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PRESS CUT - Croatian Press News in English	

SPECIAL SERVICE MARKING THE VISIT OF THE HOLY FATHER, POPE JOHN PAUL II, TO
CROATIA


IN TODAYS SERVICE:
==================

- October 3, 1998
1. GREETINGS TO THE HOLY FATHER IN MARIJA BISTRICA
2. POPES SPEECH AT MARIJA BISTRICA
3. POPE CELEBRATES EUCHARIST IN MARIJA BISTRICA

- October 2, 1998
4. THE PASTORAL VISIT BY THE HOLY FATHER POPE JOHN PAUL II TO THE REPUBLIC
OF CROATIA
5. POPE'S SPEECH AT THE ZAGREB'S AIRPORT 02. OCTOBER 1998
6. POPE'S SPEECH IN FRONT OF THE ZAGREB CATHEDRAL
7. GREETINGS TO THE HOLY FATHER IN FRONT OF THE ZAGREB CATHEDRAL
8.  PROCLAMATION OF CARDINAL STEPINAC DAY IN CHICAGO AND NAMING OF THE
STREET.


***

Everything you want to know about Papal visit to Croatia:
http://www.papa.hr (Croatian)
	http://www.pope.hr (English)	

Todays Weather Report: http://www.hic.hr/turizam/prognoza/
HELP BUILD THE CHURCH IN TIVAT! Visit: http://www.hic.hr/tivat

***

October 3, 1998

1. Msgr. Josip Bozanic, Archbishop of Zagreb, President of the Croatian
Conference of Bishops
GREETINGS TO THE HOLY FATHER IN MARIJA BISTRICA

Holy Father!
At this solemn and holy moment, there are three brief sentences in which I
should like to summarize all the thoughts and desires, all the joy and
happiness that we experience during your second visit to Croatia,
particularly the Church in our beautiful Homeland and wherever Catholic
Croats live.

We greet you.
We thank you.
We congratulate you.

1. We, all the faithful and people of good will throughout our Homeland,
greet you through my voice. We, all the participants in this magnificent
celebration, attended by high officials of the Croatian Government, greet you.

We, the cardinals and bishops, guests attending from around the whole
world, greet you. We, the Croatian Catholic Episcopate with our two eminent
cardinals, Franjo Kuharic and Vinko Puljic, especially greet you. We,
priests, deacons, monks, nuns and all the faithful of Jesus present here,
greet you.
Blessed are you, Holy Father, who comes to us in the name of the Lord!

2. We thank you because "in concern for all the Churches" (cf. 2 Cor 11:28)
you express your fatherly concern and love toward our Church and our Homeland.

We thank you because during your second apostolic visit, you are linking
two great centers of Croatian, Church and state history  Zagreb and Split,
thereby pointing out the need and goal of Church unity and state unity.

At the same time, you particularly direct our attention  via the holy
martyr St. Domnius (sv. Dujam), the founder of the Church in Split  to the
ancient Christian roots upon which Croatian Christianity was grafted in the
7th century. You also point out a contemporary martyr and witness to the
faith and fidelity to Christ and his Church, the archbishop of Zagreb and
cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, Alojzije Stepinac.

Thank you, Holy Father, especially for this great gift, our newly beatified
model whose legacy compels us to be faithful to the Catholic Church unto
the grave.

Thank you for coming here, to our beloved Croatian national shrine of Our
Lady of Bistrica, in order to guide our gaze to Her, the Star of the new
evangelization, who is so dear to your heart.

You have come here to perform the beatification our Servant of God, an act
of your supreme apostolic authority, on precisely October 3, the date when
the innocent Alojzije Stepinac presented his famous testimony before the
communist court in 1946. It was not a speech in his defense. It was a
confession of faith in the holy things for which he lived, the holy things
which he defended and the holy things for which he was prepared, with a
clear conscience, to die at any moment. These were God, Christ Jesus  true
God and true man, the honor of the Most Holy Mother of God, the Church, the
sanctity of marriage, the right of young people to sound religious
instruction, and the fundamental rights that every person has according to
God.

On this anniversary, October 3, you wish to call these holy things to mind
among us all, the entire Church in Croatia and the entire Croatian nation,
the entire Catholic Church and all people of good will.
Thank you!

