HVAR, Oct 29 (Hina) - A vice-president of the Croatian Bishops' Conference (HBK), Zadar Archbishop Ivan Prendja, told reporters in Hvar on the island of Hvar on Wednesday not much had been done with regard to the restitution of the
church property nationalised after World War II.
HVAR, Oct 29 (Hina) - A vice-president of the Croatian Bishops'
Conference (HBK), Zadar Archbishop Ivan Prendja, told reporters in
Hvar on the island of Hvar on Wednesday not much had been done with
regard to the restitution of the church property nationalised after
World War II. #L#
Prendja said the central topic of the HBK's convention, which is
being held on the central Adriatic island on October 26-30, are Pope
John Paul II's messages during his third pastoral visit to
Croatia.
Answering a reporter's question, Prendja said the implementation
of the economic agreement between the Church and the State might be
discussed at the conference, and described economic relations
between the Church and the State as "mostly satisfying, sometimes
less and sometimes more".
Commenting on the government's offer to compensate the Church for
its confiscated property by offering it shares in the "Croatia
osiguranje" insurance company, Prendja said the offer was not
entirely clear and should be discussed.
Prendja and Sibenik bishop Ante Ivas and the bishop of Hvar, Brac
and Vis, Slobodan Stambuk, who held the news conference with
Prendja, said Croatian bishops were unanimous with regard to all
relevant issues.
"There were never any differences among us regarding issues
relevant for the church and the homeland," Stambuk said.
The bishops said they would issue a pastoral message for believers
on Friday, 31 October, on the occasion of the upcoming
parliamentary vote. Participants in the Hvar conference, which is
also attended by the bishops of Subotica and Kotor, will adopt
conclusions at the end of the meeting.
(hina) rml sb