Seventh inter-deanery meeting in Bosnia and Herzegovina was held on March 5th at the premises of the Archdiocesan Seminary Petar Barbarić in Travnik, chaired by Archbishop of Vrhbosna cardinal Vinko Puljić, President of the Bishop’s Conference of BiH (BK BiH).
All members of the Bishop’s Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Franciscan Provincials, Vicars-General, members of the Clergy Council and 21 of 28 deans of all four dioceses in BiH attended the meeting.
After the participants heard the remarks of the last inter-deanery meeting, held at the same venue on May 9th 2019., a central topic was discussed – the exchange between deaneries in accordance with the 2019. provision under which it was agreed to specifically connect deaneries.
The participants heard a very positive report from the dean of the Broćan deanery, which includes parishes: Čerin, Čitluk, Gradina, Gradnići, Kruševo, Međugorje, Tepčići, and the dean of the Banja Luka deanery with parishes: Banja Luka, Barlovci, Budžak, Ivanjska, Marija Zvijezda, Motike, Petrićevac, Presnače, Šimići and Trn. Both deans thanked with the fraternal words of gratitude for the blessed visit of priests and believers of the Broćan deanery to the faithful and Catholics in and around Banja Luka in October 2019., adding that they were looking forward to meeting in the parishes of the Čitluk area in October this year.
The deans of other deaneries also introduced the bishops to the planned activities in the area of establishing and building the inter-deanery connections.
Attendees also listened to a brief commentary on the book by Cardinal Robert Sarah Iz dubine naših srca (From the Depth of Our Hearts), featuring the text of Emeritus Benedict XVI and the Postsinodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Francis Querida Amazonia (Dear Amazonia). It is said that during the last months of 2019. and early 2020., two books and two topics in a special way characterized the Church’s inner life and public debate almost all over the world.
It was pointed out that the whole Church should be especially grateful and rejoice for the text that the pope in peace, Benedict XVI, provoked by such a debate, wrote about the Catholic priesthood, especially celibacy. It is said that according to Pope Ratzinger, it was precisely on the basis of the daily celebrations of the Eucharist that an inability to associate the sacred order with marriage was created, which does not at all mean a negative judgment on the body and sexuality, because marriage in the Church was always considered a gift given by God in earthly paradise, and as a sacrament in the Church.
The deans were briefly informed about the meeting of the bishops of the Mediterranean countries, held from February 19th to 23rd Bari, Italy.
As part of the meeting, all participants gathered for a solemn Eucharistic celebration at Seminary Church of St. Aloysius Gonzaga and were joined by numerous pilgrims gathered around the grave of the venerable servant of God Petar Barbarić.
Host of the meeting this time again was the seminary community led by rector rev. Željko Marić.
KT
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Banja Luka – March 5, 2020
