At the end of the 88th regular session of the BK BiH on Tuesday, November 7th, a press conference was held in the premises of the Archbishop’s residence in Sarajevo.
At the conference, Archbishop Metropolitan of Vrhbosna and President of the BK BiH, Msgr. Tomo Vukšić and the bishop of Mostar-Duvno and administrator of Trebinje-Mrkan, vice-president of the BK BiH, Msgr. Petar Palić.
At the beginning of the press conference, the secretary of the BK BiH, Msgr. Ivo Tomašević read the announcement from the 88th regular session of the Bishops’ Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina led by Msgr. Vukšić.
About the work of BK BiH
He explained that the bishops from Banja Luka, Mostar and Sarajevo were joined by the delegates of the Croatian and Austrian Bishops’ Conferences, Zadar Archbishop Msgr. Milan Zgrablić and bishop in peace from Sankt Pölten, Msgr. Klaus Küng and the delegate of the International Episcopal Conference of St. Cyril and Methodius Msgr. Fabijan Svalina, coadjutor bishop of Srijem. During the first part of the session, the bishops were joined by the Apostolic Nuncio in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Archbishop Francis Assisi Chullikatt, with whom they discussed, among other things, the visit of BK BiH members to the tombs of the apostolic champions Peter and Paul in Rome and the Holy Father, and to the offices of the Holy See known as Ad limina apostolorum in May 2024.
“In accordance with the guidelines of the Holy See and the Rulebook on the work and organization of the BK BiH Commission for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Persons, adopted at the 87th regular session of the BK BiH on the 13th and 14th in Banja Luka, the bishops agreed on the composition of the said Commission and the Metropolitan Office for protection of minors and vulnerable persons.
The bishops adopted new provisions on fees in the area of the Bishops’ Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which will enter into force on January 1st, 2024.
Bearing in mind the need for permanent harmonization of the document on priestly education and training, known under the Latin name Rado fundamentalis institutionis sacerdotalis, the bishops gave the necessary guidelines to the Council for Clergy and Seminaries of the BK BiH for the creation of its own Ratio Nationalis for the area of the Bishops’ Conference”, it is stated, among other things, in the press release.
He also highlighted the participation of Msgr. Palić at the XVI General Regular Assembly of the Synod of Bishops held in Rome from October 4th to 29th and his report in which he presented some highlights from the Preparatory Document and briefly presented the course of the Synod, which had a different method of sitting than the previous ones.
At the session, the dates of the next sessions of the BK BiH – March 20th and 21st in Mostar, July 16th and 17th in Banja Luka and November 4th and 5th in Sarajevo were agreed, as well as the date of the celebration of the Seventh Family Day on July 28th at Kupres, the Interdeanery meeting in BiH on April 18th at the Petar Barbarić Archbishop’s Seminary in Travnik and the central Eucharistic celebration within the Solidarity Week that will be held on the third Sunday of Lent, March 3rd in the parish of St. Anthony of Padua in Bihać.
Current issues
After the announcement, there were questions from the press, including a question about the current conflict in the Holy Land, which was addressed to Msgr. Vukšić. In response, he pointed out that the Church’s social teaching, among other things, treats the issue of peace and the need for peace among people. He referred to the last encyclical of John XXIII. from 1963, which in the circumstances of the Cuban crisis published a large circular entitled Peace on Earth. “In that document, the Pope sets out four great principles that I believe need to be implemented in order to achieve peace, which are truth, justice, freedom and love. All four are equally valuable for each individual and for each nation. In these circumstances of disorder in the territory of the Holy Land, Ukraine and, according to some data, 50 other territories, these principles are equally valid for each territory. We are preachers of truth, justice, freedom and love and we want this for the people of the Holy Land, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina and for every person”, said the archbishop of Vrhbosna, referring to another question about the Church’s assistance to people on the move, explaining that they are not seen as “people on the move”, but as “people who need help”. “They are one of the categories of people who need to be helped. In accordance with our capabilities, we do it. Both the Church and Caritas have limited funds, but we come to people’s aid. We do as much as we can and we will certainly continue to be present because, above all, they are in need, no matter what ‘category’ they are in”, Archbishop Tomo concluded.
Finally, it is worth remembering that on November 5th, the bishops celebrated Holy Mass in the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus led by Archbishop Vukšić and a sermon by Nuncio Chullikatta, and on Monday, November 6th, the Holy Mass celebration was held in the chapel of the Vrhbosna Theological Seminary, where the bishops met with the theological community. Archbishop Vukšić presided, and the appropriate sermon was delivered by Bishop Svalina of Srijem.
KT
