SPLIT, Oct 12 (Hina) - "There is no bishop in Croatia who does not recognise the incumbent democratically elected government. The Church stands exclusively behind its people and if any criticism was heard, it was that of certain
actions, not the entire government," the Archbishop of Split and Makarska, Monsignor Marin Barisic told a news conference on Friday, on the occasion of three-year preparations for the marking of the 2004th jubilee year of the martyrdom of Saint Duje, the patron saint of the city of Split. Asked by a reporter whether it was true that Barisic had been reprimanded by the Vatican for criticising the government authorities in Croatia, as some media had reported, the Archbishop said he never received any letter to that effect, and there would be no reason for one because the Church and himself were completely separated from the state and utterly non-partisan. With regards
SPLIT, Oct 12 (Hina) - "There is no bishop in Croatia who does not
recognise the incumbent democratically elected government. The
Church stands exclusively behind its people and if any criticism
was heard, it was that of certain actions, not the entire
government," the Archbishop of Split and Makarska, Monsignor Marin
Barisic told a news conference on Friday, on the occasion of three-
year preparations for the marking of the 2004th jubilee year of the
martyrdom of Saint Duje, the patron saint of the city of Split.
Asked by a reporter whether it was true that Barisic had been
reprimanded by the Vatican for criticising the government
authorities in Croatia, as some media had reported, the Archbishop
said he never received any letter to that effect, and there would be
no reason for one because the Church and himself were completely
separated from the state and utterly non-partisan.
With regards to stances of European ambassadors allegedly relayed
during a meeting with the Vatican's secretary for relations with
states, Monsignor Jean-Louis Tauran, about which some media wrote,
Barisic said none of them can love and wish the best for Croatia more
than Croats and Croatian bishops.
(hina) lml sb