MAJOR CROATIAN CATHOLIC WEEKLY ON "GAMES INVOLVING REV. SUDAC"

ZAGREB, Oct 16 (Hina) - The editorial in the latest issue of the leading Catholic weekly in Croatia critically commented on the "instrumentalisation of a priest, Zlatko Sudac, by the media" who has for some time been "the rewarding subject of the sensationalist journalism". #L# It is absurd that some media are pointing to Sudac only because he is doing his duty as a priest, the "Glas Koncila" said, adding that Sudac's proclamation of him being patriotic, and his prayers for UN war crimes tribunal's Croatian indictees and his urge for the preservation of the Croatian identity and other traditional values can in no way be regarded as the politicisation, according to the objective criteria. The editorial headlined "The Games Involving Sudac" criticises the media for accusing bishops of using Rev. Sudac "as an excellent medium for political topics", while prior to the latest events some papers accused the Church for not taking part in the promotion of the unusual phenomena (stigmas) on the body of this priest, which the yellow press used for increasing their circulation. The weekly describes as inappropriate the statement of one political party's leader who said he wished that Rev. Sudac be an example to his party members. "The Church... and some members of the clergy are often exposed to the attempts of manipulation, but they never bow to it nor can they accept it. Therefore the Church at this moment cannot bow to the attempt to instrumentalise Rev. Sudac for polices of any political party, including the one which would like to have him as its would- be example," read the editorial.