Family day in Bosnia and Herzegovina was held on Sunday, July 29th, in the parish of Holy family in Kupres. Holy mass before 1500 believers in the parish church was led by the president of the Council of Croatia’s Bishop’s conference for life and family, Msgr. Mate Uzinić, the bishop of Dubrovnik.
With him also concelebrated Msgr. Marko Semren, auxiliary bishop of Banja Luka, the parish priest of Kupres rev. Tomo Mlakić and 30 more priests.
Welcoming at the beginning of the mass was said by the parish priest Mlakić.
He especially thanked bishop Semren who is the founder of Family day in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Msgr. Ivo Tomašević who greatly contributed in the organisation. Addressing Msgr. Uzinić, Dr. Mlakić pointed out that the bishop from Dubrovnik didn’t bring just the scent of the south. “With your coming father bishop you don’t just show your solidarity with us, but you also confirm that we are one people and one local Church”, said the parish priest of Kupres at the same time greeting all those that were listening to the mass via radio stations Herceg-Bosna and Radio Marija BiH.
“We are one Church and one people. While we celebrate Family day in BiH we want to acknowledge that we really are a family. They celebrate and mourn together, mistakes are being made, but in the families it is also forgiven”, said the bishop of Dubrovnik at the beginning of mass celebration.
At the beginning of his sermon, Msgr. Uzinić pointed out that he is extremely honoured to lead this mass celebration on the highlands of Kupres and that way share family togetherness of the local Church.
„While I am inviting you to the national meeting of families in Split and Solin, I want to give credit to the whole Catholic Church in BiH and show gratitude for great contribution for survival of Croatian people not just in BiH but in Croatia as well. Church in Croatia, its life strength and survival can thank the life strength in BiH. The strength is rooted in openness to the prayer and life of Croatian Catholic families from BiH. During past days we followed success of Croatian national football representation that is surely success of Croat Catholics in BiH as well. It is the same in other spheres of society”, the bishop said and wondered what would happen to Catholic Church in Croatia if there were no priests, monks, nuns and laymen that are from BiH by origin or by birth.
“We can only assume the answer. I am afraid that this answer could be learned by what might happen to us both in BiH and Croatia, and that is that we are no longer. The late rev. Anto Baković used to say that we have Croatia as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina, but if we continue this way, I fear that there will be neither Croats nor Catholics in them”, said the Dubrovnik bishop and referred to the difficult demographic picture of the Croatian people in BiH and Croatia. Msgr. Uzinić pointed out that the return process was largely unsuccessful, death was increased, and there was no birth as before. “The refugee period was too long. The current situation gives no real perspective and that increases emigration. Only last year we can say that the number of Croats and Catholics in BiH decreased by 13,650 people. That means that you Catholics, in BiH there is only 376 591.
It is like that in other religious communities as well… it is predicted that BiH will have 20% less population than it is today by 2050. The situation is not better in Croatia, only the percentage is a bit higher”, the Preacher emphasized, pointing out the defeating fact that as many as 660 children less will be enrolled in schools this year in Croatia. The Dubrovnik bishop repeated the predictions that by the end of this century in Croatia there will be 1.7 million less Croats.
“Unfortunately, that is not the only problem but an increase in the number of divorces and a reduction in the number of marriages. Every third marriage in Croatia is divorced. The worst thing is that we take this for granted and say that these are trends … we believe that these forecasts and trends are facts and that’s how it’s supposed to be”, he said and wondered what each of us could do to prevent it from happening. He emphasized that the answer to this was an evangelical reading in which Jesus looked at the hungry people on the gorge…
“Through this we need to look at the current situation. This depends on the future of each of us and our people. We think that an improved economic situation has improved openness to life, however, this is not the most important thing. Money is not a solution; it can not change the situation of a hungry crowd. The money can not be the solution to our demographic catastrophe, which is best demonstrated by the richest countries in the world that are most affected by the demographic catastrophe”, the bishop says and says that Jesus offers a solution that works without money, that solution is sharing and serving others.
“Sharing and serving can do what no money can. Sharing and serving can change our dysfunctional families. Sharing and putting yourself at disposal is able to make a better world, overcome hunger and thirst for the world, and is able to change negative demographic trends. Then we give ourselves in love and don’t look at ourselves”, Msgr. Uzinić emphasized and repeated that sharing functioned throughout the history of the Croatian people in the often worse economic conditions than they are today.
“Families were a place of prayer, they participated in Mass celebrations, and families were places of solidarity and sharing. Families can and will be like that today. Love and sharing should be two fundamental points for a good family”, the preacher said at the end of the homily.
At the end of the Mass, rev. Mlakić read parish announcements where a wedding was announced, and there was a notice that the two parishioners had married outside Kupres.
At the end of the Mass, Msgr. Semren thanked all those who participated in the organization and repeated that during the history, the Croatian families found power in God with the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and how he is certain that Croatian and Catholic families will not disappear, which was followed by a great applause.
Then the blessing of the children was made and Prayer to the Holy Trinity for the family was prayed.
The celebration programme started an hour before the mass when a rosary was prayed, and the believers had the opportunity for confession. Among the priests that were listening to the confessions was a missionary of mercy OFM Slavko Topić, guardian in Bistrik in Sarajevo.
Family day in BiH is also a preparation for the Third national meeting of Croatian Catholic families that will be held on September of 15th and 16th in Split and Solin under the theme: Family – source of life and joy.
KT
Kupres, 31. srpnja 2018.
