Parish of St. Roch in Bosanska Gradiška solemnly celebrated the feast of its heavenly patron on Sunday, August 16th.
The concelebrated Holy Mass was led by the Bishop of Banja Luka, Msgr. Franjo Komarica. The local parish priest, OFM Tomislav Topić, and the bishop’s secretary, rev. Predrag Ivandić.
Due to the current coronavirus pandemic, the Holy Mass, unlike the usual one, was attended by fewer believers – only a hundred, because many of the exiled parishioners from neighbouring Croatia did not dare to come.
According to TABB, the gathered faithful were greeted at the beginning by parish priest Topić, who welcomed everyone, while Bishop Franjo invited everyone to pray together not only for the faithful present but also for the parishioners present, for all the sick, exiled and all deceased parishioners. He invited them to pray for their ailing parishioner, a missionary in the South American state of Peru, Msgr. Drago Balvanović, who last year celebrated a diamond mass on patron day, in his native parish of Gradiška.
In the appropriate sermon, the bishop first interpreted the justified practice of the Church to venerate saints and the blessed, as its most successful members. He reminded that in the modern world, the feeling towards God, towards holiness, and thus towards saints, is becoming more and more lost. “It is all the more necessary for the Church to intensify her prayers, especially the Holy Spirit, so that she can successfully help the increasingly insane and increasingly trapped modern man”, he said.
Speaking of St. Roch as a true believer in Christ, Msgr. Komarica briefly interpreted the significance of the saints for the lives of members of Christ’s traveling Church. He asserted that they are role models and advocates for the faithful, and that it is necessary to cultivate spiritual and prayerful communion with the saints.
He explained the greatness of this saint, who performed numerous acts of mercy, and who was not spared the vicious contagious modern disease, or even imprisonment upon his return to his homeland.
The Holy Mass was followed by refreshments and socializing in the hall of the parish house.
Let us also mention that the parish community was spiritually preparing for the feast of its heavenly patron with the three-day celebration of the Holy Mass and appropriate devotions.
KT
www.nedjelja.ba
Bos. Gradiška – August 16, 2020
