FREEDOM FROM DESPAIR
Screens at

ARTIVIST FILM FESTIVAL -APRIL 23, 8:00 PM,

Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood

Brenda Brkusic’s debut film, FREEDOM FROM DESPAIR, will have a Los Angeles screening at the Artivist Film Festival on April 23, 2005.
The mission of the Artivist Film Festival is "merging art and activism for global consciousness." The screening of this moving film will be followed by a spirited Human Rights Forum with the cast and the director. Winner of the Best Documentary Award at the New York International Independent Film Festival, the Viewer’s Voice Award at the Cinequest Film Festival and the Golden Reel Award at the Tiburon International Film Festival, FREEDOM FROM DESPAIR is a riveting, feature-length documentary that has won awards at many film festivals as it touches and inspires audiences everywhere it plays.

For advance tickets and more information regarding the screening and forum -www.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=26381

CONGRESSMAN DENNIS KUCINICH TO ATTEND FREEDOM FROM DESPAIR SCREENING! Freedom From Despair Screens at ARTIVIST FILM FESTIVAL -APRIL 23, 8:00 PM, Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood

Brenda Brkusic’s debut film, FREEDOM FROM DESPAIR, will have a Los Angeles screening at the Artivist Film Festival on April 23, 2005, 8 PM in the Egyptian Theatre's 600 seat theatre. The mission of the Artivist Film Festival is "merging art and activism for global consciousness." 2004 US Presidential Candidate Congressman Dennis Kucinich and interviewee in Brenda Brkusic's film FREEDOM FROM DESPAIR is coming to LA as Brenda's special guest just for the screening of FREEDOM FROM DESPAIR at the Artivist Film Festival. The screening of this moving film will be followed by a spirited Human Rights Forum including a Q and A with the film's director Brenda Brkusic, Congressman Dennis Kucinich and famous cast members, John Savage, Beata Pozniak and Michael York (York is not yet confirmed), as well as Michael McAdams, author of the book Croatia: Myth and Reality. Winner of the Best Documentary Award at the New York International Independent Film Festival, the Viewer’s Voice Award at the Cinequest Film Festival and the Golden Reel Award at the Tiburon International Film Festival, FREEDOM FROM DESPAIR is a riveting, feature-length documentary that has won awards at many film festivals as it touches and inspires audiences everywhere it plays.

For advance tickets and more information regarding the screening and forum -www.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=26381 
or www.artivist.us  orwww.freedomfromdespair.com 
 

Is Image Everything?

Western Stereotypes of Croatia andCroatians

On Saturday, April 23, 2005, starting at 7:00 P.M., an important
lecture will take place at St. Jerome's Parish small upper hall,
2823 S. Princeton Ave., Chicago. Dr. James Sadkovich, professor of
history, will give a lecture:

Is Image Everything? Western Stereotypes of Croatia and Croatians.

Dr. Sadkovich has published numerous books, articles and book
reviews. His most recent publications are: The US Media and
Yugoslavia, 1991-1995 (Praeger, 1998); "Argument, Persuasion, and
Anecdote: The Usefulness of History to Understanding Conflict,"
Polemos (2002); "Italian Service Histories and Fascist Italy's
War Effort," in Robin Higham, ed., The Writing of Official
Military History (Greenwood, 1999); "North Africa and the
Mediterranean Theater, 1939-1945," in L. E. Lee, ed., World War
II in Europe, Africa, and the Americas (Greenwood, 1997), and more.
Presently, he is writing a political biography of Franjo Tudjman,
the late president of Croatia.

The lecture is sponsored by the Chicago branch of the Croatian
Cultural Society "Napredak". After the lecture, refreshments
will be served and the guests will have the chance of meeting Dr.
Sadkovich.

See you on Saturday, April 23 at 7:00 P.M.!