3. Finally, Holy Father, we congratulate you.
In several days, on October 16, the Feast of St. Hedwig, the Polish queen,
you will complete a full twenty years of your blessed pontificate. Thus,
you will enter the ranks of the bishops of Rome to whom Divine providence
has granted the longest apostolic service to the Church and mankind.
Blessed be God for this gift to you and to us!

While we congratulate you, Holy Father, for this gift of God, we address
our prayers to the Almighty God: May God grant you a long life, keep you in
his service and make it possible for you, like John the Baptist, to prepare
the way for the Lord Jesus Christ in his third millennium.

Today, at this very solemn moment, your first teaching, which you addressed
to all people during your first Eucharist on October 22, 1978, reverberates
in our souls and hearts in an entirely new and encouraging manner: "Do not
be afraid to embrace Christ, accept His authority! (...) Do not be afraid!
Open the door wide for Christ! Open the borders of the states, economic and
political systems, the broad field of culture, civilization and development
to his redemptive authority. Do not be afraid! Christ knows what is in a
person, only He knows! (...) Let Christ speak to man. Only He has the words
of life, yes, eternal life!"

On this unique day in Croatian holy history  by the intercession of the
Most Holy Virgin Mother of God and his servant Alojzije  in a new and
powerful way, through a gift of the Holy Spirit, may this come about in all
of us!

Holy Father, teach us this again and sustain us with your apostolic blessing!

***

2. POPES SPEECH AT MARIJA BISTRICA
October 3, 1998

1. "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains
alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit" (Jn 12:24). Christs words,
which we have just heard, bring us to the very heart of the Mystery which
we are celebrating. In some sense they contain within themselves the entire
Paschal Event: they direct us to the death of the Redeemer on the Cross on
Good Friday, and at the same time they point us toward the morning of Easter.

We refer to this Mystery every day during Holy Mass when, after the
consecration of the bread and the wine, we say: "We proclaim your death, O
Lord, we proclaim your resurrection; we await your return in glory". The
"grain of wheat which falls into the earth" is first and foremost Christ,
who on Calvary died and was buried in the earth in order to give life to
all. But this mystery of death and life also comes about in the earthly
existence of Christs followers: for them too, being cast into the earth to
die remains the condition for all authentic spiritual fruitfulness.

Was this not the secret also of your unforgettable and unforgotten
Archbishop, Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac, whom today we contemplate in the
glory of the Beati? He took part in a unique way in the Paschal Mystery: as
a grain of wheat he "fell into the earth" in this land of Croatia and, by
dying, bore fruit, much fruit. "He who loves his life loses it, and he who
hates this life in this world, will keep it for eternal life" (Jn 12:25).

The words of the Second Letter to the Corinthians, which we have just
heard, are closely bound up with the Event which we are celebrating. Saint
Paul writes: "As the sufferings of Christ abound for us, so also our
comfort abounds through Christ" (2 Cor 1:5). Are these words not a
meaningful commentary on Christs words about the grain of wheat which
dies? Those who abound in sharing Christs sufferings also experience,
thanks to him, the profound consolation which derives from the outpouring
of good which has its origin in the Cross.

2. "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains
alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit" (Jn 12:24). Today we are filled
with joy as we join in thanking God for the new fruits of holiness which
Croatia offers to the Church in the person of the martyr Alojzije Stepinac,
Archbishop of Zagreb and Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church.

Through the centuries, martyrs have abounded in these lands, from the time
of the Roman Empire on, with figures like Venantius, Domnius, Anastasia,
Quirinus, Eusebius, Pollio, Maurus and many others. In later centuries they
were joined by Nicholas Tavelic and Marcus of Krizevci, and many confessors
of the faith during the Ottoman rule, up to those of our own time, among
whom the luminous personality of Cardinal Stepinac stands out.

By their sacrifice united to Christs suffering, they bore an extraordinary
witness, which with the passage of time has lost none of its eloquence, but
continues to spread light and to inspire hope. At their side many other
Pastors and simple faithful, men and women, also sealed their adherence to
Christ by shedding their own blood. They are part of the great assembly of
those who, vested in white garments and bearing palms in their hands, now
stand before the throne of the Lamb (cf. Rev 7:9).

Blessed Alojzije Stepinac did not shed his blood in the strict sense of the
world. His death was caused by the long suffering he endured: the last
fifteen years of his life were a continual succession of trials, amid which
he courageously endangered his own life in order to bear witness to the
Gospel and the unity of the Church. In the words of the Psalm, he put his
very life in Gods hands (cf. Ps 16:5).

