne Weible was a Protestant journalist in the early 80's when he heard about the apparition site, and now he devotes all his energies into traveling the world and writing books to promote awareness of these Heavenly visits to Earth. Wayne Weible, listening to an inner call from Mary Herself, agreed to devote all of his energy into spreading the messages of Mary in Medjugorje. He has written 4 books and gives speaking tours all over the world, and he will be here to talk to Washington, DC the weekend of September 10 - 12, 2004! His itinerary is as follows:Friday, September 10, 2004: Wayne Weible's talk will start with a rosary at 7pm at the Rock Creek Council of the Knights of Columbus located at 5417 West Ceder Lane (intersection of Old Georgetown Road) in Bethesda, Maryland. It will be followed by a light reception and book signing. Saturday, September 11, 2004: Wayne Weible's talk will start with a rosary at 3 pm in The Great Room A in the new Pryzbyla Student Union Center at the Catholic University of America. A book-signing will follow. There will be a 5:30pm Mass at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.Sunday, September 12, 2004: Wayne Weible's talk will directly follow a 5:30pm Mass at St. Stephen Martyr Church near G.W. (and Foggy Bottom metro) at 25th and Pennsylvania Ave. His talk will be downstairs with a light reception and book-signing to follow. *A pilgrimage from the D.C. area will be going to Medjugorje the week of Oct. 23 - 30, 2004. Check out www.peacecentertours.com For more information on any of the D.C. area talks or the pilgrimage, please look onto www.coolgoose.com for details (click on all 4 corners of the cross), contact:M.L.K@comcast.net , or telephone M.Kirk @ (301) 587 - 1934.http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/9/prweb154966.htm  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Fri, 03 Sep 2004 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7608/1/H-Vjera-i-politika.html ÂVjera i politika 29. nedjelja kroz godinu - A (Mt 22, 15-21) Odnos vjere tj. religioznosti i vlasti, odnosno politike, stvarnost je koja nikada do kraja nije raspletena, zapravo koja se nikada nije jasno razlucila. Da li je ove dvije stvarnosti moguce razluciti? Ako je isto pitanje postavljeno Isusu i ako mi još danas citamo isti tekst kao istinit i kao istinitu poteškocu, onda je potrebno trijezno razmisliti i barem teorijski odrediti domenu jednoga (vjere) i domenu drugoga (politike i vlasti). O ovoj temi napisano je mnogo rasprava, bilo s teološke bilo sa sociloške i politološke strane. No, stvarnost opet nije jasna ili barem možemo reci da se i danas ispreplice. Sve se to prelama u covjeku koji je istovremeno i “homo politicus” i “homo religiosus”.Pitanje odnosa vjere (ili bolje Crkve) i politike kod nas je danas aktualno. Da li Crkva, vjera, zadire u politiku ili politika teži da zavlada Crkvom? U napasti je i jedna i druga ustanova da se nametne onoj drugoj kao gospodar ili da iskoriste jedna drugu. U povijesti su poznata razdoblja kada je Crkva dominirala nad politikom, zapravo odredivala politiku, ali je poznato i vrijeme kada je politika (kralj) dominirala nad Crkvom. I jedno i drugo razdoblje pokazali su se negativnim, bilo za Crkvu bilo za svjetovnu vlast. Postojalo je nastojanje, a i danas se primjenjuje, barem teoretski, u mnogim državama, rastave države i Crkve. To se službeno dogodilo u Francuskoj za vrijeme Francuske revolucije, a kasnije se primjenjuje i u drugim državama. Ipak ni u tim državama nije se dogodilo potpuno odjeljenje. Uvijek postoji izvjesna tenzija izmedu jedne i druge Institucije. U zemljama gdje je vladao komunizam to razdvajanje Crkve i države izvedeno je na radikalan nacin, ali i u njima je bilo napasti da jedna Institucija prodre u drugu. Zar u Rusiji državna vlast nije pokušala indirektno “postavljati svoje biskupe”, zar na ovoj liniji nije iskrsnuo osnovni sukob izmedu kardinala Stepinca i ondašnje vlasti u našim krajevima? On nije dozvolio da država zagospodari Crkvom. Ne radi se o gospodarenju nad materijalnim dobrima, nego o vladanju vlasti nad Crkvom. Zašto se ponavlja isti problem i zašto izgleda skoro nerješiv? Zato što je isti covjek, isti gradanin, u najviše slucajeva, istovremeno i religiozni covjek (clan Crkve) i gradanin i podložnik odredene politike. Kroz istog covjeka prolazi religioznost i politicnost. Kako to u njem razdijeliti, a da ne bude istinskog životnog odnosa prema stvarnosti koju se živi? Postoji stvarnost, materija koja prožima i jednu i drugu ‘kompetenciju’. U principu bi trebalo da i jedna i druga Institucija budu moralne i humane, da su angažirane na sreci i dobru covjeka. Ne apstraktno i samo ‘duhovno’, nego realno i kroz relani život. Ne može se religiozni covjek u politici ponašati kao da nije religiozan, i radi toga što je politican (homo politicus) odbaciti religioznost. Zar Crkva, kao ustanova kojoj je osnovni poziv kraljevstvo Božje, može ostati nijema ako politika preskace i eticnost i osnovna ljudska prava? Da li bi time izdala svoj poziv spašavanja covjeka? Ocito da. Da li politika, država, može zatvoriti oci ako se u Crkvama dogadaju ‘nezgodne stvari’ (napr. Kult sinca i ubojstva ili Scijetnisticka Crkva)? Ocito ne može. Evo ovakav je problem danas iskrsnuo u državama u kojima je izgledalo da je odnos Crkve i Države - odvojenost - potpuno riješen. Tko god imalo pozna religioznost ili Crkvu, zna da je njezino polje cijeli covjek u svim svojim odnosima. Ona uci covjeka da živi korektno prema religioznoj savijesti u sebi i u odnosu prema drugima, u odnosu i prema politici. Crkva i njezini vjernici nužno su jedno, ali s politickom vlašcu ipak nije jedno. Svaka politicka vlast morala bi u svojem Kodeksu imati elementarne postavke etike koju usvaja i vjernik i nevjernik. Crkva ne smije ispustiti ispod svojeg interesa napr. ljudska prava. Ona su ‘dublje’ od politike. Crkva se ne može osloboditi odgovornosti za ‘zdravo društvo’, ali mora prepustiti politici, koja je razumski proizvod uvjetovan vremenom i kulturom, oblike društvene organiziranosti. Svaka politicka stranka ili svaki društveni oblik mora poštivati ljudsku savijest i religioznost i sve što proizlazi iz tog, a model organiziranosti i vladanja nudit ce se prema razumnosti i realnosti. Tako bi se covjek odlucivao za politiku prema kriteriju svojeg shvacanja (po svojoj pameti).Crkva treba tražiti od svojih clanova da se bore za ostvarivanje Ustava koji ce poštivati njihovu vjeru, a nacin ostvarivanja birat ce prema svojem shvacanju. U NZ ipak je izjednaceno ljudsko i božansko. A što danas znaci “Bogu božje, caru carevo”? Fr. Marijan Jurcevic, o.p Hrvatska dominikanska provincija - 1999. - 2004.www.dominikanci.hr http://www.dominikanci.hr/propovijedi/29nkg-a.php  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 05 Aug 2004 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7607/1/H-Osnovni-cilj-zakona-je-zblizavanje-ljudi.html ÂOsnovni cilj zakona je zblizavanje ljudi30. nedjelja kroz godinu - AJedina zapovijed : Ljubi Boga i bližnjega svoga(Mt 22,34-40)Isus sve zapovijedi (10) sažima u jednu koja regulira odnose s Bogom i s drugim ljudima. Kroz povijest se vrlo cesto lucilo “sveto” od “profanog”, Božje od ljudskog. Zato se dogadalo da se religiozno (sveto) pretvori u apstraktno i daleko od života. Tako je došlo do odvajanja realnog života od religioznosti. Profano se dijelilo od transcedencije (Boga), pa se dogadalo da religioznost nije imala nikakvog utjecaja na prakticni život. Vjera se svela na neku vrstu deizma. Vjeruje se u Božanstvo od kojeg potjece život, ali svijet je od njega neovisan i autonoman. Tako je striktno lucenje religioznog i profanog vodilo u laicizaciju ili laicizam.Danas se postavlja pitanje ima li podjele izmedu sakralnog i profanog, božanskog i ljudskog? Zar svako ljudsko bice nije istovremeno prožeto i transcedencijom? Bog je istovemeno transcedentan (nad svijetom) i imanentan (unutar svijeta) svijetu i covjeku. A to znaci da su svijet i covjek prisutni u Bogu. I covjek je i transcedentan i imanentan svijetu.Isus samim svojim ‘sadržajem’ tj. bicem (Bog i covjek) izjednacuje ljudsko i Božansko. Možda je bolje reci, Isus uvodi ljudsko u božansko. Odnos prema Bogu ocituje se kroz odnos prema covjeku. Ako se covjek otudi od covjeka, otudio se i od Boga. Isto tako tko se otudi od Boga otudio se i od covjeka. Ne može se naci kriterije poštivanja samog covjeka bez Boga. Bog je kriterij covjekova postojanja i vrijednosti. Covjek je slika Božja, vrijednost Božja. Božansko se slavi preko ljudskog, a ljudsko vrednuje kroz božansko; u ‘nebo’ se ulazi i spušta ‘na zemlju’. Covjeka se izdiže iz poniženja i potlacenosti. Covjek je sam po sebi (jer je slika Božja) Božji Sakramenat u svijetu. Bog se kroz covjeka komunicira i otkriva. Ljudsko lice je i božansko lice.Osnovni odnos prema covjeku i Bogu je ljubav. Pascal rece da covjek dalje vidi ljubavlju nego razumom. Ljubavlju se više približavamo drugom i Bogu nego li svim argumentima (shvacanjem). Ljubavlju se ispovijeda vjera u Boga i covjeka. Kroz ljubav se upoznaje Bog i covjek više nego li kroz bilo koju drugu stvarnost. Covjek se kroz ljubav oslobada svih otudenja - kroz ljubav se nanovo rada.Svi pokušaji da se svijet preobrazi bez ljubavi nisu uspjeli. Sve ostaje samo teorija ili ideologija. Ljudi se mogu prepoznati kao prijatelji i kao bližnji samo kroz ljubav. Ljubav sprecava da se ne ode u iluziju bilo u odnosu prema covjeku ili Bogu.Kriterij ispravnosti ljudske savijeti jest ljubav, a ne zapovijed. Covjek može ispuniti zapovijed i sa zlocestim srcem, radi raznoraznih drugih razloga. Cak i radi svojeg egoistickog interesa. Koliko li se zapovijedi izvrši radi moranja i kazne bez ikakve duševnosti i covjecnosti. Zato, onaj koji ljubi ispunjava sve zapovijedi. Ljubav je po svojoj strukturi predanje i odricanje, usrecivanje drugoga. Ljubav se razlikuje od erosa koji ljubi što mu je ljubivo i razumljivo. Istinska ljubav ljubi i bez ‘razloga’. Isus je primjer apsolutnog predanja za drugog i primjer apsolutne ljubavi. Time je ispunio sve zapovijedi - ljudske i Božje.Mi smo više osjetljivi i “poslušni” zakonu ili zapovijedi nego li ljubavi. Revniji smo u poslušnosti negoli u ljubavi. Znamo da možemo ispuniti sve zakone i ne primaknuti se ništa bliže drugom covjeku. Možda danas živimo pod zakonom i u svijetu u kojem je ljubav potisnuta. Sve se hoce propisati bez ostavljanja covjeku one spontanosti u ljubavi. Nažalost, cak se i bracna ljubav pretvara u zakon, a sve manje u vezu ljubavi. A što je manje ljubavi to je više tiranije i rastrojenosti ljudskog roda. Dovoljno je da zakon malo ‘pukne’ i dogodi se velika eksplozija mržnje i necovjecnosti. Svi smo to iskusili tijekom proteklog rata.Zakonu je cesto cilj sprijeciti zlo. No, osnovni cilj zakona je zbližavanje ljudi; zakon stvara podložnike, a ljubav prijetalje i bracu i sestre; zakon stvara ropstvo (kako cesto navodi Pavao), a ljubav slobodu. Tko ljubi ostvaruje religiozni osjecaj, kršcanstvo i blizinu Božju. Tko ljubi ostvaruje humanost i sva ljudska prava, poštivanje covjeka.Tko ljubi, naizgled gubi, ali on je sretan i ostvaren covjek. Tko ide putem Božje ljubavi on je spašen i vec ima iskustvo vjecnosti. Jer Bog je ljubav, a tko ljubi poznaje i Boga i covjeka!Fr. Marijan Jurcevic, o.p Hrvatska dominikanska provincija - 1999. - 2004.www.dominikanci.hr  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 05 Aug 2004 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7606/1/H-Pukotina-izmedu-nase-dubine-i-naseg-nasljedovanja-izvor-nasih-nemira.html ÂPukotina izmedu naše dubine i našeg nasljedovanja, izvor naših nemira28. nedjelja kroz godinu - A Bog poziva sve ljude na svoju gozbu(Mt 22,1-14)Živimo u svijetu koji je postao kao veliko ‘selo’, no ipak, jako podijeljen, bilo po zemljopisu, nacionalnosti, ideologiji, religiji ili politici, po bogatstvu... Takoder, možemo konstatirati da u svim ljudima drijema želja i nada za zajedništvom i jedinstvom ljudskog roda. Kako bi bilo ljudski da smo jedinstveni, da se više prepoznajemo u onome što nas cini ljudima? Ta težnja je od Boga utisnuta u svako ljudsko srce. Zašto se razjedinjujemo, zašto se dijelimo? Svi ljudi, bez obzira na razlicitosti, u konacnici su pozvani za ‘zajednicki Božji stol’. Nitko od Stvoritelja (koji je u našem postanku) nije otpisan niti u pocetki niti u zvršetku. Ipak, svatko od nas odgovoran je u svom pozivu, odgovoran pred buducnošcu, oslanjajuci se na cijelu ljudsku povijest. Sada nitko nije prvi niti posljednji. Svi smo mi u lancu ljudskog života. Odgovorni smo za život i kvalitetu života. Pozvani smo za zajednicki stol koji je vec sada prostrt onima koji vjeruju u Boga Stvoritelja. Ljudi su ti koji su “Gospodnji stol” ispregradivali, razdjelili se i posvadali. Mnogi pretendiraju imati pravo na Gospodnji stol iako se ne orijentiraju prema zajedništvu.Nekada je Izrael pretendirao biti ‘Božji narod’. I stvarno, Bog mu je bio saveznik, ali kako navodi Biblija, Izrael nije odgovorio Božjem pozivu. Skoro je postavljao uvjete Bogu kako i kome ce se objaviti, koga ce pomagati. Više nije slušao glasnike Božje, cak ih je i ubijao jer se oni nisu slagali sa svim onim što je ‘Božji narod’ cinio.Takoder nam se namece pitanje, zašto covjek koji razumom vidi što je dobro i plemenito i što je njegova zadnja životna gozba, to ne slijedi i ne prihvaca životno? Zašto se stalno odgada odgovor na poziv svoje duše i svojeg života, zašto covjek odgada odgovor na Božji poziv? Tu se pokazuje pukotina izmedu naše dubine i našeg nasljedovanja, a tu se pokazuje i izvor naših nemira. Nije problem u tomu što ne ostavrujemo sve što hocemo nego što ne slijedimo ono što držimo dobrim i pravednim.Dokle ce covjek odbijati poziv na ljubav i prijateljstvo? Svi ljudi su pozvani bez obzira na sve razlike i shvacanja, ‘dobri’ i ‘loši’. Nema covjeka koji bi se mogao osloboditi životnog poziva na dobro.Bog ljudima trajno šalje svoje poslanike u svijet da ih pozivaju za “Božji stol”. No, trajno se dogada odbijanje Božjeg poziva, naprotiv, ubija se one koji podsjecaju na te pozive. Ispovjedaoci i mucenici su ti svjedoci Božjeg poziva svim ljudima.Nakon dvije tisuce godina kršcanstva danas se pitamo koliko su kršcani okrenuti Božjem pozivu i koliko mu se odazivaju? Mnogi su se nažalost naviknuli cuti pozive, cak ih i odobravati, ali se na njih ne odazivati. “Vi tako trebate propovijedati, ali mi ostajemo po svojem”. Cesto se cuje ovakav podgovor kod samih kršcana. Tome se jako cude oni koji nisu kršcani niti vjernici, kako vjernici neozbiljno uzimaju svoju vjersku misiju. U ovom neodazivu može se vidjeti skoro neke vrste ateizma. Mnogi kršcani žive ‘kao da Boga nema’. U tom slucaju nije cudno da se nevjernici pitaju “gdje je vaš Bog kad ga tako ne slušate?”Može se dogoditi da se kršcani odazivaju na simbolicnu Božju gozbu, ali se ne odazivaju na onu pravu i potpunu. Na Božju gozbu ne može se doci bez unutarnjeg ‘odijela’ koje nam je Gospodin ponudio i koje smo dobili na našem krštenju. Mnogi su ‘krsno odjelo’ vrlo davno odbacili i hodaju svijetom bez njega. Ocito je da oni žive kao da nisu ni kršteni, kao što takoder možemo susresti mnogo onih koji nisu kršteni, ali žive u ‘odjelu’ Božjem i cekaju Gospodinov poziv. Prevara je zvati se bratom i sestrom, a živjeti izolirano i bez brige za druge.Danas nam prijeti opsnost prevelike individualizacije i brige samo za sebe. Gradovi su se napunili ljudima, ali se smanjilo zajedništvo. Porasle su velike župe, a da li je time poraslo i zajedništvo? Ocito nije, zato se i pitamo ova pitanja. Biti brat ili sestra bez tog životnog odijela, to je izdaja ljubavi i bratstva.Na koju i kakvu ‘gozbu’ se mi kršcani odazivamo? Je li to Božja gozba ili gozba ovoga svijeta ? Mi smo pozvani da svjedocimo Božju dobrotu u svijetu. Ona se svjedoci ne ideologijom nego življenjem.Može li se danas u Crkvi cuti Božji poziv ili se cuju pozivi ljudi koji se oblace u Isusovu tuniku, ali organiziraju svoje gozbi i šire glas o sebi. Cesto vlastiti interesi zakriljuju mogucnost da se cuje Božji glas. Ali svi smo pozvani. Tko ce se odazvati ? Tko ce biti bez Božjeg duha i ruha?Fr. Marijan Jurcevic, o.p. Hrvatska dominikanska provincija - 1999. - 2004.www.dominikanci.hr http://www.dominikanci.hr/propovijedi/28nkg-a.php  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 05 Aug 2004 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7605/1/E-Spasenje-nije-okrenuto-prema-samom-sebi.html ÂSpasenje nije okrenuto prema samom sebi.34. nedjelja kroz godinu - ASpasenje nije okrenuto prema samom sebi. Ne kroz zauzetost samim sobom, nego kroz otvorenost i prepoznavanje drugoga i njegovih potrebaIsusov povratak (Krist Kralj)(Mt 25,31-46)U kojem smislu se danas može govoriti o Kristu Kralju? Iako skoro nitko više nema sliku kralja niti alegoijskog znacenja kralja kao bitnu, ipak se današnja završna nedjelja crkvene godine slavi kao blagdan Krista kralja. Potrebno je napomenuti da se današnjom nedjeljom prvenstveno slavi završetak godišnjeg liturgijskog ciklusa Isusova života i djela za nas i cijeli svijet. I kao da se na taj završetak stavlja kraljevska titula. Danas to treba ocito drugacije izreci i drugim slikama oslikati.Covjek i svijet su u svojem razvoju. Vjerujemo da taj razvoj teži prema svojem potpunom ispunjenju, prema svojoj potpunoj istini. To potpuno ostvarenje bit ce i ponovni dolazak Isusa Krista. Ova povijest Utjelovljenja Božjeg završit ce spasenjem svijeta. I današnje evandelje povratno nam govori tko živi Isusovu istinu i Isusov život, tko je Isusov, tko je kršcanin.Vjecna je dilema kako se ulazi u Boga i u vjecnost, kako se postiže životno osmišljenje. Mi kršcani vjerujemo da se kroz Isusa ostvaruje cijeli svemir i ljudi. On je put, istina i život. Ali što to znaci nama danas? Tko je Isusov ne samo reklamno i verbalno nego životno i stvarno? Koji i kakav je život za kojeg možemo reci da je Isusove kvalitete i Isusova duha? Kako se dogada ulazak u 'Božju istinu', kako se dogada spasenje ljudskog roda?Evandelje nam nudi dva modela spasenja. Ivanov model: U pocetku bijaše Rijec... Rijec prebiva u nama... oni koji spoznaju Rijec u sebi Božji su sinovi (Iv Uvod). Božji se postaje ulaskom u tajnu samog Boga. Prepoznavanjem Boga u sebi i svijetu i življenjem božanske istine. Ici ka spasenju znaci u svijetu svijetliti kao Božje svjetlo. Spašavaju se oni koji upoznaše Božansku istinu. Isus je ta istina i tko u sebi ima istinu prepoznat ce Isusa i Isus ce njega prepoznati. Covjekovo ostvarnje se zbiva kroz upoznavanje apsolutne Istine. Tko bude u istini prepoznat ce ga Bog kao svojeg i taj ce prepoznati Boga. Poziv svakog kršcanina je ovaj: biti covjek istine u svim momentima svojeg života. Tko ostaje vjeran Istini taj ostaje vjeran i Bogu. Istinoljubci su Božji miljenici jer Božji svijet tj. kraljevstvo Božje je tamo gdje je istina. Isus je Istina i svi koji su u istini upoznat ce Isusa i Isus njih. (T. Chardin bi rekao) Isus ce biti W svega svijeta. On ce se pojaviti na koncu svijeta kao kruna svega. To bi bio prvi model spasenja: Istina i prebivanje u istini spašavaju.Drugi model spasenja donose Sinoptici (Marko, Matej i Luka). Ovaj drugi model je na egzistencijalnoj razini. U njemu dolazimo do odgovora tko je Isusov i koga Isus prepoznaje kao svojeg, ali ne po 'spoznajnoj' nego po životnoj pripadnosti. Prema ovoj drugoj 'shemi' na Isusovom putu su oni koji žive Isusovu istinu, a ne oni koji ga površinski i nominalno znaju i prihvacaju. Tko ne prakticira Njegovu istinu taj ga ne poznaje niti Isus poznaje njega. Ovaj model nam pokazuje tko je kršcanin, tko je sljedbenik Isusov.Zanimljivo je pokazano u kojim se cinima pokazuje božanska istina. Pokazano je kojim cinima se ulazi u 'kraljevstvo Božje', u Božji svijet, u Božje zajedništvo, kraljevstvo Božje. Cijeli naglasak prepoznavanja Boga i prepoznavanje nas od Boga smješten je u meduljudske odnose. Koliko drugoga covjeka prepoznajemo u njegovoj istini toliko prepoznajemo Boga i Bog nas. Meduljudski odnosi su uzdignuti na odnos s Bogom. Time je covjek uzvišen i spašen. Covjek je uzdignut na božansku vrijednost.Spasenje nije okrenuto prema samom sebi. Ne kroz zauzetost samim sobom, nego kroz otvorenost i prepoznavanje drugoga i njegovih potreba. Žalostan covjek je žalostan Bog, gladni, zatvoreni, bolesni... Kako je to divna i zacudujuca identifikacija Isusa i ugroženog covjeka! Ovakva identifikacija se nije dogodila ni u jednoj religiji. Ovim Isusovim pozivom kršcansko vjerovanje je jednostavno, a kršcanska praksa vrlo zahtjevna. Ocito je da ju se ne može u život sprovoditi ako se ne usvoji Isusov stav, Isusova ljubav. Ljubav nizašto, pomoc bez zahvale, stjecanje srece usrecujuci drugoga.Isus nas prepoznaje kao svoje, na svom putu, samo po našem 'sadržaju', po našem odnosu prema drugim ljudima. Na tom odnosu se upoznaje Isusa, ulazi se u spoznaju Rijeci Božje. Tek 'izlazeci iz sebe' oslobadamo mjesto Bogu u sebi (Eckhart, Tauler), spoznaji Boga i samoga sebe. Odricuci se samoga sebe, dozvoljavajuci da drugi sa svim svojim teškocama i bolima ude u nas, mi se ostvarujemo i postajemo jasna slika živoga Boga.Isus kao covjek i Bog 'pokriva' cijeli svemir i on u tom svemiru nalazi svoje osmišljenje. U ovom smislu Isus je kralj svega stvorenog. Isus je spasitelj kao i svatko od nas tko ide njegovim putem i slijedi njegov život.Fr. Marijan Jurcevic, o.p.http://www.dominikanci.hr/propovijedi/34nkg-a.php  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 05 Aug 2004 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7604/1/H-Svi-smo-mi-i-ucitelji-i-ucenici.html ÂSvi smo mi i ucitelji i ucenici!31. nedjelja kroz godinu - ADobro uciti - Loše živjeti!Mi smo bica koja nastaju u svojoj povijesti.(Mt 23,1-12)Današnje Evandelje sigurno bi izvornije tumacio jedan nesvecenik, negoli svecenik. Možda bi valjalo cuti komentar današnjeg Evandelja od nekoga tko nije kršcanin ili koji se razocarao u kršcanstvu. Kako bi oni aplicirali na nas danas ovo Evandelje?Problem je ucitelja (intelektualaca) i svecenika što znaju tocan i istinit nauk, ali ne prakticiraju taj isti nauki. To je opce ljudska muka. To je muka roditelja, to je muka kad drugima dajemo savjet ili opomenu. Svi mislimo da znamo što treba raditi ili što bi drugi trebao raditi, ali sami to, barem u potpunosti, ne ispunjavamo. U napasti smo od naucitelja tražiti savršenost koju ni sami nemamo. Kako je lagano u drugome prepoznati nevjernog ucitelja i farizeja, i kako je teško sebe vidjeti kao neadekvatnog ucitelja i farizeja? Ako dodemo barem do ove svijesti vec cemo osjetiti da nam svima živo govori Evandelje.Može li se i danas postaviti pitanje: da li je kršcanstvo, vjera, opijum i otudenje ili život i osobodenje? (Franc. Misal). Da pisci i farizeji nisu prošlost niti vlastitost SZ pokazuje i to što i danas citamo tekstove o njima, ne kao povjesnicu, nego kao upozorenje današnjici. Oni su nešto latentno u ljudskom rodu, u svakome od nas. Možda se mijenjaju imenovanja ali stvarnost ostaje. Koga bi danas trebalo imenovati uciteljem i farizejom? Ne žurimo s imenovanjem da ne bi sebe preskocili. Svi smo mi i ucitelji i ucenici!Ipak, može se bez dvojbe reci da se tekst direktno odnosi na institucijske svecenike, službenike hrama. Uvijek je postojala izvjesna tenzija izmedu institucijske i prorocke religioznosti, kasnije Crkve. Da li je ‘zahtjev’ institucijske Crkve prema vjernicima Isusov zahtjev ili je puno toga nadodano i proizvoljno nametnuto? Netko rece da je bilo puno lakše biti Isusov ucenik nego li danas podložnik Crkve. Instituciju prati ukocenost i neinspirativnost, dok je karizmaticnost ‘raspojasana’ i neodredena. Ova zadnja ne može biti neko pravilo življenja i ponašanja. Karizmaticnost je osobna, a Institucija je nadosobna. I jedno i drugo je u ljudskom rodu i u svakom zajedništvu. Kako uskladiti jedno i drugo?Cim inspiracija postane institucija otvara se vrata i ‘uciteljima’ i ‘farizejima’. Pa i u vjeri Institucija zna progutati pojedinca i njegovu inspiraciju i vlastito shvacanje. Institucija mora imati ‘svoju ideologiju’ na kojoj pociva, treba imati svoje ucitelje i cuvare. Ali uvijek se namece isto pitanje, da li je pojedinac radi institucije ili je institucija radi pojedinca. Svatko ce odgovoriti da je institucija radi pojedinca, a u praksi ipak je pojedinac radi institucije. I evo izvora ljudske podvojenosti. Svi smo mi istovremeno pripadnici nekog Zajedništava i osobe. Kad bi institucija ostala neki široki okvir u kojem se krecu pojedinci još ne bi ugrozila pojedinca, ali kad se ona spusti u svakog pojedinca i njime zavlada otuduje ga. To je stalna opasnost i trajni ‘skandal’ i u samom kršcanstvu. Dobro je to naglasio Dostojevski u svom romanu “Braca Karamazovi” - Veliki Inkvizitor. Danas je ipak manje institucijeske vlasti i sve više se osoba vrednuje. Živimo vrijeme ljudskih prava i osobnih vrednota.Takoder, trajno se suprotstavlja ortodoksija (pravilno vjerovanje i naucavanje) i ortoparaksija (pravilno i potpuno življenje istine). Izgleda da Isus daje vecu vrijednost ortopraksiji jer ona uvijek sadrži i nauk, bez obzira što toga možda nije svjesna. Tko ljubi, bez obira što ne pozna ništa od psihologije i teologije, ispunjava istinu znanja o ljubavi. Ali tko pozna ‘teoriju ljubavi’ ali ne ljubi dalje je od istine ljubavi nego li onaj koji ju ima. Opasnost je da se ‘ucitelji’ ne zadovolje s teorijom, da ne ostanu ‘pravilni’ samo u glavi ali ne i u životu. Isus daje za pravo uciteljima u naucavanju, ali ih upozorava da to nije dosta. Crkvi treba i teologa i svetaca, ali bi bilo najpotpunije i plodonosnije da su teolozi sveci. Kršcanstvu je potrebna i Institucija, ali ne da vlada, nego da pojedincima služi. Cesto se dogodi da se predstavnici Institucije umisle da su oni ostvarenje Božjih i ljudskih nada, a zapravo nisu niti Božji niti ljudski, nego samo svoji (egoisti), zaogrnuti u plašt vjere ili Ustanove.Da li se uopce može gvoriti o ‘crkvenoj vlasti’ ili je to nešto što se tijekom povijesti ukrcalo u kršcanstvo? Kršcanstvo je služenje, a ne vladanje. Prvi su biskupi i svecenici birani jer su imali dar služenje, a ne vladanja. Nema dvojbe da smo mi danas potrebni Institucija, ali ne da vladaju i bremena namecu, nego da služe ljudskom i kršcanskom ostvarenju. Privilegijama crkvenih ljudi kvari se i pojedince i Ustanovu. Kršcanstvo bi bilo opijum i prevara, ako bi bilo samo nauk bez života.Fr. Marijan Jurcevic, o.p. Hrvatska dominikanska provincija - 1999. - 2004.www.dominikanci.hr  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 05 Aug 2004 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7603/1/H-Odgovornost-prema-svojim-talentima.html ÂOdgovornost prema svojim talentima 33. nedjelja kroz godinu - A(Mt 25,14-30)Svi su ljudi, svaki za sebe, pozvani na svoju puninu i na ‘susret’ s Bogom. Parabola o talentima najslikovitije i najjasnije govori o našoj odgovornost za talente koje imamo i kroz koje živimo. Pitanje koje nam se danas postavlja jest: Kako živimo sami sebe i svoje duševno bogatstvo?Vrlo cesto procjenjujemo kako se odnosimo prema drugima, prema društvu, prema zadacima koje smo preuzeli, ali se malo pitamo kako i koliko smo odgovorili samoj svojoj nutrini i darovima. Mi smo stvarno najodgovorniji prema samima sebi. Na tom odnosu i svijesti gradi se naša smirenost i naša rastrojenost. Smirena savijest formira se na odnosu prema samom sebi. A pravilno formiran odnos prema samom sebi je istovremeno odnos i prema našem Stvoritelju.Istina je da mi unaprijed ne znamo svoje nutarnje bogastvo, ne znamo svoje talente. Svi smo obdareni, svi imamo darove, a tek kroz život oni se pokazuju u svojem broju i bogatstvu. Naši darovi, naši talenti, životni su nacrt. Oni nisu nešto dano, nešto što je gotovo, oformljeno i što treba cuvati. Naše nutarnje bogatstvo je mogucnost koju treba pretvoriti u stvarnost. Takav je cijeli covjek. On je zadatak kojega treba ostvariti. Mi sami ne znamo kolika je naša unutarnja širina i visina. Tek kroz povjerenje u život, povjerenje u same sebe postajemo svjesni mogucnosti koja drijema u nama. Nitko samog sebe unaprijed ne posjeduje. Svi mi trebamo postati, nadogradivati se jer smo bica koja nastaju kroz slobodu.Tek kroz življenje i djelovanje mi otkrivamo svoje talente. Zato bi prvenstveno poruku današnjeg Isusovog Evandelja mogli shvatiti kao poziv na hrabro življenje života. Života se ne treba bojati, život je zato da ga se dinamicno živi. U svjetlu ovoga može se reci da je kršcanstvo dinamicko i kuražno živjelje svoje osobnosti. Buducnost nam se ne pokazuje kao nešto zastrašujuce, vec kao uspješnost i osobna punina. U život ne treba ici sa strahom i nepovjerenjem nego s ljubavlju i vjerom u bezgranicna ostvarenja i ispunjenja. Pesimizam i zatrašivanje u ime religioznosti izdaja su vjerovanja i povjerenja u Boga koji nas je stvorio i koji je u nas položio svoje božanske darove. Svaki covjek je obdaren božanskim darovima koji vapiju da se ‘otkriju’ i oživotvore. Zato vjerovati znaci izlaziti iz omedenog svijeta i omedene buducnosti. Istinski vjernik uvijek je optimist. Po svojoj duhovnosti (koja je na sliku Boga) on je otvoren prema božanstvenosti.Tko se prema životu postavlja s nepovjerenjem, ne dogodi mu se život. Tko sumnja u život ne ulazi ni u iskustvo bogatstva života. “Tko ima dat ce mu se, tko nema i ono malo ce mu se oduzeti.” Ova tvrdnja nije socijalna nego strukturalna. Tko svoje darove ne koristi oni mu se gube, tko ih koristi oni se povecavaju. Tako je i s talentima inteligencije: tko ih koristi još je bogatiji (pamecu) tko ih ne koristi još je siromašniji (pamecu). Mudri postaju još mudriji, ludi još ludi!Trebamo biti svijesni još necega: svi smo mi ljudi razliciti. Slicni smo i razliciti. Koliko god živimo zajedništvo, jer smo bica zajedništva, ipak je svatko od nas svoj i mora odgovoriti samom sebi, svojem nutarnjem bogatstvu, talentima, mogucnostima. Nikada se ni u cemu ne možemo mjeriti s drugim. Ni u cemu. Niti u dobru niti u zlu drugi nam ne može biti mjera. Svatko je od nas originalan i ima svoj specificni poziv i odaziv. Tko je primio puno od njega ce se više i tražiti... Tko s nepovjerenjem živi samoga sebe upropaštava sve svoje unutarnje darove. A onima koji su u životu kuražni jedan talenat rada stotinama klasova.Darove koje smo primili trebamo razvijati. Za taj razvitak svatko je odgovoran pojedinacno. To spada na odgovornost naše slobode.U tome što svoje talente možemo “zakopati” ili cudesno razviti pokazuje se koliko je znacenje nutarnje slobode u našem življenju.Religioznost nas ne sputava u dinamizmu našeg življenja. Osobe koje imaju povjerenje u život svaki ce dan u sebi otkrivati nove darove i hvalit ce Stvoritelja. Ljudi koji ne vjeruju u život svaki ce dan to više sumnjati u same sebe i strašiti se Boga i ljudi. Ipak, stvoreni smo za srecu i puninu, a ne za za nesrecu i katastrofu. Bog je u nama i s nama zato živimo to povjerenje i bogatstvo!Fr. Marijan Jurcevic, o.p. Hrvatska dominikanska provincija - 1999. - 2004.www.dominikanci.hr http://www.dominikanci.hr/propovijedi/33nkg-a.php  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 05 Aug 2004 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7602/1/H-Zivimo-u-vremenu-slatkorijecitosti-i-reklama.html ÂZivimo u vremenu slatkorijecitosti i reklama26. nedjelja kroz godinu - APrazna obecanja ne vrijede(Mt 21,28-32)Živimo u vremenu slatkorijecitosti i reklama. Svatko na rijecima prihvaca dobrotu i pravdu, svatko se reklamira kao naj, naj... S druge strane doživljavamo kako covjek više ne drži do svoje rijeci, kako ni sam ne vjeruje svojim rijecima. Nekada je vrijedila poslovica: "Covjek se veže za rijec, vol za rogove." Nažalost, kao da ova poslovica više ne vrijedi, niti u miru niti u ratu. Izgleda da je ovaj problem, problem praznih rijeci i obecanja, trajno prisutan docim ga i Evandelje komentira. Zavaravanje ili zavodenje ljudi rijecima veliko je zlo i nesreca. Kolike su samo negativne posljedice?!?Odgovornost pred svojom rijecju je odgovornost pred samim sobom. Odgovornost pred svojom rijecju je odgovornost pred svojom istinom. Nažalost, kako rece jedan covjek, ljudi su cesto odgovorniji u tomu gdje ce pljunuti nego li što ce reci. Ovoga casa mi smo u inflaciji rijeci. Kao da nitko nije odgovoran za svoje rijeci i posljedice. "Politicka bolest" neodgovornosti za svoju rijec postala je opcenita pojava. U tomu je teškoca.Jedni druge najviše možemo prevariti lažnim rijecima i obecanjima. Kao što rijec izlazi iz živog covjeka, tako bi i taj cijeli covjek trebao biti odgovoran pred svojom rijecju i pred drugim covjekom. Ako netko sam sebe ne poštuje u svojim rijecima, kako može ocekivati od drugih da ga poštuju. Mnogi ljudi su se najviše kompromitirali svojim praznim rijecima.Covjek ne smije olako ili neozbiljno davati 'rijec', jer to znaci olako samoga sebe predavati. Lako je biti velik na rijecima (za to je dovoljno imati pameti i jezik) ali su rijeci ništa ako ih ne slijede djela, ako se ne ostvaruju. Ako se ostane samo na rijecima ostaje se u apstraktnoj ideologiji koja nikada ne zaživi. Opasnost je 'teoretskim' zvanjima (intelektualcima) da se ne priviknu na ispravno mišljenje i isprazno govorenje, bez realizacije bilo svoje ideologije, bilo svoje rijeci. To bi bila rascjepljena osoba: biti jedno u glavi, a drugo u životu. Neki misle da je rascjepljeniji (bolesniji) onaj covjek koji jedno misli, a drugo govori, nego li onaj koji griješi bez vlastitog obmanjivanja. No, prvi vrlo teško dolazi do 'obracenja', dok se drugi može obratiti.Danas je velika opsanost da i na religioznom planu ne budemo proklamatori praznih rijeci, bez ostvarenog života.To se vrlo cesto prigovara kršcanima, osobito propovjednicima. Kao da oni imaju dobru nauku (i time se tješe), ali kao da njihov život ne odgovara navještanju. Isus daje prednost onima koji možda imaju krivu nauku, ali imaju ispravan život. U ovom smislu može se reci da je kršcanstvo manje religija, a više praksa, svakodnevno življenje. Što znaci poznavati cijelo Sv. Pismo, a ništa iz njega ne ispunjavati? Ništa. Što vrijedi propovijedati ljubav, a ne ljubiti? To je problem koji je izrecen kroz likove farizeja. Tolstoj navodi jednu pricu o nekim monasima koji su plovili na brodu i zaustavili se na jednom pustom otoku, gdje su susreli gole isposnike koji su bili plemeniti, ali nisu znali ništa moliti. Za vrijeme kratkog boravka oni su ih pokušali nauciti moliti Ocenaš. I brod je krenuo dalje na pucinu. Na pucini primjeti kapetan i monasi da po moru prema njima trce oni goli isposnici, pa kad su ih sustigli, rekoše da su zaboravili 'onu molitvu'. Monasi im rekoše, kako im je dosta i to što znaju. Iako nisu znali molitvu Ocenaša, cudesno su hodali po moru!Svima nama je lakše biti covjek i prijatelj na rijecima nego li na životnom polju. Najidealnije bi bilo da smo identicni svojim rijecima, odnosno da naše rijeci prate djela. Biti dobar i plemenit u rijeci i u životu, to je Isusov put. Biti istinit u rijecima i životu, to znaci biti kršcanin. Dobro je postati svjestan ljudske stvarnosti, kako navodi i evandelje: da ljudi mogu biti 'prljavi' u rijecima, ali su dobri u djelima. Teško se kontroliraju da budu dobri i kulturni u govoru, ali kad treba uraditi tada su plemeniti. Ti su bolji od onih koji su dobri na rijecima, a 'zli' u ponašanju.Vrlo važno je da svi postanemo svjesni da smo puno skloniji biti dobri na rijecima nego li u djelima. Pokušavajmo prevladati taj nesklad. Covjek se kao Božja slika ocituje i svojim rijecima i svojim djelima. Isto tako može biti lažan i u rijecima i djelima. Laže se rijecju i djelom! Istinitost se potvrduje rijecju i djelom.Koliko li možemo susresti onih koji su rekli "Gospodine vjerujem ti", a životom žive kao 'bezvjerci' i one koji nisu rekli "Vjerujem" ali žive istinski ljudski i pravednicki život. Nikakvi obredi (kršcanstvo nije magija) ne mogu zamjeniti život. Obredi samo pomažu da se mogne istinski živjeti život ljubavi i dobrote.Fr. Marijan Jurcevic, o.p.