VAZNO PREDAVANJE

U subotu, 23. travnja 2005., u gornjoj maloj dvorani zupe Sv.
Jeronima, 2823 S. Princeton Ave. u Chicagu, s pocetkom u 7 sati
navecer, Dr. James Sadkovich, profesor povijesti, odrzat ce
predavanje: Is Image Everything? Western Stereotypes of Croatia and
Croatians.

Dr. Sadkovich je poznati drustveni znanstvenik hrvatskog prodrijetla
i autor mnogih knjiga i clanaka. Samo zadnjih nekoliko godina
objavio je slijedece: The US Media and Yugoslavia, 1991-1995
(Praeger, 1998); "Argument, Persuasion, and Anecdote: The
Usefulness of History to Understanding Conflict," Polemos (2002);
"Italian Service Histories and Fascist Italy's War Effort," in
Robin Higham, ed., The Writing of Official Military History
(Greenwood, 1999); "North Africa and the Mediterranean Theater,
1939-1945," in L. E. Lee, ed., World War II in Europe, Africa, and
the Americas (Greenwood, 1997).

Trenutacno istrazuje i pise politicku biografiju Dr. Franje
Tudjmana, prvog predsjednika Republike Hrvatske.

Predavanje organizira i sponzorira HKD "Napredak" - ogranak u
Chicagu. Poslije predavanja, uz osvjezujuca pica i zakusku, moci
cete upoznati Dr. Sadkovicha.Izlaganje ce biti na engleskom.
Pozivamo posebice mladju generaciju Hrvata u Chicagu da dodju i cuju
ovo zanimljivo i vrijedno izlaganje da bi sto bolje upoznali prilike
s kojima se suocavaju Hrvati u svijetu u kojem zivimo.

Svi ste dobro dosli i vidimo se 23. travnja u 7:00 PM!

A native of Zagreb, Croatia, DIVLJAKOVIC

becomes NAVMAN PRESIDENT

Brunswick New Technologies Promotes Doyle To CEO
Tuesday, 12 April 2005, 1:39 pm
Press Release: Brunswick New Technologies
Media Release- immediate
BRUNSWICK NEW TECHNOLOGIES PROMOTES DOYLE
TO CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER; NAMES DIVLJAKOVIC
NAVMAN PRESIDENT

Auckland NZ (April 12, 2005) -- Brunswick New Technologies (BNT) today announced it has promoted Jim Doyle to be its chief operating officer, while naming Voyl Divljakovic president of its Navman unit.

Both Divljakovic and Doyle will report to T.J. Chung, BNT president, with Peter Maire continuing as chairman of Navman. BNT is a unit of Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC).

“These appointments reflect both our desire to continue the tremendous growth and accomplishments we have achieved at BNT over the past few years as well as the depth and breadth of the management talent within our organization,” explained Chung. “Jim Doyle is a veteran of Navman, who will continue to provide a steady hand at Navman’s New Zealand base, while sharing his expertise and wisdom with other BNT units to advance overall operational efficiencies, productivity and quality.”

Doyle, who joined Navman in 1998 as general manager, most recently had been holding down the dual roles of president – Navman integrated operations as well as vice president of operations for BNT. During his tenure at Navman, Doyle also had served at chief operating officer of the Auckland-based firm since 2002. As COO, Doyle will have primary operating responsibilities for all BNT business units, including continuing to be responsible for Navman operations in New Zealand. Simultaneously, Doyle will become more involved in helping shape the long-term BNT organizational structure to ensure quality and operational efficiencies, according to Chung.

According to Chung, Doyle will also be responsible for driving Brunswick’s High Performance Product Development (HPPD) process throughout BNT. HPPD is aimed at better designing and engineering products. Doyle will also champion implementing Brunswick’s Lean Six Sigma productivity and quality initiatives throughout all BNT operations.


