MESSAGE OF CARDINAL BOZANIC FOR LENT

ZAGREB, March 16 (Hina) - The Zagreb Archbishop, Cardinal Josip Bozanic, has called on the faithful in his message for Lent to think about the virtue of moderation as this is very important in everyday life. The message was released by the Zagreb Archbishop's public relations office on Tuesday.#L# According to the message of the Primate of the Roman Catholic Church in Croatia, the virtue of moderation teaches persons how to exercise control over themselves, which is the source of small joys and pleasures of life, while impatience, immoderation and the wish to see and know everything are sources of dissatisfaction and tensions. "Nowadays we can find the virtue of moderation in (the moderate consumption of) food and drink; in purity and the fostering of pure views, imagination and acts opposing sexual disorder which can turn into perversion, causing many evils; in modesty as well as in moderation in the use of material goods, particularly money; in sound personal and social recognition, in moderation in aspiring for success and honour, the opposition of which are arrogance and craving for power; in moderation in the passion for victory, in avoiding curiosity, and in the sensible spending of time," the cardinal says. He reminds the faithful that it is necessary for man to possess things and use them but not depend on them or base his mental and spiritual condition, his satisfaction and happiness on them. In times of crises and uncertainties as well as privation it is important not to lose the spiritual view and ability to distinguish what is really necessary from what is perhaps not good. "We shall live peacefully and calmly if we replace selfishness with solidarity," he says, adding that the consumerist mentality destroys man. "Life is a gift and an obligation, and it is necessary to protect life and watch over freedom," Bozanic says in his message for Lent. (Hina) ms sb