From February 13th to 15th in the premises of the John Paul II Archbishop’s Centre for Youth Pastoral Care, a meeting of diocesan youth commissioners from the Republic of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina was held in Sarajevo.
Under the leadership of the President of the Committee for Youth of the Croatian Bishops’ Conference and the Bishop of Šibenik, Msgr. Tomislav Rogić, seven diocesan youth commissioners came to Sarajevo from Croatia: rev. Pavao Gospodnetić (Diocese of Hvar), rev. Marijan Štingl (Diocese of Sisak), rev. Ante Vrcić (Diocese of Šibenik), rev. Marko Domiter (Diocese of Varaždin), rev. Ivan Šibilić (Archdiocese of Zadar), rev. Zoran Grgić (Bjelovar Diocese) and rev. Kristijan Tušek (Archdiocese of Zagreb).
Rev. Branko Bendra, the Youth Pastoral Commissioner of the Croatian Salesian Province, the Zagreb student chaplain, rev. David Leskovar, and the secretary of the HBK Youth Office, Iva Vrabac, also came.
In addition to them, all diocesan commissioners from the Youth Committee of the Council for the Laity of the Bishops’ Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina, presided over by the auxiliary bishop of Banja Luka, Msgr. Marko Semren: rev. Branimir Bevanda from the Diocese of Mostar-Duvno and Trebinje-Mrkan, OFM Domagoj Šimić from the Diocese of Banja Luka, rev. Šimo Maršić together with Rev. Ivan Matijević from the Vrhbosna archdiocese and the Salesian from Žepče rev. Ivan Veriga on behalf of the Salesian youth in BiH.
To be witnesses
President of the BK BiH Msgr. Tomo Vukšić, metropolitan archbishop of Vrhbosna, together with the general secretary of the BK BiH, Msgr. Ivo Tomašević, Director of the Office for Youth of BK BiH and Archdiocese’s youth centre (NCM), Rev. Maršić and Rev. Matijević welcomed Bishop Rogić and the participants.
The meeting began with a Holy Mass celebration in the chapel of the Centre led by Archbishop Vukšić together with Bishop Rogić, and with concelebration of all commissioners. At the beginning of the Holy Mass, he once again welcomed everyone and expressed his joy that this meeting is taking place in Sarajevo. In an appropriate sermon, he said: “Be witnesses, especially to our dear youth! Rejoice with them that there is light among us. When similar possible attacks come, we take care that Jesus does not like too many questions. He especially does not like to be tested; he especially does not like to be asked for a sign and, most of all, he does not like to be argued with. He gladly accepts being accepted; he gladly accepts to be followed. Therefore, in opposition to this group of Pharisees, let us be with that other group of listeners to whom Jesus went to the other side of the lake.”
Working part
On Tuesday, February 14th, the working part of the meeting began, during which the commissioners from Croatia were first introduced to the work and numerous activities of the Youth Centre, which hosts the meeting. After the Holy Mass, which was led by Bishop Rogić in the evening, the commissioners went to see Sarajevo.
The last day of the meeting began with a Holy Mass led by the archbishop of Vrhbosna in peace, Cardinal Vinko Puljić. In an appropriate sermon, he compared the Church to the depiction of Noah’s ark, which must not be forgotten that it is being led by God himself.
At the end, he told the youth commissioners that the most important thing is to testify with their actions to everything they tell young people and what they are convinced of.
After the Holy Mass, the commissioners had a joint meeting with the employees of the Youth Centre with whom they shared their experiences of working with young people. The meeting ended with a joint lunch.
KT
Sarajevo – February 14, 2023