“Jim will continue to play an instrumental role in both improving the efficiency of current operations by implementing effective management processes across BNT, while preparing Brunswick New Technologies for the future,” Chung said. “He will be responsible for creating and executing an operational environment that is appropriate and scalable to rapidly expand in line with our growth expectations. He will also shepherd such key strategic initiatives as BNT’s emerging land-based GPS applications and “fast tracking” products to market.”

“At the same time, Voyl Divljakovic brings a wealth of engineering and product development experience to his new role at Navman,” Chung explained. “His skills and experience will complement the rich pool of talent already residing within the Navman executive management team. With the addition of Voyl, we are further solidifying our management team as we continue to expand Navman’s product line-up and influence around the globe from its New Zealand base.”

Divljakovic most recently was with Brunswick’s Life Fitness Division, where since 2003 he had served as executive vice president – integrated operations, overseeing engineering, manufacturing and supply chain functions for all commercial and consumer cardiovascular and strength-training products. Prior to that assignment, Divljakovic spent three years with Mercury Marine, another Brunswick unit, where he served as vice president of research and development. Prior to joining Brunswick, Divljakovic spent five years as director of new product development at the U.S. Electrical Motors Division of Emerson Electric.

A native of Zagreb, Croatia, Divljakovic earned his doctorate, master’s, and bachelor’s degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Zagreb, and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis.

Doyle, who remains responsible for Navman’s New Zealand operations, will continue to be based in Auckland. Divljakovic is expected to be in Auckland for several months as he becomes more familiar with the business and Navman personnel. He will then return to BNT’s headquarters in the U.S., where he will be best positioned to coordinate Navman’s overall global efforts with those of other BNT units, Chung said.

-ends-

Brunswick New Technologies

Brunswick New Technologies (BNT) includes Navman marine and GPS-based products; Northstar Technologies marine navigational systems; Integrated Dealer Systems marine dealer management systems; and MotoTron advanced engine control systems. BNT is a unit of Brunswick Corporation.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0504/S00042.htm

Grupa 100

hrvatski-forum.com

Croats in London - Interview with Dr Branko Franolic

Dr Franolic is a prominent Croat linguist who has been resident in London since 1974. He is a member of the Societe Linguistique du Paris.

Dr Franolic received an award from oil company INA for the defence of Croatian language abroad. He has donated many books - about 2,000 - to UK libraries in particular the British Library but also to others including the School of Slavonic studies, Oxford, Cambridge. CIL spoke to him about his recent and current projects.

You've been compiling bibliographies on what's in the British Library on Croatia. Tell us something about that and your most recent work.

When Croatia became independent it was terra incognita - unknown country. There was hardly any books on Croatia in the British Library, so I had to fill this gap and this was very necessary for anybody who wants to write on Croatia or south-eastern Europe, they need a good bibliography. People are discouraged because there are no books. Bibliographies are very important. I would call them ante room to any scientific research. You cannot do any serious writing without having a bibliography - books on a country or whatever subject.

I remember when Marcus Tanner (author of Croatia - A Nation Forged in War) started to write a book on Croatia, he had hardly any books on Croatia in London, he had to struggle. That's why the supply of books to libraries is very important. Very often, librarians did not know what was published in Croatia, especially during the war. I had to supply them.

That's how you came to write the bibliographies?

I realised that bibliographies were very necessary because anyone who wants to write on any aspect of Croatian life or culture or history must have the books. That was why I compiled my latest bibliography, A Survey of Croatian Bibliographies 1960- 2003. In the international world bibliography, published in Munich, Croatia was practically suppressed - because all the information came from Belgrade. So one had to fill the gap since 1960 to 2003. It includes different places, regions in Croatia and subjects - from Astronomy to Zoology.

A bibliography is the first step for research in any writing. This was our Achilles Heel. I met some people who were simply discouraged because no books were available. They wanted to write about Croatia but gave up.

You are working on a new project - 'An Outline of Literary Croatian'. Can you tell us what this is about?