3. Very little time separates us from the life and death of Cardinal
Stepinac: barely thirty-eight years. We all know the context of this death.
Many present here today can testify from direct experience how much the
sufferings of Christ abounded in those years among the people of Croatia
and those of so many other nations of the continent. Today, reflecting on
the words of the Apostle, we wish to express the heartfelt hope that, after
the time of trial, the comfort of the Crucified and Risen Christ may abound
in all who dwell in this land.

For all of us, a particular cause for comfort is todays Beatification.
This solemn act takes place in the Croatian national shrine of Marija
Bistrica on the first Saturday of the month of October. Beneath the gaze of
the Most Blessed Virgin, an illustrious son of this blessed land is raised
to the glory of the altars, on the hundredth anniversary of his birth. It
is an historic moment in the life of the Church and of your nation. The
Cardinal Archbishop of Zagreb, one of the outstanding figures of the
Catholic Church, having endured in his own body and his own spirit the
atrocities of the Communist system, is now entrusted to the memory of his
fellow countrymen with the radiant badge of martyrdom.

The Episcopate of your country asked that the Beatification of Cardinal
Stepinac take place here, in the Shrine of Marija Bistrica. I know from
personal experience the significance that the Shrine of Jasna Gora had for
the Polish people at the time of Communist rule, a Shrine closely linked to
the pastoral ministry of the Servant of God Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski. I am
not surprised that this Shrine, or that of Solona which I shall visit
tomorrow, have had a similar importance for you. For some time I have
wanted to visit the Shrine of Marija Bistrica. And so I gladly accepted the
proposal of the Croatian Episcopate and today celebrate the solemn
beatification ceremony in this significant place.

I cordially greet the Croatian Bishops assembled here, especially Cardinal
Franjo Kuharic and the Most Reverend Josip Bozanic, Archbishop of Zagreb
and President of the Croatian Episcopal Conference. I also greet the
Cardinals, Archbishops and Bishops from other countries who have joined us
for this occasion. I cordially greet the priests, the men and women of
consecrated life, and all the lay faithful, as well as the representatives
of the other religious confessions present at this celebration. My
respectful greetings also go to the President of the Republic, the Head of
the Government, and to the countrys civil and military authorities, who
honor us by their presence.

4. "If anyone serves me, he must follow me" (Jn 12:26). Blessed Alojzije
Stepinac took the Good Shepherd as his sole Teacher, following his example
to the end and offering his life for the flock entrusted to him at a
particularly difficult period of history.

The person of the new Beatus sums up, so to speak, the whole tragedy which
befell the Croatian people and Europe in the course of this century marked
by the three great evils of fascism, national socialism and communism. He
is now in the joy of heaven, surrounded by all those who, like him, fought
the good fight, purifying their faith in the crucible of suffering. Today
we look to him with trust and invoke his intercession.

Significant in this regard are the words spoken by the new Beatus in 1943,
during the Second World War, when Europe was in the grip of unheard-of
violence: "What system does the Catholic Church support today, while the
whole world is fighting for a new world order? We, in condemning the
injustices, all the killing of innocent people, the burning of peaceful
villages, the destruction of the labor of the poor, . give this answer: the
Church supports that system which is as old as the Ten Commandments of God.
We are for the system which is not written on impermanent tables, but which
has been written by the hand of the living God on the consciences of men"
(Homilies, Addresses, Messages, Zagreb, 1996, 179-180).

5. "Father, glorify your name!" (Jn 12:28). In his human and spiritual
journey Blessed Alojzije Stepinac gave his people a sort of compass to
serve as an orientation. And these were its cardinal points: faith in God,
respect for man, love towards all even to the offer of forgiveness, and
unity with the Church guided by the Successor of Peter. He knew well that
no bargains can be made with truth, because truth is not negotiable. Thus
he faced suffering rather than betray his conscience and not abide by the
promise given to Christ and the Church.

In this courageous witness he was not alone. He had at his side other
courageous souls who, in order to preserve the unity of the Church and
defend her freedom, agreed to pay with him a heavy price in imprisonment,
mistreatment and even bloodshed. To these generous souls - Bishops,
priests, men and women religious, and lay faithful - we offer today our
admiration and gratitude. Let us listen to their urgent call for
forgiveness and reconciliation. To forgive and to be reconciled means to
purify ones memory of hatred, rancour, the desire for revenge; it means
acknowledging as a brother even those who have wronged us; it means not
being overcome by evil but overcoming evil with good (cf. Rom 12:21).