© Hrvatska dominikanska provincija - 1999. - 2004.www.dominikanci.hr http://www.dominikanci.hr/propovijedi/26nkg-a.php  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 05 Aug 2004 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7609/1/E-Michael-D-Antonovich--Mel-Gibson.html ÂMichael D. Antonovich, the courageous supervisor...Mel Gibson Not Happy With Decision on L.A. County's Cross ÂMonday, July 5, 2004 3:20 p.m. EDTThe courageous Hollywood star who battled a horde of critics of his "The Passion of the Christ" and won might be ready for another fight over a "cross." Reportedly upset over the recent decision of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to kowtow to ACLU and delete the tiny cross on the county's official seal, Mel Gibson is reported to be interested in helping to fight to retain the symbol, which represents the historical roots of the county. Los Angeles was founded as a Christian mission. Michael D. Antonovich, the courageous supervisor who has battled to keep the cross on the seal, told the Los Angeles Daily News that Gibson had met with Rabbi Daniel Lapin, president of the National Jewish Christian Alliance Toward Tradition. "The rabbi said he was with Mel Gibson and they were outraged at the action of the Board of Supervisors because the cross represents the historical founding of our county," Antonovich told the News. Though noting that he could not speak for the director of the smash hit "The Passion of the Christ," Lapin told the News he was supporting a signature-gathering effort seeking to put the matter on the ballot and allow the citizens to decide if the cross should remain on the county's seal. "This is what the Muslims did when they took over Spain, removed every sign of the cross," Lapin said. "I always say, Israel's safety belt is America's Bible Belt. As long as Americans respect the cross, Jews and other minorities are safe. In post-Christian Europe, anti-Semitism is rife." During the heated controversy over "The Passion," Rabbi Lapin was an outspoken defender of Gibson. Gibson's spokesman said that the star, now in Australia, was not available for comment. http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2004/7/5/152548.shtml  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Wed, 07 Jul 2004 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7610/1/E-Message-to-President-Reagan-from-Marija-Pavlovic.html REAGAN HAD SHOWN INTEREST IN MEDJUGORJEIn Janice Connell's book, The Visions of the Children, there is an interesting historical note regarding a message from Medjugorje visionary, Marija Pavlovic, which was delivered to President Reagan during a meeting at the White House with Russian President Gorbachev on Dec. 8, 1987. Here is the account as it appeared in Janice Connell's book: Message to President Reagan from Marija Pavlovic. The following was translated from the Croatian newspaper, Sveta Bastina, February 1988 issue; transcribed from Medjugorje Herald, vol.2, no. 6 -- Mary's Room MR-18, 12/88. "Dear President Reagan: "God's Holy Mother is appearing each day in this small village of Medjugorje, Yugoslavia. She is giving us a message of peace. We know your concern for world peace and are remembering you in our prayers each day. You are very close to our hearts and we want you to know that you can count on our prayers and sacrifices to help you in your great task. "Our Holy Mother has said that with prayer and fasting wars can be avoided. May her message help you and her daily visits be a sign to you of God's loving concern for His people. "United in prayer, and in the Heart of Jesus and Mary we send our love and greet you with the peace of the Queen of Peace. Marija Pavlovic" [End of Letter] In 1987 the American ambassador for Middle Europe, Alfred H. Kingon,stayed in Medjugorje for two weeks. The reason for his coming toMedjugorje was to pray for his sick son and give thanks for receivingGod's graces. He accepted the messages of Medjugorje, so he regularlyfasts and prays a lot. During his stay he had a meeting with thevisionary, Marija Pavlovic. Just before he returned to America in aspecial spiritual atmosphere there was created an opinion that it wouldbe very convenient to send over with him a spiritual peace message forPresident Reagan. Sincerely delighted, Kingon, Reagan's ambassador, saidthat he would deliver the message to the president as soon as hereturned to the White House. The message was written by Marija Pavlovic and translated into Englishby Kathleen Parisod. This message was given to President Reagan justbefore his meeting with the Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev when thecontract about destroying intermediate missiles had been signed. On December 8, 1987, the White House made a phone call to Marija at 7:00p.m. Parisod translated the conversation. Ambassador Kingon was the onewho called, and in the very beginning of the conversation he said thatPresident Reagan himself wanted to talk with Marija; but it wasimpossible because the meeting with Gorbachev was still going on. Duringthe conversation Kingon confirmed that he, himself, gave Marija'smessage to the president and that Reagan was delighted with the message.Kingon emphasized that after the president read the message he criedout: "Now, with a new spirit I am going to the meeting with Gorbachev." The same night the White House tried to call Marija but could not getthrough. On December 14, 1987, Kingon sent Marija a letter in which heencouraged her to send a peace message to Gorbachev. He assured her thatthe American ambassador, Jack Matlock, would give it to the secretary ofthe Russian leader. He also added that it would be beautiful if twogreat leaders and the two greatest countries would find out about herprayer and Our Lady's messages. Finally on Christmas Day Marija received a picture of Ronald Reaganunder which was written: "To Marija Pavlovic -- With my heartfelt thanksand every good wish. God bless you. Sincerely, Ronald Reagan." Note: Information supplied by priests of Saint James Parish, January1988. ________________________________ It is interesting to note that the meeting between Presidents Reagan andGorbachev occurred on December 8, 1987, the Feast of the ImmaculateConception.Source: http://www.spiritdaily.com/kingon2.htm letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Mon, 14 Jun 2004 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7611/1/E-Croatia-to-Mark-1700th-Anniversary-of-a-Diocese.html ÂCroatia to Mark 1,700th Anniversary of a DioceseArchdiocese of Split-Makarska Preparing With a Novena SPLIT, Croatia, APRIL 29, 2004 (Zenit.org).- The Croatian Archdiocese of Split-Makarska, one of the oldest in the world, will prepare for its 1,700th anniversary with a novena. Events to mark the anniversary culminate on May 7, the day of the archdiocese's patron, St. Domnio, bishop of ancient Salonika and martyr. The papal delegate to the event, Cardinal Jan Pieter Schotte, secretary-general of the Synod of Bishops, will preside at the Mass, which will be concelebrated with five other cardinals and 25 prelates. Numerous political representatives will attend, as well as faithful from all parts of this Balkan country and abroad. Celebrations began Wednesday with a Mass in St. Domnio Cathedral, at which Bishop Ratko Peric of Mostar-Duvno officiated. Cultural events have also been organized, including concerts and exhibitions. Relics of St. Domnio, kept in the cathedral, will be exposed for veneration May 6. The cathedral was erected on the site of the ancient mausoleum of Emperor Diocletian, built between the third and fourth centuries. In the center of the present city of Split, which includes the ancient episcopal see of Salonika, is Diocletian's palace as well as his mausoleum. He was one of the cruelest persecutors of Christians. John Paul II, who has visited Croatia on three occasions, said, "Here, history was not silent," when he entered the cathedral on Oct. 4, 1998. "History continues not to be silent," Archbishop Marin Barisic added recently. The archbishop, who is the present occupant of the chair of St. Domnio, said that this is also attested "by the massive participation of the faithful in the preparations for the celebrations," Vatican Radio reported. The Archdiocese of Split-Makarska has 410,000 Catholics, served by 204 diocesan priests, 165 religious priests, 24 major seminarians, 190 other men religious and 517 women religious. ZE04042904http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=52800  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Tue, 04 May 2004 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7612/1/E-Croatian-American-Theologian-Miroslav-Volf-on-NPR.html ÂCroatian-American Theologian Miroslav Volf on National Public RadioÂNational Public Radio's show "Speaking of Faith" had a discussion withCroatian-American Theologian Miroslav Volf, originally from Osijek andcurrently a visiting professor at the Divinity School at YaleUniversity. Below is a summary of the program. You can hear the entireprogram and look at texts and more information concerning Volf at thefollowing web page address:http://www.speakingoffaith.org/programs/2004/03/11_volf/ John Kraljic*********************************A long tradition exists asserting that religion is not onlyintellectually implausible, but socially harmful. This point of viewargues that for the sake of peace, religion must be neutralized as aforce in civil society. Croatian-American theologian Miroslav Volf makesthe counterintuitive proposal that the cure for religious zealotry inour world is not less religion, but more religion - or rather, strongerand more intelligent practices of faith.Volf knows Christianity's violent potential by experience. He grew upamidst ethnic tensions between Croats and Serbs. Miroslav Volf is theHenry B. Wright Professor of Theology at Yale University Divinity Schooland Visiting Professor of Systematic Theology at the EvangelicalTheological Faculty of Osijek, Croatia, which, in the early 1990s afterthe breakup of Communist Yugoslavia, escalated into a bloody civil war.In Bosnia and Croatia, nearly a quarter of a million people died and twomillion were left exiled or displaced.Host Krista Tippett speaks with Miroslav Volf, a theologian who bridgesthe divide between conservative and liberal Christians in the UnitedState. The conversation took place in Washington D.C. in front of a liveaudience at the National Cathedral. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sat, 13 Mar 2004 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7613/1/E-JOURNALIST-FINDS-FAITH-DURING-INVESTIGATION.html Â`ROLLING STONE' JOURNALIST FINDS FAITH DURING INVESTIGATION OF MIRACLES The Miracle Detective: An Investigation of Holy VisionsBy Randall SullivanAtlantic Monthly Press; $25; clothISBN: 0-87113-916-2Pub Date: April 9, 2004 Contact: Linda Shockley(212) 614-7868lshockley@groveatlantic.com RANDALL SULLIVAN IS AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS. PLEASE CONTACT LINDA SHOCKLEY AT (212) 614-7868 OR AT Lshockley@groveatlantic.com March 1, 2004 -- What starts out as an in-depth investigation into the phenomenon of Marian apparitions becomes an eight-year personal and spiritual journey in "The Miracle Detective: An Investigation of Holy Visions," a gripping look into the extraordinary phenomenon of Virgin Mary sightings around the world, the priests and scientists who investigate them, and a powerful examination about what constitutes the miraculous in the contemporary world. In a tiny, dilapidated trailer in northeastern Oregon, a young woman saw a vision of the Virgin Mary in an ordinary landscape painting hanging on her bedroom wall. After being met with skepticism from the local parish, the Catholic diocese officially placed the matter "under investigation." "I was drawn to those initial reports of an apparition in that trailer park in Eastern Oregon by the realization that I was unwilling to simply dismiss them as hallucinations or confabulations, and that to me the fundamental source of them was a mystery," says "Miracle Detective" author and "Rolling Stone" contributing editor Randall Sullivan. "Admitting the mysterious left me with a sense of wonder, in both meanings of the word: puzzlement and awe. I wondered what was there, and I wondered how I felt about it. Also, I felt compelled to learn more about how the Church proposed to 'investigate' an alleged miracle or purported revelation. What possible criteria, I wanted to know, would one apply?"Sullivan set off to interview "the miracle detectives." These were the theologians, historians, and postulators from the Sacred Congregation of the Causes for Saints who were charged by the Vatican with testing the miraculous and judging the holy. "My first visit to the Vatican in the summer of 1995 was an overwhelming education in the theological underpinnings of Catholicism," says Sullivan. "I became fascinated not only by how the church goes about authenticating miracles, but also by how it deals with its mystics, and their claims of divine revelation." What Sullivan didn't know was that his own investigation would lead from Vatican City in Rome to the tiny village of Medjugorje in the former Yugoslavia, where the Virgin Mary reportedly first appeared to six young people in 1981. "The more I learned about the controversy surrounding Medjugorje within the Church," says Sullivan, "the more remarkable it seemed to me that an event considered to be on par with Lourdes and Fatima was happening right now in a country that was being torn apart by the bloodiest European civil war in fifty years. I had to go there."Sullivan's harrowing search for an explanation of the miraculous, specifically in Bosnia-Herzegovina, occurred at the very same time that the country was being torn apart by the worst of humanity's evils: war, ethnic cleansing and mass graves. "The war in Bosnia-Herzegovina and all its attendant horrors was an essential aspect of my experience and of this book," says Sullivan. "This was the first time I had ever seen the effects of war in person, and I doubt anyone is not changed by the direct and visceral engagement of humanity's capacity for savagery. In that place, at that time, it was difficult to doubt that evil exists. Equally impressive, though, was the human capacity for heroism, for charity and for sacrifice. I sensed almost immediately that the events in Medjugorje were somehow inseparable from the war, and I wanted to understand how that could be. What I learned about this was disturbing and inspiring in equal measures."It was in Medjugorje that Sullivan encountered an unexpected turn in his investigation -- a personal religious experience in which a mysterious young woman came to his aid as he made a pilgrimage up the mountain of Krizevac. "What happened to me in Medjugorje was a kind of conversion experience," says Sullivan. "I was raised by a pair of atheists who took the Jesse Ventura view of religion -- that it is a crutch for the weak-minded. Both my siblings are avowed atheists. I was never really comfortable with this; even as a child I sensed that there was a divine source. Yet I had an experience of God's mercy and of Christ's sacrifice that was unprecedented in my life, and that I found myself unable to deny and unwilling to disavow even after I returned to my secular reality in the United States."Sullivan interviewed dozens of theologians, believers, skeptics, and apostates in an attempt to make sense of what he found in Medjugorje, from the compassionate Father Slavko Barbaric, an intellectual priest known as the Medjugorje seers' "spiritual director," to the legendary Father Benedict Groeschel, who is continually called upon to investigate supernatural -- or at least strange -- phenomena across America, culminating an eight-year investigation of predictions of apocalyptic events, false claims of revelation, and the search for a genuine theophony, that is, the ultimate interface between man and God.Although these raptures in Medjugorje have been the subject of more medical and scientific examination than any other purported supernatural event ever recorded, "The Miracle Detective" has already been hailed as "one of the most comprehensive and engaging modern works on the subject." (Publishers Weekly, starred review). Sullivan himself has been profoundly shaped, spiritually, by the eight-year journey he took to write and finish this book; first and foremost is that he now he considers himself a believer in miracles."I don't pretend to understand their operation, or even their specific purpose," says Sullivan, "and I live with doubts about every assertion I've heard or read in these regards. But I've come to the conclusion that to believe in God is to believe in miracles. And I believe in God."http://www.religionnews.com/press02/PR030204C.html letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Wed, 03 Mar 2004 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7614/1/H-Predavanje-Je-li-potrebno-o-Bogu-misliti.html Â"JE LI POTREBNO O BOGU MISLITI?"'Je li suvremenom covjeku dosadilo razmišljati o bitnim stvarima?'Hrvatsko kulturno drustvo Napredak Vas poziva na teolosko predavanje:"JE LI POTREBNO O BOGU MISLITI?"U cetvrtak, 5. veljace, 2004 s pocetkom u 18:30 Hrvatski Centar (mala dvorana pored crkve na 41 ulici)502 West 41 Street (Between 10 and 11 ave)Informacije: 212-563-3395 ili kdeletis@excite.com Predavanje ce odrzati zupni vikar Fra Ante Bekavac, diplomirani teolog.Sijedi kratak opis predavanja:"U ovom predavnju iznosim zapazanja o zaboravu koji je vrlo neobican, to je zaborav Boga. Otuda i skriveno pitanje: 'Je li suvremenom covjeku dosadilo razmišljati o bitnim stvarima?' Analiziram taj dogadjaj zaborava i kako smo mi ovlasteni, autorizirani da tragamo za Bogom. Slijedi govor o smislu traganja i kroz jedan mali dijalog o Martinu Muberu (filozof, hasid), govorim o rijeci Bog koja je postala sasvim nerazumljiva. Nastojao sam ove misli prenijeti u jedan siri jezik razumijevanja, te izbjeci cisto pojmnovno razlaganje stvari. Ono je bitno teolosko i egzistencijalno."Fra Ante letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 29 Jan 2004 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7615/1/E-Capacity-to-re-establish-a-common-system-of-reference.html ÂCapacity to re-establish a common system of referenceZENIT - The World Seen From Rome Date: 2003-11-28Navarro-Valls Surmises Why the Media Are So Interested in PopeAddresses an Academic Gathering in Honor of John Paul IIVATICAN CITY, NOV. 28, 2003 (Zenit.org).- The secret of the media's interest in John Paul II lies in his capacity "to re-establish a common system of reference," according to Vatican press office director Joaquín Navarro-Valls.Navarro-Valls made that point Thursday during an academic event that the University of the Holy Cross dedicated to the Holy Father for the 25th anniversary of his pontificate. "Today," Navarro-Valls said, "common systems of reference have disappeared, understood as a general framework of each age in which the words used are placed in a precise context and have meaning." He was speaking in the capacity of a guest professor, invited by the university's School of Institutional Communication, and not as Vatican spokesman. "This pontificate has re-created a common lexicon, which did not exist, to offer the Gospel and have the latter accepted," said Navarro-Valls. He gave as examples words such as "soul, family, God, prayer, human love and sexuality."The speaker also underlined how the Pope with his trips has been able to transmit this system of values and offer his Christian message. "The Pope offers a religious message, the system of truths and values of the Catholic religion which not only is of interest to the West but to all the world," he added. Monsignor Rino Fisichella, theologian and rector of the Lateran University, focused on the Trinity as "theological horizon to understand the ministry and magisterium of this Pope." The monsignor explained that "the Trinity makes visible that God is the center of everything, not man." John Paul II "situates his teachings in the Trinity, which is the foundation of his magisterium and where he always returns." To understand the Holy Father, "we must always refer to 'Redemptoris Hominis,' the Pope's first encyclical, which contains his programmatic set of ideas," said Monsignor Fisichella. The homage to John Paul II culminated with the presentation of the book "Giovanni Paolo II, Teologo: Nel Segno delle Encicliche" (John Paul II, Theologian: In the Sign of the Encyclicals), published by Mondadori. The book comments on all the Pope's encyclicals, which are divided by subjects: Trinitarian, social, ecclesiological and anthropological. Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the Pope's vicar for Rome, wrote the prologue.http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=45366 letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sun, 30 Nov 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7616/1/E-John-Paul-II-welcomed-some-7000-Croatians.html Pope John Paul (news - web sites) II gives his blessing flanked by Archbishop of Zagreb, Cardinal Josip Bozanic of Croatia, during an audience in the Paul VI Hall with Croatian pilgrims, at the Vatican (news - web sites), Saturday, Nov. 8, 2003. (AP Photo/Plinio Lepri)Pope John Paul (news - web sites) II talks with Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan during their meeting at the Vatican (news - web sites), Saturday, Nov. 8, 2003. The pontiff went to Croatia in June 5-9, making it his 100th foreign trip. (AP Photo/Osservatore Romano) ZENIT - The World Seen From Rome Date: 2003-11-10Pope Appeals to Croatia to Respect Life and FamilyWelcomes Thousands of Pilgrims at the VaticanVATICAN CITY, NOV. 10, 2003 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II welcomed some 7,000 Croatians at the Vatican and exhorted Croatian society to respect the sacred value of life and the family. Shortly before the audience in Paul VI Hall on Saturday, the Pope had a brief meeting with Ivica Racan, president of Croatia. With their pilgrimage to Rome, Croatian Catholics thanked the Holy Father for last June's visit to their country. Racan gave the Holy Father an album of photographs of his trip and a book on the history of Croatia. The country is holding legislative elections Nov. 23. In the presence of newly created Cardinal Josip Bozanic, archbishop of Zagreb and president of the Croatian episcopate, John Paul II thanked the pilgrims for "the very warm welcome" he had always received in their homeland. The Pope said that during his 2002 visit, when he beatified Sister Mary of Jesus Crucified Petkovic, he was able to confirm Croatian Catholics in the faith "to which you gave beautiful witness in the midst of numerous adversities and sufferings." "In this way, I wished to sustain your hope, often put to a harsh test, and to encourage your charity by stimulating you to persevere in your adherence to the Church in the new climate of freedom and democracy re-established 13 years ago," he said. Appealing to Croatia's capacity "to address adequately the challenges of the present moment," John Paul II expressed his desire that its citizens construct "a society founded on religious and human values which throughout the centuries have inspired the generations that preceded you." He also exhorted the pilgrims to construct a society that "respects the sacred character of life and God's great plan for the family, and to promote "the spirit of communion and co-responsibility." "The commitment to man and to his genuine good draws strength also from the Gospel and, therefore, is part of the mission of the Church," the Pope added. "Nothing of what is genuinely human should be foreign to the disciples of Christ." Innovative Media, Inc. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sun, 09 Nov 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7617/1/E-Cardinal-Josip-Bozanic-of-Croatia.html ÂCardinal Josip Bozanic ofCroatiaCardinal Josip Bozanic of Croatia, Archbishop of Zagreb receives his ring from Pope John Paul (news - web sites) II during a Mass with the newly elevated Cardinals in St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican (news - web sites), Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2003. A day after giving the new members of the College of Cardinals their trademark scarlet hat, the pontiff presented the men with their cardinals' rings, which symbolize their link to the Church and the pope. (AP Photo/Osservatore Romano) letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sun, 26 Oct 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7619/1/E-Pope-Appoints-Croatian-Cardinal.html ÂNew Croatian CardinalSantaMariaTimes.comSunday, September 28, 2003Ailing Pope Appoints 31 New Cardinals By NICOLE WINFIELDVATICAN CITY - Amid concerns about his frail health, Pope John Paul II appointed 31 cardinals Sunday, acting months earlier than expected and strengthening his influence on the group that will chose his successor. The new "princes" of the church include senior Vatican officials and diocesan leaders from 20 countries. They will receive their red hats at a ceremony known as a consistory on Oct. 21 _ a date chosen to coincide with the weeklong celebrations marking John Paul's 25th anniversary as pope. Several names mentioned in the Italian media as possible new cardinals weren't on the pope's list _ including Archbishop Sean O'Malley, who took over the Boston archdiocese to clean it up from the sex abuse scandal that rocked the American church. O'Malley didn't refer to the omission in a statement Sunday, instead congratulating the only American on the list, Justin Rigali, the archbishop-elect of Philadelphia. The 68-year-old Rigali is a Los Angeles native who was previously archbishop of St. Louis. He is a conservative and has championed two of the pope's favorite causes _ publicly condemning abortion and the death penalty. "The rumors were out, but the news came very quickly. It's a great honor to be part of the Pope's council," Rigali said as he entered the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Kansas City, Mo., where he was attending a Mass. St. Louis Archdiocese Vicar General Monsignor Richard Stika described Rigali's reaction as "humble excitement." "It's kind of a bittersweet moment for us. He's been our spiritual father for nine and a half years," Stika said Sunday shortly after speaking with Rigali. The College of Cardinals is already mainly made up of like-minded conservatives and the new batch will further cement the pope's influence on the choice of his successor. Prior to Sunday's announcement, the College of Cardinals had 164 members _ 109 of them under age 80 and thus eligible to vote in a conclave to elect a new pope. Of the eligible voters, all but five were named by John Paul. Birthdays and overall old age mean the number of College of Cardinal members is constantly in flux, but the traditional maximum is 120 voters. John Paul has had no qualms about surpassing that number _ doing so at the last two consistories in 2001 and 1998. The latest appointments bring to at least 135 the number of cardinals under 80. Vatican officials had said no consistory was expected before the end of the year; February 2004 had been mentioned as a possible date, because the previous two consistories were held in that month. No explanation was given for why the pope acted sooner. But Vatican officials said privately that with the College of Cardinals and heads of national bishops conferences already coming to Rome for the anniversary celebrations _ as well as the pope's declining health _ an October consistory seemed opportune. John Paul, who is 83 and suffers from Parkinson's disease, announced the new cardinals from his studio window overlooking St. Peter's Square. He read out the list with great difficulty, stopping to catch his breath several times before finishing each man's title. One of the 31 on the list was unidentified, perhaps because he works in a country where the church is oppressed. The new cardinals include archbishops from Nigeria, France, Sudan, Spain, Scotland, Brazil, Ghana, India, Australia, Croatia, Vietnam, Guatemala, Hungary, Canada, Italy as well as Rigali. Among the appointments was George Pell, the archbishop of Sydney, Austraila, who has been the focus of controversy in the past. He was cleared of sex abuse allegations last year, but has drawn anger for saying abortion was worse than sex abuse by priests _ a comment he said was taken out of context _ and refusing to give communion to gays. "I think it further shows the church to be representing many elements that I think are not doing the church very much good at the moment," Canberra Bishop Pat Power told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio. John Paul also named some top Vatican officials, including the French-born foreign minister Jean-Louis Tauran and prelates from Spain, Mexico, Japan and Italy who run other Vatican offices or commissions that traditionally come with a red hat. By naming cardinals for Vietnam, Sudan and Nigeria, the pope appeared to be trying to strengthen the position of his leaders in countries where the Roman Catholic Church often has difficulties with government officials or there are Muslim-Christian conflicts. Perhaps the greatest surprise was the absence on the list of O'Malley, who replaced Cardinal Bernard Law as Boston archbishop after Law resigned in December amid public outcry over the sex scandal. O'Malley has been working quickly to settle lawsuits brought by victims of clerical abuse and to bring some normalcy back to the archdiocese. While there was no explanation for O'Malley's absence, one possible reason was that the pope was reluctant to name a cardinal from Boston while Law is still of voting age and serving on several Vatican commissions. However, there is precedent: The pope gave Vienna Archbishop Christoph Schoenborn his red hat in February 1998, while his predecessor, Cardinal Hans Hermann Groer, was still of voting age. Groer had been forced to relinquish his duties as Vienna Archbishop in April 1998 because of a sex scandal. Rigali has critics among advocates for victims of clerical sex abuse. One leading activist, David Clohessy, national director of Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, has said Rigali has been among the least compassionate American bishops in dealing with the clerical sex abuse crisis. The Oct. 21 consistory will cap a busy week for the pope, who will preside over an evening Mass on Oct. 16 _ the anniversary of his election _ as well as the beatification of Mother Teresa three days later. In-between, he will have other public appearances and speeches, and now will preside over the lengthy consistory. The pope suffers from hip and knee ailments, in addition to Parkinson's, which makes it almost impossible for him to walk. During his recent trip to Slovakia, he was unable to finish his speeches, and just this week had to miss his weekly Wednesday audience because of an intestinal problem. He also has days when he appears stronger, including Saturday, when he seemed alert and relatively strong during a 20-minute meeting with the president of the Philippines and an evening Mass in St. Peter's Basilica. Print this story Email this story Pulitzer Central Coast Newspapers Santa Maria Times letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Wed, 01 Oct 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7618/1/H-Zupa-Gospe-od-Andjela-u-Trogiru.html ÂGospa od AndjelaPostovani!Posjetite novootvorene stranice zupe Gospe od Andjela u Trogiru!S postovanjem!Don Stipan Bodrozic, zupnikwww.goa-trogir.hr  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Wed, 01 Oct 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7620/1/E-Pope-leads-prayers-for-rain-in-Croatia-Europe.html ÂPope leads prayers for rain inCroatia, EuropeForecasters have warned the heat is set to continuePope John Paul II has led prayers for rain as temperatures across Europe continue to soar. Speaking to hundreds of pilgrims and tourists visiting him at his summer residence south of Rome, the Pope expressed sorrow for deaths caused by the relentless heat. He also regretted the damage wreaked on the environment by forest fires which have destroyed woodland from Portugal to the Netherlands and Greece. Forecasters have warned that the high temperatures are unlikely to drop until mid-August. "I ask you to join me in my prayer for the victims of this calamity and urge all of you to ask the Lord fervently to grant the thirsty Earth the coolness of rain," the Pope said. He was speaking in Castel Gondolfo, a lakeside town where the weather is generally much cooler for the 83-year-old Pontiff. Raging wildfires Temperatures across the continent have regularly exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) over the past two weeks, leading to some 40 deaths. It is not just humans who are suffering in the heatSummer fires have also destroyed tens of thousands of hectares of pinewood and brush across the continent, most of it in Portugal. They are still burning in Spain, Croatia, Greece, the Netherlands, Italy, and France. The extreme heat is being partly attributed to intense monsoon activity in sub-Saharan Africa which has poured hot desert air over Europe while keeping out cooler Atlantic lows. Also across Europe: * French police arrested five suspected arsonists in connection with a forest fire which broke out near the southern city of Nice on Friday * In the Paris area firefighters say they are dealing with 600 calls every day for people suffering from the heat * The UK recorded its highest ever temperature, with a temperature of 37.9 Celsius (100 Fahrenheit) recorded at Heathrow airport, west of London http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3139549.stm letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sun, 10 Aug 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7621/1/H-BUDUCNOST-JE-VASA.html ÂBUDUCNOST JE VAŠA 15. NEDJELJA KROZ GODINU - B BUDUCNOST JE VAŠA (Mk 6, 7-13) Isus šalje svoje ucenike u svijet da navještaju Radosnu vijest svim ljudima, u svim krajevima i svim domovima. Da bi naviještali Radosnu vijest trebaju biti potpuno slobodni od svega što bi ih sputavalo na tom putu. Moraju biti slobodni od kruha i ruha, slobodni od obitelji i rodbine, slobodni od casti i vlasti - slobodni kao ptice nebeske. Vrlo je bitno biti slobodan za naviještanje pa i za primanje Evandelja. Mi smo danas navikli na reklame. U reklamnim porukama se uvijek ne radi o životnim istinama. Radi se uglavnom o interesu koji nas je sve više-manje zahvatio. Taj isti interes opasan je za kršcanstvo i naviještanje Isusove poruke. Istina je da se nekada puno više pripisivalo "popovskom" interesu nego li snazi samog Evandelja. Sada je ipak takovo mišljenje rjede, jer se u drugim zanimanjima može živjeti bolje nego li u svecenickom zvanju. S te strane je to dobro. Dobro je za navjestitelje i za naviještanu Vijest. Od navjestitelja se traži da naviješta iz dubine svojeg uvjerenja, iz svoje osobne vjere, traži se da mu je Radosna vijest važnija od svagdanjeg kruha. Zar takav nije bio Isus Krist? Kaže: ptice imaju gnijezda...., a sin covjecji nema gdje bi glavu svoju sklonio. Isus nije kukao nad svojim neimanjem, vec je naglasio svoju slobodu. On je bio potpuno slobodan i potpuno za sve. Apostol nije apostol radi hrane i novca, on je od svega slobodan. Svaka vezanost uvjetuje 'propovjednika' u iznošenju poziva i zahtjeva Evandelja. Ucenik je onaj koji se pouzdaje u Boga i buducnost. On nece ostati sam niti na smetlištu. Uvijek ce biti onih kojima je Rijec Božja pala u srce, pa ce udijeliti sklonište navjestiteljima. To se iskustveno pokazalo istinitim u vrijeme dok je Crkva progonjena i kad su joj sve oduzeli. Isus upucuje da se ne "baca bisere pred svinje" - tamo gdje ne prihvacaju Radosnu rijec, ne treba ju profanirati. I ovaj nam je nacin poznat neposredno po 'padu komunizma'. Nažalost, bacalo se biserje pred divljac i ismjehivace Isusa i kršcanstva. 