Under the chairmanship of the Archbishop of Vrhbosna, Metropolitan Tomo Vukšić, members of the Bishops’ Conference of BiH (BK BiH) held their 83rd regular session on March 21st and 22nd in the premises of the Ordinariate in Mostar.
The session was attended by all members of the Bishops’ Conference of BiH: Bishop of Banja Luka Franjo Komarica, Bishop of Mostar-Duvno and Apostolic Administrator of Trebinje-Mrkan Petar Palić, Auxiliary Bishop of Banja Luka Marko Semren and Apostolic Visitator with a special role for Međugorje Parish Archbishop Aldo Cavalli and delegates of Croatian and Italian Bishops’ Conferences Bishop of Varaždin Božo Radoš and Bishop of San Miniat near Florence Andrea Migliavacca. The first part of the session was also attended by the charge d’affaires of the Apostolic Nunciature in BiH, Msgr. Amaury Medina Blanco.
After prayers and the opening of the session and welcome speeches, members of the BK BiH commented on the course of the synodal process at the level of each archdiocese in BiH in the course of the whole Church towards the Synod of Bishops 2023, about which a written report will be sent by mid-August 2022 to the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops. Furthermore, the dates were set for: the forthcoming IX. Dean’s meeting in BiH to be held on May 19th at the Petar Barbarić Archdiocesan Seminary; the program of the 5th meeting of priests in BiH, will be held on June 1st in Gorica in Livno; and topics of the XVII. meeting of the bishops of BK BiH with members of the Conference of Senior Religious Leaders in BiH, as well as with the Franciscan Provincials which is scheduled for May 18th in Sarajevo.
After listening to the reports on the activities of the councils and commissions of the BK BiH in 2021, the bishops thanked all members of the mentioned bodies for being open to participating in sessions and giving their valuable contribution even in difficult circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic. They noted with concern the fact that the number of students is decreasing, especially in some Catholic school centres, as well as in other schools in BiH, which is an indicator of the sad trend of young people leaving and an even sadder decline in birth rates. The need for even more active pastoral action in the spirit of the Apostolic Exhortation Amoris laetitia and the Guidelines of the Dicastery for lay people, family and life was pointed out.
After listening to the annual report of the National Director of the Papal Missions of BiH, who informed them about the openness of many in all diocesan communities to the mission of the Church and missionaries, the bishops thanked everyone who is actively involved in missionary actions. They especially encourage priests in pastoral care to read and promote the missionary monthly papers Radosna vijest, which this year marks half a century of its existence.
It was pointed out that the bishops are anxiously following the daily war events in Ukraine, which in them, as in all the people of BiH, wakes a memory of the destruction, persecution and death sowing during the war in this area. They supported Pope Francis’ call for the consecration of Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on the Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord, March 25th.
Referring to the current situation in the Church and society in BiH, the bishops noted with regret that over the past two years the pandemic has largely prevented the implementation of numerous planned individual and joint actions in pastoral, liturgical, catechetical and charitable fields, but they are glad that many beautiful gatherings of believers, nuns and priests took place at the local level.
Due to the pandemic and disorder, given the inaction of the rule of law in BiH – there is an increasingly dramatic departure abroad of young people and entire families, and thus a dramatic outflow of domestic labour, the bishops especially encourage government officials, but also all structures and all people to work even harder to create conditions for stay and survival and openness to life in BiH.
The bishops urge everyone to pray that a war tragedy never happens again in this area, and call on all government officials to take the necessary steps to preserve lasting peace, in accordance with positive laws. They also call on the authorities to resolve all issues only through dialogue and find ways to ensure that all individual rights and dignity of every human being, as well as the collective rights and dignity of all people, are respected in every part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. They call on all Catholics, but also all people of good will, to live responsibly in freedom, respecting every person and all their rights.
On the eve of their session, on March 19th, in the premises of the Ordinariate in Mostar, the bishops met with Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher and participated in the Eucharistic celebration in the cathedral on the feast of St. Joseph, the heavenly patron of the Mostar-Duvno diocese.
Changes in the leadership of BK BiH
After the Holy Father accepted the renunciation of the pastoral leadership of the Vrhbosna Archdiocese on January 29th 2022, Archbishop Cardinal Vinko Puljić, which ended his service in the Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Vukšić was elected the new president. The Vice President is the Bishop of Mostar-Duvno and the Apostolic Administrator of Trebinje-Mrkan Petar Palić, who agreed to hold this office until, in accordance with the Statute and provisions of the Congregation for Bishops, with the appointment of new diocesan bishops, the conditions are met for election among few candidates. Bishop Palić will also chair the Supervisory Board of Caritas BiH and the Council for Ecumenism and Dialogue among Religions and Cultures of the BK BiH. Archbishop Vukšić will take over the office of President of Caritas BiH. Also, it was agreed to unite the Council for Small Seminaries and the Council for Theological Seminaries in the Council for Seminaries of the BK BiH, which will be chaired by the Auxiliary Bishop of Banja Luka Marko Semren. Bishop Semren will also be a member of the Bishops’ Commission of the HBK and BK BiH for the Papal Croatian Institute of St. Jerome in Rome.
KT
Mostar – March 22, 2022
