ZAGREB ZAGREB, Feb 6 (Hina) - Josip Mrzljak and Vlado Kosic were ordained as Auxiliary Bishops of the Zagreb Archdiocese on Saturday. The Archbishop of Zagreb, Cardinal Josip Bozanic, assisted by Cardinal Franjo Kuharic and Apostolic
Nuncio Giulio Einaudi, ordained Mrzljak and Kosic in the crowded Zagreb cathedral. The ceremony commenced with a procession from the Archbishop's Palace through the main entrance of the Cathedral and to the main altar where the act of ordaining took place. At the beginning of the solemn Mass, the vicar-general of the Zagreb Archdiocese, Vladimir Stankovic read an apostolic decree of December 29, 1998, under which Pope John Paul II approved the appointment of Mrzljak and Kosic to the post of the auxiliary bishops. By laying his hands on the heads of Mrzljak and Kosic and uttering a prayer for this occasion, Cardinal Bozanic ordained new bishops. During his sermon,
ZAGREB, Feb 6 (Hina) - Josip Mrzljak and Vlado Kosic were ordained
as Auxiliary Bishops of the Zagreb Archdiocese on Saturday.
The Archbishop of Zagreb, Cardinal Josip Bozanic, assisted by
Cardinal Franjo Kuharic and Apostolic Nuncio Giulio Einaudi,
ordained Mrzljak and Kosic in the crowded Zagreb cathedral.
The ceremony commenced with a procession from the Archbishop's
Palace through the main entrance of the Cathedral and to the main
altar where the act of ordaining took place.
At the beginning of the solemn Mass, the vicar-general of the Zagreb
Archdiocese, Vladimir Stankovic read an apostolic decree of
December 29, 1998, under which Pope John Paul II approved the
appointment of Mrzljak and Kosic to the post of the auxiliary
bishops.
By laying his hands on the heads of Mrzljak and Kosic and uttering a
prayer for this occasion, Cardinal Bozanic ordained new bishops.
During his sermon, Bozanic described Saturday's ordaining of
bishops as a great event for the Archdiocese of Zagreb.
He called on Mrzljak and Kosic to follow messages of Cardinal Alojz
Stepinac, beatified last autumn, whom Bozanic described as the
bishop of the 20th century.
Thanking everybody who had helped him so far, Msgr. Mrzljak, who
chose the message "to do good" for his motto in the bishop's duty,
spoke about his childhood in Vukovar and subsequently in Krasic
where he lived near Cardinal Stepinac.
During his first speech in capacity of the auxiliary bishop, Msgr.
Kosic, whose motto will be "love nurtures hopes", said he would
commit himself to the dialogue within the Church in pursuit of the
truth and to the building confidence among people.
Present at the Mass were all bishops from Croatia, Bishop of Banja
Luka, Franjo Komarica, Auxiliary Bishop of Sarajevo, Pero Sudar,
Bishop of Kotor, Ilija Janjic, Bishop of Maribor, Franc Kramberger,
Bishop of Kopar, Metod Pirih and Bishop of Prizren, Marko Sopta.
Several Croatian high-ranking officials as well as Zagreb
authorities attended Saturday's ceremony as well.
(hina) ms