'Pokrstilo' se sve i svašta bez uvjerenja i vjerovanja. Sad se to pokazuje da je lošije od nevjere. Kršcanstvo i evandeoska poruka su vrijednosti koje se ne smije profanirati. Vrlo cesto se neozbiljno upotrebljava Isusova rijec. Cesto sami navjestitelji neozbiljno shvacaju istu poruku (osobito ako to cine radi kruha i ruha), kao i oni kojima se naviješta. Iz ovoga proizlazi, treba vrednovati svoje kršcansko uvjerenje i ne naturivati ga tamo gdje nece biti prihvaceno i življeno. Isus upozorava svoje ucenike što slijedi njihovo propovijedanje: zlo ce lijeciti... Navjestitelj Vjecne ljubavi time izgoni zlo iz svijeta i time lijeci bolesna srca od zla... Navještaj nece otkloniti nesrece covjeka i svijeta, ali ce ojacati ljude koji su time zahvaceni da uza sve nedace žive smirena srca i savjesti. Navještaj Isusa i njegove poruke nije nikakva propaganda, jer nema za cilj da zavlada niti da se dobije dobit. Cilj joj je da donese radost i smisao životu. Ne širi se ideologija koju treba pamtiti i drugima predavati. Radi se o životnoj istini koja se življenjem širi i potvrduje. Naviješta se iz ljubavi i radosti. To dvoje je nemoguce u sebi skrivati. Isus garantira da ce biti sa svojim ucenicima u svim njihovim rijecima i ponašanjima. Pratit ce ih ono što je pratilo njega: Božja sila i Duh Sveti. Unijeti svjetlo u covjekovu dubinu ne može se nekim psihološkim metodama, medutim može dobrotom i ljubavlju. Tko je u sebi osjetio Boga, može pomoci drugima da ga takoder pronadu i prepoznaju u sebi i svijetu. Osnovno je u kršcanskom i ljudskom životu za razumijevanje Isusove poruke: OBRACENJE. Zaokret u nutrini. Okretanje prema svjetlu i prema buducnosti. Obracenje iz pesimizma u optimizam, iz prošlosti u buducnost. Tako nas Isus lijeci plemenitim (pozitivnim) mišljenjem i ljubavlju. Sve je pozvao da 'ustanu'. Tako vjecno odzvanja Isusov zov na obracenje prema buducnosti. Bog je naša buducnost i naš smisao. Svi smo pozvani da jedni drugima budimo pozitivno mišljenje i optimizam. Svi mi danas Isusa trebamo na osobnom planu - za svoju dušu - više nego li za 'korist'. Nestaju vanjski interesi, a gladuje covjekova nutrina. Danas smo duševno gladni, a tjelesno ugojeni. Idite po svem svijetu, propovijedate Radosnu vijest, ja (Uskrsli Krist) bit cu s vama. Bog ce iz vas govoriti vjecnom ljubavlju koju želi svako ljudsko srce. Fr. Marijan Jurcevic, o.p. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sun, 20 Jul 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7624/1/H-Nije-li-ovo-sin-tesarev-i-Marijin-.html ÂNije li ovo sin tesarev i Marijin...?Â14. NEDJELJA KROZ GODINU - B Nekako, kao da se covjek nikako ne mijenja. I danas je potpuno istinito ovo evandelje. Ne prepoznaje se bližnjega svojega, ne prepoznaje se Isusa i Isuse. I to se dogada svima nama. Cini mi se osobito nama Hrvatima. Mi nikako ne uspijevamo prepoznati sami sebe i svoje vrijednosti. Trajno lutamo. Trajno tražimo Mesiju i Mesije, a on je tu medu nama. Kad ce vec doci cas da cemo se vratiti samima sebi i poceti sebe vrednovati? Ne treba se ni napuhivati, ali ni zabacivati. Barem pocnimo shvacati da smo kao i drugi, u dobru i u zlu, u mudrosti i ludosti. Vrlo cesto kod nas vidimo samo mane i nedostatke, a kod drugih samo vrline. Ova ista shema je prisutna kad je u pitanju naša kuca prema drugima, pa naša država... Drugi su uvijek vrijedni, naši nevrijedni. Narodna poslovica je to izrekla: «U tude krave uvijek vece vime». Pa i kad uocavamo vrijednosti, cini nam se kao da su tude, da nisu mogle izrasti kod nas, niti od nas. Ovome se ne treba cuditi jer vidimo da se to dogodilo samom Isusu i njegovim suvremenicima. To se Isusu trajno dogada. Ali radi toga on nije pobjegao od svojih niti ih je prokleo. Dapace, za njih se predao, njih je ljubio, njih je pozivao i poucavao. On ih trajno traži. On nas trajno traži. Njegovi, to smo svi mi. Vrlo cesto imamo teškocu povjerovati da Bog govori preko jednostavnih ljudi. Tako smo slijepi pred jednostavnošcu bilo svojih bližnjih bilo daljnjih. Ipak, izgleda da se Bog objavljuje i cini božanska djela baš preko jednostavnih ljudi. Što je to u jednostavnosti što se Bogu 'svida' i što je smetnja kod onih koji su 'uzvišeni' da preko jednih Bog progovara, a preko drugih njegovo lice biva skriveno. Da, mi smo lice Božje. Neki ga svojom jednostavnošcu ocituju, drugi ga svojom bahatošcu (velicinom) skrivaju. Božja velicina i moc razlikuju se od našeg pojma moci i velicine. Božja moc je jednostavnost, ljubav i dobrota. Njegova je moc u predavanju za druge, u ljubavi drugih. Bog jest Ljubav. Bog je jak u pobjedi zla i u stvaranju ljubavi i dobra. To je njegova jakost i moc. Bog je moc u nemoci, kako bi rekao sv. Pavao. Tko prepoznaje Isusa kao Krista, kao Mesiji? Samo onaj koji gleda dublje od privida i koji vidi moc u ljubavi i jednostavnosti. Takvi su ga odmah prepoznali, takvi su ga odmah slijedili. Isto tako bi mogli reci da se ne dogadaju 'cudesa' tamo gdje se ne vidi dalje od osjetilnog svijeta. Cudesa su nešto božansko, nešto što proizlazi iz ljubavi i prihvacanja ljubavi. Tko ne prihvaca ljubav njemu se ne može dogoditi cudo. Cudo je uvijek potvrda prepoznate ljubavi. Zar je moguce zamisliti u cudu Isusa Krista ako se ne prihvaca ljubav? Tko ne primjecuje ljubav nece primijetiti ni cudo. Njemu se nece dogoditi cudo. Kako je teško prihvatiti i vrednovati vrijednosti svojega bližnjega? To i jest misterij. Trebamo bližnjega i suprotstavljamo se njemu. Kain treba Abela i ubija ga, Adam treba Evu i s njom se sukobljava... I tako do dana današnjega. "Nema proroka u svojem zavicaju" - zašto? A ipak je tako. Ovoga trebamo postati svjesni. Hocu reci treba ovu recenicu shvatiti u svoj njezinoj širini i konkretnosti. Prvenstveno ju treba shvatiti kao Isusovu recenicu. A to znaci da se u ime vjere u Isusa i njegov put treba osloboditi tog stava. Takoder vrijedi istaknuti još jednu pouku iz današnjeg, skoro Isusovog historijskog dogadaja. Ne treba neciju velicinu, pa i malenkost, vezati uz genetsku vezu. Od mnogih 'tesara' i 'obicnih žena' rodeni su mnogi proroci i velikani covjecanstva. Opasnost da sve vežemo uz rodoslovlje vrlo je opasno na religioznom i društvenom planu. Veliki duhovi, velikani, oni su 'dar neba', Božji dar, bez obzira na rodoslovlje (genetiku). Takoder, postanimo svjesni da ne bi bilo dobro da nam 'proroci i ucitelji' odu u okolni svijet uciti i obogacivati drugi svijet jer im mi nismo vjerovali niti ih podržali. Na nekim poljima vec se tako dogada. Povijest našeg povijesnog iskustva potvrduje nam takvu nezgodnu sljepocu. Mnogi naši ljudi postali su veliki tek kad su otišli iz Domovine. Svi smo mi vrlo sumnjicavi u svojoj vjeri i povjerenju u Dobro i Ljubav. S nama su mnogi 'Isusi' i 'Marije' - prepoznajmo ih, bit cemo sretni i bit ce nam osvijetljen put u buducnost.ÂFr. Marijan Jurcevic, o.p.http://www.dominikanci.hr letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sun, 06 Jul 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7623/1/E-SVETI-PETAR-I-PAVAO.html ÂSVETI PETAR I PAVAO Petar i Pavao, koliko god imaju povijesno znacenje, toliko su njihove osobe postale i simboli kršcanstva i navještaja Nove vijesti. Petar i Pavao su instrumenti božanske vijesti covjecanstvu. Povijesno receno, preko njih je Isus došao na Zapad, u Rim i Europu, do nas. Dva su to razlicita covjeka koji se dopunjavaju i koji vode prema punini Isusa Krista. To nam takoder govori da su svi ljudi, bez obzira kojeg su karaktera, sposobni naviještati i svjedociti Isusa i njegovo evandelje. Petar je Isusovu poruku 'adaptirao' Židovima, a Pavao poganima. Tako je Isusova rijec progovorila židovski, grcko-rimski, pa i slavenski. Svi kasniji propovjednici i evangelizatori samo su produžetak Petra i Pavla. Nema dvojbe da je Pavao bio vrlo uvjerljiv i bistar propovjednik, a Petar uvjerljiv svjedok. Zato se njih slavi zajedno. Na njima pociva Evandelje i Crkva. Pavao je u svojem propovijedanju stjecao prijatelje (Barnaba i Luka...), a neki su ga i napustili (Dema). On sam tvrdi da se više ne razlikuje od Krista. Pavao je imao jako puno svojih ucenika, iako je naglašavao da su svi u Kristovom poslanju. "Nema Pavlovog ni Apolonovog... svi smo Kristovi." Petar je velicina svjedocenja življenjem i odvažnošcu. On je promjenjiv i stabilan. Kroz njega progovara više karaktera i više reakcija. I sve nalaze mjesto u Isusovoj osobi i ljubavi. U Petru i Pavlu vidimo simbolicno sve apostole. Možda je Ivan drugo 'krilo' i drugi pristup Isusu Kristu. Misija kršcanstva nije rezervirana samo nekim specijalistima. Svaki krštenik je 'po naravi krštenja' misionar: on je slika Kristova i svjedok svojeg doživljaja i spasenja. Najsnažnija misija je unutarnje zadovoljstvo i životno svjedocenje. Ako se živi Isusova istina ona progovara kroz rijeci i lica onih koji ju žive. A biti misionar znaci izici iz sebe, iz svojih naucenih navika da bi se dijelilo vjeru s drugima. Vjera nije nešto što se širi kao reklama ili izvoz. Vjera je širenje radosti vjerovanja, radosti života. Vjera ili daje smisao življenju ili nije božanska vjera. Petar 'ribar' i Pavao 'ucitelj - farizej' - ispovijedaju Isusa kao Božje objavljenje, kao spasenje ljudskog roda. Svaki na svoj nacin pomogli su da svi mi prepoznamo Isusa Krista. Petar je prvi ispovjedio da je Isus sin Božji - da je Mesija. Sam mu Isus kaže da to on nije domislio nego da mu je to Duh Božji objavio. Da, spoznaja Boga u Isusu uvijek je dar Božji. Sam Bog sebe objavljuje i mi se u njemu nalazimo. Petar nam takoder govori da je on odabran ne radi svojih vrijednosti nego radi ljubavi Božje. Cinjenicno, naša vjera je dar Božji. Petar spada u onu trojicu 'privilegiranih' ucenika koje je Isus imao uza se kad je lijecio kcer Jairovu (Mk 5,37), na preobraženju (Mk 9, 2), i u Getsemaniju (Mk 14,33). Njemu se prvom ukazuje poslije uskrsnuca, "da ucvrsti bracu u vjeri" (Lk 22,32) i dobiva posebno poslanje (Iv 21, 15-17). Petar je izraz vjere dvanaestorice apostola (Dap 2,14...). Petar je simbol svih apostola (Mk 3,16). U Rimu, za vrijeme Nerona, (64) mucenicki je preminuo svjedoceci za svojeg Ucitelja. Petar je upalio vatru vjere u Rimu. On je prvi 'biskup' Rima i kršcanstva. Kako je vec spomenuto, Pavao je kršcanstvo koje istice iz židovstva pretocio u druge kulture i druga vjerovanja. Propovijeda Grcima i Rimljanima, grešnicima i pravednicima. Pavla su razumjeli i Grci i Rimljani, vjernici i nevjernici. On naviješta Isusa s Areopaga. Pavlove poslanice, skoro su drugo Evandelje. One su evandelje uskrslog Krista. One povezuju živo Stari i Novi zavjet. Pa bi se skoro moglo reci da je po Pavlu cijeli kršcanski svijet - kršcanstvo - judaiziran. Sve nas je povezao s 'Adamom' i s Kristom. Braca smo od pocetka, braca smo i danas (Poslanica Rimljanima). Prema Pavlu Isus u sebe sažima cijelu ljudsku povijest i njezino spasenje. Isus rada novog Adama i novo covjecanstvo. Kršcanstvo je novost cijelog svemira. Isus je misteriozno prisutan u cijelom svemiru. On je za Pavla Kozmicki Krist (1Kor 2, 2-10). Pavao ostaje primjer poštenog i bezinteresnog obracenika. Za Pavla se uvijek znalo koji je njegov stav. On nikada nije bio 'ni vruc ni hladan'. On je uvijek bio dosljedan svojem uvjerenju. Svi mi kršcani idemo za Isusovim svjetlom Ljubavi i Istine što su nam donijeli veliki apostoli i proroci Pater i Pavao. Hvala im!ÂFr. Marijan Jurcevic, o.p.http://www.dominikanci.hr letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sun, 06 Jul 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7622/1/E-ZASTO-BOG-SPAVA-DOK-SE-DOGADJA-ZLO.html Â"ZAŠTO BOG SPAVA DOK SE DOGAÐA ZLO?"ÂBog ne spava, ali lažno ne tješi.12. NEDJELJA KROZ GODINU - B Apostoli su se vezali za Isusa. On je za njih Bog i božja moc. I slikom barke na uzburkanom moru opisan je odnos apostola i svih ljudi prema Bogu u vrijeme nedaca. Apostoli se skoro utapaju, a Isus "spava". To im je neshvatljivo. Kroz ovo je receno vjecno pitanje covjeka, osobito u vrijeme nedaca, zala. Covjek se pita pa gdje je Bog kad dopušta da se "ovo" dogada. Osobito kada se dogadaju zla nevinima. Tada nam se cini kao da Boga "nema" jer drukcije, po našem mišljenju, ne bi mogao ostati indiferentan i ne reagirati. Vjeruje se u Boga koji je apsolutna dobrota, koji je svakoga stvorio, koji brine o svakome. Kad se dogada zlo tada dolaze u pitanje sva povjerenja, pa i samo vjerovanje. Tako je bilo uvijek. Isto pitanje se postavilo i prvim kršcanima koji su vodeni na stratišta i proganjani. Pitali su se zašto to Bog dopušta, zašto "spava" dok oni ginu. Zato Marko i donosi ovaj dogadaj na moru kad Isus "spava" dok su apostoli u panici. Evandeoska pouka je ova: ni vjernici u Boga nisu oslobodeni straha, nisu oslobodeni problema svijeta, nisu oslobodeni zala. Oni su u svijetu i snalaze ih sve poteškoce svijeta. Možda bi netko mogao vjerovati, ako vjeruje da ce "preskociti" teškoce svijeta, no to nije istina. Svi smo mi u svijetu i živimo, moramo živjeti teškoce svijeta. Dapace, onaj koji je sljedbenik Božji još ce bolnije doživljavati sva zla svijeta. Zahvatit ce ga sva bol svijeta, križ ce svijeta pasti na njegova leda. To je izreceno kroz osobu Isusa koji je apsolutni pravednik, a ipak se na njega srucilo zlo i osuda. Kako je tek s drugim ljudima, s nama koji smo sami sudionici u zlu? Kakav je odnos Boga i zla. To je najteže pitanje svijeta. To je najteže pitanje za sve monoteisticke religije, jer trebaju "pomiriti" Dobrog i svemoguceg Boga sa zlom. Zato Biblijsko vjerovanje i smješta zlo u povijest. Zlu je izvor u covjeku, ne u prirodi, ne u stvorenju nego u htijenju i slobodi. Sloboda je božanski dar ali se može iskoristiti i sotonski. U njoj se covjek mora "snaci", mora opredjeliti samoga sebe. Tako koliko god je covjek od Boga ipak je ostavljen i samom sebi da se uoblici. Nedace ce se dogadati i dogadaju se i u "novom zavjetu". Isus ih nije dokinuo, ali je donio "oganj" koji je jaci od svih zala. Potrebno je bez straha stati pred sva zbivanja. I kada se cini da je Bog odsutan, ipak, On je prisutan. Baš je to svjedocanstvo onih koji su proživjeli sva zla i ostali vjerni. Ocito je da se uvijek naše predvidanje i planiranje ne podudara s Božjim, pa nam onda izgleda kao da je On odsutan. No, isto tako cesto njegovo "odsustvo" svjedoci najvecu prisutnost. Medutim njegova prisutnost ni u kojem slucaju ne sužuje našu autonomnost i odgovornost. On je prisutan, kako rece Biblija, kao blagi lahor u kojemu mi odlucujemo. Danas smo mi u našoj Domovini svi na uzburkanom moru. Vecina je kršcana, puno je crkava. Svi su Božji i Isusovi znakovi medu nama, ali ipak doživljavamo u nekim casovima kao da Bog "spava" ili je odsutan kada dopušta patnje koje se dogadaju. U ovome zlu mnogi su se potresli u svojoj vjeri, a opet s druge strane neki su ga otkrili baš u patnjama. Kad su doživjeli da su ostavljani od svih osjetili su u sebi živoga Boga koji ih nikada ne napušta, koji u njima diše i daje im hrabrosti da nadvladaju sve nedaca. Nemirno "more" testira našu vjeru u Boga. Svi oni koji su mu baš u teškim casovima ostali vjerni doživjeli su svoje preporodenje i novi život. Njihova vjera je bila jaca od zla i ona ih nije izdala. - Poznato je da ljudi s vjerom snažnije nadvladavaju sve nedace u koje može život upasti. Kroz vjeru, nadu i ljubav covjek se suprotstavlja grubostima života. Ovo su božanske kreposti koje skoro nadilaze naše shvacanje, ali nam daju i osmišljen i snažniji život. Zato su nemirna vremena cesto opasnost da covjek potraži "utjehu" u praznovjerju koje podilazi našim željama i lažnoj utjesi. Bog ne spava, ali lažno ne tješi. On ne cini cudesa da se poteškoce preskoce. On ne uklanja poteškoce, nego daje snagu da se covjek suprotstavi zlu i poteškocama. I Isus je bez straha prihvatio na sebe sva zla svijeta da bi covjeku vratio povjerenje u samoga sebe i vjeru uBoga.ÂFr. Marijan Jurcevic, o.p.http://www.dominikanci.hr letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sun, 06 Jul 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7625/1/E-The-Passion-of-Mel-Gibson.html ÂFAITH IN HOLLYWOODA Mere Christian Commends Mel Gibson's Traditional Catholic BeliefsBy Ted BaehrPublisher, MovieGuide MagazineThe world needs more movies about Jesus Christ who loved mankind so much that he was willing to die for those who set themselves against him as his enemies.CBN.com - HOLLYWOOD, CA (ANS) -- Recently, the New York Times ran a featured article by Christopher Noxon in the prestigious New York Times Magazine entitled "Is the Pope Catholic. . . Enough?" (March 9, 2003). This article, which was listed as news on the New York Times website, dripped with sarcasm as it sliced and diced Mel Gibson for directing a movie on the last 24 hours of Jesus' life entitled The Passion . The article was pointedly aimed at poisoning people's attitude about Mel's movie The Passion and about Mel himself. On March 11, 2003, Fox News concluded that "Sunday's New York Times Magazine didn't do a heck of a lot for Mel Gibson. In fact, there's a good chance it may have wiped out his career."ÂMr. Noxon's article was so biased and inaccurate that I felt I should respond even though I am a Christian, but not a Roman Catholic, and even though I have heard that Mel Gibson does not support our efforts to redeem the values of the mass media of entertainment through our Annual MovieGuide "Faith & Values Awards Gala and Report to Hollywood," where we have awarded his movies with several Crystal MovieGuide Awards year after year going back to his version of Hamlet.The article opens by painting Mel as the leader of "a group of conspiracy-minded Catholics, mystics, monarchists and disaffected conservatives - including a seminary dropout and rabble-rousing theologist who also happens to be Mel Gibson's father" This should have been phrased more accurately as Mel is supporting a church for Catholics who share a love for the Latin Mass, vibrant Christian faith, traditional values, and remnant theology.Mr. Noxon goes on to say that the Mass will be "conducted entirely in Latin." "Latin, however, is just the beginning -- traditionalists refrain from eating meat on Fridays, and traditionalist women wear headdresses in church." In other words, these believers prefer the Latin Mass, which is beautiful; fasting, which is biblical; and, hats, though Mr. Noxon makes it sound as if these are some strange group of natives who like "headdresses" (really!).The next line is a hoot, "The movement seeks to revive an orthodoxy uncorrupted by the theological and social changes of the last 300 years or so." Every revival is an attempt to get back to basics. In many ways, this sounds like a good idea.Then, Mr. Noxon quotes a book entitled The Smoke of Satan by sociology professor Michael W. Cuneo to cover a large leap into pure presumption and defamation. According to the quote, Mr. Cuneo contends that traditionalists "'would like nothing more than to be transported back to Louis XIV's France or Franco's Spain, where Catholicism enjoyed an unrivaled presidency over cultural life and other religions existed entirely at its beneficence."' The inference, of course, is that this is what Mel wants, but Mr. Noxon has not asked Mel if this is what he wants, rather Mr. Noxon has unfairly associated Mel with the horrendous Smoke of Satan and Louis XIV's France. This is bias in the extreme, but it gets worse.Mr. Noxon then turns to smearing Mel's 84 year-old father, Hutton, whom he calls "a well-known author and activist who has railed against the Vatican for more than 30 years." His most scathing attack on Mel's elderly father was noting that Hutton Gibson dismisses "historical accounts that six million Jews were exterminated." Of course, Noxon quotes Hunter Gibson's views without providing any evidence that Mel Gibson shares them.Finally, Mr. Noxon turns to Mel's movie project The Passion and suggests that it will inflame anti-Semitic feelings. Mr. Noxon "reports" that "a friend of the Gibson family has his own ideas about how traditionalist thought is informing The Passion . Gary Giuffre, a founder of the traditionalist St. Jude Chapel in Texas, says Gibson told him about his plans for The Passion on a recent visit. 'It will graphically portray the intense suffering of Christ, perhaps as no film has done before.' Most important, he says, the film will lay the blame for the death of Christ where it belongs - which some traditionalists believe means the Jewish authorities who presided over his trial and delivered him to the Romans to be crucified."After insinuating that the movie is anti-Semitic, Mr. Noxon admits in a nod to civility that shows how unbalanced his writing is, "In his conversation with Bill O'Reilly. . ., Gibson was asked whether his account might particularly upset Jews. 'It may,' he said. 'It's not meant to. I think it's meant to just tell the truth. I want to be as truthful as possible. But when you look at the reasons why Christ came, why He was crucified - He died for all mankind and He suffered for all mankind. So that, really, anyone who transgresses has to look at their own part or look at their own culpability.'" Mr. Noxon may not understand what Mel is saying, but all of us bear the responsibility for the death of Jesus since He died for our sins and was resurrected to guarantee us eternal life in the Kingdom of God.To add insult to injury, Mr. Noxon sets Mel's fellow Catholics against him by reporting "that Gibson made a 'scathing attack against the Vatican, calling it a 'wolf in sheep's clothing,'" even though Mr. Gibson has consulted the Vatican about the movie of Jesus Christ and travels frequently to Rome to confer on theological details.Fox News concluded on its website, "Sunday's New York Times Magazine didn't do a heck of a lot for Mel Gibson. In fact, there's a good chance it may have wiped out his career."However, the words of Gamaliel two thousand years ago in Acts 5:38-39 (NIV) sound more accurate when he stood up in the Sanhedrin and said, "Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."Mr. Noxon may want to consider the words of Gamaliel as he rails against Mr. Gibson, The Passion, and the other Christians who have the courage to proclaim their beliefs in the mass media of entertainment. Moreover, he may want to consider that the world needs more movies about Jesus Christ who loved mankind so much that he was willing to die for those who set themselves against him as his enemies.The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc. © 2003Âhttp://cbn.com/living/entertainment/screen/ANS_melgibson.asp letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 03 Jul 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7627/1/E-Reflecting-on-Croatia---Papal-Insights.html ÂCroatiawill always have a special place in my heart and in my prayerÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ- Pope John Paul II - " Pope John Paul II's remarks in English at his weekly general audience June 11: Today I would like to speak briefly about my recent pilgrimage to Croatia, the theme of which was "The Family: the Way of the Church and of People." This was my 100th apostolic visit, and i give heartfelt thanks to Almighty God for opening to me once more the roads of the world so that i could bear witness to Him among the nations. During this pilgrimage, my third to Croatia, I had the joy of beatifying Sister Marija Propetoga Isusa Petkovic(Sister Maria Petkovic) in her noble homeland. I also encouraged women to make their unique spiritual and moral contribution to society, and reminded all the Lord's disciples that everyone is called to holiness. On Pentecost Sunday, I invoked a renewed outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon Christian families in Croatia and throughout the world. May God continue to bless and protect Croatia; this country will always have a special place in my heart and in my prayer. " -The Southern Cross - Catholic Press Association June 19, 2003 letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 26 Jun 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7628/1/E-Prof-dr-Marijan-Jurcevic---Duhovi-Trojstvo.html Budimo kao Bog u kojeg vjerujemo: jedno irazlicitost. Budimo Ljubav.ÂProf. dr. sc. Marijan Jurcevic, op.DUHOVI Da li smo mi u životu doživjeli svoje Duhove, kao što su to doživjeli prvi Isusovi sljedbenici? Oni su progovarali jezikom ljubavi i vjere. Svi su se razumjeli i našli u zajedništvu vjere. Zahvatio ih je JEDAN DUH. Na krizmi smo primili Duha Svetog, ali je cudno da smo toga malo svjesni i da smo mu se malo predali. Isus je obecao svojim sljedbenicima poslati Duha koji ce ih preporoditi. Za naše spasenje, našu vjecnost potrebno je ovu ljudsku narav preporoditi, oduhoviti. Naša duševnost jest otvorenost koja može primiti Boga i njegovog Duha. U nama ili ce biti Duh dobrote ili ce vladati duh zla. Bez Božjeg Duha ne možemo razumjeti božansku ljubav i dobrotu, jer bez duha ostajemo u jednoj dimenziji. Bez Božjeg Duha u kršcanstvu se ne može razumjeti ništa. Što su sakramenti bez Duha? Duh je ona stvarnost koja nas povezuje s dva svijeta, svijetom tijela i božanskim svijetom. Zato ga možemo više doživjeti nego li protumaciti. Da bi shvatili Duha Božjeg i njegovu prisutnost u nama potrebno je postati svjestan svoje duhovnosti i duševnosti. Ako u sebi ne doživljavamo duševnost nemoguce je shvatiti božansku duhovnost. A cijela religioznost sažima se u vjerovanje u duhovnog Boga i u posjedovanje vlastite duhovnosti. Blagdan Duhova prvenstveno nas vraca nama samima da postanemo svjesni svoje božanske dimenzije. Naš duh je božanska dimenzija koja nas uosobljuje, koja nas izvlaci iz objekata i cini subjektima. Mi smo osobe po svojoj duhovnosti. Mi smo jedno u svojoj tjelesnosti i svojoj duhovnosti. Bog prepoznaje Boga, recenica je duhovnih ucitelja. Tako je isto i s Duhom. Duh prima Duha, duh prepoznaje Duha. Naš duh prepoznaje Božji Duh. Sva ljudska djela, ako bi ostala u dimenziji stvari (materijalnosti), ne prenose nas u onostranost. U onostranost, u Transcedenciju se prelazi samo s duhom i kroz duh. Covjek je duh i tijelo. Tijelo je hram njegovog duha. Covjeka najviše prepoznajemo po njegovoj 'duši'. Po njoj ga najviše cijenimo i ljubimo. Nitko ne bi volio da ga se cijeni i ljubi samo po tijelu. Naš duh nas cini da smo ono što jesmo: živa slika Božja. Duh se ne prepoznaje izvan naše duševnosti, izvan nas. Mjesto prebivanja i mjesto prepoznavanja Duha Božjeg jest u nama samima. Put je ovaj: spoznaja svojeg duha, njegova otvorenost prema Božjem Duhu i dolazak (poslanje) Duha Svetog u nas. Duhove slavimo ne kao dogadaj koji se dogodio, nego kao blagdan vlastitog doživljaja i primanja Duha. Nismo mi religija necega što se nakada dogodilo, nego vjerovanje da se sad sve dogada. Sad se dogada Isusova prisutnost u svijetu koja nas sve vodi k vlastitom uskrsnuci koje se dogada po Duhu Svetom. Cijela kršcanska religioznost dogada se snagom Duha. Duh stavlja Isusa u ljudsku narav, Duh ga vodi i preobražava, Duh ga jaca u muci, Duh ga uskrisuje. Duh je osovina našeg vjerovanja. Duh sveti je Ljubav Božja. Pa kad kažemo da je srž kršcanskog vjerovanja vjerovanje u Duha, to znaci isto kao da kažemo da je ta srž vjerovanje u Vjecnu i potpunu Ljubav. Duh daje smisao svemu postojanju. Ljubav je osmišljenje svega što egzistira. Bez Duha nema istinske ljubavi i prijateljstva, nema bratstva. Duh je sjedinio prve ucenike. Oni su 'progovorili' jezikom ljubavi i zajedništva. Ipak da bi mi primili Duha potrebno je imati unutarnju otvorenost. Mi smo bica od duhovnog i materijalnog sastava, pa je tako potrebno izvjesno 'uštimavanje' ako želimo biti duhovniji i 'uzvišeniji'. Sv. Ivan ce naglasiti da 'svjetovnost i duhovnost' nisu kompatibilni. Kad je covjek totalno obuzet svijetom zatvoren je za Duha Božjeg. Tko se otvara prema Duhu taj prihvaca svoju unutarnju promjenu. Ne može se primiti Duha i ostati isti. Tamo gdje je Duh tamo se sve mijenja. Duh donosi novu kvalitetu življenja i osjecanja. Duh Božji stvara novo lice u ljudima i cijelom svijetu. Možda je cijeli put Isusov bio da nas pripravi za primitak Duha Božjeg? Možda smo još u preduhovskom vremenu? Svi obredi, sve molitve, cijela religioznost imaju za cilj uvesti nas u iskustvo Duha Božjeg. Dok ne budemo uvedeni u Duh ostat cemo 'vani', u svijetu. Sami sa svojim mocima ne možemo 'skociti' u Boga, ali mi smo kao slike Božje obdareni mogucnošcu primitka Duha. Duh je ljubav, Duh stvara zajedništvo, Duh veže prijatelje. Duh je punina i vjecnost. Tko primi Duha primio je Boga i ušao u vjecnost.Âfr. Marijan Jurcevic, o.p.TROJSTVO - BOGÂ"Isus kaže: "Otac i ja, mi smo jedno", i "Tko vidi mene vidi Oca" (Iv 10,10; 14,9).ÂOni su jedno bice.ÂBog Isusa Krista je Jedan Jedini Bog! Božanska trojstvenost je u srži kršcanskog vjerovanja u jednog Boga. Vjerovanje u jednog i trojedinog Boga je ono što razlikuje kršcanstvo od drugih monoteistickih (jednobožackih) religija (Islam, Židovstva). Odmah treba upozoriti da je govor o Bogu analoški (usporedno) - nešto što je slicnog unutar svjetskom dogadanju - a ne filozofskom izricaju i filozofskim tvrdnjama. Sam izraz Trojstvo nije biblijski izraz nego je nastao u povijesti Crkve (tri stoljeca se kuhala vjeroispovijest u Trojstvo). Evandelja govore o Bogu koji se objavljuje kao Otac, kao Sin i kao Duh Božji. Takoder je dobro biti svjestan da je nemoguce reci pravo ime za Boga. Izricaj je nemoguc jer su naši pojmovi nastali iz stvari, a Bog sve nadilazi. Zato se u SZ izbjegavalo imenovati Boga jer bi ga se time 'suzilo' na razinu stvari i pojmova. Za ljudsko poimanje Bog trajno ostaje misterij (nešto znamo, a vecinu ne znamo - naslucivanje tajne). Kad mistici govore o Bogu oni govore o svojem doživljaju Boga, dok teolozi (nauka) polaze od svojeg umnog shvacanja i razumijevanja - polazeci od svijeta. Zato se pitamo da li je istina trojstva uopce shvatljiva razumu? Koliko god razumom nalazili prikladnosti, ipak je istina Boga vjerska istina. Isus objavljuje Boga kao Oca, kao Sina, kao Duha. Da li je iskustvo Boga kao Stvoritelja usmjerilo shvacanje na Boga Oca, a iskustvo Isusa prema Bogu Sinu, te iskustvo Duha svetoga kao Boga Duha? Izgleda, bez objave Isusa Krista da je Bog ljubav, teško bi mogli doci do ovoga zakljucka. Ipak, kod nekih drugih razvijenih religija, pa cak i u helenskom judaizmu, nalazimo neke indikacije pluralnosti u jednome Bogu. Da li se iz samoga covjeka, koji je na sliku Božju, može naslutiti trojstvena tajna Boga? Na to upucuje sv. Augustin. U svakom slucaju trojstveni govor nije neki mitski nego misterijski govor. Puninu se sadržaja Božjeg ispovijeda s trojstvom. Nema dvojbe da je to vjerski govor koji ima veliko znacenje i veliki poziv onima koji vjeruju u Jednog i Trojedinog Boga. Ostaje se vjerno monoteizmu i otvara se k pluralnosti. Izbjegava se ispovijedati Boga monarhisticki, ali i politeisticki. Sveti Augustin, izbjegavajuci platonisticki (grcki filozofski) govor o Bogu, pokušava protumaciti život u Bogu pomocu pojmova iz metafiziike i psihologije (mens, notitia, amor ili memoria, inteligentia, voluntas): um, pojam, ljubav ili sjecanje, shvacanje, volja. Za njega je covjek odsjaj Božji zato se u njemu može nazreti nešto od unutarnje Božje tajne. Covjek je jedini u svemiru slika Božja. Tako je Božja istina istovremeno i covjekova istina. Ona nam objavljuje i tajnu covjeka. Zato se kaže da covjek teži da bude onakav kakav je Bog u kojeg vjeruje. Trojstvo objavljuje Boga kao život, kao osobu, kao ljubav. Nije Bog neka slijepa sila, nego blaga ljubav. Trojstveni Bog je živi Bog. Bog koji je 'zajednica', trajno se daruje i trajno stvara. On je u svim bicima i razlicit od svega stvorenoga. Bog je u covjeku i razlikuje se od covjeka. On je kao otac, kao majka, kao dijete. Trojstvo poziva ljude da budu kao Bog. Da budu jedno i mnoštvo. Jedinstvo ne smije ugušiti osobnost i posebnost. Kao što je u Bogu - Otac, Sin i Duh. Jedno su i razliciti su. Istina trojstva podloga je shvacanja osobnosti i demokraticnosti. Svi su ljudi sinovi Božji. Ne samo neki. Svi su ljudi vrijedni iako su razliciti. Božanski je u razlicitosti vidjeti jedinstvo. Nažalost, vrlo cesto se nudi jedinstvo bez razlicitosti. Razlicitost ne smije radati protivnosti nego rasplamsavati ljubav. Ljubav je moguca samo u razlicitosti. Ljubav je moguca u drugome. Radi Boga koji je zajednica kršcanstvu je zajedništvo u sadržaju vjerovanja u Boga. Tko ne prihvaca zajedništvo (i razlicitosti) ne može biti ispovjedalac u Boga Isusa Krista. Covjek je pozvan da bude kao Bog; da bude otac po Bogu, da bude Sin po Isusu Kristu, da bude duh po Bogu Duhu. Tek kad je sve troje u jednoj osobi ostvaruje se potpunost i vjecnost. Budimo kao Bog u kojeg vjerujemo: jedno i razlicitost. Budimo Ljubav.ÂFr. Marijan Jurcevic, o.p. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sun, 22 Jun 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7626/1/H-Ljubav-nadmasuje-granice-medu-ljudima-pa-i-religijama.html LJUBITE JEDNI DRUGE KAO ŠTO SAM JA VAS LJUBIOÂProf. dr. sc. Marijan Jurcevic, op.(Iv 15, 9-17)Â6. USKRSNA NEDJELJA Ljubiti? Da. Ali što to sve znaci? Svi nekoga ljubimo. Da li to znaci ostvarivanje Isusovog zahtjeva i zahtjeva same ljudske naravi? I u ovome se pokazuje stanje naše ljudske naravi. Ceznemo za ljubavlju i s mukom ju ostvarujemo. Covjecanstvu najviše nedostaje ljubavi. S druge strane kad ne bi nedostajalo ljubavi ne bi nam ništa nedostajalo. Radi manjka ljubavi nedostaju nam i druge stvari. Materijalija u svijetu ima dovoljno, ali zato što nema ljubavi, nema ni kruha ni hrane za sve ljude. Lijecenje covjecanstva Isus izvodi kroz ljubav. On je donosilac i glasnik ljubavi. Samo ljubav može preporoditi covjekovo srce. Covjek covjeka treba kao brata, a poslije se izrodi u neprijatelja. Neprijateljstvo je ocito covjeku neprirodno i protiv samoga njega. To je posljedica nekog iskonskog promašaja unutar covjecanstva. Svi smo inficirani razdvojenošcu u sebi, bolešcu bratstva i prijateljstva, mukom humanog rada, pa i problematikom unutar braka. Sve bi ovo trebalo biti harmonicno, i svi za tim ceznu, a ipak ne uspijevaju. Covjek toga treba postati svjestan. Ljubav je božanski dar koji je ponuden svakom covjeku, a na nama je da li ga prihvacamo ili se blokiramo. Koliko god ljudi žudili za ljubavlju ipak se straše ljubavi. Osobito se straše ljubavi koja se predaje drugima. Isus uci svoje ucenike ljubavi koja se prenosi na druge. To je ljubav predavanja i umiranja za druge. Ljubav kakvu daje Isus jest stvarnost koja nadmašuje granice medu ljudima, ideologijama, pa i religijama. Ljubavi je protivna svaka suprotstavljenost, osobito iskljucivost. Isusova ljubav nije neki sentiment. Ona je dinamika, ili receno tehnickim rjecnikom, ljubav je božanska energija koja unosi u ljude i svemir harmoniju i ispunjenje. Uza sve što se opredijele za isti cilj, taj cilj ipak ostaje neostvariv ako medu ljudima nema ljubavi. Tako je u svijetu, tako je i u kršcanstvu, odnosno Crkvi. Bez ljubavi, osobito je neostvariv kršcanski cilj. Nema preobraženja svijeta bez unutarnje i istinske ljubavi. Ljubav je božanska vatra koja preobražava ljudske duše. Više puta i na više nacina Isus upozorava svoje sljedbenike da je bit njegova života i njegove poruke ljubav. To se vidi iz svakog Isusovog cina. Tko je imao ili tražio ljubav taj je razumio Isusovu poruku. Tko je povjerovao ljubavi taj je pošao za Isusom. Zato bi se moglo reci da je dogma Isusovog propovijedanja ljubav. To osobito istice apostol Ivan. Ima nešto što je bitno za razumijevanje ljubavi kakvu naviješta Isus. To je ljubav koja ukljucuje žrtvovanje i predanje. Ljubav koja iskljucuje predanje više je ljubav samoga sebe nego li život za druge. Isusovo životno dogadanje jest dogadanje ljubavi. On nije trebao govoriti da navijesti ljubav, makar je to cinio, nego je ljubio i njegova ljubav je bila prepoznatljiva. Evo metodologije kako naviještati Isusov put spasenja. Istinski ljubiti. Isus objavljuje i naviješta novo lice Božje i ljudsko. Bog je Bog ljubav, a covjek je slika Božja po ljubavi. Samo covjek koji ljubi pokazuje se kao slika Božja. Iz toga poslije teku "dobra djela". Bez srca ljubavi nema dobrih djela. Cesto puta unutar kršcanskih zajednica nastaju razmirice i razilaženja radi nesporazuma o sporednim stvarima i time se zaboravlja na bitnost. Ljubav je iznad svih neslaganja. Ovoga bi trebale postati svjesne sve Crkve, ako žele ostati Kristove Crkve. Uskrsli Krist se "ukazuje" i doživljava samo u zajednicama koje se okupljaju u ljubavi. Razlicitost zajednica nije protivnost kršcanstvu, ali jest nedostatak ljubavi. Kad nema ljubavi tada se zajednice ne dopunjavaju nego suprotstavljaju. U zajednicama koje nisu prožete ljubavlju kao da se uskrsnuce nije ni dogodilo. Ljubav oslobada od svake sputanosti. Ona je osloboditeljica. Ljubav se nicega ne straši. Nitko joj ne može uskratiti da se daruje. Sjetimo se samo primjera jednog sv. Pavla ili jednog sv. Augustina. Veliki Augustin kad je bio prosvijecen ljubavlju nadmašio je tada sva svoja dotadašnja razmišljanja. Doživio je unutarnju slobodu i kraj svojim lutanjima. Jedna jedina Isusova zapovijed jest: "ljubite jedni druge!" U ovoj zapovijedi ispunjeni su svi proroci i svi zakoni.