ZAGREB, Aug 5 (Hina) - The building of the Military Ordinariate was officially opened in Zagreb on Tuesday, on the occasion of a national holiday - Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day -- and the holiday which the Catholic Church in
Croatia celebrates as the Day dedicated to Our Lady of Baptismal Vow.
ZAGREB, Aug 5 (Hina) - The building of the Military Ordinariate was
officially opened in Zagreb on Tuesday, on the occasion of a
national holiday - Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day -- and the
holiday which the Catholic Church in Croatia celebrates as the Day
dedicated to Our Lady of Baptismal Vow. #L#
The building was blessed by an envoy of the Holy See, the Vatican's
secretary for congregation of bishops, Archbishop Francesco
Monterisi.
At the start of today's service, said by Archbishop Monterisi on
this occasion, Military Bishop Juraj Jezerinac, welcomed
outstanding guests, Apostolic Nuncio to Croatia, Giulio Einaudi,
Zagreb Archbishop Josip Bozanic, representatives of the army and
the police, government officials, and delegations of military
dioceses from France, German, Austria and Slovenia.
Mons. Jezerinac recalled that the newly-opened building was
constructed in line with a 1996 agreement between Zagreb and the
Vatican on providing spiritual counselling to Catholics in the
Croatian armed forces and the police. In 1996, also, the Vatican
established the Military Ordinariate in Croatia, namely the
Catholic Diocese in the defence sector, and appointed the first
military bishop.
On behalf of Croatian Defence Minister, General Josip Lucic
addressed the guests at the official opening of the building, and
the envoy of Interior Minister Sime Lucin at this event was the
chief police superintendent, Ranko Ostojic.
Archbishop Monterisi unveiled a monument to Pope John Paul II, made
by a sculptor, Kuzma Kovacic.
On the occasion of the blessing of the Military Diocese's main
offices in Zagreb, the pontiff sent a message in Croatian to Bishop
Jezerinac. The Holy Father voiced hope that this event would give an
impetus to the successful spiritual counselling in the Croatian
army and police.
According to the message he sent via the Vatican's State Secretary,
Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Holy Father said he hoped that this
would also help promote increasingly harmonised cooperation
between the State and the Church, to the benefit of the entire
Croatia.
(hina) ms sb