The Croatian language is still not thoroughly investigated. There are a lot of pre-conceived ideas about the heritage from the 20th Century. There is a Hungarian saying that says a nation lives through its language. The nation is a language, the language is a nation. A very important aspect of this the Glagolitic written language since the early middle ages - the Baska tablet - which is the cornerstone of Croatian literary development.

After the battle of Krbava in 1493 when the Turks invaded Croatia, an interesting detail is that the Glagolitic priest from Grobnik recorded in his breviary immediately after the battle that the Turks sacked whole Croatian lands and crushed the Croatian language - at that time language meant people. So language is people, people are language. It is very important to stress this, that from the middle ages - Glagolitic is slightly neglected - that Croats were among the first people in Europe to write in their national language.

Croats were alone in the Catholic church in the west who were permitted to keep the vernacular liturgy which set them firmly apart from the latin Catholics and ensured the retention of a unique identity. Whereas Catholic priests in France, Italy and Germany read in in Latin, Croatian Dalmatian priests read it in the vernacular so the liturgy could have the same kind of nationalising effect that the vernacular bible had in protestant countries. It was supplemented by new protestant translation of the new testament in Croat, printed in Glagolitic in Germany in the 1560s. This is an important fact that should be stressed.

What you are writing is taking us up to the present day?

Yes, because nowadays there is an assault on Croatian language again as in former Yugoslavia when Croatian was practically suppressed. So it was a very, very long struggle. From the middle ages via the renaissance, Croat writers on the Dalmatian coast had participated most extensively through regular Italian contacts in the culture of Western Europe, and were far from having experienced the intense isolation and intellectual poverty of Serbia - as said by Professor Adrian Hastings (late British historian).

There are a lot of half - baked linguists, pseudo-slavicists who try to suppress these facts. Very few people looked up Glagolitic missals/books - very important for the whole of (Croatian) literature, used not only in liturgy but also in administration.

It's important to stress the Glagolitic literature, the work of our protestant writers who continued our traditions, there were fighting Venetian imperialism and encroachment on the Dalmatian coast. They were protestants, but they were first and foremost national priests who were afraid of being suppressed by Venice or the Turks.

We'll see this article soon?

Yes, I hope so.

If you are interested in purchasing his bibliographies, Dr Franolic can be contacted at 15 Midmoor Road, Wimbledon, London, SW19 4JD

http://www.easycroatian.com/newsletter/newsletter8.php
or
www.croatsinlondon.com

Andrew's identity is with Australia andCroatia
 

Bogut the Air apparent

By David Sygall
April 3, 2005
The Sun-Herald

"He's also set up a foundation to help underprivileged kids in Australia, Croatia and the NBA city he will play for. He doesn't want to be one of these NBA guys who only cares about jewellery and cars."

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Rising star ... Andrew Bogut's abilities and appeal are tipped to put him into the marketing stratosphere
Photo: AP
Basketballer Andrew Bogut's marketing power will be the equal of Michael "His Airness" Jordan's and has the potential to influence the Australian economy, his manager David Bauman claims.

Bauman said Bogut's ties to Australia, North America and Europe - coupled with his extraordinary basketball skills - made him unique in the NBA, challenged only by 229 centimetre Houston Rockets player Yao Ming, who is a superstar in his native China.

Bogut is expected to be the No.1 choice at the NBA draft in New York on June 28 after becoming a household name in the US during a remarkable college season for Utah.

He was named the Associated Press US college basketball player of the year on Friday and is favourite for the Naismith Award, to be announced today, and next week the Wooden Award, whose winners include NBA legends Jordan, Tim Duncan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Bauman said he and the 20-year-old would be meeting major sports shoe manufacturers this weekend to assess their offers.

"It looks as if Andrew's going to get a very lucrative multi-year contract with one of them," Bauman said.

Advertisement
Advertisement"Andrew has become known across the United States in the past six weeks - his name is across headlines in every newspaper in the country. That's why the shoe companies are lining up with their chequebooks open.