ÂFr. Marijan Jurcevic, o.p. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sun, 22 Jun 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7630/1/E-A-Magna-Carta-for-Strong-Families.html  A Magna Carta for Strong Families ÂZENIT - The World Seen From Rome Date: 2003-06-21John Paul II Draws Attention to a 1983 CharterROME, JUNE 21, 2003 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II made two strong pleas this month in defense of the family. During his trip in Croatia, his homily for Pentecost Sunday had a special greeting for the families present at the Mass. The Pope recalled the crucial role played by the family in many aspects of society, and the need to support families based on a stable marriage. Then on June 13, in a speech to participants in a congress organized by the Pontifical Council for the Family, he warned of "dehumanizing threats" against the family. John Paul II called upon politicians to "to fully assume their commitment in defense of the family and to favor the culture of life." As a guideline for their action he suggested they use the "Charter of the Rights of the Family," published by the Holy See in 1983. Family breakdown costs society dearly, as numerous studies demonstrate. A 2002 British government report, for instance, found that family breakup is the main cause of children running away from home, the Telegraph reported Nov. 29. Youngsters living with a stepparent are three times more likely to flee than those living with two birth parents, the report found. Downing Street's social exclusion unit estimates there are 129,000 cases of children running away each year, involving 77,000 children. "The separation of parents, the formation of a stepfamily, or the difficulties that some lone parents face following a separation are points of stress for young people," the government agency said. Indeed, children growing up in single-parent families are twice as likely as their counterparts to develop serious psychiatric illnesses and addictions later in life, according to a study in The Lancet medical journal, the Associated Press reported Jan. 24. Swedish evidence The study is important because it tracked about 1 million children for a decade, into their mid-20s. The study used the Swedish national registries, which cover almost the entire population and contain extensive socioeconomic and health information. About 60,000 children were living with their mother and about 5,500 with their father. There were 921,257 living with both parents. The children were aged 6 to 18 at the start of the study, with half already in their teens. Researchers found that children with single parents were twice as likely as the others to develop a psychiatric illness such as severe depression or schizophrenia, to kill themselves or attempt suicide, and to develop an alcohol-related disease. Girls were three times more likely to become drug addicts if they lived with a sole parent, and boys were four times more likely. On the positive side, studies show that religion can help families stay together, the Washington Times reported May 8. A report released by the National Study of Youth and Religion at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill showed that adolescents aged 12 to 14 who are brought up in religious households are more likely than peers from nonreligious families to admire Mom and Dad, to not run away from home, to eat dinner with the folks and to have parents involved in their social lives. "There is a consistent association across a variety of measures that more religiously active families with early adolescents in the household exhibit signs of stronger family relationships," said Christian Smith, study director and report co-author. The four-year project, funded by the Lilly Endowment, began in August 2001 to research the role of religion and spirituality in the lives of American adolescents. The latest publication in the project is titled "Family Religious Involvement and the Quality of Family Relationships for Early Adolescents." "Community of love" The 1983 "Charter of the Rights of the Family" consists of a preamble and 12 basic rights. The preamble observes that even though the rights of a person are expressed as individual rights, they "have a fundamental social dimension which finds an innate and vital expression in the family." It also clearly defines the family as being based on the marriage of a man and a woman united in an indissoluble bond of matrimony, open to the transmission of life. The preamble also explains why the family should be considered as possessing special rights. The family is a natural society, existing prior to the state or any other community, explains the document. But it is more than just a sociological phenomenon. The family is "a community of love and solidarity, which is uniquely suited to teach and transmit cultural, ethical, social, spiritual and religious values, essential for the development and well-being of its own members and of society." The rights listed in the charter commence with the affirmation that "All persons have the right to the free choice of their state of life and thus to marry and establish a family or to remain single." The second right stipulates: "Marriage cannot be contracted except by free and full consent duly expressed by the spouses." And each partner in marriage enjoys an equal dignity and rights. The next two rights deal with the theme of procreation. The spouses have an inalienable right "to decide on the spacing of births and the number of children to be born, taking into full consideration their duties towards themselves, their children already born, the family and society." This decision should be taken in accord with objective moral values, and exclude contraception, sterilization and abortion. The charter asks that public authorities and private organizations alike respect the freedom of couples in this matter. The fifth article defends the right of parents to educate their children and to choose their schools for them. The charter expressly asks that children not be compelled to attend classes which are not in agreement with their own moral and religious convictions, particularly in the matter of sexual education. Articles 6 and 7 of the charter deal with relations between the family and the state. Article 6 asks that public authorities "respect and foster the dignity, lawful independence, privacy, integrity and stability of every family." The charter not only criticizes divorce, but argues in favor of help for the extended family system. Article 7 maintains the right of each family "to live freely its own domestic religious life under the guidance of the parents." This includes public worship and being able to freely choose programs of religious instruction, without discrimination. The remaining articles deal with socioeconomic matters. Article 8 maintains that families have the right to be active in social and political functions, forming associations with other families and institutions. Article 9 calls upon governments to provide conditions that help families achieve a dignified standard of living. The matters mentioned range from the defense of property rights to social help in times of death or sickness, or help for children with special needs. Article 10 calls for work to be organized in such a way that enables family members to live together. It also brings up the theme of a family wage, or some other means, such as family allowances, that will enable mothers not to be obliged to work outside the home, if they wish to dedicate themselves full time to family responsibilities. Article 11 calls for families to have access to decent housing, "fitting for family life and commensurate to the number of the members." The last article asks that families of migrants be given the same rights and protection as other families. Achieving these rights will likely take different forms around the world, but the ideals expressed in the charter remain a valuable guide for families, 20 years on.Source: http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=37585 letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sat, 21 Jun 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7629/1/E-Ivan-Merz-first-Catholic-to-be-beatified-in-Bosnia.html  Ivan Merz, first Catholic to be beatified in BosniaÂBANJA LUKA, Bosnia-Hercegovina (AFP) - During his one-day visit to the mainly Orthodox Bosnian town of Banja Luka, Pope John Paul (news - web sites) II is to beatify 20th century Roman Catholic theologian Ivan Merz in the first such ceremony in the Balkans country which prides itself on its rich multi-faith heritage. Catholic layman Merz, who devoted his life to religious revival in neighbouring Croatia, will be beatified in a once multi-ethnic northwestern Bosnian town, today seat of the Bosnian Serb entity, which along with the Muslim-Croat federation makes up post-war Bosnia. It is expected that the ceremony during the pope's 101st foreign trip on Sunday will be attended by between 100,000 and 150,000 Catholic pilgrims, coming from all over Bosnia and Croatia as well as from Serbia and Montenegro. Earlier this month the 83-year-old pontiff visited predominantly Catholic Croatia on his landmark 100th trip. His following visit to Banja Luka is hoped to contribute to better tolerance for the town's small Catholic community which shrank significantly during Bosnia's 1992-95 war. Most of Merz's work as a Catholic intellectual was done in Croatia where he was considered a "pillar of the Church" despite his short life and there are not many reminders of his life in Banja Luka where he was born in 1896 and lived until the age of 18. Only the house, part of the railway station complex, where his father was sent to run it during the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, still exists, but it was turned into an art gallery many years ago. The turbulent past of the Balkans country situated on the ancient borderline between western and eastern Roman empires and ruled by Ottomans for centuries made Bosnia a unique blend of Catholic and Orthodox Christian and Islamic influences. Although the country was an example of religious tolerance throughout centuries, the 1992-95 war which at times pitted all three ethnic communities against each other had strong religious overtones. According to a 1991 census Muslims made up 40 percent of Bosnia's population of 3.8 million, while Serbs -- mostly Orthodox -- and Croats -- mostly Catholics -- accounted for 31 and 10 percent respectively. There are no available post-war figures. A professor of French literature, Merz taught Croatian youth principles of faith in his free time, wrote numerous articles in the Catholic press and was engaged in promoting activities of various Catholic organisations in the country. The horrors of war he experienced on the Italian front as a soldier in World War I incited Merz, brought up in a liberal family, to turn to faith and he took the vow of celibacy as a layman. He died in Zagreb at the age of 31 with the reputation of a saint. After he passed away the bells of Zagreb cathedral rang to announce his death, although it was a custom only for the deaths of cardinals and bishops. After his death a number of graces granted and prayers answered at his intercession were reported. The first big miracle recorded by the Church happened in 1930 when 25-year-old Anica Ercegovic, suffering for six years from tuberculosis, arthritis and severe rheumatism, went home cured after visiting Merz's grave and saying prayers. She died in 1985, at the age of 80.The first big miracle recorded by the Church happened in 1930 when 25-year-old Anica Ercegovic, suffering for six years from tuberculosis, arthritis and severe rheumatism, went home cured after visiting Merz's grave and saying prayers. She died in 1985, at the age of 80.Source: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20030621/wl_afp/pope_bosnia_beatify_030621060823 letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sat, 21 Jun 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7631/1/E-The-Archbishop-of-Zagreb-and-Cologne-held-a-joint-service.html  The Archbishop of Zagreb and Cologne held a joint service ÂARCHBISHOPS OF ZAGREB, COLOGNE CELEBRATE JOINT MASS The Archbishop of Zagreb Josip Bozanic and the Archbishop of Cologne Joachim Meisner held a joint service on the occasion of Corpus Christi in front of the Cologne Cathedral on Thursday. Several thousand faithful attended mass, including several hundred local Croats. After a procession down Cologne streets, the 45th anniversary of the Croatian Catholic Mission's activity in Cologne was celebrated. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Fri, 20 Jun 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7632/1/E-Croatian-Nazareth-EWTN-News-Story.html  POPE VISITS OUR LADY OF TRSAT THE "CROATIAN NAZARETH" ÂVATICAN CITY, JUN 8, 2003 (VIS) - At the end of Mass in Rijeka's Delta Square, which takes its name from the delta of the Rifecina River, Pope John Paul recited the Regina Coeli with the faithful who had gathered there for the Eucharistic celebration of Pentecost Sunday."At the conclusion of this solemn celebration," the Pope said, "I particularly wish to greet the young people of Croatia. Dear friends, you already know one thing: the Pope looks to you with confidence and hope, and he asks you once more to be sentinels of the dawn and people of the Beatitudes, as I called you at the recent World Youth Day.""Through the family and professional life for which you are now preparing," the Holy Father went on, "you will take on great responsibilities for the good of society and the Church. I ask you to remember that human beings are of value for what they are more than what they do or what they possess; that superficial goals will never satisfy the thirst for happiness and fulfillment deep within your hearts; that the mission which Providence has assigned to each of you cannot be carried out by anyone else. Listen to Lord Jesus, follow him as the Teacher of life, make him your Companion along the way."John Paul II followed this by greetings to the faithful in Italian, Slovenian, German, Albanian and Polish.Following Mass and the recitation of the Regina Coeli, he returned to the archdiocesan seminary where he had lunch with Croatia's 24 bishops (15 ordinaries, 4 auxiliaries and 5 emeritus). At 5:30 in the afternoon he received Prime Minister Ivica Racan.At 7 p.m. John Paul II visited the shrine of Our Lady of Trsat, Queen of the Adriatic, also known as the "Croatian Nazareth." Administered by the Order of Friars Minor, the shrine was erected in the 15th century on the site where, according to tradition, the Holy House of Nazareth arrived miraculously in 1291 and remained until 1294 when it was transported to Loreto, Italy.Prince Nikola I of Krk had had a chapel erected on the spot on Trsat, 135 meters above sea level, where the Holy House had been for three years, and this soon became the focal point of pilgrimages. In 1367, as compensation to Croatian pilgrims for the shrine's transfer to Loreto, Pope Urban V donated to them the miraculous effigy of the Mother of God, also known as Mother of Mercy, protector of seamen. The shrine, rebuilt many times over the years, is reached via a flight of 561 steps. Two of the shrine's focal points are the chapel of votive gifts built in 1966 and, in the monastery cloister, a series of 32 paintings depicting the life of Mary.During his visit the Pope, in off-the-cuff remarks, announced that he had donated a gold rosary to the shrine and said: "As a vow to Our Lady of Trsat, in the name of the communion lived during (the recitation of) the Rosary, pray for me during my life and after my death." Source: http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=36556 letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Tue, 17 Jun 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7635/1/E-Pope-Speaks-of-Own-Death-as-Croatia-Trip-Nears-End.html  Pope Speaks of Own Death as Croatia Trip Nears End Sun Jun 8, By Philip Pullella RIJEKA, Croatia (Reuters) - Pope John Paul Sunday spoke of his own death as he neared the end of a visit to Croatia, the 100th foreign trip of his papacy. Visiting a sanctuary in the Croatian port city of Rijeka, the pope announced in unprepared remarks that he was leaving behind a gold rosary and added: "I hope that you will pray for me during my life and after my death." The 83-year-old pontiff, who suffers from Parkinson's disease (news - web sites) and other ailments, has been speaking more frequently in recent years about his own death. He made almost identical comments during a visit to his native Poland last August. John Paul is the fourth-longest serving pope in history and will mark 25 years since his election on October 16 this year. His latest remarks came during a visit to the sanctuary of Our Lady of Trsat, where the home of the Virgin Mary is said to have been reconstructed after being dismantled and removed from the Holy Land during the Crusades. It was later moved to Italy. The Pope appeared tired after another long day in Croatia. Temperatures have been around 86 degrees on every day of the visit, which began Thursday and ends Monday afternoon. Earlier, he urged Catholics to defend traditional family values and oppose innovations such as gay marriages to put a "tragically fragmented" society back on track with God's wishes. He made his plea at an open air mass for more than 100,000 people in Rijeka, an Adriatic city that was part of Italy and known as Fiume between the two world wars. Despite hot weather, the Polish pontiff's doctor said he was holding up fairly well. "He is suffering from the heat like all of us but there are no new serious problems," Renato Buzzonetti told reporters. FOCUS ON FAMILY The pope has spent much of this trip preaching reconciliation for the people of the Balkans torn apart by the wars of independence in the early 1990s. But Sunday his focus was on the traditional family. He told the crowd Catholics should not be afraid of publicly defending traditional family values in modern society. "God's authentic plan" for the family, he said, was founded on "the stable and faithful union of a man and a woman, bound to each other with a bond that is publicly manifested and recognized." It was a clear reaffirmation of his opposition to gay marriage and the legal recognition of common-law heterosexual unions -- a recurring theme of his papacy, which marks its 25th anniversary in October. In the past few years the Vatican (news - web sites) has opposed moves to give homosexuals the right to marry, to receive the same benefits as heterosexual couples, and to adopt children. "Society today is tragically fragmented and divided. This is the reason why it is so desperately unfulfilled," the pope told the cheering crowd packing the streets of the city that was once the chief port of the Austro-Hungarian empire. The pope used a special motorized hydraulic chair, first tried overseas in Spain in May, that allows him to move around and lifts him up to the altar so he can say mass while seated. Despite his ailments, the pope appears to have no intention of slowing down. He is due to visit Bosnia on June 22 and Slovakia in September. He may also go to Mongolia in late August.ÂCopyright © 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 12 Jun 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7634/1/E-Pope-ends-100th-foreign-trip-with-prayer-in-coastal-Croatia.html ÂPope ends 100th foreign trip with prayer in coastal CroatiaMon Jun 9, ZADAR, Croatia (AFP) - Pope John Paul (news - web sites) II wound up a taxing five-day visit to Croatia, his 100th foreign trip, with an open-air prayer in the coastal town of Zadar. After the ceremony, Croatian President Stipe Mesic and Prime Minister Ivica Racan saw the pontiff off and the pope arrived back in Rome later in the afternoon. Bells on Zadar churches rang as the pope arrived at the town airport, where some 110,000 believers gathered to attend the prayer at a square in the old town overlooking the sea. Pilgrims had poured into the town since dawn, carrying little flags saying "Viva papa." Many arrived in boats to hear the pope from the dockside. "I was extremely happy during the past few days as I was watching the Holy Father who, although a weak old man, is full of spiritual strenght," said Terezija Pervan, a nun who arrived from nearby island of Dugi Otok. "All the messages the pope conveyed in Croatia were important, but I would stress the one referring to reconciliation and forgiveness -- to forgive and to ask to be forgiven," she added. Earlier in the visit, the pope called for reconciliation following the 1991-95 Croatian war of independence from the former Yugoslavia, which saw many atrocities. The historical town of Zadar was shelled by Serb forces, who occupied surrounding area during the war. Under the entrance into the walled old city, a yellow banner reading "Welcome Holy Father" was put just beside a giant photo of fugitive retired general Ante Gotovina wanted by the UN war crimes court. Below the photo, which was on the path that the pope was due to pass in his popemobile, it read in big letters "Ante Gotovina -- hero, not a war criminal." Gotovina, who led the city defence during the war with the Serb forces is a popular figure here and was proclaimed an honorary citizen of Zadar. The UN court indicted him of war crimes against ethnic Serbs during a 1995 military operation that enabled Croatia to retake a rebel-Serbs held region. The 83-year-old pontiff, who appeared to be in good form despite very high temperatures during his visit, also backed Croatia's bid to join the European Union (news - web sites) Upon his arrival Thurdsay he voiced hope that "this aspiration will be happily realized." Zagreb hopes to become a member of the EU in 2007, following the accession next year of 10 mostly ex-Communist countries. "I thanked the pope for having spoken in favour of Croatia's accession to the European Union," Croatia's Prime Minister Ivica Racan told journalists following a private audience Sunday. The pope also stressed the importance of traditional family in a Sunday Pentecost mass in the coastal town of Rijeka, which served as a base during his third visit to predominantly Catholic country.ÂCopyright © 2003 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 12 Jun 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7633/1/E-Pope-in-Croatia-2003.html Pope in CroatiaÂPope John Paul (news - web sites) II waves to the faithful during a mass in central Zadar, Croatia, June 9, 2003. The 83-year-old Pope addressed tens of thousands of Croats during the last service of his visit to Croatia, the 100th foreign trip of his papacy.(Damir Sagolj/Reuters)ÂPope John Paul (news - web sites) II waves to the crowd at the beginning of a ceremony in Zadar, Croatia, Monday, June 9, 2003, the last day of his five-day-visit to Croatia. In background is a sculpture of Jesus Christ. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)ÂA view of the altar of a mass celebration led by Pope John Paul (news - web sites) II in front of Zadar's St. Donato church, Croatia, Monday, June 9, 2003. The Pope is on the last day of his five-day visit to Croatia. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis, pool)ÂPope John Paul (news - web sites) II prays at a mass in central Zadar, Croatia June 9, 2003. The 83-year-old Pope addressed tens of thousands of Croats during the last service of his visit to Croatia, the 100th foreign trip of his papacy. REUTERS/Nikola SolicÂA nun wearing a Croatian flag sings prior to a ceremony with John Paul II in Zadar, Croatia, Monday, June 9, 2003. The 83-year-old pontiff wrapped up his grueling 100th foreign pilgrimage Monday by reassuring Croats struggling to heal the wounds of war that their courage and faith will ensure a brighter future. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)ÂPope John Paul II raises his cap at Zadar's airport, during farewell ceremonies in Zemunik, some 125 miles south of Zagreb, Croatia, Monday, June 9, 2003. Pope John Paul II visited Croatia for the third time on his 100th overseas trip, from June 6 to 9, 2003. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)ÂAP - Jun 09 9:19 AMÂPope John Paul II waves to the crowd during a ceremony in Zadar, Croatia, Monday, June 9, 2003. The 83-year-old pontiff wrapped up his grueling 100th foreign pilgrimage Monday by reassuring Croats struggling to heal the wounds of war that their courage and faith will ensure a brighter future. In background a sculpture of Christ. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)ÂAP - Jun 09 9:24 AMÂSun Jun 8, 4:47 PM ETÂPope John Paul (news - web sites) II in his popemobile passes a cheering crowd as he leaves after a visit to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Trsat in Rijeka, Croatia, Sunday, June 8, 2003. The Pope, on his 100th overseas trip, will tour Croatia until June 9. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis, pool)ÂPope John Paul (news - web sites) II caresses little Francesco Francopani during a visit to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Trsat in Rijeka, Croatia, Sunday, June 8, 2003. The Pope, on his 100th overseas trip, will tour Croatia till June 9. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis, pool)ÂÂCatholic nuns wave to the Pope during a holy Mass in the Croatian port town of Rijeka, Sunday, June 8, 2003. The pope is on a five-day visit to Croatia, his 100th trip abroad. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)ÂÂPope John Paul (news - web sites) II waves from his popemobile as he arrives for a mass in central Rijeka, Croatia June 8, 2003. The 83-year-old Pope, said he thought that traditional family values were under attack from modern society. REUTERS/Petar KujundzicÂÂPope John Paul (news - web sites) II waves to the faithfull during a mass in central Rijeka, Croatia June 8, 2003. The 83-year-old Pope, said he thought that traditional family values were under attack from modern society. REUTERS/Damir SagoljÂÂOver 100,000 Roman Catholic worshippers wait for the arrival of Pope John Paul (news - web sites) II for an open-air Sunday mass in Rijeka's port on the northern Croatian coast June 8, 2003. The pontiff is making his 100th foreign trip and also his third visit to Croatia in the last decade. REUTERS/Nikola SolicÂÂPope John Paul (news - web sites) II waves to the faithfull during a mass in Rijeka, Croatia, June 8, 2003. The 83-year-old Pope, said he thought that traditional family values were under attack from modern society. REUTERS/Damir SagoljÂÂNuns applaud at the start of the Mass held by Pope John Paul (news - web sites) II in Rijeka, Croatia, Sunday June 8, 2003. Pope John Paul II, the most traveled pope in history, is paying a five-day visit to Croatia. (AP Photo/Dusan Vranic)ÂÂPope John Paul (news - web sites) II kneels to pray in the Djakovo Cathedral, Croatia, Saturday, June 7, 2003. The Pope, on his 100th overseas trip, will tour Croatia till June 9. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis, pool)ÂPope John Paul (news - web sites) II, right, is greeted by the Bishop of Djakovo Marin Srakic, center, and an unidentified deacon, as he arrives to the Djakovo Cathedral, Croatia, to pray, Saturday, June 7, 2003. The Pope, on his 100th overseas trip, will tour Croatia till June 9. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis, pool)ÂÂWatched by thousands of faithful Pope John Paul (news - web sites) II arrives at a Mass in Osijek, some 250 km east of Zagreb, Croatia, on Saturday, June 7, 2003. Pope John Paul II visits Croatia for the third time on his 100th overseas trip, from June 6 to 9, 2003. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)ÂÂA woman in traditional dress presents Pope John Paul (news - web sites) II with a basket of food during a Mass celebration lead by the pontiff in Osijek, Croatia, Saturday, June 7, 2003. The Pope, on his 100th overseas trip, will tour Croatia till June 9. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis, pool)ÂÂAn unidentified nun, right, uses binoculars to watch the Holy Mass held by Pope John Paul II at an airfield in Osijek, Croatia, on Saturday June 7, 2003. The Pontiff came for the third time to Croatia on his 100th trip abroad. (AP Photo/Hrvoje Knez)ÂAP - Jun 07 10:00 AMÂÂPope John Paul (news - web sites) II drinks from a chalice during a Mass in Osijek, Croatia, Saturday, June 7, 2003. The Pope pays a five-day-visit to Croatia finishing with a Mass in Zadar on Monday. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)ÂÂPope John Paul (news - web sites) II talks to a group of new communicant children in front of Dubrovnik's St. Blaz church on the second day of his five-day trip to Croatia, Friday, June 6, 2003. The Pope, on his 100th overseas trip, will tour Croatia till June 9. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis, Pool)ÂÂPope John Paul (news - web sites) II is shown on a screen as he smiles at a child during a ceremony in the harbor of Dubrovnik where he celebrated a Mass in the second day of his five-day trip to Croatia, Friday, June 6, 2003. The Pope, on his 100th overseas trip, will tour Croatia till June 9. REUTERS/Domenico Stinellis/PoolÂÂChildren wave to Pope John Paul (news - web sites) II in the center of Dubrovnik, Friday June 6, 2003. Pope John Paul II, the most traveled pope in history, is paying a five-day visit to Croatia. (AP Photo/Dusan Vranic)ÂÂNuns clean the stage on the sportsfield near Osijek, Croatia, Friday, June 6, 2003, one day prior to a Mass Pope John Paul (news - web sites) II will celebrate here on Saturday during his five-day-visit to Croatia. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)ÂÂPope John Paul (news - web sites) II, in his popemobile, passes by the Vlaho Church in the historic center of Dubrovnik, Croatia, June 6, 2003. The 83-year-old Pope, visiting one of the most famous cities on the Adriatic, put a Croatian nun on the road to sainthood on Friday and paid tribute to the woman who suffered in the war that tore apart Yugoslavia. REUTERS/Nikola SolicÂÂPope John Paul (news - web sites) II is driven in his popemobile through the historic center of Dubrovnik, Croatia June 6, 2003. The 83-year-old Pope, visiting one of the most famous cities on the Adriatic, put a Croatian nun on the road to sainthood on Friday and paid tribute to the woman who suffered in the war that tore apart Yugoslavia. REUTERS/Dylan MartinezÂÂPope John Paul (news - web sites) II passes children in the center of Dubrovnik, Friday June 6, 2003. Pope John Paul II, the most traveled pope in history, is paying a five-day visit to Croatia. (AP Photo/Dusan Vranic)ÂÂPope John Paul (news - web sites) II drives past worshippers through the main street of the historic old town of Dubrovnik, southern Croatia, Friday, June 6, 2003. The pontiff is on a five-day visit to Croatia. (AP Photo/Diether Endlicher)ÂÂA view of the ceremony where Pope John Paul (news - web sites) II, sitting on the altar at left, beatified Marija Petkovic in the harbor of Dubrovnik on the second day of his five-day trip to Croatia, Friday, June 6, 2003. The Pope, on his 100th overseas trip, will tour Croatia until June 9. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis, pool)ÂÂPope John Paul (news - web sites) II sits under a poster of Sister Marija Petkovic during a Beatification mass for her at the old port in Dubrovnik, Croatia June 6, 2003. The 83-year-old Pope, visiting one of the most famous cities on the Adriatic, put a Croatian nun on the road to sainthood on Friday and paid tribute to the woman who suffered in the war that tore apart Yugoslavia. REUTERS/Damir SagoljÂÂPeople watch Pope John Paul (news - web sites) II on a video screen during a Mass in Dubrovnik's port of Gruz, Friday June 6, 2003. Pope John Paul II, the most travelled pope in history, is paying a five-day visit to Croatia. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)ÂÂPope John Paul (news - web sites) II gestures as he approaches the Croatian harbor town of Rijeka on board a katamaran, Thursday, June 5, 2003. The Pope started his 100th overseas trip in which he will tour Croatia till June 9. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis, pool)ÂThu Jun 5, 3:43 PM ETÂPope John Paul (news - web sites) II gestures as he approaches the Croatian harbor town of Rijeka on board of a katamaran, Thursday, June 5, 2003. The Pope started his 100th overseas trip in which he will tour Croatia till June 9 (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis, pool)ÂÂPope John Paul (news - web sites) II waves to the crowd gathered in the harbor of Rijeka, Croatia, as he disembarks a katamaran upon his arrival, Thursday, June 5, 2003. The Pope started his 100th overseas trip in which he will tour Croatia till June 9. At top the vessel's captain claps his hands. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis, pool)ÂÂPope John Paul (news - web sites) II, left, on a mobile platform and Croatia's President Stiepan Mesic, to the Pope's right, review the honor guard upon the pontiff's arrival at Rijeka's airport, Croatia, Thursday, June 5, 2003. The Pope started his 100th overseas trip during which he will tour Croatia through June 9. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis, pool)ÂÂPope John Paul (news - web sites) II, left, the most traveled pontiff in history, is welcomed by Croatian President Stipe Mesic at the airport of the Croatian city of Rijeka on his 100th foreign tour, a five-day visit to Croatia, Thursday, June 5, 2003. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)ÂÂBishops look at the aircraft carrying Pope John Paul (news - web sites) II as it arrives at the airport in Yaounde, capital of Cameroon, in this Sept.14, 1995 file photo. The pope sets out Thursday, June 5, 2003 for a five-day tour of Croatia, his 100th trip. (AP Photo/Jean-Marc Bouju, File) letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 12 Jun 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7636/1/H-Papa-visit-Hrvatska-Radiotelevizija.html ÂPapa visit - Hrvatska RadiotelevizijaProgramÂÂPovodom trećeg posjeta Svetoga Oca Hrvatskoj Hrvatski će radio izravno prenositi SVEČANI DOČEK i OPROŠTAJNU CEREMONIJU.Uz to, HR nudi slušateljima i IZRAVNE PRIJENOSE SVIH GLAVNIH DOGAĐAJA tijekom Papinog boravka u Hrvatskoj te prigodni program, obogaćen adekvatnom glazbom, koji će biti emitiran neposredno prije i nakon svakog pojedinog događaja, i uključivati javljanja reportera s lica mjesta te komentare i razgovore u studiju vezane uz Papin posjet toga dana.U svim GLAVNIM INFORMATIVNIM EMISIJAMA bit će svakodnevno emitirani izvještaji o aktualnim događajima vezanima za Papin posjet, a nakon Kronike dana, u 22.30, svakoga dana tijekom njegova posjeta emitirat će se SAŽECI ZBIVANJA toga dana, u trajanju od pola sata.