BANJA LUKA BANJA LUKA, June 22 (Hina) - Banja Luka Bishop Franjo Komarica welcomed Pope John Paul II at the beginning of a Mass in Banja Luka Sunday and thanked him for his support to the preservation of the Catholic Church in
Bosnia-Herzegovina. Komarica, however, warned that the Banja Luka bishopric was facing extinction.
BANJA LUKA, June 22 (Hina) - Banja Luka Bishop Franjo Komarica
welcomed Pope John Paul II at the beginning of a Mass in Banja Luka
Sunday and thanked him for his support to the preservation of the
Catholic Church in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Komarica, however, warned
that the Banja Luka bishopric was facing extinction. #L#
"Despite our peace-loving attitude, the Catholic Church in the
wider Banja Luka area is facing complete extinction due to the will
of power-wielders," Komarica said in his speech to the Pontiff and
dozens of thousands of gathered faithful.
The bishop recalled that in the past 60 years, his diocese had had
the largest number of victims among priests, nuns, friars and the
faithful, while an enormous number of Catholics had been exiled
during the recent war and only three percent had come back.
Komarica called on the Holy Father to continue being the voice of
those deprived of their rights and to advocate their rights in the
Church and the world.
(hina) lml sb