"He's so marketable also because we have the Australian market, the North American market and, because of his Croatian roots and his success [at the junior world championship and Olympic Games] in Greece, he's a known entity in Europe.

"Andrew has told me his identity

is with Australia and Croatia. He has said to me numerous times he wants to utilise his profile in Australia and form associations with some big companies there and raise their profile in the States.

"It's not out of the question that Bogut has the potential to have an impact on the Australian economy.

"Michael Jordan has a separate brand within Nike. That brand is the third or fourth largest shoe company in the world.

"There's no reason Andrew can't be a very successful multinational corporation himself, with substantial financial ties to Australia."

Bogut's former Australian Boomers teammate and roommate Shane Heal, who played with NBA side the Minnesota Timberwolves, said he hoped Bogut was dealing with the right people, as interest in him would be enormous.

"He would have had every top agent in the world swarming over him for the past two years," Heal said. "His decisions now will be the most important ones of his career. It'll be interesting to see what unfolds over the next month."

Bogut has selected Bauman, a Washington DC-based lawyer whose company SFX represents 20 per cent of NBA players, including Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady, to guide him throughout his career.

Asked what the hype over Bogut was like compared to that for Bryant at the same stage in his career, Bauman said: "I haven't seen anything like this. This is really something unbelievable.

"It started two years ago when he dominated kids his age at the world junior championships. He won the championship almost single-handedly.

"At the Olympics he got to play against NBA players, a very high level. That's when the hype started.

"He skyrocketed from No.15 in the charts to No.1. He is leaps and bounds ahead of anyone else in the draft.

"The comparisons I'm hearing are with Bill Walton, the last great white centre who was No.1 draft pick - that was in 1974. They're saying Andrew will be the first great player like that in 30 years. He is in the company of some very, very good players."

Bauman said he was impressed by how well adjusted Bogut was in the face of all this attention.

"He is the most grounded player I've come across in 14 years.

"His first instinct when he knew he was in for a lot of money was to give back to the school [University of Utah]. He donated $US125,000 [$162,000] before he even had it, to build a new locker room for his teammates.

"He's also set up a foundation to help underprivileged kids in Australia, Croatia and the NBA city he will play for. He doesn't want to be one of these NBA guys who only cares about jewellery and cars."

http://www.smh.com.au/news/Basketball/Bogut-the-Air-apparent/2005/04/02/1112302291322.html?oneclick=true
 

Applause, chanting complements farewell Mass for Pope
 

08/04/2005 - 12:08:47

Presidents, prime ministers and kings joined pilgrims and prelates in St Peter’s 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 Paul’s 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 “late 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 world’s 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 Paul’s last public appearances – 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.

“We can be sure that our beloved Pope is standing today at the window of the father’s 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.

“Today we bury his remains in the earth as a seed of immortality – 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 “priest to the lastâ€? and said he had offered his life for God and his flock “especially 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 “Polska! Polska!â€?

“We 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. Peter’s 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 Peter’s onto the steps. Many of the officials shook Harvey’s 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 Peter’s in an extraordinary mix of religious and government leaders from around the world.

“I’m here because I’m 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 Pope’s 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 Pope’s life in his coffin.

John Paul’s long-time private secretary, Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, and the master of the liturgical ceremonies, Archbishop Piero Marini, placed a white silk veil over the Pope’s 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.

“Dear brothers and sisters let us entrust to the most gentle mercy of God, the soul of our Pope John Paul II. … May the Blessed Virgin Mary … 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: �May the angels accompany you into heaven, may the martyrs welcome you when you arrive, and lead you to Holy Jerusalem.�

After that, the body will be carried deep under St. Peter’s 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 Paul’s 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 “in 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 “help 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

OUR 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

Another run in Croatia Miksic to try for mayor of Zagreb
 

BY MARY BAUER

Pioneer Press
Posted on Thu, Apr. 07, 2005

Imagine if, after losing the presidency by a hair's breadth, Al Gore had run for the mayor of New York. A consolation prize for sure, but being mayor of the nation's largest city would keep him in the public eye.

