On July 13th and 14th, members of the BiH Bishops’ Conference (BK BiH) held their 87th regular session in the premises of the Bishop’s Ordinariate in Banja Luka.
It was presided over by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Vrhobosna, Msgr. Tomo Vukšić, president of BK BiH, and all members of Bishop’s conferences participated.
The delegates of the Croatian and Slovenian Bishops’ Conference, Msgr. Ivan Štironja, bishop of Poreč and Pula, and Msgr. Franc Šuštar, auxiliary bishop of Ljubljana, reported about the happenings in the Church in Slovenia and Croatia over the past few months. And this year, the members of the BK BiH were joined at the session by the bishop of Križevci, Msgr. Milan Stipić, who has the largest part of his flock in Bosnia and Herzegovina precisely in the northern part of the Banja Luka diocese. The Apostolic Nuncio in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Archbishop Francis Assisi Chullikatt, informed the bishops about the current discussions with representatives of the authorities and discussed with them certain issues of particular importance for the life and activities of the diocesan communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Trebinje to host the World Media Day
The bishops considered and adopted the Rulebook on the work and organization of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the protection of minors and vulnerable persons in accordance with the guidelines of the Holy See, and agreed on its implementation. Archbishop Vukšić was elected as the president of this commission. During the session, it was agreed that the central celebration of the 57th World Media Day of the Bishops’ Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina will be in the Cathedral of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Trebinje on Sunday, September 24th, 2023. On that day, the Diocese of Trebinje-Mrkan will also celebrate its heavenly patron, St. Michael the Archangel.
The bishops remind that VI. Family day in BiH and the III. World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly will be celebrated on Sunday, July 30th 2023. They invite all members of their diocesan communities to put the family at the centre of prayer and in other ways on that Sunday and to thank God for the gift of life that is born and grows in the family, but also for grandparents and elderly people who often want to share their rich life experience with those who are strong and who are called to be their helping hand in the days of weakness. They especially invite the members of the neighbouring parish communities to come to the parish church of the Holy Family in Kupres for the vigil Holy Mass on July 29th, at 7:00 p.m. and for the solemn Eucharistic celebration on Sunday, July 30th at 11:00 a.m. They also encourage all spouses who want to celebrate the 25th, 50th or 60th anniversary of their marriage on that Sunday in Kupres to report to their parish priests as soon as possible.
On Saturday, July 15th, with a solemn Eucharistic celebration, the Banja Luka diocese and the cathedral celebrated the feast of their heavenly patron – St. Bonaventure, bishop and church teacher.
The Eucharistic celebration, which began with a solemn procession from the Bishop’s Ordinariate building, was led in the Cathedral of St. Bonaventure in Banja Luka, by Archbishop Vukšić of Vrhbosna together with the five bishops who participated in the 87th regular session of the BK BiH before this celebration. 33 priests, diocesan and monks, who are mostly active in the pastoral care of the Banja Luka diocese, concelebrated.
Before the homily, the archbishop of Vrhbosna thanked Msgr. Amaury Medina Blanco, former secretary of the Apostolic Nunciature in Bosnia and Herzegovina, who said goodbye to Bosnia and Herzegovina with this celebration, leaving for a new position.
The bishops decided to join the Council for theological and minor seminaries to the Council for Clergy of the Bishops’ Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina. They also entrusted the Council for Clergy of the BK BiH with the task of drafting a new document of the Bishops’ Conference of BiH on the education of priestly candidates, known under the Latin name Ratio fundamentalis institutionis sacerdotalis. The report of the Supervisory Council of Caritas BiH on the activities of Caritas BiH in 2022 was also adopted, and the bishops listened to an abbreviated review of the activities of Caritas BiH during 2022, in which, among other things, the projects implemented in cooperation with diocesan Caritas were presented, thus helping: migrants, employment of young people, people with special needs, vulnerable groups…
Recommended common prayer of the Hours
The bishops considered and adopted the Proposal for the Curriculum of Catholic Religious Education for primary schools and high schools in BiH prepared by the Catechetical Office of the Bishops’ Conference of BiH, in cooperation with the National Catechetical Office of the Croatian Bishops’ Conference, and gave the necessary guidelines.
After the Croatian Institute for Liturgical Pastoral issued in 2023 the 4th revised and expanded edition of the Divine Book of Hours for the People of God, with which it “wants to contribute to the further development of liturgical spirituality, keeping in mind the improvement of family prayer, as well as the common prayers of various parishes and prayer communities”, the bishops recommend this prayer to all members of their diocesan communities. In a special way, they encourage pastors to organize joint prayer of the Divine Hours, especially on festive occasions.
The bishops listened to the report on the implementation of the Deacon Pastoral 2022/’23 during which deacons from all dioceses and Franciscan provinces in Bosnia and Herzegovina went through the planned program of lectures and practical exercises, worked in parishes and visited most of the most important church institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They thanked everyone who contributed to the last stage of deacon preparation for priestly ordination this year.
Enable the return of confiscated church property
The bishops listened to the reports of their delegates: from the 66th plenary session of the Croatian Bishops’ Conference held in Zagreb from April 18th to 20th 2023, from the 40th plenary session of the International Bishops’ Conference of St. Cyril and Methodius held in Priština from May 29th to 31st 2023, from the Meeting of the National Delegates of the European Bishops’ Conferences for Catechesis held in Ljubljana from April 25th to 27th 2023, from the annual meeting of the secretaries general of the European Bishops’ Conferences held in Tirana from June 22 to 25, 2023, and from the Plenary Assembly of the Italian Bishops’ Conference held in the Vatican from 2 May 2 to 25, 2023.
The bishops once again call on the competent authorities and institutions to enable the return of confiscated church property in Bosnia Herzegovina, including the former Trappist Abbey Marija Zvijezda in Banja Luka. The working part of the session was filled by the bishops with the prayer of the Divine Hour and joint Holy Mass celebrations in the bishop’s chapel.
After the end of the 87th regular session of the BiH Bishops’ Conference, a press conference was held.
KT