ÂNadalje, već prije 3-4 tjedna HR je počeo emitirati prigodne emisije, nedjeljom od 15:30. To su PRIKAZI GRADOVA KOJE ĆE POSJETITI PAPA i priprema koje se u njima odvijaju, kako bi se dobio "lokalni štih", (dakle, i crkvene i svjetovne zanimljivosti vezane uz temu).Ponedjeljcima od 9:03 do 10 emitira se stalna emisija SUSRET U DIJALOGU, koja se bavi vjerskim temama, a posljednjih nekoliko tjedana tematizira Papine poruke, izrečene tijekom njegovih prošlih posjeta našoj zemlji. Tijekom njegova boravka ovdje, emisija će se baviti, naravno, aktualnim Papinim riječima i porukama.Za Papin dolazak na poseban se način pripremila i Redakcija klasične glazbe HR-a: naime, sve ekipe i lokalni centri, posebice oni u gradovima koje će Ivan Pavao II posjetiti, snimili su autentične glazbene materijale: marijanske pjesme, i neke crkvene himne, u programu će se, primjerice, puštati prije i iza mise: između ostalog, tu su snimke Katedralnog zbora iz Đakova, Katedralnog zbora iz Rijeke, Crkvenog zbora iz Korčule, Crkvenog zbora iz Strizivojne, Zbora Josipa Radnika iz Osijeka, zatim, zagrebačkih orguljaša, itd. Sve je to snimljeno na ŠEST ALBUMA HRVATSKIH PUČKIH CRKVENIH PJESAMA KOJE ĆE HRVATSKI RADIO POKLONITI PAPI, na kojima je oko 420 minuta glazbe: marijanskih, božićnih, pasionskih i uskrsnih pjesama, (djelomice obrađenih) kompozicija nastalih na tradiciji, i ti su albumi, po mnogim kriterijima, jedinstven materijal u ovom dijelu Europe. Najzastupljenija je glazba iz krajeva koje će Papa posjetiti (primjerice, tri su albuma posvećena Slavoniji, tu su zatim tzv. Dubrovački album, Zadarski album s 33 pjesme /staro glagoljaško pjevanje/, te, također dominantno glagoljaški, Riječki album), no ti će albumi s vremenom biti dopunjeni i glazbom iz ostalih hrvatskihkrajeva.http://www.hrt.hr/papa2003/ letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sun, 08 Jun 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7637/1/E-Popes-Croatia-trip-Televized.html ÂPope's Croatiatrip TelevizedOn the DISH NetworkThe Croatia trip will be televised liveMartin CvjetkovicJune 6th thru 9thFrom the commercials on the Catholic Network EWTN, they claim live coverage ofthe Pope's trip, perhaps each day? Also, some cable networkshave this channel EWTN available. They also do replays later in the daysometimes.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂRegards to all, Martin letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Wed, 04 Jun 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7638/1/S-Croatia-Prepares-for-Papal-Visit-JP-IIs-100th.html ÂCroatia Prepares for PapalVisitÂJohn Paul II's 100th Apostolic JourneyA Croat woman walks by a poster announcing PopeJohn Paul II's 3rd visit to Croatia on Friday, May 23, 2003. Pope willvisit five cities in Croatia from June 5 to 9, 2003 during his 100th Papalvisit. (AP Photo/Hrvoje Knez)Interview with Monsignor Tomo Petic, Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in CroatiaZAGREB, MAY 20, 2003 (ZENIT.org).- John Paul II's third visit to Croatia June 5-9 marks his 100th apostolic journey; national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Croatia tells Fides about the nation's preparation for the Holy Father.ÂQ: Why is the Pope making a third visit to Croatia?ÂMonsignor Petic: The Pope is coming to visit the Church in Croatia for the third time after visits in 1994 and 1998. The main reason this time is the beatification of Sister Marija Petkovic during the Mass which the Holy Father will celebrate on June 6 at Dubrovnik.ÂMarija Petkovic was born on December 10, 1892 at Blato, in the island of Korcula, in the diocese of Dubrovnik. While still a girl she devoted herself to helping the poor and later founded the Congregation of the Daughters of Mercy. She died a saintly death in Rome, on July 9, 1966. Beside Dubrovnik, the Pope will visit four other towns Rijeka, Osijek, Dakovo and Zadar.ÂQ: How are people preparing for the Pope's arrival?ÂMonsignor Petic: Our Church in Croatia and all Croats are very happy about this visit. Moreover it will be the 100th papal journey of this pontificate and so it is an important occasion. With this third visit the Pope wants to give another sign of his concern and care for our Church and our country, still a young nation.ÂQ: What is different about this third visit by Pope John Paul II?ÂMonsignor Petic: When the Holy Father came to Croatia for the first time in 1994 it was still the time of the terrible war and the Pope wished to reward our fidelity to the Church and to our Christian faith which we have kept for 13 centuries, showing us his gratitude. In those years his words of encouragement were very important for us.ÂOn the occasion of his second visit, in 1998, he went to the national Marian shrine Maria Districa near Zagreb and he beatified Cardinal Aloysius Stepinac, who led the Archdiocese of Zagreb in the terrible years of World War II. The cardinal courageously defended human rights, trying to protect everyone, especially Jews who were deprived of their rights by the war.ÂCardinal Stepinac saved the lives of many prisoners and deported persons. In 1945, immediately after the war, when the communist regime wanted to separate us from the Church of Rome, founding a national Church under state control, the cardinal opposed this with all his strength and paid for his resistance with his life. In 1946 he was sentenced to 16 years in prison and he died a prisoner in the parish where he was born, Krasic. He was a great example for his fidelity to the Gospel and to the Church. During the decades under communism he was for us a light from which our Church and our people drew the courage to resist.ÂWith this third visit, besides beatifying Marija Petkovic, the Holy Father wishes also to sustain us in the difficulties we encounter as a Church in this time of transition. For fifty years we were excluded from the development of the universal Church from a point of view of theology and pastoral care, and this has left clear marks.ÂAs we strive to regain ground as quickly as possible, we often falter because new structures cannot create the new spirit and awareness, which are lacking, nor can they compensate for what is lacking. Formation of the spirit and conscience takes the time necessary for growth and maturing; at times we are too impatient.ÂQ: The local Church is preparing for the visit reflecting on the theme of the Family. Why was this theme chosen?ÂMonsignor Petic: In preparation for the papal visit our bishops addressed a letter to the faithful entitled "The Family - the Way of the Church and the Nation." In the letter, the Bishops stress the importance of the family for the Church and for the State. It is the place in which life is born from the biological point of view but also the place where the life of faith is born and grows. This is why the bishops call on the people to reflect on the role of the family in the Church and in society and to work together to promote the values of the family.ÂIt is in the family that the future sources of social and economic life are formed. So it is important to know which values are transmitted by families.ÂResponsibility, seriousness, spirit of sacrifice, dedication, generosity, and lastly tolerance and respect for those who are different, are virtues which are learned first of all in the family. Therefore, the life of faith in the family is also of irreplaceable importance. Prayer, listening to the Word of God, taking part in Sunday Mass are the spiritual resources for the growth of a healthy faith life.ÂThe bishops also express concern for the evils which threaten the family today, including the economic difficulties in our country where unemployment is very high. Lastly the bishops indicate as models the two new Croat blessed, Marija Petkovic and Ivan Merz, committed lay man who lived 1896-1928, whom the Holy Father will beatify when he visits Banja-Luka, Bosnia-Herzegovina. The new blessed are the proof of what divine grace can achieve when a person puts himself totally at the disposal of the Lord. Following their example we must not be discouraged by present difficulties and crises.ÂCROATIA - Information from the Statistical Yearbook of the ChurchÂPopulation 4,650,000; Catholics 3,745,000; ecclesiastical circumscriptions 15; bishops 27; diocesan priests 1,449; religious priests 810; brothers 98; sisters 3,464; catechists 1,512; major seminarians 385; charity and healthcare institutes: 120.Source: http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=35846 letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sat, 24 May 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7640/1/E-Maria-the-Crucified-Petkovic---on-the-way-for-sanctity.html ÂMarija the Crucified PetkovicWe are all filled up with some unclear feellings while something special indeed going to happen. The day when Holly Father will come to Croatia and Dubrovnik at June 6th whenMarija the Crucified Petkovic will be beatified by himself. Not many generations have opportunity to be a witness of such holly event. This fact also remind us to human values often forgotten, same those values highly grown and shared all over the world by Maria the Crucified Petkovic.ÂA paradox case of person who was born in quite rich family, and who left all of that behind how she would able to follow Franciscans modesty makes that person really unique one.ÂShe established community called "Daughters of Charity" (3rd Franciscans order), spreading widely their activities across the country (ex-Yugoslavia), then across the Europe, Canada and South America. She was always looking for those who needs her help the most, like poor children or hard sick and helpless ones.We, citizens of Blato, are happy and proud on Maria indeed. At the same time it is great obligation for us keep on making better world, better people, making our hearts filled with more piece and love.ÂFor those who wish to know more about Marija's life and her work, as well as events related near Holly Father visit and also about building the Maria's shrine, please feel free to visit following pages:Âwww.marijapropetog.hrÂÂÂwww.blato.hr/majkamarijaÂÂÂCROWN related news:Croatian oil for the Pope, Pope John Paul ll to visit Croatia June 5-9. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Fri, 25 Apr 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7639/1/H-Marija-Propetog-Isusa---na-putu-prema-svetosti.html ÂMarija Propetog IsusaPetkovicPlanirani dolazak Svetog Oca u Hrvatsku, a posebno njegov posjet Dubrovniku, utvrdjen 6. lipnja 2003. kad ce i zvanicno proglasiti blazenom Mariju Propetog Isusa Petkovic ispunjava nas pomalo nejasnim osjecajima o necem izuzetnom. Dogadjaj koji nemaju prilike dozivjeti sve generacije, podsjeca nas ujedno na vrijednosti u zivotu koje cesto zaboravljamo, a koje je buduca blazenica iskljucivo njegovala i sirila diljem svijeta.Upravo paradoks da je rodjena u izuzetno imucnoj obitelji, odrekavsi se materijanih vrijednosti krenula putem franjevacke skromnosti i odricanja, svrstavava je u red iznimnih.Osnovala je samostansku Druzbu Kceri Milosrdja (3. franjevackog reda), te prosirila svoju djelatnost i dobrotu po cijeloj bivsoj drzavi, dijelu Europe, Kanade, a posebno u Juznoj Americi. Neprestano trazeci one kojima treba njena pomoc, prije svega siromasnu djecu, te bolesne i nemocne,ÂMi Blacani, smo uistinu sretni i ponosni na Mariju, sto nas prije drugih obvezuje na gradnju jednog ljepseg svijeta, boljih ljudi, ljudi duhovnog mira, slijedeci upravo Marijinu karizmu.Za sve one koji zele saznati vise o zivotu i djelu buduce blazenice, kao i dogadjajima vezanim za docek Svetog Oca, izgradnju Marijina svetista i drugo, molimo da posjetite novootvorenestranice:www.marijapropetog.hrÂÂÂwww.blato.hr/majkamarijaÂÂÂCROWN vezane vijesti:Croatian oil for the Pope, Pope John Paul ll to visit Croatia June 5-9.Napisao Drazen Zuvela letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Fri, 25 Apr 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7642/1/E-Croatian-oil-for-the-Pope.html Oil to Be Consecrated by Pope on Holy Thursday Comes from CroatiaVATICAN CITY, APRIL 16, 2003 (Zenit.org).- The oil that John Paul II will consecrate on Holy Thursday comes fromCroatia.ÂThe congregation of women religious founded by Mary of Jesus Crucified Petkovic, whom the Pope will beatify on June 6 during his visit toCroatia, delivered the oil to the Vatican last week.ÂThe oil was donated by the Croatian community of the Congregation of the Daughters of Mercy and by the authorities of Blato, birthplace of the future blessed, Vatican Radio reported.ÂThe oil is, in part, an expression of Blato's gratitude for the papal visit and the beatification of Mary of Jesus Crucified Petkovic. Blato is located on the island ofKorcula, on the Adriatic coast.ÂIn keeping with the liturgy, before the consecration the oil will be divided in three parts: for chrism, catechumens and the sick.ÂLast year's Christmas tree, placed near the Nativity scene in St. Peter's Square, was also a gift from Croatia.ÂZE03041601Larry CirignanoÂwww.CatholicVote.orgÂÂÂÂ120 Riverwood Ave.PO Box 118Far Hills, NJ 07931609-781-0090908-234-1978 fax letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 24 Apr 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7641/1/E-Pope-John-Paul-ll-to-visit-Croatia-June-5-9.html  Pope's Planned Stops in Croatia Are Announced ÂVATICAN CITY, APRIL 11, 2003 (Zenit.org).- The Vatican confirmed officially that John Paul II will visit Croatia for the third time, June 5-9. Joaquín Navarro-Valls, director of the Vatican press office, said today that the "Holy Father John Paul II will make an apostolic trip to Croatia from June 5 to 9, and will visit the cities of Rijeka, Dubrovnik, Osijek and Djakovo, and Zadar." During his trip the Pope is expected to beatify religious Mary of Jesus Crucified Petkovic (1892-1966), founder of the Congregation of Daughters of Mercy. Croatia, independent since 1991, has close to 5 million inhabitants, about 80% of them Catholic. The Pope visited Croatia in 1994 and 1998. Larry CirignanoCatholicVote.org2029 P St NWPO Box 70695Washington, DC 20024609-781-0090e-fax 202-318-0789 letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sat, 12 Apr 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7643/1/E-Priest-from-Croatia-reflects-on-differences.html  Priest from Croatia reflects on differencesÂPONCHATOULA - The warmth and friendship of citizens in a small city thousands of miles from his homeland make him feel at home, the Rev. Harvey Blaschko said.A native of Croatia, he has been in the United States for 17 years and for 17 months at St. Joseph Catholic Church, where he now serves as an associate pastor at St. Joseph Catholic Church.In an interview Thursday, he recalled his journey from Croatia, one of the republics that made up the former Yugoslavia. Croatia lies along the coast of the Adriatic Sea across from Italy.Blaschko worked in Germany in a Croatian Catholic mission in Hamburg and in the German parish of St. Elizabeth before heading to Chicago to help his brother in 1986, he said. He worked with two Franciscan and two Dominican parishes during his tenure in Chicago. And although he enjoyed his job, he still had a problem with Chicago."What was the problem? The Chicago climate," he said.He asked to be relocated to a place where the climate was more agreeable, Blaschko said. An opening was found at St. Joseph and head pastor the Rev. Justin Kauchak agreed to have him at the church in 2002."Oh yeah, I'm enjoying seeing all these flowers and everything," he said peering outside a window. "In Chicago, it's still cold."Although he does not have a satellite dish to watch television programs in Croatia, he still manages to talk to his friends in Chicago on a regular basis, Blaschko said.He has traveled to Croatian communities from Slidell to Lafayette to conduct masses and was preparing to go to Belle Chasse and Port Sulphur to conduct more, Blaschko said. The lifestyles the immigrants had at home is similar to that in south Louisiana."They had the fishermen and the oysters," he said. "Same thing here."Even though some have studied English and adapted using it, Blaschko said, some older immigrants are still having problems with the language. He wrote a letter to Diocese of Baton Rouge Bishop Robert Muench seeking help for those older immigrants and he is waiting for a response.He talked about his homeland's history after World War II and Yugoslavia's disintegration in 1991."Yugoslavia was an artificial state nobody liked. Finally she died," he said.When the communists came into Yugoslavia after World War II, they killed all the Croatian Muslim elite and did not allow them to open any learning centers in Sarajevo, Serbia, Blaschko said. The ruling party told them to send their young clerics to Cairo to learn. The clerics returned to the country with a different understanding of Islam."In Syria or Turkey, they really can live with other people and don't have ideas about jihad," he said. "These young clerics going to Cairo, they took everything negative out of Islam. Now we have a country with Taliban. Fundamentalists and faith fanatics, we cannot live with them."He saw similarities between the current war in Iraq and the wars in his homeland of the 1990s, Blaschko said. He believed Iraq, like the former Yugoslavia, is an artificial state created after war. The Kurds along with the Shi'ite and Sunni Muslims are killing each other for territory. That version of tribal warfare reminds him of the fighting in regions such as Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo."They cannot live together," he said, "but if everyone had his piece of the cake, I think there can be peace."Source: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1423&dept_id=169554&newsid=7641433&PAG=461&rfi=9 letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Tue, 08 Apr 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7644/1/E-Croatian-Catholic-Bosnian-Childrens-Fund.html  Croatian Catholic Bosnian Children's FundÂThe Rev. Josip Galic, SVDOur Lady of the Assumption ChurchP.O. Box 62 Morant Bay, St. Thomas, JamaicaTel: 876-982-2250; Fax: 876-734-2455 Advent 2002Greetings from Jamaica. I hope this letter finds you and your family rich in God's blessings. Since I last wrote about the Croatian Catholic Bosnian Children's Fund in the attached letter, much has happened. The program has been introduced to a number of people and there has been much enthusiastic response to the general idea. However, it is impractical to conduct fund raising without an umbrella organization. I am contacting you in the hope that you can help. We have identified twenty-five children in great need of support in order for them to obtain an education. If this venture is fruitful, with God's help, more children could benefit from your assistance. I am attaching my previous letter to you written in May of this year. It explains the reasons for the fund and why we are dependent on your generous support. Please feel free to share this with your family and friends, and ask them if they are also interested in contributing to this fund. Based upon advice and wisdom I have received, after speaking with my religious superiors, we have done the following: Establish an account for tax deductible donations to benefit children in Bosnia at the following address:Brother Dennis Newton, SVDDivine Word MissionariesP.O. Box 6099Techny, IL 60082Checks should be made payable to the Divine Word Missionaries, but indicate that the donation is for Fr. Galic and the Bosnian Children's Fund. The Society of the Divine Word Missionaries Office will promote and directly support this fund. They will also send the funds collected to the Sisters of the Child of Jesus, who will make sure they are only used for the intended purposes. Each Bosnian child will have a donor list at the Mission Office in Techny, Illinois. It is possible to provide the prerequisites in order to allow a child to obtain an education, including books, school materials, school fees, bus fares, and other needs, for $80 to $100 per month. You may choose to have all your contributions go to a specific child or the money will be placed in a general fund to be used if and when a benefactor cannot make an entire monthly contribution, so that the child's education will not be interrupted. We understand that monthly contributions are sometimes difficult but any support you can provide will make a major difference to the life of a young child and provide hope for the future. Dr. Vladimir and Mrs. Ljerka Knezevic will monitor the program along with Dr. Danica Ramljak are fluent in Croatian and English. They have a real passion and zeal for this project. They will ensure confidentiality so that all the donations will go to the proper authorities. It has been arranged that they will receive regular reports from Bro. Dennis Newton, SVD on how the fund is operating. Since they live in the United States, it is easy for you to contact them if you so chose. Their address and phone number is: Dr. Vladimir Knezevic27 Story DriveGaithersburg, MD 20878Home phone 301-947-4260Work phone 301-435-7850Fax number 301-402-3134I hope that God's blessing and help will make it possible for us to see each other in the New Year. Thank you for your time, your willingness to share your gifts and your prayers for those who are most destitute. Be assured of my prayers and remembrances at the Holy Eucharist. May God generously bless you for your generosity to others. May the hope for a new and brighter future, which dawn with them, be yours this Christmas and throughout the New Year.In the Divine Word,Fr. Josip Galic, SVD letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Tue, 18 Mar 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7645/1/E-Alojzije-Stepinac---Feb-10-1960---Feb-10-2003.html Distributed by CroatianWorldÂAlojzije StepinacMay 8, 1898 - February 10,1960Âhttp://www.pope.hr/english/stepinac/13-1_eng.htmlÂhttp://www.radiovatikan.net/croato/storia/50anni.htm letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Mon, 10 Feb 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7646/1/H-Misa-za-gluhe---Oce-Nas-za-Gluhe.html Distributed by CroatianWorldÂOce nas za gluhe O
e naa
koji jesi na nebesima, sveti se ime tvoje, do
i kraljevstvo tvoje, budi volja tvoja kako na nebu tako i na zemlji. Kruh naa
svagdanji daj nam danas i otpusti nama duge naa
e kako i mi otpua
tamo du~
nicima naa
im i ne uvidi nasu u napast, nego izbavi nas od zla. Amen. O
e naa
koji jesi na nebesima http://www.ffdi.hr/crodeafweb/rjecnik/liturgija/liturgija.htmlÂhttp://www.ffdi.hrÂhttp://www.ffdi.hr/crodeafweb/rjecnik/liturgija/Ocenas.htm letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Wed, 29 Jan 2003 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7647/1/H-Biblija-na-Internetu-na-hrvatskom.html ÂÂRijec gospodnja na Internetuhttp://www.hbk.hr/biblija/index.htmlÂHvala svima koji Rijec Gospodnju stavise na Internet - na hrvatskom.Cestit Bozic i Sretnu Novu godinu Vam zelim,Davor Pavuna letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sun, 29 Dec 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7648/1/E-Pope-and-Croatian-Tree.html Pope John Paul II delivers his blessing from the window of hisstudio overlooking St. Peter's square at the Vatican , Thursday, Dec. 26, 2002,framed by the top of the 28-meter (71 foot) tree from a forest in the GorskiKotar region, Croatia that decorates the square. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sat, 28 Dec 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7649/1/H-O-starinama---Bozicni-obicaji-kod-backih-Hrvata---Bunjevaca.html O starinamaBozicni obicaji kod backih Hrvata - BunjevacaPise: Marija Maftej-DulicKao i u svakom kraju Lijepe Nase i backi Hrvati - Bunjevci imaju svoje obicaje o svakom vecem blagdanu ili radu u koji su ulozili mnogo truda i napora i priveli ga konacnom kraju (Duzijanca - zetvena svecanost, slavi se u kolovozu, pred blagdane Velike Gospojine). Posto se nalazimo u predbozicnom vremenu i raspolozenju, opisat cu obicaje i proslavu tog velikog krscanskog blagdana, kad slavimo rodjenje djeteta Isusa - Spasitelja svijeta.ÂCetiri tjedna prije Bozica, Advent ili Dosasce, svako jutro rano drze se mise Zornice ili Rorate. Mi djeca natjecali smo se da ne izostanemo ni s jedne premda su one pocinjale u sest sati ujutro, jos prije svanuca.5. prosinca uvecer stavljali smo ociscene cipele na prozor kako bismo ujutro nasli u njima poklone od sv. Nikole.Na sv. Luciju (13. prosinca) posijalo bi se zito, obicno u salice ili zdjelice, te se svaki dan zalivalo kako bi do Bozica naraslo zeleno. To zito se stavljalo na stol za Badnju vecer, ispod jelke, i tu bi ostalo sve do Sveta tri kralja. Jedno se na Badnji dan odnijelo na groblje - svojim pokojnima s grancicom jelke.Najsvecaniji i najradosniji dan prije Bozica su Materice (treca nedjelja Dosasca), posvecena majkama i zenskom svijetu. Muskarci cestitaju ovaj blagdan zenama. Djeca cestitaju majkama, bakama, tetkama, i ostalim rodjakinjama, pa i susjedama, poljubivsi ih u ruku. Zauzvrat dobiju orahe i jabuku u koju je utisnut metalni novac. Kad sam bila dijete, skupljali smo te darove u veliki rubac i kao bucuric (zavezljalj) nosili kuci.ÂMajke (bake) su za taj dan pravile veliki svecani rucak (uznu), gdje su se okupila njihova pozenjena i poudana djeca, te unucad. Obicno bi se dobijali i pokloni, izuzev jabuka i oraha. Muskarci mogu dobiti kravate, zene kecelje ili marame za glavu, a djeca rupcice.ÂPokloni su mogli biti i veci (npr. dukat); vec prema imovnom stanju baka.Tu bi se nasla na okupu najbliza rodbina, te bi se i zapjevalo i zaigralo.ÂDruzili bi se i veselili sve do veceri. Bilo je slucajeva da je zet ili sin dosao cestitati Materice uz pratnju tamburasa. Sjecam se jedne pjesmice kojom su se cestitale Materice:Faljen Isus gazdaricecestitam vam MatericeJa sam doso priko moraDa mi date malo oraSuvi sljiva i jabukaNaiso sam kraj ovacaDa mi date i novaca.Napolju je jako zimaMolim jednu casu vina.Posljednje nedjelje pred Bozic su Oce, kad se ocevima cestita. Obicno se taj dan slavi kao i Materice, ali ipak je manjeg znacaja. Neki cak cestitaju s Matericama odmah i Oce ocevima. Svaku predvecer ulicom bi isli Betlemari, i nosili Betlehem, zvoneci i pjevajuci.ÂTo su bili malo stariji djecaci, obuceni u krznenu odjecu, kao pastiri.ÂNapravili bi od bojenog papira (najcesce crvenog) vecu kucicu, izgleda crkvice, u koju bi stavili slamice s figurama Malog Isusa, Djevice Marije, Josipa, te jos koju od domacih zivotinja. Tu kucicu bi stavili na nosila sa cetiri kraka. Svaki krak je pridrzavao jedan djecak. U crkvici je svijetlila svijeca ili baterija. Obicno bi ih domacin kuce pozvao unutar, na radost ukucana, posebice djece. Pastiri bi tad otvarali vrata Betlehema, pricali svoja vidjenja rodjenja Isusa, otpjevali koju pastirsku bozicnu pjesmu... Bili bi darivani novcem, jabukama, orasima, kolacima…Pred Bozic se obavlja takozvano veliko spremanje kuce ili stana i rade se ukrasi za jelku.ÂDjeca ocekuju Bozic s nestrpljenjem, brojeci dane do njega. Tako znam jednu inacicu: Danas dan, sutra dan, prekosutra Badnji Dan! Na Badnji dan se posti i ne jede se do vecere. Vecera je rano - cim se smrkne.ÂJelka je svecano ukrasena, stoji na celu stola, koji je pokriven bijelnim stolnjakom i postavljen. Ispod jelke (bunjevacki grana) je kolac bozicnjak, zeleno zito i u casi zrnevlje, pa jabuka, orasi i luk. Domacin unosi u sobu slamu sto kod djece izaziva veliko veselje. Valjaljuci se po slami djeca traze orahe koji su baceni u nju. Vrijedne su domacice spremile tradicionalnu veceru: corbu (juhu) od graha, nasuvo (rezance) sa sirom i makom i pecenu ribu na maslu. Kad se svi okupe oko stola, najmladje dijete unosi svijecu zapaljenu na ognjistu (danas stednjak) i izgovara: Faljen Isus, cestitam vam Badnje vece i Isusovo rodjenje. Domacin odgovara: Navike faljen, ti ziv, zdrav i srican bio, i posipa ga zitom. Malom se svijecom zapali velika svijeca u ciraku (svijecnjaku) koja gori cijelu noc. Sve se svjecice na jelki takodjer zapale a ona mala stavi u zito i gori dok traje vecera. Potom slijedi zajednicka molitva, popije se zamedljana rakija, jabuka se izreze na onoliko komada koliko je ukucana za stolom i svatko dobije svoj dio. Onda se komadic bijelog luka umace u med i pojede, pa jabuka i orasi - isto s medom. Domacica tada unosi grah-juhu i cestita svima Badnju vecer. Potom dolaze na red rezanci i riba. Nakon svega jos od slatkog se donosi kompot od visanja i suvih sljiva. Na kraju vecere svjecica u zitu se gasi vinom.ÂPostoji i vjerovanje po kojemu ce onaj na koga ide dim prvi umrijeti. Prije vecere svjecicu moze nositi gost. To je obicno starije dijete od rodjaka, takozvani polozaj koji ce sve dane Bozica provesti tu, kao gost. Do ponoci je jos ostalo dosta vremena, pa se u obitelji pjevaju bozicne pjesme. Neki se od mladih oblace u vasange (maskare), idu do susjeda ili prijatelja gdje ima mladezi, te se uz sale i doskocice zabavljaju.ÂPrije ponoci krece se u Crkvu na misu Ponocnicu. Jedan clan obitelji (obicno stariji) ostaje kod kuce da cuva Bozic, jer gori velika svijeca pa da ne bi doslo do pozara.ÂIzlazeci iz Crkve jedni drugima cestitamo blagdan Isusovog rodjenja zeleci ujedno sretan Bozic.ÂZurimo kuci. S nestrpljenjem gledamo ispod jelke i trazimo poklone sto ih je nama djeci Mali Isus donio. To su obicno igracke, neka lijepa knjiga, ili kapa, rukavice i slicno. Potom se jedu paca (hladetina). Spavanje je na slami.ÂPrvi dan Bozica je jako svecan. Ukucani idu na Veliku misu (pjevanu). Domacica sprema uznu (objed). To je juha od koke ili morke, riza, pecena curka sa svim prilozima. Svijece se opet upale, cestita se Isusovo rodjenje, slijedi molitva, pa zamedljana rakija i objed. Sad ima vina i ostalog pica, kolaca i torte. Na Bozic se obicno nigdje ne ide, jer je to obiteljski blagdan. Jedino predvecer neki mladji rodjak moze donijeti bukaricu, sto je boca posebnog oblika. Donji joj je dio prosiren, napunjena je vinom i zacepljena pecenim batakom. To se ispije s domacima, a prije odlaska bukarasu boca se opet napuni vinom.Na drugi dan Bozica svecarima se cestita sv. Stipan. Slicno se slavi kao i prvi dan, no sad se rodjaci i prijatelji posjecuju. Tako je i treci dan, na sv. Ivana. Neki uz pratnju sviraca zaredjaju po susjedstvu, rodjacima i prijateljima, cestitajuci im tako Bozicne blagdane. Na dan Nevine djece znali bi djecaci ukrasiti sibu, pa kao sibari otici do rodjaka i susjeda te zensku celjad malo mlatniti sibom, za sto bi dobili neki dar. Taj dan se vec iznosila slama iz sobe.U bozicno vrijeme odrzavaju se i priredbe s tematikom Isusovog rodjenja. To traje sve do Sveta tri kralja - kada se s jelke skidaju ukrasi i ona se iznosi iz kuce. Na taj blagdan vrsi se i posveta kuce i na vrata upisuju tri slova M.B.G. (Melkior, Baltazar, Gaspar - pocetna slova imena kraljeva ili mudraca).NAPOMENA:Ovo sam opisala kao dozivljaj Bozica u svom djetinjstvu i mladosti. Danas se slicno slavi, ali se slama manje unosi u domove. Na salasima se drugacije slavilo. Tu su bile sanke i konji. Bozicno veselje je dulje trajalo. Bijeli luk, orasi, jabuka i med kojima pocinje vecera na Badnjak, imaju svoje posebno tumacenje. Luk i orasi - zdravlje i otpornost, jabuka - zajednistvo obitelji, a med - blagost i ljepota zivljenja.Kod Bunjevaca baku su nekad nazivali majka, a mamu nana. Kod nekih obitelji ti su se nazivi odrzali i do danas. Prije sto i vise godina, Bunjevci nisu imali jelku ili bor. Jedna lijepa grana od vocke bi se otpilala na svetu Luciju i unijela u kucu, stavila u posudu s vodom kako bi do Bozica procvjetala. To je bila grana koja bi se stavila na stol. Jos i danas kod nas se za jelku kaze grana. Ja sam cula u djetinjstvu od starijih kako se osusena korovska grana lijepog oblika znala okititi ukrasnim krpicama od tijesta, staviti u pec da se osusi, pa je i to znala biti grana.U cilju ocuvanja obicaja pravljenja bozicnjaka, danas Katolicki institut za kulturu, povijest i duhovnost Ivan Antunovic organizira uoci Bozica izlozbu bozicnjaka. Kucanice donose svaka svoj bozicnjak ispecen i divno ukrasen figurama. Bozicnjak je poseban kolac, napravljen od brasna s kvasom i mlijekom. Ispleten je i ukrasen figurama od tijesta bez kvasa a u obliku jaslica, Malog Isusa, Djevice, Josipa, domacih zivotinja, ruza, ptica i grozdja. Najljepsi se stavi na oltar u subotickoj Katedrali, a neki po zupnim crkvama. Inace bozicnjak u domovima stoji ispod jelke sve do Nove godine kada se trosi za jelo.Posljednjih nekoliko godina u subotickoj Katedrali se slavi Ponocka pjevanjem Bozicnih pjesama uz pratnju tamburica. Znacajan je i koncert Katedralnog zbora Albe Vidakovic koji se odrzava u svecanoj Vijecnici Gradske kuce. Koncert je uvijek dobro posjecen. Uz klasike, pjevaju se bozicne pjesme iz Backe, a i one diljem Hrvatske. Zbor vodi i uvjezbava sestra Mirjam Pandzic. Tu su i priredbe po zupama sa igrokazima, koje ujedinjuju obitelj u zajednicu Crkve.O AUTORICI:Marija Maja Dulic (rodjena Maftej u Subotici, 16. sijecnja 1925. godine od oca Djure i majke Cecilije Cilike Rogic). Imala je samo cetiri i pol godine kad joj je majka umrla u svojoj dvadeset devetoj godini zivota, ostavivsi za sobom i mladju cetrnaestomjesecnu kcerkicu Olgu (danas zivi u Splitu). Marija je nakon zavrsene osnovne skole i cetiri razreda srednje pohadjala Drzavnu uciteljsku skolu u Zagrebu (1941.-1945.). Radila je kao uciteljica u Gornjem Tavankutu tri godine. U proljece 1948. godine u namjestenom politickom procesu osudjena je na cetrnaest mjeseci strogog zatvora s prinudnim radom. Tada je osudjeno dvadeset sedam Hrvata katolika. Nakon izdrzane kazne, vise nikada nije dobila uciteljsko mjesto. Zavrsila je Visu komercijalnu skolu u Subotici i sve do mirovine radila kao knjigovodja. Zivi u Subotici i u Torontu.Za tisak priredila mr. Ljerka Lukic, prof. urednica Nasih zivota (zivotne price,zivotopisi, zapamcenja). 416-534-5442, Ljerka-Susan@Rogers.com letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Wed, 25 Dec 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7651/1/E-Vatican-lights-up-Christmas-Tree-from-Croatia.html ÂVatican lights up Christmas Tree from CroatiaÂTue Dec 17, 1:16 PM ETÂBy PETER W. MAYER, Associated Press WriterÂVATICAN CITY - Golden lights twinkled on a fir from a Croatian forest in St. Peter's Square on Tuesday as the Vatican (news - web sites) inaugurated its Christmas tree with a ceremony attended by Croatia's president.ÂDancers dressed in traditional Croatian folk costume  women in white, green and blue frocks, men in embroidered waistcoats  whirled to the tunes played by a group of fiddlers before a young boy switched on the lights.ÂThe 28-meter (71-foot), seven-ton tree from the Gorski Kotar region was decorated with glittering strands of tinsel and a typical Croatian Christmas tree ornament  glass balls containing red, heart-shaped sweets.ÂCroatian President Stjepan Mesic came to Rome to formally present Pope John Paul (news - web sites) II with the tree. John Paul did not attend the ceremony, but received the president Monday.ÂCountries vie for the prestige of having one of their towering evergreens picked to flank a life-sized creche scene in the square.ÂThe celebration drew some 200 hundred people to the square, a few waving Croatian flags others clapping time with the music.ÂAfter their meeting the pontiff announced that next year he would visit Croatia, a mainly Roman Catholic country in the Balkans. The visit is expected to take place in May or June.ÂThe 82-year-old Polish pope began the Christmas tree-lighting ceremony in 1982, the first year the Vatican had a tree. For the four previous centuries, popes were Italian  and Italy does not have a Christmas tree tradition. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Wed, 18 Dec 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7650/1/HE-Sretan-Bozic---Merry-Christmas.html Sretan Bozic - MerryChristmasA man waves a Croatian flag in front of 28-meter (71 foot) tree from a forest in the Gorski Kotar region, Croatia, minutes after the decorations were lit up during a ceremony with Croatia's President Stjepan Mesic in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican (news - web sites), Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2002. Croatian President Stjepan Mesic met Pope John Paul (news - web sites) II on Monday, Dec. 16 in a private audience at the Vatican. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Wed, 18 Dec 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7652/1/E-100-feet-Christmas-tree-donated-by-Croatia-on-St-Peters-square.html CroatianChristmas Tree on St. Peter's squarePigeons fly past a 28-meters-high (92.4 feet) Christmas tree donated by Croatia as a crane lifts it in St. Peter's square at the Vatican (news - web sites), Monday, Dec. 9, 2002. (AP Photo/MassimoSambucetti) letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Tue, 10 Dec 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7653/1/E-Saint-Nicolas---Sv-Nikola.html ÂGodcalls each one of us to be a saint !Catholic saints areholy people and human people who lived extraordinary lives. Each saint theChurch honors responded to God's invitation to use his or her unique gifts. Godcalls each one of us to be a saint.   December 6, 2002 St. Nicholas  The absence of the "hard facts" of history is not necessarily an obstacle to the popularity of saints, as the devotion to St. Nicholas shows. Both the Eastern and Western Churches honor him, and it is claimed that, after the Blessed Virgin, he is the saint most pictured by Christian artists. And yet, historically, we can pinpoint only the fact that Nicholas was the fourth-century bishop of Myra, a city in Lycia, a province of Asia Minor. As with many of the saints, however, we are able to capture the relationship which Nicholas had with God through the admiration which Christians have had for him-an admiration expressed in the colorful stories which have been told and retold through the centuries. Perhaps the best-known story about Nicholas concerns his charity toward a poor man who was unable to provide dowries for his three daughters of marriageable age. Rather than see them forced into prostitution, Nicholas secretly tossed a bag of gold through the poor man's window on three separate occasions, thus enabling the daughters to be married. Over the centuries, this particular legend evolved into the custom of gift-giving on the saint's feast. In the English-speaking countries, St. Nicholas became, by a twist of the tongue, Santa Claus-further expanding the example of generosity portrayed by this holy bishop. Comment: The critical eye of modern history makes us take a deeper look at the legends surrounding St. Nicholas. But perhaps we can utilize the lesson taught by his legendary charity, look deeper at our approach to material goods in the Christmas season and seek ways to extend our sharing to those in real need. Quote: "In order to be able to consult more suitably the welfare of the faithful according to the condition of each one, a bishop should strive to become duly acquainted with their needs in the social circumstances in which they live....He should manifest his concern for all, no matter what their age, condition, or nationality, be they natives, strangers, or foreigners" (Decree on the Bishops' Pastoral Office, 16). http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/SaintofDay/ letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Fri, 06 Dec 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7654/1/E-Croatisan-Mystical-Priest-Visits-Capital-City.html ÂSudacTours USALocal - KCRA TheKCRAChannel.comMystical Priest Visits Capital CityFri Nov 15,11:21ÂA mystical priest from Croatia, who is drawing thousands of Catholic faithful across America, appeared in Sacramento Thursday evening.ÂThe Rev. Slatko Sudac reportedly has the stigmata -- the wounds of Christ, which is a powerful sign to Catholics. Some believe he can even do miracles.ÂSudac co-hosted a mass inside the auditorium with Bishop Frances Quinn, who was formally the bishop of the Sacramento Diocese. Sudac is a fast rising star in the Catholic Church with an international following. Some critics say his mystical powers are a fraud, but some people believe he's a living saint.Â"The majority of the people come because of what he represents and who he is," said attendee Arlene Cervelli. "I think he is a rare and holy person," said attendee Bill Shaneyfelt. Sudac says he received the stigmata three years ago, bleeding from on his wrists, feet and side.Â"He's very, very deep, and you have to listen because he says things so profound," said follower Phyllis Sadro.ÂAdmission to the event was $60, which the people gladly paid.ÂSudac does not display his stigmata or other reported abilities, such as levitation or precognition, in public. But his followers have no doubts.Âhttp://www.thekcrachannel.com/news/1675042/detail.htmlÂYou've probably gathered by now that we're really into feedback. There is a "Contact KCRA" link on the top of virtually every page of this site. Let us know what you think!ÂYou can contact the station by phone at (916) 446-3333. To reach the news department, call (916) 444-7316. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Mon, 18 Nov 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7655/1/E-Fr-Jozo-Zovko-at-Most-Precious-Blood-Church.html Dear CroatiansCan you send this information via e-mail to all your friends on the list?Thank you. fra Robert ZubovicPRAYER, REFLECTIONSANDÂHEALING SERVICEFR. JOZO ZOVKO, OFMTuesday, November 5, 2002Schedule:9:00 AM - 11:00 AMMOST PRECIOUS BLOOD CHURCH(Lower Church)32-23 36th street ASTORIA(No parking lot)ALL CROATIANS ARE CORDIALLY INVITEDFr. Jozo Zovko, world renowned franciscan, witness to the Medjugorje apparitions, has become one of the best known priest in the world. Many tribes have made him their chief and he is connected with many miraculous healings. Pope John Paoul II sent Fr. Jozo a thank you note through the polish pilgrims. Pope John Paul II was thankful to Fr. Jozo for his apostolate for Medjugorje, for what Fr. Jozo is doing and has done so far.For Info:718-932-9135ÂRZubovic@aol.com letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sun, 03 Nov 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7657/1/E-Croatia-to-donate-Christmas-tree-to-Vatican-this-year.html ÂCroatia to donate Christmas tree to Vatican this yearÂAP World PoliticsCroatia to donate Christmas tree to Vatican this yearÂMon Oct 7,12:04 PM ETZAGREB, Croatia - The Vatican's Christmas tree will come this year from one of the papacy's strongest pillars in southeastern Europe - Croatia - and the country's president is to attend its lighting, officials said Monday.ÂPresident Stipe Mesic will travel to the Vatican in December, said his spokeswoman, Danijela Barisic.ÂThe main tree will flank a life-sized creche scene at St. Peter's Square in Rome. Croatia also will donate 30 smaller trees, all from its mountainous, forested region of Gorski Kotar, including one slated for the residence of the Pope John Paul ( news - web sites) II.ÂCountries vie for the prestige of having one of their towering evergreens picked for the Vatican, which started the tree-lighting ceremony in 1982. Last year, the tree came from the Orthodox Romania.ÂEighty percent of Croatia's 4.5 million people consider themselves practicing Roman Catholics.ÂJohn Paul II visited Croatia twice since it declared independence from Yugoslavia 11 years ago. Despite his frail health, the 82-year-old pontiff plans to come again next spring. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Fri, 11 Oct 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7656/1/H-VLC-ZLATKO-SUDAC-13-LISTOPADA-U-VUKOVARU.html VLC. ZLATKO SUDAC 13. LISTOPADA U VUKOVARUHNAHR-samostani-priopcenja-Vjerske zajedniceÂVUKOVAR, 8. listopada (Hina) - Karizmaticni svecenik Zlatko SudacÂ13. listopada predvodit ce misu u crkvi sv. Filipa i Jakova uÂVukovaru te molitvu na Aleji branitelja - groblju Dubravi,Âizvijestio je danas gvardijan vukovarski fra Zlatko Špehar. #L# Zlatko Sudac, svecenik Krcke biskupije dolazi, dopuštenjemÂdijecezanskog biskupa Marina Srakica, moliti za sve poginule iÂstradale u Vukovaru u tijeku Domovinskoga rata, za njihoveÂpreživjele, kao i za sve one koji su bilo tjelesno bilo duševnoÂstradali, a sve u duhu, kako napominje fra Zlatko, Druge SinodeÂdakovacke i srijemske biskupije. "'Svaka crkvena služba je znak djelotvorne ljubavi. CovjekÂnadahnut Bogom u službi covjeka' je upravo i vlc. Zlatko Sudac, kojiÂje našoj Crkvi potreban kao svjedok 'kulture služenja' Bogu iÂbližnjemu", napominje gvardijan. Crkva sv. Filipa i Jakova teško je oštecena u agresiji na Hrvatsku iÂjoš u potpunosti nije obnovljena, postavljen je tek krov iÂdjelomicno uredena fasada. Ta crkva, treca po dužini u Hrvatskoj,Âsagradena je 1723., a proširena 1896. U tijeku bestijalnih napada na Vukovar na crkvu i FranjevackiÂsamostan palo je više od 3.000 raznih granata i projektila.ÂOkupator je crkvu i 1995. kanio sravniti sa zemljom izbušivši višeÂdesetaka minskih rupa u njezinim zidovima i stupovima. Vlc. Zlatko Sudac doci ce i na Aleju branitelja, gdje ce istoga danaÂpredvoditi molitvu za sve branitelje i civilne žrtve rata gradaÂVukovara, i tako se svojom molitvom pokloniti njima i, kakoÂnapominje gvardijan, upozoriti da ih se ne smije zaboraviti. Buduci da se ocekuje veliki broj vjernika, gvardijan napominje, daÂneka svi koji dolaze u Vukovar slijede upute prometne policije kojaÂce regulirati promet te neka imaju razumijevanja prema vukovarskimÂpovratnicima, s kojima se prvenstveno vlc. Zlatko Sudac želi uÂcrkvi sv. Filipa i Jakova susresti i moliti. U agresiji jugoslavenske vojske i srpskih paravojnih postrojba naÂHrvatsku, Vukovar je tri mjeseca 1991. odolijevao uz nadljudskeÂnapore hrvatskih dragovoljaca i policije golemoj oružanoj tehniciÂi vojnoj sili. Iako je razoren i osvojen, mnogo Vukovarca pobijeno,Âa preostali Hrvati protjerani iz grada, na Vukovaru se slomilaÂjugoslavenska vojska, a Vukovar postao simbolom hrvatskoga otporaÂi hrvatske slobode. (Hina) pp mc letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Fri, 11 Oct 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7658/1/E-Cleveland-St-Paul-Parish-100th-Anniversary.html St. Paul Parish 100th AnniversaryÂSunday October 6, 2002St. Paul Parish is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a Mass starting at10:00 a.m., followed by a celebration at the Cardinal Stepinac CroatianNational Lodge starting at 2:00 p.m. Tickets can be bought either at theparish of from parish council members for $25. Archbishop Msgr. Ivan Devcic,of the Rijeka-Senj Archdiocese along with Msgr. Milan Simcic will be specialguests of honor along with many other guests from Croatia and the Diaspora.For more information, contactMarko Spiranvic at: Spirama@aol.com.ÂCroNetwork: The Croatian-American Organization for Young Professionals. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sat, 28 Sep 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7659/1/H-Biblija-na-hrvatskom-na-CD-u.html Biblija na hrvatskom na CD-uProf.dr. Mario Essert i mladi Andjelko Katalenich (uccenik srednje sskole!) autori su izvrsnog CDa koji sadrzziBIBLIJU na hrvatskom jeziku, s velikim tehnicckim moguchnostima. Cijena je samo 80 kn. Mozze se narucciti nabaviti u Krschanskoj sadassnjosti ili izravno nahttp://www.ks.hr/ÂU njemu je i opis Biblije iz pera Bonaventure Dude.Mali dodatak:Usput bih spomenuo malo poznati podatak: Najstarija poznata Biblija na hrvatskom jeziku nije Kassichevabiblija, nego Zadarska Biblija o kojoj govori jedan dokument zadarskog arhiva iz 1380.g. Na zzalost, nijesaccuvavana, ali dokument govori o "una Biblia i Slavica lingua".ÂU to isto vrijeme (14.st.) u Pragu djeluju hrvatski glagoljassi i njihovi ccesskiuccenici tijekom stotinjak godinau u samostanu Emaus (u dijelu Praga koji se zove Vissehrad). Ti su ccesski uccenicihrvatskih glagoljassa 1416. napisali poznatu Cessku hlaholsku Bibliju, ccuva se u Nacionalnoj knjizznici uPragu (odmah kod Karlovog mosta). U znamenitom ccesskom samostanu Sazava oko 60 km od Praga djelatnosti hrvatskih glagoljassa posvechena je posebna dvorana.Visse o tome vidi na www.hr/darko/etf/et03.htmlÂi www.hr/darko/etf/novi.htmlÂDarko Zubrinich letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sun, 01 Sep 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7660/1/EH-32ND-ANNUAL-PILGRIMAGE-in-Washington-DC.html Â32NDANNUALÂPILGRIMAGE TO THE CROATIANMARIAN SHRINES OUR LADY OF BISTRICA AND OUR LADY OF PEACEIN THE NATIONAL BASILICA OF THE IMMACULATECONCEPTION IN WASHINGTON D.C.ÂSEPTEMBER 7TH& 8TH , 2002ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂP R O G R A MÂMelchior Masina, M.A. Croatian Catholic Union of USA andCanadaTel. 219 942 1191; fax 219 942 8808; E-Mail: Info@ccu-usa-can.org;E-Mail: mmasina@ccu-usa-can.orgÂSaturday, Sept.7;ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂPROGRAM FOR THE CROATIAN AMERICAN YOUTH9:00 A.M.  10:30 A.M.1:00P.M.  6:00P.M.ÂÂWashington Court Hotel (Official Accommodations Hotel$99.00 per room; tel. 202 628 2100; located only one block from Capitol Hill andUnion Station; 525 New Jersey Avenue, N.W.)ÂSunday, Sept. 8:ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂSOLEMN PILGRIMAGE PROCESSION AND MASS1:30 P.M.  4:30 P.M.Basilica of the National Shrine of the ImmaculateConceptionUnder the auspices of the Croatian Catholic Union of USAand Canada, this year s Croatian Marian PilgrimageÂto our beautiful Chapels Our Lady of Bistrica and Our Lady of Peace inthe Basilica of the National Shrine in Washington D.C. will be a two day event.ÂSpecial Symposium/Seminar will be held Saturday September 7that the Washington Court Hotel and the Main Pilgrimage with the Procession andMass will be held Sunday September 8th.ÂOur CCU Spiritual Director Rev. Paul Maslach will be the mainConcelebrant and Leader at he Pilgrimage. Weare happy that Rev. Jozo Grbes, the Pastor of the Croatian Parish St. Jerome inChicago, will be the moderator of the Saturday sÂYouth Program, who will give the meaning, the soul and the heart to thisgathering. Contributing will bealso Rev. Mate Bizaca, pastor ofthe Croatian Parish St. Anthony in Los Angeles, and other priests. Participating at the Seminar/Spiritual Retreat will bea known Croatian writer and journalist, and an Activist in the Croatian Catholiclay movement, Mr. Zoran Vukman,Âfrom Trogir, Croatia, the author of several books among which his recentbook on New Age Philosophy andCardinal Stepinac received a very plausible acclaim.ÂÂThe program will also consist of aMusical Academy in honor of Our Lady; Reception;ÂSightseeing, and Visits to the While House and to the Croatian Embassy.ÂÂÂFor your accommodations we have reserved the WashingtonCourt Hotel at $99.00 per room. WashingtonCourt Hotel is located only one block from the Capitol Hill and from UnionStation, at 525 New Jersey Avenue,N.W. Washington D.C. For reservation please call tel. 202 828  2100.ÂPlease mention that you are coming for the CCU Pilgrimage to get a grouprate at $99.00. Welcome! Dobro namDosli! Themain theme of Symposium and Pilgrimagecoincides with the withthe Holy Father s MessageÂto the catholic youth gathered at the Catholic Youth Day inToronto, July 23  27, 2002:ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂa) Challenges of culture ofdeath;b)ÂÂÂÂÂLeadership of the Catholic Laity;c)ÂÂÂÂÂChrist the Center of our lives;Synopsis:ÂÂÂToday s man in his quest for becoming an integral person can notÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂescape the most fundamental questions what this life is all about. Is theÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂpredicament of man sfinality and sense of limitation and ultimatelyÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂthe death, the last response?ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂThe young people, however, havean insatiable thirst for knowledge,ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂlimitless possibility to search for truth and an unselfishÂcapacity to loveÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂin solidarity with all human beings.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂThe Holy Spirit within theChurch has throughout two millennia ofÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂChristianity given us the message of Christ and the mystery of GodÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂIncarnate as the only  way, truth and life . The way of the Cross is theÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂway of Resurrection ( crucified and taken from the stem  unto thegift,ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂunto an example to live and to die the Croatian poet Tin Ujevic).ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂThe world around us, against the Spirit of the Gospel, offers, on one sideÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ(negative) the culture death, selfishÂhedonism, nihilism, drugs, etc, andÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂonthe other side ( positive ) the illusionof the new ageÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂphilosophy, utopiannaturalism and global government.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂThe lecturers at this Croatian Youth Renewal Weekend will examine theseÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂthemes, presentthe most crucial questions and challenges and offer theÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂsolutions within the realitythat our Croatian American youth today;ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂChrist is the focus and center of life,Âinternally, intimatelywithin eachÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂindividual, as well asexternally in the active Apostolate in our Parish andÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂCroatian communities, in our Croatian Diaspora and in the homeland ofÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂCroatia.ÂÂÂÂ2)ÂÂÂÂÂSpeakers:ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂRev.Paul Maslach, CCU Spiritual Director;ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂFr. Jozo Grbes, Moderator; Pastor St. Jerome Croatian Parish, Chicago;ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂDon Mate Bizaca. Pastor St. Anthony Croatian Parish, Los Angeles, CAÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂSpecial Guest speaker; Zoran Vukman, Catholic lay activist, authorÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂjournalist, Split, Croatia;ÂSCHEDULE:Saturday, Sept. 7:ÂÂ9:A.M.  10: 30 A.M. MorningSession (followed by Brunch,ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂand visit to White House) 1:30P.M. - 4:00 P.M. AfternoonSessionÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ4: 00 P.M.  5:00 P.M.Musical Presentation  Academy in honor of Mary;ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ6:00 P.M. ReceptionÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ8:00 P.M.  10:00 P.M. Evening tour (sightseeing) through Washington;ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂVisit to the Croatian Embassy;Sunday s Program:9:00 A.M.  1:00 P.M. Pilgrims arrive with buses; NewYork, New Jersey; Allentown,ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂSteelton, Pittsburgh, Cleveland,Chicago, Milwaukee, LA,etc;11: 00 A.M.  2:00 P.M.ÂConfessions in English and Croatian at the Lower Church;1:30 P.M.ÂÂÂBeginning of forming of the procession;2:00 P.M.ÂÂÂProcession and Rosary;2:30 P.M.ÂÂÂÂCONCELEBRATED MASS;ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂChoirs ( New York SS. Cyril and Methodius Croatian Parish;ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ(L.A. St. Anthony Croatian Parish)ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂHomily in English and Croatian;3:30 P.M.ÂÂÂÂConcluding Prayers and Songs in front of the Croatian ChapelWelcome! Svi nam dobro dosli!Melchior Masina, M.A.National PresidentCroatian Catholic Union of USA and CanadaTel. 219 942 1191; fax 219 942 8808; E-Mail: Info@ccu-usa-can.org;E-Mail: mmasina@ccu-usa-can.org letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Mon, 26 Aug 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7661/1/E-Vi-ste-sol-zemlje-Vi-ste-svijetlost-svijeta--Molitveno-bdijenje.html MolitvenoBdijenje u New YorkuPrigodom odrzavanja svjetskog dana mladih u Torontu sa svetim Ocempozivam Vas i Vase prijatelje na molitveno bdijenje, molitveni susret sa Gospodinom prisutnim u Presvetom Oltarskom Sakramentu.Subota, 27. srpnja od 9 -11 PMÂu Donjoj Crkvi Most Precious Blood.Ulaz sa 36th streeta."Vi ste sol zemlje! Vi ste svijetlost svijeta" - IsusPosaljite ovaj e-mail i svojim prijateljima i znancima.ÂU ime Krista, hvala. Budimo Duhom i molitvom povezani sa stotinama tisuca mladih koji ce u isto vrijeme zajedno bdijeti sa Svetim Ocem.Fra Robert Zubovic letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sat, 27 Jul 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7662/1/E-In-the-final-analysis-It-is-between-you-and-God.html Larry Cirignano, Esq.CatholicVote.orgPO Box 70695Washington, DC 20024609-781-0090Larryvote@aol.com www.CATHOLICVOTE.ORGÂÂÂÂÂÂAt least 250 priests of more than 46,000 across the country have either been dismissed from their duties or resigned since the scandal beganEDITOR'SCOMMENT: Mathematically then, greater than 99.5% of the priesthood has remained untainted by this scandal. Reminds me of the Proctor & Gamble ads for Ivory soap:Hmmm. Maybe the headline in the Washington Post article should have read: The Catholic Priesthood in America: Purer than Ivory Soap!Â...in the final analysis, It is between you and God;It never was between you and them anyway.~ Mother TeresaFor the Record:There were 75 members of the clergy convicted of sexual offenses between 1985-2000. Thirty-eight were Catholic Priests.According to the Christian Science Monitor, Non-Catholic churches are reporting an average of 70 incidents a week to their insurance companies.There were 236,000 people in jail for sexual offenses in 2000 (38 priests), accordingto the Juvenile Bureau of the Justice Statistics. They have a 45 page report that goes into details about time of day, location, relationship etc.Since 1960 there have been over 140,000 men ordained in the priesthood or as Brothers. Currently there are 46,075 priests. So far this year, 250priests have been charged with an offense, some as long ago as 45 years ago. At least 3 have already been reinstated and exonerated.Over 10,000 priests have left to get married in the last 30 years.We do a great disservice to parents when we only warn them about priests. The largest group of the 236,000 offenders are relatives, in the victim's home, between the hours of 3-7 PM.The majority of the 250 offenses have been homosexual liaisons, not pedophile with prepubescent boys. Milwaukee Bishop Weakland's victim was 32 at the time of the sexual assault.We do a great disservice to the 45,800 + priests when we stereotype them as homosexuals. There is no evidence that there are more (or fewer) homosexuals than the general population in the priesthood.It's good that the Catholic Church should be held to a higher standard of scrutiny. One victim is one too many, and we ought to do everything possible for them. But we ought not compound the problem by attacking the Church and the clergy by stereotyping them.Individuals have sinned, some have committed crimes, and all of them should be punished. None should be persecuted. Priests who get out of jail need to be held to their vows of obedience in permanent penance. They need to continue to be insured so they can be treated, supervised, monitored and accounted for.Larry Cirignano, Esq.CatholicVote.orgPO Box 70695Washington, DC 20024609-781-0090 cell202-318-0789 faxOp-ed250 too many. Church should stand for injustice long time ago. I hope that this will move us towards better and more just society and religion community. If anywhere, morality should be in thefrontline of a religious leaders. This way when it is not, it makes all of the great things that have been accomplished so unimportant. All of the charity work that have been unselfish and dedicated is being put aside.Equally all of the clergy should be exposed for what they stood in the past. Catholics took a stand. Let's see others.NB letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Tue, 25 Jun 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7663/1/E-St-Louis-St-Joseph-Croatian-Catholic-Church-Spring-Picnic.html ÂSt. Joseph Croatian Catholic ChurchÂSt. Louis, MOÂSPRING PICNICÂSUNDAY, MAY 19, 2002Â11:00 AM to 6:00 PMÂBarbecued LambÂChicken andÂGoulash DinnersÂMusic Provided by . . .ÂCroatian SonsÂJim Sinovich AccordianÂCzech Express BandÂSt. Joseph Croatian ChurchÂ2112 South 12th StreetÂ(12th and Russell)ÂSt. Louis, MO 63110ÂCall 314-771-0958 for additional informationÂemail: sjchurch@netzero.netÂÂCroNetwork: The Croatian-American Organization for Young Professionals. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sat, 18 May 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7664/1/E-Father-Sudac-in-New-York-Magazine.html ÂThe following appears in the May 13, 2002 issue of New York Magazineconcerning Father Sudac. The writer clearly displays some scepticismtoward Father Sudac, but I think it is interesting what an impact he hasbeen having in the New York area. John KraljicCitysideSudac the MysteriousThe bleeding markings on the wrists and feet of Croatian priest ZlatkoSudac have made him an ecclesiastical superstar. He usually doesn'tdisplay them -- but have faith.BY MARK JACOBSON"Which one is he?" asked the 70-year-old lady from Yonkers. Near blind,seeing "only gray shadows," she had come to the St. Athanasius Church onBay Parkway in Bensonhurst on this rainy, windswept evening, hoping tobe healed."The one in the purple vestments," said the lady's companion, who wasleaning on a cane. "The one who looks like God."Truly, there was no mistaking the singular presence of Father ZlatkoSudac. He sat in a velvet-covered chair to the right of the altar.Moments before, the 31-year-old Croatian priest, russet shoulder-lengthhair pulled away from his pasty complexion, had spoken of theunsurpassed joy of devotion, but now his thick brows arched abovemournful brown eyes; everything about his frail frame suggested anotherworldliness of suffering."Can you see it?" the half-blind woman asked her companion."Yes. On his head . . . I see . . . a notch," replied the second oldlady, squinting hard.This much was visible: an indentation perhaps an inch long, like a coinslot, in the middle of Sudac's (pronounced SOO-dots) wide, flatforehead. It could be the horizontal plane of a cross, which, it issaid, Sudac first "received" in May of 1999. This was followed the nextyear by bleeding markings on his wrists, feet, and side.These were the outward signs that the former philosophy student from theAdriatic island of Krk had received the mystical stigmata: woundscorresponding to those suffered by Christ on the cross.Amid the church's appalling sexual scandals, news of Sudac's stigmatahas been cause for tentative celebration. The most celebrated stigmaticsince the revered Padre Pio (the Italian priest who received the woundsof Christ in 1918 and will be officially canonized this June), Sudac,who came here from Croatia last fall, has become the hottestecclesiastic ticket in town. At St. Athanasius, four hours before thebeginning of the Mass, 2,000 people were standing on line in the rain,hoping to get inside lest they be shuttled off to the auditorium acrossBay Parkway and have to hear the service on closed-circuit.As church officials say, "No church is big enough for Sudac now." Twoweeks earlier, 300 people, unable to fit inside Immaculate ConceptionChurch on Gunhill Road in the Bronx, huddled on the church steps in asleet storm, listening to the Mass on a loudspeaker. Two Masses at OurLady of Pompeii in Greenwich Village attracted nearly 4,000 people. AtSt. John the Baptist in Paterson, New Jersey, fire marshals attempted toclear the seriously overcrowded room, leading one firefighter to saywith a sigh, "Burning buildings is one thing, but throwing people out ofMass? That's not how I was brought up. Especially now . . ."Especially now. It was no surprise God had chosen this particular time,in the neo-apocalyptic wake of 9/11, to send a messenger like FatherSudac, said Pat F., a fortyish typist who had driven down fromPeekskill. The world was a mess, said Pat, always a "good Catholic" evenin her punk-rock phase. People had deluded themselves into thinkingTV-inspired materialism, the rat race of work, and relativist ethicswere the actual state of things, Pat said. It was like The Matrix, whereevil, soulless computers generate "fake reality" and humankind is eithertoo beaten down or too "plain lazy" to do anything about it."Nine-eleven changed that," Pat said. Like Oz, 9/11 "punched a hole" inthe cheap curtain. Nine-eleven made it clear that pop culture and "therest of what they hand you is not cutting it." Bush's version of"political good and evil" was just more confusion. The real battle wasbetween God's truth and men's lies. That was the value of people likeSudac. Pat said that he showed "a way to see through to the real truth."The first known receiver of the mystical stigmata (The CatholicEncyclopedia cites 321 recognized cases) was Saint Francis of Assisi,afflicted while in deep prayer on Mount Alverna in 1224. Suddenly,according to Felix Timmermans's often-quoted retelling, "it was as ifthe heavens were exploding and splashing forth all their glory inmillions of waterfalls of colors and stars." Inside the "whirlpool ofblinding light" was Jesus on a fiery cross, his wounds like "blazingrays of blood." Like a "mirrored reflection," Jesus' fiery image"impressed itself into Francis' body, with all its love, its beauty, andits grief." Then, "with nails and wounds, through his body, his soul andspirit aflame, Francis sank down, unconscious, in his blood."Sudac, whose wounds have been declared "not of human origin" by Vaticandoctors at the Gemelli Clinic in Rome, is somewhat less dramatic whendiscussing his holy affliction. It happened at "a friendly get-togetherin one family's home," the priest says in his only interview availablein English (given soon after his initial stigmatization). Unspecificallynoting that the wounds imbued him with "a tremendous fear of the Lord,"Sudac says he suffers little pain from the stigmata, except when he ispraying. "Then I feel it pulsing," he reports. "On first Fridays . . .it's known to bleed and leak as though it is crying."Other marvels Sudac received along with stigmatization include "gifts oflevitation, bilocation, and knowledge of upcoming events." Of these,bilocation, the ability to be in two places at once, is particularly"interesting," Sudac says. "You have the feeling that you are at oneplace, but your heart and imagination want to be somewhere else." Thepriest says he wouldn't have believed he'd been in two places at thesame time until "some people had come forward and confirmed it all." Onewould like to engage Sudac, to discuss why he doesn't bleed to death. Orwhether his wounds smell like roses and tobacco, as Padre Pio's weresaid to. But Sudac does not speak English and is not currently talkingto the press.Nor does Sudac display the stigmata at his Masses, a fact that does notseem to bother many of the people on line in the rain outside St.Athanasius. A young Caribbean woman who described herself as a "blackCatholic" says, "What's in it for you to say it isn't so?" It was aquestion of faith, people on line agreed. St. Athanasius is still anItalian parish, but Russians have moved in, Mexicans and Filipinos, too.Outside is the usual New York babel, half a dozen languages and accents,from wherever Roman Catholics came in black robes and conquistadorarmor. Tom, an Eastern European-born postal worker, says these variousethnicities will matter little tonight. Of course, Father Sudac wouldappear to be talking in Croatian, but actually his words would beuttered in "another tongue altogether." It was something he'd comeacross in this reading, Tom said. Stigmatics, due to their specialrelationship with God, often entered a meditative state in which theycould "communicate" with others bearing the wounds of Christ. Since morethan 60 saints have borne the stigmata, Tom said, there was every reasonto believe that Sudac would not simply be speaking for himself.Sudac would be speaking the universal language of Saint Francis, SaintJohn of God, and Saint Catherine of Siena, and Saint Catherine de'Ricci, and Saint Clare, and Padre Pio, too, Tom said. "Saints from 600years ago, right here, down the block from grocery stores and laundromats."Inside St. Athanasius, a fifties-modern church devoid of the medievalambience the soul-hungry religious tourist might hope for, Sudac isdelivering his sermon. The room is silent, aside from the outbursts ofautistic children brought by their parents to be blessed. Aware of hiscelebrity, and also of the strong resemblance parishioners often drawbetween his looks and traditional depictions of Jesus, Sudac, speakingin low, controlled tones, never mentions the stigmata. He cautions thecongregation "not to look at the gift, but the Giver." Anyone who hascome to Mass because of him rather than Jesus Christ is "making a verybig mistake," Sudac says.Standing beside Sudac, translating the sermon, is Father GiordanoBelanich. The 53-year-old pastor of St. John's Church in Fairview, NewJersey, Father Gio, as he is called, left Croatia with his family backduring the Tito days, and has now been asked by church officials thereto "look after" Sudac. In addition to his translation duties, Father Gioarranges Sudac's schedule (for $2,300, you can take a trip toMedjugorje, the Bosnian-pilgrimage package-tour destination, air andhotel included, which includes five days with Father Sudac) and compileslong lists of e-mailed "healing petitions," which he prints out forSudac to bless en masse. He also drives Sudac to and from Masses in theNew York area in a Toyota Avalon.This takes some planning, due to Sudac's growing popularity. Sudac'salready had to move out of the rectory house in Fairview to some"undisclosed" place in the metropolitan area. At Mass, Sudac arrivesthrough the back door and begins without delay. When finished, he leavesimmediately, Elvis-style."It was always like that with these mystics," notes Father Gio, a bigman with a stern, down-to-earth manner that gives him the aspect of ahard-knuckle Karl Malden waterfront priest beside Sudac's etherealRobert Bresson character. Saint Francis could talk to the birds withoutinterruption, but now saints and mystics needed "spiritual directors,"Father Gio said. People with "special gifts" need to be "kept in line,"lest they "fall prey to distraction." This was very important, Gio said.Asked what sort of fellow Sudac was, on an everyday basis, Gio, who runsCroatian Relief Services, which supplies aid to his still war-tornhomeland, cocks his giant Easter-egg-shaped head and says, "Oh, I'd sayhe's pretty normal." Did this mean Sudac liked to put on overalls andoperate a forklift truck, as Gio often did in his Croatian ReliefServices warehouse? Did he like to get out on the lawn and toss aroundthe old football?Well, not exactly, Gio replies. It would be a mistake to say FatherSudac was "a regular guy . . . even for a priest. Let's say he spends alot of time in his room thinking about the Eucharist," Gio says. Butthen again, "it took all kinds to do God's work and fight the devil.""Don't look into politics! don't look into ideologies! Don't look intomagics!" Father Sudac implored, delivering his sermon at St. Athanasius.Father Gio translated with matching fervor, a mighty, rising call andresponse. "Don't look into spiritism! Don't look into Santería! Don't beafraid of sin! There is no sin! Jesus Christ died to banish sin fromthis world! Open yourself! Make room in your heart. Then he will come inthere in those places. He will come real fast!"Then, growing quiet, Sudac began to talk about himself. "You've heard ofme, you know who I am," he said plaintively. "I am a young priest. Only31. But I am not so young not to see that many crazy things go on inthis world. Things beyond explaining. Does it matter if I am a saint? Idon't think so. Only Jesus matters."With that, Sudac slumped down into the thronelike velvet chair to theright of the altar. For a moment, there was a hush in the room as Sudac,seemingly spent, took a Kleenex from his vestments and wiped his eyes."He's crying," said a young girl. Several flash cameras went off.Visibly angry, Father Gio, who had asked people not to take pictures,yelled, "This is not a show, not a circus!"But it isn't every day you hear a Mass given by a stigmatic. You neverknow what might turn up on a photo. Last year, someone took a picture ofSudac in Chicago in which the priest appears to be transparent. A fewdays later, news of the picture was all over the Internet. In thestrobing light, you could watch Sudac, home in on his wan, desperateface, study him. A few days earlier, I'd called up a priest friend whoalso practiced as a university psychologist. What would he do, I asked,if someone had come into his office bearing the wounds of Christ?"Well," my friend said, "as a psychologist, I'd give him the MinnesotaMultiphasic test and treat him as a hysteric . . . As a priest, I mightdo the same thing, but I'd pray for him. Because I'd think, Better himthan me."At St. Athanasius, however, it was possible to discard rationality, evenskepticism. It was possible to stop, for a moment, trying to spy up hissleeves to see if he really had bandages blotted red by "blazing rays ofblood." Because whatever anyone else thought, including yourself, youknew he believed it.A few minutes later, Sudac was peering intently into the monstrance,host of the body of Christ. Holding the vessel inches from his face,Sudac walked through the church, blessing the faithful. As promised, hewent out into the rainy night, across Bay Parkway, to those who hadheard the Mass in the school auditorium. The police had the streetsblocked off. With their cruiser lights sweeping across the slickstreets, they formed a corridor for Sudac and the monstrance to passthrough the waiting crowd. Dozens of people, some on crutches and othersholding small, sick children, pushed toward the priest. It might havebeen part of a Law & Order remake of an early Fellini movie. Right then,several men pushing a wheelchair barged through the crowd, the tiresrunning over an older woman's feet."Father! Father! . . . Him! Our brother! Bless him!" the men screamed atthe passing Sudac, indicating the teenage boy in the chair. The boy wascrippled, his dense black eyes crossed. The boy had had "a stroke . . .since birth," the men declared. One reached over the police line andgrabbed Sudac's garment."You have the stigmos!" the man yelled. "Bless him. We are Greek! Blesshim! He has always been like this! Please, Father."Sudac turned and, Eucharist in front of his face, bowed once, turnedboth left and right, and walked on. Immediately, the men, now crying,began kissing the boy in the chair. "He blessed you," they shouted. "Nowyou have hope."One of the men sprinted after Sudac, again reaching for his garment.Falling to his knees, the man said, "Bless you, Father. Bless you!"Sudac turned toward the man. For a moment, it seemed as if he mightsmile, even say "thank you." But Father Sudac, afflicted with the woundsof Christ, kept walking, into the night. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Wed, 08 May 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7665/1/E-St-Marys-Preservation-Society.html Âhttp://community.pennlive.com/cc/stmarysRudy PavlickP.O. Box 7585Steelton, PA 17113Phone: 717-939-9411Fax: 717-939-1050hrvata@worldnet.att.netSt. Mary's Preservation Society Preserving Croatian HeritageÂWe are a group of people supporting the preservation of Croatian culture and tradition in our communities,Âin our homes and in our church.The Croatian community here in Central PA. came into being in the 1890's. Most of the Croatian people thatÂmigrated to this area ended up in Steelton, and the community grew.In the early days, a Croatian priest came to the area to minister to the Croatian Catholic community and inÂ1898, he was given permission to establish the second Croatian Catholic church in America. On October 28,Â1898, the church was dedicated in a solemn ceremony to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. TheÂchurch and the parish came to be known as St. Mary's .The Bishop of Harrisburg contacted the Franciscan Friars for Croatian speaking priests to serve the faithful.ÂThey served the parish until the suppression in 1995.ÂIn 1954, Fra. Vilim Primorac, a Croatian Franciscan assigned to our parish, realized that the traditionsÂbrought here by the Croatian immigrants were still very much alive. He wanted to add more of theÂCroatian culture to these traditions and started the musical song and dance group known as 'KOLO CLUBÂMARIAN'. The group is still in existence today. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Tue, 02 Apr 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7666/1/H-Biblija-na-CDu-na-hrvatskom-jeziku.html ÂPrije nekoliko dana prof. dr. Mario Essert (Strojarski fakultet, Zg)Âodrzao je divno predavanje o Bibliji na CDu, koja bi trebala uskoroÂizaci u izdanju Krscanske sadasnjosti.ÂÂÂRadi se o fenomenalnoj interkativnoj Bibliji na hrvatskom jeziku, sa svim mogucimÂpomagalima za pretrazivanja i konkordancije koja mozete zamisliti.ÂÂÂOvo je vec treci pokusaj prof. Esserta objavljivanja Biblije na elektronskom mediju:Âprvi 1993, drugi 1997, i evo sada 2002. Sva su ova pregnuca u vezi s dolascima Pape u Hrvatsku.ÂÂÂZa upite (koji bi mogli pomoci i brzem objavljivanju CDa obratite se naÂÂredakcija@glas-koncila.hrÂÂÂLijep pozdrav,ÂDarko ZubrinicÂhttp://www.hr/hrvatska/Croatia-HCS.htmlÂÂÂÂDistributed by www.CroatianWorld.net. This message is intended for Croatian Associations/Institutions and their Friends in Croatia and in the World. The opinions/articles expressed on this list do not reflect personal opinions of the moderator. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, please delete or destroy all copies of this communication and please, let us know! letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Mon, 01 Apr 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7667/1/H-Inter-mirifica-Internet-i-Crkva---Izvezi-na-pucinu.html ÂÂGlasnik Sv. Ivana Krstitelja, god. IV. broj 1 (10), o¾ujak 2002.(uskrsni broj)ÂÂIZ LAICKOGA UGLAÂÂZadaca je laika da medije ozive covjecjim i krscanskim duhomÂÂINTERNET - IZAZOV CRKVIÂÂPise: Nenad PiskacÂÂJedan od neobicno vaznih dokumenata Drugog vatikanskog koncila (1962. -Â1965.) koji se, nazalost, rijetko spominje, je i Dekret "Inter mirifica", oÂsredstvima drustvenog priopcavanja. Shvacajuci vaznost, kako u afirmativnomÂtako i u negativnom pogledu, Katolicka je crkva u tom Dekretu pristupilaÂvrlo ozbiljno sredstvima drustvenog priopcavanja, naglasavajuci da je "prijeÂsvega zadaca laika da ozive takve instrumente covjecjim i krscanskim duhom,Âda sasvim odgovaraju velikom iscekivanju ljudskoga drustva kao i bozanskomÂplanu". Crkva zna sto od medija ocekuje i potice laike da se u svojemuÂapostolatu koriste sredstvima javnoga priopcavanja. Danas u ta sredstvaÂubrajamo i virtualni prostor - internet. Sto o internetu kaze Papa?ÂÂIzvezi na pucinu!ÂÂSvake godine 12. svibnja obiljezavamo Svjetski dan drustvenih obavijesnihÂsredstava. Povodom toga dana Ivan Pavao II ove je godine uputio poruku, kojaÂse ponajvise bavi najmodernijim od tih sredstava - internetom. U Hrvatskoj,Âprema nekim istrazivanjima, svega se 5% pucanstva koristi racunalnomÂtehnikom informiranja i komuniciranja, ali vec nam je svima jasno da jeÂinternet postao i nasom svakodnevicom, koja se neobicno brzo siri.ÂRazmisljajuci o temi "Inernet: novi forum za navijestanje evandjelja", PapaÂpodsjeca na prethodne povijesne izume na podrucju komunikacija, kojima seÂCrkva prilagodila, kao sto je, primjerice, tisak. Informaticku revoluciju sÂkojom je svijet danas suocen, Papa shvaca afirmativno - kao priliku za novoÂsredstvo i oblik evangelizacije. On upozorava da cyberspace predstavljaÂ"novu pustolovinu", koja nije lisena opasnosti, ali naglasava i njegovuÂizazovnu stranu u smislu Kristova naloga - "Izvezi na pucinu!" (Duc inÂaltum!) (Lk 5,4).ÂÂIz virtualnog prostora u stvarnostÂÂKako dakle, pristupiti toj novoj stvarnosti? Papa nam sugerira potrebuÂrealizma i povjerenja. Naime, ne bismo smjeli upasti u zamku pa nekritickiÂprihvatiti internet kao cilj, a ne sredstvo. Internet ne moze zamijenitiÂliturgijski i sakramentalni zivot Crkve, ali im moze biti izvanrednomÂnadopunom, osobito na podrucju trajne kateheze, jer cyberspace ulazi u sveÂkutke svijeta. "Vazno je, zato, da krscanska zajednica iznadje stoÂprakticnije nacine da onima koji putem Interneta prvi put s njom stupaju uÂkontakt pomogne prijeci iz virtualnog svijeta u stvarni svijet krscanskeÂzajednice." (3).ÂJedna od osnovnih znacajki internet komuniciranja jest protok mnostvaÂinformacija. Brojnost informacija, cesto puta samo kratkotrajnoga karaktera,Âmoze nas odvesti u povrsnost. Informacije koje nadogradjuju nase znanje, neÂpredstavljaju same po sebi i sustav vrednota. Papa upozorava da su "javneÂvlasti odgovorne zajamciti da to divno sredstvo sluzi opcem dobru i neÂpostane stetno". Opasnost internet kulture komuniciranja, Papa vidi uÂvelikom nagomilavanju cinjenica, sto potice relativisticki stilÂrazmisljanja. On pak udaljava covjeka od vremena i prostora, odÂkontemplativnog zivota koji, nasuprot relativistickome, dovodi doÂ"razumijevanja i mudrosti". Otuda i imperativ o nuznosti prijelaza izÂvirtualnog svijeta u kojemu se gubi osobna odgovornost, u stvarni svijet zaÂkoji smo doista suodgovorni. U zajednicu stvarnih ljudi, a ne u beskrajÂnabrajanja cinjenica.ÂÂJaz izmedju informacije i komunikacijeÂÂInternet, primjecuje Papa, umnaza kontakte medju ljudima. Medjutim,Âelektronski medjuljudski odnosi ne mogu nadomjestiti zivi kontakt izmedjuÂosoba. Prava evangelizacija zahtijeva izravan odnos medju osobama, osobnoÂsvjedocanstvo Radosne vijesti. Praktican je problem kako premostiti jazÂizmedju informacije, koja dolazi internetom, i izravne komunikacije. Na toÂpitanje, Papa u svojoj poruci ne daje izravan "tehnicki"odgovor, recept iliÂuputstvo za uporabu. On naprosto kaze da ce se receni jaz izmedjuÂinformacije i komunikacije, prevladati ako u taj virtualni prostor udjeÂKrist: "Na kraju, u ovim nemirnim vremenima, dopustite mi da pitam: kakoÂmozemo jamciti da ce to divno orudje, koje je prvotno bilo koristeno u vojneÂsvrhe, sada moci sluziti miru? Moze li ono promicati kulturu dijaloga,Âsudjelovanja, solidarnosti i pomirenja bez kojeg se mir ne moze razvijati?ÂCrkva vjeruje da ono to moze. Da bi se to zajamcilo od presudne je vaznostiÂda, oboruzana Kristovim evandjeljem, omoguci da u taj "forum" udje Knez mira".ÂKad dakle, ukljucimo racunalo da bismo se informirali, ili komunicirali,Âimajmo u svijesti ovu Papinu poruku, koju mozemo shvatiti i kao prilogÂkoncilskome Dekretu "Inter mirifica" (Drugi vatikanski koncil - dokumenti,ÂKrscanska sadasnjost, Zagreb).ÂÂDistributed by www.CroatianWorld.net. This message is intended for Croatian Associations/Institutions and their Friends in Croatia and in the World. The opinions/articles expressed on this list do not reflect personal opinions of the moderator. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, please delete or destroy all copies of this communication and please, let us know! letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sun, 31 Mar 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7668/1/E-Healed-woman.html Mymother credits him (father. Sudac) with her turnaround in good health from his last visit toNJLarry Cirignano, Esq.CatholicVote.org448 New Jersey Ave. SEPO Box 70695Washington, DC 20024609-781-0090202-318-0789 faxOp-edKnowing Ms. Cirignano, I know that she wouldn't make up things. She is downto earth person.Nenad Bach letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 28 Mar 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7671/1/EH-St-Jerome-in-Chicago.html Information about the various services provided by St. JeromeObavijesti o sv. Misama idrugim sakramentima u crkvi sv. Jeronimahttp://hometown.aol.com/~grbes/jeronim.htmlWelcome to the Community of Our Church. We hope you will find useful information here regarding the background and ethnicity for which the foundation of St. Jerome was based here in Chicago.St. JeromeÂ2823 S. Princeton(Cardinal Stepinac Way)Chicago, IL 60616ÂFather Joe Grbes, PastorÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ(312) 842-1871 Fax: (312) 842- 6427Father Tomislav Puljić, Associate Pastor (312) 842-1871St. Jerome School DirectorÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ(312) 842 7668Parish Hall PayphoneÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ(312) 842 8707 letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sun, 24 Mar 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7670/1/E-Father-SUDAC--Father-BELANICH.html http://www.croatianrelief.orgWho is Father Zlatko Sudac?ÂFather Zlatko Sudac was born on January 24, 1971 in Croatia and was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Krk in Croatia in 1998. According to his bishop, Msgr. Valter Zupan of Krk he is in good standing and highly recommended. Shortly after his ordination and first assignment, Most Rev. Valter Zupan, Bishop of Krk assigned Father Zlatko to the diocesan retreat center to preach the retreats for the Evangelization of the Church. Father has taken this assignment very seriously and began to draw crowds to his retreat house.ÂIn September 2001 Fr. Sudac was sent to the US to study English and Spirituality. We believe that his mission will one day cross the borders of his diocese in Croatia. His love for Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament, his healing touch and call to repentance has changed many lives. Some even claim that they were healed at his Masses, adoration, seminars and Eucharistic Adoration.ÂFather Sudac humbly accepts invitations to come to any parish where the pastor and the local bishop invite him to preach and celebrate the Mass and Eucharistic Adoration.You can write to Fr. Sudac at:Fr. Zlatko SudacP.O. Box 710Fairview, NJ 07022Email: FATHERSUDAC@AOL.COMÂDATE TIME HOSTÂSaturday3/16/02 8:00pm Cathedral of St. John the Baptist 381 Grand St., Paterson, NJ973-345-4078ÂTuesday3/19/02 6:00pm Saint Therese's Chuch 7207 N.W. Highway 9, Kansas City, Missouri816-279-4509816-587-5543ÂMonday4/1/02 8:00am - 9:00pm St. George Catholic Church 501 East State Street, Georgetown, OH937-378-6829937-378-4396ÂSaturday4/20/02 8:00pm Cathedral of St. John the Baptist 381 Grand St., Paterson, NJ973-345-4078ÂTuesday4/30/02 7:00pm Our Lady Queen of Martyrs 110-06 Queens Blvd., Forest Hills NY718-268-6251ÂSaturday5/18/02 8:00pm Cathedral of St. John the Baptist381 Grand St., Paterson, NJ973-345-4078ÂThere are other unconfirmed dates. Which will be added once they are approved. Please check this site frequently for additional dates.SUMMER PILGRIMAGES TOMEDJUGORJE AND MALI LOSINJ5 Days in Medjugorje5 Days with Fr. Zlatko SudacSpace is limited so please fill out a registration form as soon as possibleSign up for a RetreatAll prices include Price does NOT include *Round trip from Chicago, New York, Newark, Boston*Accomadations in Private Guest House in Medjugorje*Lunch and Dinner in Medjugorje*All ground transportation*Overnight with supper and breakfast on ferry*Breakfast, lunch, and dinner in Mali Lusinj*5 days at 3-star Hotel Aurora on Adriatic*Overnight at Hotel Esplanade in Zagreb*All local and hotel taxes *Airport Tax $88*All Tips*Trip Insurance (optional $140)*Single supplement $370*Resonable add on fares: Philidelphia, Miami $120 Minneapolis $150 Dallas, Houston $250 LA, San Diego, San Francisco $360 Pheonix, Portland, Seattle $360Â--------------------------------------------------------------------------------The schedule for these retreats is listed below. All prices are based on double occupancy and the additional days in Medjugorje. You can fill out a Registration form online, by clicking here. For more information on these retreats or if you wish to skip the extra days in Medjugorje call Fr. Gio at 201-945-4891.ÂFATHER GIORDANO BELANICHÂOUR LADIES CHAMPION OF THE HOMELESSMedujugorje Magazine, Spring 2001By: Larry and Mary Sue EckHave you ever had a really good friend you never met? That was our relationship with Father Gio until February 23, 2000 when he walked through the door at the Tinley Park Conference Center to attend the two day retreat by Father Zlatko Sudac. We have talked to Fr. Gio countless times by phone over the past seven years or so. We've spoken to him so often in fact that we almost forgot we'd never met him. He didn't look anything like what we'd pictured him to be from his voice. He is bigger, taller, handsomer and younger. During anyone of the numerous calls back and forth between us over the years, we should have asked Father Gio how he became the priest in charge of the Croatian Relief in this country. People who do magazines usually ask those kind of questions early on - often they produce great stories. But we did not ask - that is until just the other day. Evidently the Lord wanted us to wait until now to share Father Gio's wonderful life story with you. Father Giordano Belanich has wanted to be a priest since he was a little five-year-old Croatian boy. "I always thought God was calling me to be a priest, but I dismissed the idea when I turned eleven," Father Gio began. "That's how old I was when my family had to leave what was then Yugoslavia and run for our lives to Italy, away from Communism." In the refugee camp in Italy, for the first time, Father heard English spoken. He knew it would be the language of their soon-to-be country, the United States of America. "I thought I would never be able to learn that language so I dismissed the idea of the priesthood, assuming I wasn't smart enough to ever master it, so forget it. I also decided I wasn't worthy to be a priest." A family with three children immigrated to America with Father Gio's family. One morning, as was his custom, he went to their house to join the boys in play. They were still asleep but the boys' father had left the door open when he went to work and Gio went inside and sat quietly at the kitchen table, waiting for the others to awaken. On the table, open, lay a magazine someone must have been reading the night before. It was St. Anthony's Messenger, printed in that time in Chicago by the Croatian Franciscans from Mostar. There was a story with a large headline reading, How Did I Become a Priest? Father told us, "I devoured that story. It was about a young boy in Spain who thought he was unworthy to be a priest. Reading that, I realized this was how I thought about myself becoming a priest. I finished the story, banged my fist on the table and said, 'Darn it, if this kid could make it, I can too;" Giordano Belanich was twelve years old and he never looked back.Â"I started going to Mass every morning. One cold, snowy morning I passed my father waiting for the bus to take him to work. When he saw me, he asked, 'Why didn't you stay in bed? Can't you see nobody's out today?' I told him, 'But daddy, you are out. You're going to work. You have to be about your business and I have to be about my Father's business.'" One evening, Gio's cousins came to take him to a dance in the church hall. "Of course," Father Gio laughingly admitted, "in those days that meant going at eight and coming home at nine. The priest was there, walking from table to table greeting everyone. When he came to our table, he looked at me and asked, 'What is your name?' When I told him, he said, 'I thought you were a seminarian.' "'What?' "'I see you at Mass every morning so I thought you were a seminarian.' I told him I wasn't but that I'd like to talk to him about the priesthood. "'How about tomorrow?' The next afternoon we were discussing the possibility of my going into the priesthood." Gio was attending public school and his counselor was a Jewish lady. One day she asked Gio what he intended to major in college. He explained he wanted to be a priest. The lady looked at him as if in shock. "Is that bad?" asked Gio. "No, no, no, but I can't help you there. You'd better see your parish priest!" Gio assured her he had already done so. He joined the minor seminary of the Edmundite Fathers at the Mother of the Savior Seminary in New Jersey. He was sixteen years old. He had no Latin so they told him he must repeat his junior year. "Whatever is the will of God," Gio responded. Then, through a remarkable series of events, he ended up being a senior at Easter, graduating in June, entering the novitiate and eventually being professed for three years. When his temporary vows expired, however, Gio decided not to extend them or renew them. "I decided I wasn't meant to be an order priest. I went to my local bishop but he told me he couldn't accept me without my having to go through the seminary again. Then he said that the Patterson, New Jersey Diocese was very small and I should go there. As soon as the vocation director saw me, he said, 'We have a Slovak church and they don't have a priest. You are just what they need.' 'I'm not Slovak, I'm Croatian.' Low and behold, I was ordained in 1975 but even as a deacon my first assignment was to St. Mary's Slovak church. When I started saying mass in Slovak the people understood me better than the pastor, who was a native American. To this day, I can say the Mass in Slovak, I learned it that well." After seventeen months, Father was transferred to another St. Mary's where he stayed for four years until the new Archbishop of Newark called the Bishop of Patterson and said, "Father Gio is the only Croatian priest in New Jersey, and we need him here. Will you lend him to us?" Father's bishop agreed but Father himself had to give consent. "I told him I'd think about it and pray. I asked my father what he thought I should do. He told me, 'If it's the will of God, why not just say yes and go there, where you're needed?'" It was twenty years ago that Father Gio accepted that new assignment at St. John's Catholic Church, where he remains today. Two years ago the Patterson bishop called. Father asked him, "What's the matter, bishop? You want me back home?" "No, no," replied the bishop, "but to tell you the truth, I've forgotten what you look like. Gio you've been there eighteen years now and you're welcome back but if you intend to stay there why not get incardinated in Newark?" Father Giordano's position then simply became the reality he was already living. He laughed, "So, last March, I was made part of the Archdiocese of Newark, exactly what I wanted to be thirty years ago!" letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sun, 24 Mar 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7669/1/E-3000-flock-to-Croatian-priest.html Â3,000 Flock toCroatian PriestThousands seeking to meet the man they believe may be a futuresaint.The Rev. Zlatko Sudac, also known as the "stigmata priest," greets overflow crowd out side St. Athanasius Church Wednesday night.3,000 flock to stigmata priest Crowd overflows Bensonhurst churchÂ(froma Front Page)By Patrick CallahueThe Brooklyn Papers Alaimo Rosario sat in the first row of foldingÂchairs set up beside theÂpews at the St. AthanasiusÂRoman Catholic Church,Â21 st Avenue at 61th Street in Bensonhurst, Wednesday night, alongside her daughterÂJoanne, who suffers from multipleÂsclerosis. A few seats down, TinaÂLubrano-Scarpati, suffering from lung cancer, was also among theÂworshipers. Both women were among the throngs, well over 3,000, that came to see the Rev. Zlatco Sudac, a Croatian priest believes to bear signs of the stigma, a mystical phenomenon which wounds of Christ on the cross appear, or are felt, on a person's body.ÂÂAlong with the stigmata, some-Sudac among them-are also believed to be endowed with supernatural gifts, such as healing powers, psychicabilities and bilocation.On March 13, Sudac celebrated Mass at St. Athanasiusas part of his five-month tour through the metropolitan area., In previous appearances he has attracted thousands seeking to meet the man they believe may be a future saint, and this evening in Bensonhurst was no different.The church prepared facilities for 3,000 to attend. Besides the main chapel, the lower hall downstairs and the gymnasium across the street were equipped with monitors where the Mass wouldsimulcast.Well, before the service began, however, all of the facilities were packed to the gills with worshippers who came for reason varying from the pedestrian to the mystical.Diana Juliano of Park Slope said she was simply interested to see who the man was, as she waited on line in the cold rain in front of the gymnasium."If there is any kind of blessing or healing from someone's presence, then I'm open to that," she said, but added that she did not comewith a set of expectations"I think people just want to be in his presence," saidÂMonsignor David Cassato pastor of the St.Athanasiusas Church" (After)the events of Sept. 11, people have first of all reawakened in themselves a need for God and the supernatural. Someone like Father Sudac coming to a church really makes you aware of the supernatural and God."Sudac, 31, is from the town of Vrbnik, on Krk Island in Croatia. He began studying for the priesthood in 1993, and was ordained on June 29, 1998. Almost a year after his ordination a cross was said to have appeared on his forehead, and it was determined by the Gemell Clinic in Rome, not to be of human origin. On Oct. 4, 200O, he reportedly bore markings on his side,wrists and feet, which he claims spontaneously bleed.The first marking on his forehead reportedly appeared the Friday after the beatification of St. Padre Pio and the second, on the day of the feast of St. Francis Assisi-both of whom are believed to have borne the stigmata.Traditionally, the Vatican has been slow to recognize or acknowledge such claims, though the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens has been positive but cautious about Sudac's visit to Bensonhurst."He certainly appears to be a priest in good standing," said Frank DeRosa, the Brooklyn diocese spokesman. "There's been no position taken on the question of the stigmata, [but] if he helps people grow in their spiritual life, that's positive."In recent years, Sudac has generally kept a low profile, choosing to express himself to the public at Mass rather than in the pages of the media or on television.Shortly after 7 PM, Wednesday, before a church filled with more than 1,000 people, Sudac took to the altar to deliver theservice, the cross on his forehead faintly visible. Speaking in Croatian, with a translator beside him, Sudac celebrated a standard Mass, passionately speaking of the need for unity, faith and love."We live in such times, that we must awaken the consciousness of unity," he said through a translator.Many, such as Rosario, had come with hopes that Sudac would be able to heal their loved ones, but that was an expected ambition that Sudac seemed to deflect toward the personal faith of hose in attendance."Do you see sick people in this church?" Sudac asked, adding faith for those who have faith, "Jesus would touch their hearts, butonly by his holy will." While the service may not have been out of theordinary the audience responded to the slight, soft-spoken Sudac with moreemotion than at regular Masses. Rosario frequently burst into tears as did manyparishioners in the church.As the Mass neared its end, Sudac knelt at the altar and closedhis eyes. He offered prayers for people in attendance - for a mother to havepatience with her depressed teenage daughter, for a child having trouble movinghis arms and legs, for people with psychological problems and for a girl withlung cancer that had spread to her liverLubrano-Scarpati, who is suffering from breast cancer thatmetastasized to her liver, watched on. When asked if she thought he might bereferring to her, she simply smiled and said, "I hope so"Sudac lifted the gold crucifix from the altar and slowly walkeddown the aisles and stopped before the pews to offer his blessings. Some peoplelifted photographs and others brought their ailing loved ones to stand closer tohim as he approached. Some trembled as they clasped their hands together in hispresence.The cliché that people would rise from their wheelchair, theblind would see and the sick be cured, did not occur. Instead they wiped theireyes of tears as he passed."It was beautiful," Rosario said. "I feel no illness,no sadness," but then added, "I hope my daughter gets better."Lubrano-Scarpati, 30 sat calmly following the Mass. She wasalready grateful for the time she had lived and that she was alive,"because of God." After all she noted, when she was diagnosed fouryears ago, doctors told her that she had two months to live."It was very uplifting and spiritual," she said of theMass. "It made you think of your life and what he wants for you. And weshould be asking God more what he wants from you." letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sun, 24 Mar 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7673/1/H-Ako-mi-i-jesmo-u-pustinji-neka-pustinja-ne-bude-u-nama.html ÂDOM I SVIJET - RAZGOVOR S FRA JOZOM GRBESOMÂFrom:crowc@shaw.caÂÂDOM I SVIJET - 18. ozujka 2002.Âhttp://www.hic.hr/dom/ÂÂÂRAZGOVOR S FRA JOZOM GRBESOM, SVECENIKOM U HRVATSKOJ ZUPI SV. JERONIMA - CHICAGOÂAko mi i jesmo u pustinji, neka pustinja ne bude u nama...ÂÂPise: Gordana DujicÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂPredstavljanju jubilarne spomen-knjige o franjevcima Hrvatske franjevacke kustodije Svete Obitelji za Ameriku i Kanadu, pod nazivom Stoljece vjernosti, koja se odrzala u Franjevackom samostanu u Dubravi, prisustvovao je fra Jozo Grbes, nas sugovornik i, uz fra Roberta Jolica, autor spomen-knjige. Fra Jozo, inace, djeluje na Hrvatskoj zupi sv. Jeronima u Princetownu - Chicago. Kad smo ga zamolili da se predstavi nasim citateljima, rekao nam je:ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ-Mislim da je o sebi najteze govoriti. Dijete sam svijeta, upucen uvijek negdje prema Nebu. Pripadam ovoj zemlji, dio sam ovog naroda, otisao iz domovine davno. Roden sam u Rami, odrastao u Slavoniji, studirao u Sarajevu, New Yorku, Londonu, a sad sam u Chicagu.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂZa knjigu kaze:ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ-Mislim da knjiga sadrzi najbitnije podatke o djelovanju franjevaca u Americi u zadnjih 100 godina. Materijal je uistinu obiman, knjiga je mogla imati nekoliko tisuca stranica. Moj kolega Robert i ja smo podatke skupljali po nasim zupama, arhivima, u Hrvatskom etnickom institutu u Chicagu… Materijala je bilo mnogo, jer je rijec o dugom nizu godina, o mnogim ljudima koji su djelovali na ovom ogromnom kontinentu.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂU knjizi se govori i o dolasku nasih ljudi u te krajeve. Kako je teklo iseljavanje Hrvata u Ameriku?ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ-Hrvati su u Ameriku poceli dolaziti odavno, posebno s podrucja Dalmacije. Hrvatski moreplovci dosli su u doticaj s Amerikom u 16. i 17. stoljecu. Poznata je prica o indijanskom plemenu Croatan; pretpostavlja se da su Hrvati na obale Pacifika i Atlantika dolazili jos u 16., 17. i 18. stoljecu. Masovniji dolazak Hrvata dogodio se koncem 19. i u 20. stoljecu, prvenstveno zbog ekonomskih i politickih migracija...ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂKakav je bio zivot tih prvih doseljenika?ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ-Jako tezak. Danas, kad se kaze Amerika, ljudi sanjaju o nekom velikom novcu, sjaju, Hollywoodu, filmovima, ali zivot u Americi bio je sve do sezdesetih godina jako tezak. Vecina Hrvata je radila u istocnim dijelovima Amerike, u rudnicima Pennsylvanije, Ohija itd. S kakvim su se sve nedacama nosili ti ljudi, vidi se po maticnim knjigama u nasim zupama, gdje je zabiljezeno da je dosta ljudi umiralo u cetrdesetoj - pedesetoj godini. Mnogi su bolovali, stradavali u rudnicima, jednom rijecju - zivot u Americi pocetkom stoljeca je bio jako tezak.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂHrvatski misionari su stigli i prije hrvatskih doseljenika. Oni su djelovali i na domicilno stanovnistvo. Koja biste imena izdvojili?ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ-Poznatiji svecenik, koji se u svim dokumentima spominje, je Josip Kundek. Casni Jesih, imenovan pravednikom medu narodima u Jeruzalemu, jedan je od osnivaca Hrvatske katolicke zajednice. Koncem 19. i pocetkom 20. stoljeca posebno su utjecajni bili redovnici ili dijecezanski svecenici, koji su okupljali Hrvate na razlicitim podrucjima Amerike. Tek kasnije, kad je organizirana nasa franjevacka kustodija 1926., postojala je zajednica na tom podrucju, gdje su franjevci organizirano djelovali.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂSlijedece godine slavimo 300 godina od djelovanja oca fra Ferdinanda Kunscaka, po kojem je i jedna skupina otoka dobila ime.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ-On je prvi covjek koji je napravio kartu juzne Kalifornije. Nase iseljenistvo iz Dalmacije zivjelo je na podrucju Kalifornije i on je medu njima djelovao. Djelovao je i medu Amerikancima, a bavio se i znanoscu, pa je njegovo ime upisano u taj dio americke povijesti.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂKaze se da se posebno humano odnosio prema domicilnom stanovnistvu, da ga nije omalovazavao, kao sto je to tada bilo uobicajeno, pa mu i to uzimaju kao zaslugu. Kakav je znacaj za hrvatske doseljenike imalo prisustvo hrvatskih svecenika?ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ-Zupna zajednica je svugdje po svijetu i socijalna zajednica. Ljudi se sastaju, dolaze zajedno na misu, u nasim zupama u Americi je tradicija da ljudi poslije mise ostanu na kavi i kolacima. To im je prigoda da se susretnu, popricaju, da podijele probleme i radost. Tu ce naci posao, naci ce pomoc. Zupa, u kojoj sada djelujem, osnovana je 1912. Zupe su inace u iseljenistvu mjesta zajednickog okupljanja. Ljudi koji su se poznavali, vidali, pomrli su, njihovi pojedinacni napori su manje-vise isceznuli. Ali zajednice oko crkve su ostale, upravo zato sto imaju tu socijalnu dimenziju okupljanja nasih ljudi.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂCrkva je djelovala i na kulturnom planu, izdavala razne publikacije...ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ-To su bile publikacije koje su nasi franjevci izdavali godinama. Danicu su izdavali od 1944. Ona je u iseljenistvu bila glas slobode, postojao je tjednik koji su nasi franjevci tiskali u Chicagu koji je bio poznat diljem svijeta i prodavan na svim kontinentima. Oni su htjeli da se cuje rijec slobode, hrvatska rijec. Bilo je dosta tih tiskovina koje su franjevci uredivali. Danica je ugasena devedesete, jer s nastankom hrvatske drzave vise nije bilo potrebe za njom. Ostale publikacije se i dalje izdaju.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂHoce li se Danica ponovno poceti izdavati?ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ-Moguce je. Sve vise je zahtjeva nasih ljudi koji kazu da mi iseljenici moramo imati svoje casopise i svoje novine. Iseljenistvo, iako je dio naseg naroda, je entitet za sebe, to su ljudi koji zive u odredenom kontekstu, odredenoj kulturi, drzavi, oni imaju svoje probleme, tradicije, svoje obicaje.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂZasto je i kako nastao Hrvatski etnicki institut?ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ-Hrvatski etnicki institut nastao je 1976. godine. Sedamdesetih godina je sazrela ideja da svu tu gradu o Hrvatima u Americi - po zupnim zajednicama - treba skupiti na jedno mjesto. Tako su franjevci 1976. godine osnovali Hrvatski etnicki institut, jer je kao Hrvatski povijesni institut djelovao davno prije zahvaljujuci poznatom hrvatskom povjesnicaru fra Dominiku Mandicu. U Hrvatskom etnickom institutu skupljamo gradu o Hrvatima Amerike i Kanade; ako netko pise knjigu o toj tematici, tu ce naci sve potrebne podatke.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂFra Ljubo Krasic vodi danas Hrvatski etnicki institut. On je ujedno i jedan od utemeljitelja HISAKA.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ-Da, on je jedan od osnivaca Hrvatskih skola u Americi i Kanadi. To su skole koje djeluju pri nasim zajednicama, dopunske skole, u kojima se nastava obicno odrzava petkom i subotom, gdje djecu pokusavamo nauciti hrvatski jezik, povijest, kulturu...ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂGdje su najvece hrvatske franjevacke zupe u Americi?ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ-Najvece zupe su u najvecim gradovima. U New Yorku je najveca nasa zupa koja broji 3-4 tisuce hrvatskih obitelji, zatim u Chicagu, Los Angelesu itd.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂU knjizi je objavljena fotografija jedne ploce s natpisom: Hrvatska zemlja. Sto to znaci?ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ-Nasa zupa je 1973. godine u New Yorku kupila jedan park koji smo zatim uredili. Dogadaju se tu sportske aktivnosti, zajednicka misa, piknici i razne druge manifestacije. Buduci da mnogi Hrvati nisu mogli posjecivati Hrvatsku, to mjesto su nazvali, ne park, nego "Hrvatska zemlja", jer su se tu osjecali nekako doma.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂKad je pokojni Vinko Nikolic bjezao iz zemlje, ponio je iz Hrvatske grumen zemlje. Da ga je prodavao, umjesto dijelio, silno bi se obogatio, jer su ljudi prije smrti, znajuci da se nece moci vratiti, zeljeli da makar grumen hrvatske zemlje bude sahranjen s njima. Postoji i prica vezana uz jednu crkvu u Pittsburghu.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ-Crkva Svetog Nikole u Pittsburghu je nedavno proslavila 100 godina postojanja. Prije petnaestak godina, gradske vlasti su donijele odluku da ce, na mjestu gdje se nalazi crkva, prolaziti autocesta. Posto je crkva bila uistinu divna i kako je narod bio vezan uz nju, bilo ju je steta srusiti pa je grad pomogao da se crkva doslovno pomakne. Meni je osobno neshvatljivo na koji nacin, ali tehnikom kojom danas gradevinari raspolazu, oni su tu crkvu jednostavno postavili nekoliko stotina metara dalje od prvotne lokacije.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂPostoje i franjevacke zupe koje su se ugasile. Iz kojih razloga najcesce dolazi do toga?ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ-Amerika je zemlja u kojoj su unutrasnje migracije jako velike. Nase obitelji promijene i 5-6 mjesta stanovanja. Ljudi idu za poslom. Odlaze zivjeti tamo gdje mogu dobiti posao. Jedan mali dio nasih zupa se ugasio jer je pucanstvo iz toga mjesta odselilo u neki drugi grad. Tako smo osnivali nove zupe, a prethodne su ugasene. Zupe imaju smisla jedino ako su ljudi tu.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂHrvatskim franjevcima, rodenim u domovini, pridruzili su se i mnogi Hrvati franjevci, rodeni u Americi.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ-Svecenicki poziv na svoj nacin u sebi ima snagu, bez obzira gdje covjek djeluje. Nasi franjevci, koji su rodeni u Americi, dosli su iz nasih zupa. Bili su u doticaju s nasim franjevcima i htjeli su raditi na tom podrucju, na kojem radimo mi. Neki rade na engleskom govornom podrucju, neki na talijanskom.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂJe li bilo pojava da su se Hrvati, tamo gdje su bili malobrojni, udruzivali s nekom drugom etnickom zajednicom pa zajednicki dijelili zupe?ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ-Da, to se dogadalo u nekim sredinama, u Chicagu, u nasoj zupi Srca Isusova - na pocetku. To se dogadalo i u Pennsylvaniji, gdje su Hrvati i Slovenci imali zajednicke zupe. Ponegdje smo se udruzivali sa Slovacima, ali vecinom je to bilo sa Slovencima.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂU koliko hrvatskih katolickih zupa u Americi djeluje vasa franjevacka kustodija?ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ-Nasa kustodija u Americi i Kanadi djeluje u 17 zupa, dok su u ostalim zupama svecenici iz razlicitih biskupija iz Hrvatske. Imamo svecenika iz dalmatinskih biskupija, Varazdina, Zagreba itd.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂPostoji li teznja americke katolicke crkve da asimilira nase zupe?ÂÂÂ-Ne bih rekao da postoji teznja. To je na neki nacin prirodna asimilacija. U zupi u kojoj ja djelujem imamo mise na engleskom jeziku, imamo trecu ili cetvrtu generaciju americkih Hrvata, koji dolaze k nama. Tu nema nikakve prisile da se nesto mora uciniti. To je prirodan proces.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂHIC vec vise godina hrvatskim doseljenicima i njihovim potomcima nudi televizijski satelitski program, putem Interneta vijesti na engleskom, spanjolskom, hrvatskom, izdaje tjedni prilog "Dom i svijet". Po Vasem misljenju, imaju li ti nasi programi i emisije smisla?ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ-Nama je svima jasno da je danas u svijetu komunikacija - sve. Vijest je sve. Rijec je postala najmocnije sredstvo. Bilo da se radi o pisanoj, televizijskoj, radijskoj, bilo kojoj. Bez komunikacije ne postoji nista. Kad je u pitanju odnos domovina - iseljenistvo komunikacija je najvaznija. Na taj se nacin ljudi "zagriju" za projekte u domovini, ako dobiju zaista dobru vijest odavde, a ohlade ako vide da to ne funkcionira. Ja mislim da je vas program odigrao ogromnu ulogu sve ove godine povezujuci domovinu s iseljenistvom, svakodnevnim razlicitim programima o zbivanjima u domovini. Ako budete i dalje imali kvalitetan program, koji ce ljudima ponuditi nesto dobro i aktualno iz domovine, ljudi ce to i dalje gledati. Po tome ce znati sto se to u Hrvatskoj uistinu dogada, a to ih jako zanima.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂI ova vasa knjiga zapravo govori o svojevrsnoj vjernosti u istrajnosti da se hrvatski zivalj ne asimilira. Kad ste zbrojili sve godine, koje su vasi franjevci pojedinacno djelovali u Americi, umjesto tih 100 godina, izgleda da su oni ulozili 2800 godina rada. To je velicanstven broj. 2800 godina vjernosti Bogu, hrvatskom narodu, a svakako i blagoslov zemlji u kojoj su djelovali.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ-Divim se mnogoj mojoj braci franjevcima, koji godinama nisu smjeli ici u Hrvatsku. Jedan nas franjevac je dosao doma tek nakon 55 godina. To su ljudi koji su zaista davali cijeli svoj zivot jednoj ideji, jednom pokretu, na dobrobit svoga naroda. Zato ne iznenaduje kad se te godine zbroje i ispadne ih tako puno - 2800.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂVi ste nedavno u goste pozvali i vlc. Zlatka Sudca.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ-U nase misije i zupe redovito dolaze svecenici i biskupi iz Domovine. Nama je to uvijek osvjezenje, kad misno slavlje predvodi netko od njih. Jedan od nasih gostiju je covjek, kojega vi jako dobro poznajete - vlc. Zlatko Sudac. Svojim dolaskom on je uistinu ostavio jedan veliki pecat na zivotima mnogih ljudi. To je covjek koji ima izniman dar, karizmu. Vjerujem da to i u Americi, kao i u Hrvatskoj, dopire do mnogih kojima je to potrebno.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂKakav je bio njegov susret s Amerikancima?ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ-Ja bih rekao: kad u sebi netko ima bezuvjetnu dobrotu, ljubav koju dijeli s drugima, onda to nadilazi, kao sto Krist nadilazi, razlike i granice, i naroda, i jezika i svega onoga sto nas dijeli. Danas nas u svijetu sve dijeli, jedino nas ljubav spaja i to nam je zajednicko, bez obzira odakle dolazimo. Covjek koji donosi poruku Bozje ljubavi je prihvatljiv svima. Zato je i u Americi prihvacen.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂBila sam nazocna jednoj misi koju je on drzao i nisam nikad u zivotu vidjela u Hrvatskoj pomamu niti za jednom zvijezdom - glumackom ili pjevackom, sportskom, kao za njim. Ljudi su jednostavno jurili za njim, sa zeljom makar da ga dotaknu.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ-Ima tu dosta fanatizma. Ja bih rekao ovako - Hrvati su stoljecima patili i Bog je njihovu patnju nagradivao, slao im je vjesnike, proroke, slao im je karizme i darove, samo je do nas hocemo li to prepoznati.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂA dogadaji u Medugorju?ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ-Mislim da spadaju u isti kontekst.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂDoba je korizme, sto biste kao svecenik porucili Bozjem narodu?ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ-Mnogi ljudi ce reci - evo opet pustinja. U korizmi razmisljamo o pustinji, razmisljamo o odricanju, o Kristu. Ja bih ukratko rekao ono sto mi je jedan subrat rekao neki dan: Fra Jozo, opet citamo o pustinji u prvoj nedjelji Korizme. Dobro je da mi odlazimo u pustinju. Samo ne smijemo dopustiti da pustinja ude u nas. Eto, ja bih savjetovao citateljima da, sto god cine u zivotu, gdje god da jesu, na bilo kojem kontinentu, u bilo kojem zivotnom kontekstu, neka ljudima budu dar i neka ne budu nikad pustinja.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂU jednoj emisiji vlc. Sudac je rekao: ne brini za sutra, ja zivot zivim punim plucima, i nikoga i nicega se necu bojati - ja u Boga vjerujem.ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ-Mislim da je to ono sto je Isus rekao i u evandelju. Treba se uvijek zaista brinuti za danas. Sutra ce se vec pobrinuti za sutra. Mislim da, ako covjek svaki trenutak svoga zivota zivi odgovorno, potpuno, s ljubavlju, da ce onda zivjeti cjelovit i potpun zivot. Mi ljudi smo cesto, posebice na ovim prostorima, okrenuti proslosti, optuzujemo jedni druge, ili okrenuti necem u buducnosti sto se ne moze dogoditi, a uvijek gubimo sadasnjost, gubimo sadasnji trenutak koji jedino i imamo. Zato bih volio da se ljudi pokusaju zaista posvetiti tom trenutku u zivotu. Jer to je ono sto imaju. Opasno je odgadati ljubav. Opasno je odgadati dobrotu, opasno je odgadati Krista, opasno je odgadati dobre stvari u zivotu i reci: Napravit cemo sutra...ÂÂÂOp-edÂPoznavajuci fra. Jozu, kako ja tako i svi drugi, znali smo prepoznati bogatstvo njegove rijeci i njegovih djela. Jos uvijek ne mozemo prezaliti njegov odlazak iz New Yorka.ÂNenad BachÂÂDistributed by www.CroatianWorld.net. This message is intended for Croatian Associations/Institutions and their Friends in Croatia and in the World. The opinions/articles expressed on this list do not reflect personal opinions of the moderator. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient,Âplease delete or destroy all copies of this communication and please, let us know! letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Tue, 19 Mar 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7672/1/E-900-year-old-Zagreb-diocese.html 900-year-old Zagreb diocese. We are not building it from the scratch ! God save Croatia"Boze Cuvaj Hrvatsku"An unidentified Croatian man holds the crucifix while attending the funeral ceremony for late Croatian Cardinal Franjo Kuharic in Zagreb, Thursday, March 14, 2002. Text on crucifix reads God save Croatia.Kuharic, who died Monday of heart failure at age 83, was the archbishop of the 900-year-old Zagreb diocese. (APPhoto/Darko Bandic)  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Tue, 19 Mar 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7674/1/E-Croatian-Priest-Has-Church-Buzzing.html Âhttp://www.nydailynews.com/2002-03-05/News_and_Views/City_Beat/a-143359.aspÂÂFrom: News and Views | City Beat |ÂTuesday, March 05, 2002ÂÂStigmata Priest Has Church BuzzingÂBy JOYCE SHELBYÂDaily News Staff WriterÂÂThe young Croat-born cleric known as the stigmata priest is due at aÂBensonhurst church next week, and the pastor says he's getting nervous.Â"We're getting a lot of calls," said Msgr. David Cassato, pastor of St.ÂAthanasius Catholic Church. "Everyone wants to meet him and have him prayÂover them because of his giftedness. I hear he brings in very big crowds."ÂThe Rev. Zlatko Sudac, 31, has attracted large audiences since he arrived onÂa Mass tour of the metropolitan area more than five months ago.ÂÂLast month, thousands went to Our Lady of Pompeii Church in GreenwichÂVillage, where Sudac celebrated two Masses instead of the one that had beenÂscheduled.ÂÂIncredible Claims MadeÂÂSudac claims to have supernatural gifts, including stigmata, or marks, onÂhis body that resemble those on the body of Jesus Christ when he wasÂcrucified.ÂÂThe priest claims that the marks bleed spontaneously and that he can heal,Âlevitate, be in two places at once and know the future.ÂÂSudac does not give interviews, but the Rev. Giordano Belanich, a priest inÂthe Newark Archdiocese, said Sudac received the stigmata on his forehead inÂ1999, a year after his ordination, and other gifts followed soon after.ÂCassato said: "I heard about him just recently. A friend who knows of hisÂwork called and asked if I would be interested in having him come to ourÂchurch. I said, 'Of course.' I thought it would be a nice Lenten reflectionÂto have a spiritual uplift for all of us."ÂÂLast month, a Long Island church canceled an appearance by Sudac, citingÂlimited sanctuary space.ÂÂCassato said he had not met Sudac but did not question accounts of theÂstigmata. "It's a gift," he said. "It's a very unusual, extraordinary giftÂthat has been given at times in our church history - to St. Francis ofÂAssisi, to Padre Pio."ÂÂThe Catholic Church has permitted Sudac to continue his tour until May, whenÂhe returns to his homeland, but has remained silent on his sensationalÂclaims.ÂÂFrank DeRosa, spokesman for the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens, said: "FromÂwhat I understand, Father Sudac is a priest in good standing. He's beenÂspeaking at various parishes in the metropolitan area, and there's been aÂrather substantial following.ÂÂ"There's no indication he's been anything but a good priest. As far as theÂstigmata is concerned, there has been no position taken on that," DeRosaÂsaid.ÂÂCassato said Sudac would celebrate a Mass and conduct a healing serviceÂMarch 13.ÂÂDistributed by www.CroatianWorld.net. This message is intended for Croatian Associations/Institutions and their Friends in Croatia and in the World. The opinions/articles expressed on this list do not reflect personal opinions of the moderator. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient,Âplease delete or destroy all copies of this communication and please, let us know! letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 07 Mar 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7675/1/E-few-of-my-thoughts.html ÂÂPut Istina ZivotÂÂÂPraise be Jesus!ÂÂHere are few of my thoughts that you may find inspirational and I will praise God if they have served the purpose of God. Be grateful for everything and praise God for all your pain and suffering. God will then reveal his will to you. Just think of the following thoughts. Maybe God wants us to meet a few wrong people before meeting the right one so that when we finally meet the right person, we will know how to be grateful for that gift. When the door of happiness closes, another opens, but often times we look so long at the closed door that we don't see the one which has been opened for us.ÂÂThe best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've every had. It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.ÂÂGiving someone all your love is never an assurance that they'll love you back! Don't expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in their heart but if it doesn't, be content it grew in yours. It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone, but it takes a lifetime to forget someone.ÂÂDon't go for looks; they can deceive. Don't go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright. Find the one that makes your heart smile. There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them for real! Dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do.ÂÂMay you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to make you happy. Always put yourself in others' shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it probably hurts the other person, too. The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.ÂÂHappiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched, and those who have tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives. Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss and ends with a tear.ÂÂThe brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past, you can't go on well in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches. When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so that when you die, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.ÂÂYou may have sent me names and requests for prayer. If you did I placed them onÂGod's altar. I will pray for you daily. I will not pray so that God will give you an answer you desire. I will pray that God will do in your life His holy will. Sometimes what we selflishly ask for God do do for us may not be His plan for us at all. God will not answer any prayer if the answer of that prayer would not give Him glory.ÂSo as I sign off may I say again: "God loves you se dearly. When you su sufferÂyou are so close to him. In fire is gold being perfected. Some days we will haveÂthe answer to our troubles, scickness, pain, loneliness, depression, rejection, hate,Âterorism, etc...etc.... Then and only then when we will see the perfect will of the Father will we be able to sing...Amezing Grace.....I once was blind...but now I see.ÂÂHave a pleasent day. You are in my prayers. Pray for me so that I may never spoil the work of God. If I say to you: "I love you!" then just think how much your loving God loves you despite all the problems that you have. Just think: "would you be what you are if you have not suffered? Dont let your suffering go in vain. Offer it to God for the salvation of someone in your own family or someone who is in need of salvation. Jesus did that for us sinners on the cross. We can do it for those arround us. No greater love a man has then he who give his life for his neighbor...ÂÂPeace be with you.ÂÂFather SudacÂÂÂDistributed by www.CroatianWorld.net. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Fri, 22 Feb 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7676/1/E-Is-the-Pope-Italian.html OpinionJournal THE SECRETS OF SUCCESSIONIs the Pope Italian?And why should the next one be?BY JOSEPH P. DUGGANToday Pope John Paul II will undertake a pilgrimage to Assisi, in Italy's Umbrian mountains, to pray for peace along with an alphabet of religious leaders, ranging from animists to Zoroastrians. The Pope accomplished many feats over the past 23 years, most notably staring down communists in his native Poland. But the Assisi meeting may be one of the final acts in his remarkable efforts as pontifex--an ancient imperial Roman term meaning "bridge builder." For this reason, the probable presence of John Paul's successor in Assisi--at least 33 cardinals are expected to attend--is of great interest in ecumenical affairs. The pope initiated this meeting in response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, but this will be the third such gathering of Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Christians of all denominations, and others that he's organized since 1986. By itself, the meeting represents a religious ecumenism unimaginable just two generations ago. It joins together representatives not only of all the major Western monotheistic religions that trace their common ancestry to Abraham, but also of nearly everyone on earth who believes that the human race depends on some Creator-Spirit--or even multiple deities--higher than humanity itself. The current pope's role in this transformation of interfaith relationships is hard to overstate. In 1978 the Church's College of Cardinals shattered 456 years of habit by electing a non-Italian Pope, Karol Wojtyla, from what was then Soviet-dominated Poland. The cardinals' expression of diversity in choosing a Polish pope helped promote reconciliation both within Christianity world-wide and, notably, within the political order of Europe. The Catholic Church in Italy itself, and around the world, is stronger today as a result.When the time comes to choose John Paul II's successor, what should the cardinals do for an encore? Of course, they should choose the best candidate available. But there are good reasons for reaching outside the familiar confines of Italy and Western Europe.. An American pope. As a dynamic pastor as well as a philosophy professor and one of the American church's leading intellectuals, Cardinal Francis George of Chicago probably resembles Pope John Paul more than any other U.S. prelate does. Cardinal Edward Egan of New York, a brilliant linguist, has shown impressive energy and compassion in his leadership since Sept. 11 indelibly changed his city.. A Byzantine or Syriac pope. Pope John Paul II has made restoring full relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox churches a persistent theme of his last few years. He says that not until the Eastern and Western churches have reunited will Christianity "breathe with both lungs." Though Russia's Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II has criticized the Pope for Catholic proselytizing in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, the Roman Catholic Church and these Eastern churches have made significant progress in repairing relations.A pope who could celebrate the divine liturgy in Byzantine or Syriac rites and vestments as well as in those of the West would be an impressive example of breathing with both lungs. Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, head of the Greek Catholic Church of Ukraine, is a credible candidate. He is very familiar with Western Christianity and Western secular society. Born in Ukraine, he spent much of his youth and early priesthood in the United States as a refugee from Communism. He also spent many years in Rome, becoming acquainted with how the Vatican does--and doesn't--work. Syrian Cardinal Ignace Moussa Daoud, who now heads the Vatican office for relations with the Eastern churches, could be another unifying choice.. An African pope. This would be another dramatic span across cultures and prejudices. Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria is frequently mentioned as papabile. Born into a family practicing traditional animist religion in rural Nigeria, he accepted Christianity as a child and entered the priesthood. As a youthful archbishop, he led evangelical efforts to convert scores of thousands of Nigerians to Christianity. Pope John Paul then made him a cardinal and assigned him to direct the Vatican office responsible for relations between the Catholic Church and non-Christians. His most noteworthy recent experience is as the Vatican's principal interlocutor with the Muslim world.. An East Asian pope. With intense missionary activities by both Catholics and Protestants, South Korea recently became the second East Asian country to have a Christian majority, after the Philippines, a former Spanish colony. Even Korea's president, Kim Jae Dung, is a Roman Catholic. While Korea's Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan at 79 probably is too old to be considered for the office, a Vietnamese pope is a possibility. One of John Paul's closest counselors in the Vatican, Cardinal Francois-Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, spent years in Communist prisons in Vietnam as a witness to his faith. Cardinal Jaime Sin of Manila also stands out for his leadership and his work for democracy and against corruption in the Philippines.. A Latin American pope. Hundreds of millions of Latin Americans are at least nominally members of the Catholic church. A pope who shares their roots and aspirations would make new strides for Christian unity. A prelate who has had no truck with dictatorship in his country has been the archbishop of Havana, Cardinal Jaime Lucas Ortega y Alamino.African and Byzantine bishops of Rome are not unprecedented. During the first millennium of Christianity, there were several African and Greek popes, and even Asian popes (from Syria). And the first pope, Peter, was of course a Jew. It was only after Muhammad, when "Christendom" for a time became the same thing as Europe, that popes began to come first exclusively from Western Europe, and later from Italy.But catholic is Greek for universal, and a good way of promoting the unity of a truly universal Christian church would be to show for the first time in a thousand years that the vicar of Christ can be of any culture and from anywhere under the Son.Mr. Duggan, a former speechwriter for President George H.W. Bush, is an international affairs consultant in Washington.Copyright C 2000 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.distributed by CROWN - www.croatianworld.net - CroWorldNet@aol.comNotice: This e-mail and the attachments are confidential information.If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail and the attachments is strictly prohibited and violators will be held to the fullest possible extent of any applicable laws governing electronic Privacy. If you have received this e-mail in error please immediately notify the sender by telephone or e-mail, and permanently delete this e-mail and any attachments. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 24 Jan 2002 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7677/1/E-Father-Sudac---wwwcroatianrelieforg.html Click Here: Crown Home PageCROATIAN RELIEF SERVICES, INC.Ministry of the Greatest Commandment239 Anderson AvenueFairview, NJ 07022Email yourquestions to Fr. Gio FATHERGIO@aol.comyour Prayer Requests to Fr. Sudac FATHERSUDAC@AOL.COMinquiries about the website to webmaster@croatianrelief.orgDear Friends,Fr. Sudac will begin services once again, his schedule and other informaioncan be found on our web-site www.croatianrelief.org We like to remind thosewho have called us to register for a Retreat in Croatia that we have notregistered anyone via e-mail or through the phone. If you wish to go on aretreat and you want to receive the registration application from us pleasesend us your mailing address and we will send you the form. You will beregistered when we receive your form.For those people who would like to go on a retreat # 2 & 3 they may registerdirectly with Marian Center at 630-968-0640.The candidates for the retreat # 1, # 5, #,6 & # 12 can register directlywith Miss. Ann Vucic at 847-675-6024.All other retreat numbers can be registered by calling 201-945-4891 each dayfrom 12 noon to 5 pm or through e-mail. If you e-mail us, please send usyour postal address so that we can mail you the form to be filled.The prices for the retreat are now in the works. We should know the priceby January 20. You will have 5 days at Fr. Sudac's retreat. For anyoneinterested, arrangments will be made to visit Medjugorje for 4 nights and 5days before the retreat dates.God bless you for understanding our effort and the inability to provide theentire information at the present time.May God bless you,Father Gio BelanichREVISED SCHEDULE FOR FR. SUDACALL SERVICES CONSIST OF THE HOLY MASS, PREACHING,ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENTBLESSING OF THE SICKFATHER SUDAC WILL BE AT THE FOLLOWING Locations:Please call the host parish for directions.(This schedule is updated daily at www.croatianrelief.org )Fri., 1/11/02 7:30pmImmaculate Conception Church754 Gunhill Rd., Bronx, NY718-653-2200--------------------------------------------------------------Tues., 1/15/02 10:00amShrine of Our Lady of the IslandEastport, NY516-409-620110am to 4pm--------------------------------------------------------------1/17/02 PENTAGON12:00 Noon Mass1:00 PM - Healing Service--------------------------------------------------------------1/17/02 IN A PARISH IN VIRGINIA7:00 PM Massand Healing Service----------------------------------------------------------------Sat., 1/19/02 8:00pmCathedral of St. John The Baptist381 Grand St., Patterson, NJ973-345-4078--------------------------------------------------------------Tues., 1/22/02 7:00pmMaria Regina Parish3945 Jerusalem Avenue, Seaford, NY516-798-2415--------------------------------------------------------------FridayJanuary 25,20027:00 PMSaint Jean's Church184 East 76th St.(At Lexington Ave.),NYC212-744-1123--------------------------------------------------------------Fri., 2/8/02 7:30pmImmaculate Conception Church754 Gunhill Rd., Bronx NY718-653-2200--------------------------------------------------------------Sat., 2/9/02 1:00pmOur Lady of Pompei Church25 Carmine Street(Between Bleecker & 6th Avenue)Manhattan, NYC718-417-05503 Hours Service--------------------------------------------------------------Sat., 2/16/028:00pmCathedral of St. John The Baptist381 Grand St., Patterson, NJ973-345-4078--------------------------------------------------------------Thursday February 21,2002MARIAN SHRINEFilos LaneWest HavestrowStoney Point, NY7:00 PM---------------------------------------------------------Tues., 2/26/027:00pmSt. Joseph's Church1346 Broadway, Hewlett, NY516-374-0290--------------------------------------------------------------Fri., 3/8/028:00pmImmaculate Conception Church754 Gunhill Rd., Bronx NY718-653-2200--------------------------------------------------------------Sat., 3/16/028:00pmCathedral of St. John The Baptist381 Grand St., Patterson, NJ973-345-4078--------------------------------------------------------------3/22/02St. Anne's Church818 Middle StreetFall River, MA 027217:00 PM---------------------------------------------------------------3/23/02St. Anne's Church818 Middle StreetFall River, MA 0272110:00 AM- 12:00 Noon2:00 PM - 4:00 PM--------------------------------------------------------------Fri., 4/5/028:00pmImmaculate Conception Church754 Gunhill Rd., Bronx NY718-653-2200--------------------------------------------------------------Tues., 4/16/027:00pmSt. Joseph's Church1346 Broadway, Hewlett, NY516-374-0290--------------------------------------------------------------Sat., 4/20/028:00pmCathedral of St. John The Baptist381 Grand St., Patterson, NJ973-345-4078--------------------------------------------------------------Fri., 5/3/028:00pmImmaculate Conception Church754 Gunhill Rd., Bronx NY718-653-2200--------------------------------------------------------------Sat., 5/18/028:00pmCathedral of St. John The Baptist381 Grand St., Patterson, NJ973-345-4078----------------------------------------------------------------------------RETREATS WITH FR. SUDACIN CROATIA 2002SPACE IS LIMITED AND THE DEMANDS ARE GREATALL RESERVATIONS ARE MADE ON FIRST COME-FIRST SERVED BASISTHE PRICES ARE NOT COMPLETED YET BUT WE CAN KEEP YOUR RESERVATION AND LETYOU KNOW ABOUT THE PRICES AS SOONAS WE GET IT. WHEN PRICES ARE GIVEN THE DEPOSIT WILL BE ASKED.------------------------------------------------------------------------------RETREAT # 1.TUESDAY JUNE 4thTO SUNDAY JUNE 9thFOR RESERVATION CALL MISS ANA VUCIC847-675-6024------------------------------------------------------------------------------RETREAT # 2.TUESDAY JUNE 11thTO SUNDAY JUNE 16thFOR INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION PLEASE,CALL - MARIAN CENTER AT630-968-0640------------------------------------------------------------------------------RETREAT # 3.TUESDAY JUNE 18thTO SUNDAY JUNE 23rdFOR INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION PLEASE,CALL MARIAN CENTER630-968-0640------------------------------------------------------------------------------RETREAT # 4.TUESDAY JUNE 25thTO SUNDAY JUNE 30thFOR INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION PLEASE,CALL 201-945-4891CALL FROM 12 NOON TO 5:00PMTHE OFFICE IS CLOSED ON TUESDAYSSATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS------------------------------------------------------------------------------RETREAT # 5.TUESDAY JULY 2ndTO SUNDAY JULY 7thFOR RESERVATION CALL MISS ANA VUCIC847-675-6024FOR INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION PLEASE,CALL 201-945-4891CALL FROM 12 NOON TO 5:00PMTHE OFFICE IS CLOSED ON TUESDAYSSATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS------------------------------------------------------------------------------RETREAT # 6.TUESDAY JULY 30thTO SUNDAY AUGUST 4thFOR RESERVATION CALL MISS ANA VUCIC847-675-6024FOR INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION PLEASE,CALL 201-945-4891CALL FROM 12 NOON TO 5:00PMTHE OFFICE IS CLOSED ON TUESDAYSSATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS------------------------------------------------------------------------------RETREAT # 7.TUESDAY AUGUST 6thTO SUNDAY AUGUST 11thFOR INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION PLEASE,CALL 201-945-4891CALL FROM 12 NOON TO 5:00PMTHE OFFICE IS CLOSED ON TUESDAYSSATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS------------------------------------------------------------------------------RETREAT # 8.TUESDAY AUGUST 13thTO SUNDAY AUGUST 18thFOR INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION PLEASE,CALL 201-945-4891CALL FROM 12 NOON TO 5:00PMTHE OFFICE IS CLOSED ON TUESDAYSSATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS------------------------------------------------------------------------------RETREAT # 9.TUESDAY AUGUST 20thTO SUNDAY AUGUST 25thFOR INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION PLEASE,CALL 201-945-4891CALL FROM 12 NOON TO 5:00PMTHE OFFICE IS CLOSED ON TUESDAYSSATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS------------------------------------------------------------------------------RETREAT # 10TUESDAY AUGUST 27thTO SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 1st.FOR INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION PLEASE,CALL 201-945-4891CALL FROM 12 NOON TO 5:00PMTHE OFFICE IS CLOSED ON TUESDAYSSATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS------------------------------------------------------------------------------RETREAT # 11TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 3rdTO SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 8thFOR INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION PLEASE,CALL 201-945-4891CALL FROM 12 NOON TO 5:00PMTHE OFFICE IS CLOSED ON TUESDAYSSATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS------------------------------------------------------------------------------RETREAT # 12.TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 10thTO SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 15thFOR RESERVATION CALL MISS ANA VUCIC847-675-6024------------------------------------------------------------------------------FOR RETREAT REGISTRATION WRITE TO:FATHERGIO@AOL.COMORWRITE TO:CROATIAN RELIEF SERVICES, INCM.G.C.239 ANDERSON AVENUEFAIRVIEW, NJ 07022distributed by CROWN - www.croatianworld.net - CroWorldNet@aol.comNotice: This e-mail and the attachments are confidential information.If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail and the attachments is strictly prohibited and violators will be held to the fullest possible extent of any applicable laws governing electronic Privacy. If you have received this e-mail in error please immediately notify the sender by telephone or e-mail, and permanently delete this e-mail and any attachments. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Mon, 14 Jan 2002 07:00:00 +0000