Which is what Boris Miksic of North Oaks is banking on as he seeks the mayor's office in Zagreb, Croatia.

"I'm going to shake them up one more time really good," said Miksic last week from his White Bear Township-based business, Cortec.

The political bug has bitten Miksic hard. A few months ago, he swore that his campaign for the Croatian presidency was his last run for public office in his homeland. Miksic, who has citizenship in the United States and Croatia, also has sought a seat in the nation's parliament.

But the heady course of the January presidential election — he lost a place in the runoff by 2 percentage points — has galvanized him, and it's on to Zagreb.

And it turns out that "Mayor Miksic" might not be as far-fetched as "President Miksic."

"He stands a very good chance because his charisma did win over some of the people in Zagreb," said Steve Zakic, external affairs director with the Croatian American Association in Chicago.

Zagreb was one of Miksic's strongholds in the presidential election, and his close call gained him notoriety, said Ante Cuvalo, a professor at Joliet Junior College in Illinois who has written extensively about Croatian politics.

"If he didn't get so many votes in the national election, he wouldn't be running at all," Cuvalo said.

Other factors weigh in Miksic's favor. Now he has the name recognition he lacked before, and he'll get more free media coverage this time around, Zakic said.

Voters have had time to sort through negative post-presidential news reports, in which Croatian media pounced on his personal life and business claims. Cuvalo said that from the letters to the editor in Croatian newspapers, people assume the major parties orchestrated a smear campaign.

"They were surprised he did so well, so in a sense he became a threat."

The fact that Miksic is an independent still weighs in his favor. That attracted voters in the national level, Cuvalo said, not just as a protest vote, but for more concrete reasons.

Under the Croatian political system, people vote for an entire slate of candidates at one time, called a party's list.

The system, Cuvalo said, robs voters of a connection to their elected officials. When they vote, they have no idea who their local officials will be. Miksic puts a dynamic face to the elections, he said.

"He was a breath of fresh air precisely because of party politics," Cuvalo said. "They don't vote for individuals, they vote for parties."

That's why Miksic decided against forming a party and will run in the territorial election as the leader of an independent group.

He has gathered about 20 independents aligned with his economic and political reform goals who are willing to take up positions if he wins.

And if he wins, he'll take the job as Zagreb's mayor and assign allies to key offices in territorial and city offices all over the country. That will position him for another run at the presidency in 2010.

"He's using this as a springboard, which would help him enormously," Zakic said.

And as Croatia's capital and largest city, being the mayor of Zagreb is not exactly a comedown, Zakic and Cuvalo said.

"He'll become a household word," Zakic said, "because every time the mayor does something, it's in the papers."

Miksic still faces an uphill battle. Cuvalo predicted another spew of bad press, perhaps worse than before.

"He will have a tough time," Cuvalo said. "(The parties) are going to do anything they can to marginalize him."

That doesn't bother Miksic. He's ready for whatever his opponents throw at him. He feels vindicated by reports from an independent election-monitoring group, GONG, which found that while the elections were largely fair, there were serious problems in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

He said he couldn't turn his back on the voters, whom he said he stirred from "a state of political apathy."

That makes another run at office a goal in and of itself. "People have nothing to look forward to," he said.

He likes the idea of returning to his birthplace — he would be the first mayor of Zagreb who was born there since the country's independence. But largely, he sees the mayor's office as a doorway to national office. He wants to stop the sell-off of national resources and banks to outsiders and to curb political corruption.

"If we continue this way," he said, "we don't have control of our destiny."

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Mary Bauer can be reached at mbauer@pioneerpress.com or 651-228-5311.
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/local/11330006.htm