ZAGREB ARCHBISHOP CONSECRATES REBUILT SHRINE NEAR SUBOTICA

SUBOTICA, Aug 31 (Hina) - The Archbishop of Zagreb, Josip Bozanic, consecrated a rebuilt shrine to the Mother of God at Bunaric near Subotica in the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina on Sunday. #L# Bozanic, currently on a visit to the Subotica diocese at the invitation of Bishop Ivan Penzes, presented the diocese with the holy relics of Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac. "Today's pilgrimage to the Mother of God at Bunaric and this celebration of the Eucharist will connect the Croats of Subotica and Zagreb even more strongly," the Zagreb archbishop said. "The Mother of God connects people, both Catholics and the faithful of the Orthodox Church, which is proved by this shrine which is visited by both Croats and Orthodox believers," he added. Speaking to reporters after the Mass, Bozanic said he had heard that the Croatian government would not finance certain cultural organisations attached to the Catholic Church, although it financed a number of other projects. Bishop Penzes thanked Bozanic, representatives of the Serbian government, the Serbian Orthodox Church, Croatian ambassador to Serbia and Montenegro Davor Bozinovic and all the faithful for participating in the pilgrimage. The rector of the shrine, Andrija Kopilovic, stressed the ecumenical importance of the shrine, which was visited by both Catholic and Orthodox believers. Ambassador Bozinovic said that "today's celebration of the Eucharist was yet another proof of interrelatedness between the Croats of Serbia-Montenegro and Croatia, and of ecumenical openness." Croats account for one third of the 350,000 Catholics in the Subotica diocese. About 17,000 Croats live in the city of Subotica. (hina) vm sb