The Bishop of Banja Luka, Msgr. Franjo Komarica on July 11th at the foundations of the parish church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, in the former parish of Gumjera near Prnjavor, led the Eucharistic celebration during which the 80th anniversary of the martyrdom of the young pastor Ante Dujlović was prayerfully marked.
Seven priests concelebrated, including the parish priest in Prnjavor, Msgr. Vlado Lukenda, who also pastorally cares for the “remains” of Gumjera parish.
In addition to the believers from the Prnjavor deanery, around 30 pilgrims from the Diocese of Legnica, in the southwest of Poland, where Poles from the former Yugoslavia settled after 1945, took part in the Holy Mass.
In his sermon, the bishop recalled the ancient roots of the Catholic Church in that area, particularly emphasizing the presence of Polish settlers from 125 years ago and the founding of Gumjera parish 120 years ago. At the end, he looked briefly at the life of the young pastor Ante, a native of Ivanjska, who, despite the difficult events of the war, remained a witness in that religious community and laid down his life while serving the faithful.
The liturgical singing was animated by the nuns Adorers of the Blood of Christ and Missionaries of Love.
After the Holy Mass, those present headed to the parish cemetery, completely overgrown with forest, where they prayed in front of a large cross.
KT