6. May you be blessed, "Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Father of mercies
and God of all comfort" (2 Cor 1:3), for this new gift of your grace.

May you be blessed, Unbegotten Son of God and Saviour of the world, for
your glorious Cross, which in the Archbishop of Zagreb, Cardinal Alojzije
Stepinac, has won a splendid victory.
May you be blessed, Spirit of the Father and the Son, Paraclete Spirit, who
continue to manifest your holiness among men and unceasingly carry on the
work of salvation.
Triune God, today I wish to thank you for the strong faith of this your
people, despite the many trials encountered through the centuries. I wish
to thank you for the countless martyrs and confessors, men and women in
every age, who have arisen in this blessed land.
"Father, glorify your name!" (Jn 12:28).

Blessed be Jesus and Mary!

***

3. HINA, October 3. 1998
POPE CELEBRATES EUCHARIST IN MARIJA BISTRICA

MARIJA BISTRICA - Pope John Paul II shortly after 10am on Saturday began a
Eucharist celebration in Marija Bistrica, Croatia's premier Marian shrine.

The celebration gathers almost 500,000 faithful from all over Croatia. In
attendance are more than 1,000 priests, including 100 bishops, archbishops
and cardinals, as well as several thousand nuns of all orders.

The Pope and the priests wear crimson chasubles and collars, the colour of
martyrdom, all in memory of late Croatian cardinal Alojzije Stepinac whom
today the Pope will beatify.

The Pope's walk to central altar of the Church In The Open, in the company
of Archbishop of Zagreb Josip Bozanic, was greeted by the faithful's long
applause and hymn-singing.

Present at the Eucharist is also Croatian President Franjo Tudjman and his
wife Ankica, representatives of the diplomatic-consular corps, of other
religions in Croatia, other high-ranking Croatian church and state
officials, public and cultural dignitaries, and Vatican officials.

Archbishop Bozanic thanked the Holy Father for connecting during his second
visit to Croatia two great Croatian centres of church and state history,
Zagreb and Split, thus marking the necessity and task of both church and
state unity.

The Archbishop of Zagreb also thanked the Pope for the impeding
beatification of Cardinal Stepinac.

The field in front of the altar is dominated by the motto of the Pope's
visit to Croatia "You Will Be My Witnesses" and the motto of Cardinal
Stepinac "In Thee O Lord I Place My Faith". The altar is decorated with
flowers in white and yellow, papal colours.


***

October 2, 1998
4. THE PASTORAL VISIT BY THE HOLY FATHER POPE JOHN PAUL II TO THE REPUBLIC
OF CROATIA

Welcome Address of the President of the Republic of Croatia dr. Franjo
Tudjman to His Holiness John Paul II on the Occasion of His Visit to Croatia

Holy Father,

With fresh memories of your historic first arrival in Croatia in September
1994, the Croatian people again welcome you with an open heart, with
gratitude for the understanding and support shown so far, and with the hope
that your messages on the occasion of this State and Pastoral Visit will
again strengthen our faith into the irreplaceability of the Christian
vision for the future in the present-day world.
With your second arrival in Croatia in four years you are demonstrating the
particular concern of the Holy See for the Croatian people who have for
centuries remained true to the principles of Catholic faith and the laws of
the Church.

This visit, Holy Father, has a special historic importance for the Church
in Croatia, for the entire Croatian people and the Croatian State, because
of the beatification of Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac, martyr of the Church
and one of the greatest Croatian ecclesiastical dignitaries.

Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac was a model of profound faith, of love of man.
of selfless dedication to his Church as well as to his Croatian people.

He was personally the victim of two major ideologies of the first half of
the 20th century - nazism and communism, godless ideologies that fought for
the body and soul of European people and nations.
Because of the determination he showed in saving the persecuted, whether
Croats, Serbs or Jews, he was threatened by the quisling government of the
NDH. And because of his unswerving faithfulness to the Catholic Church and
to the community of Croatian Catholics with Peter's heir, he was condemned
by the communist authorities and incurred mortal danger. Today, by decision
of the Holy See, he meets the eyes of all humankind as a martyr of a clear
conscience and a true witness of the faith. He was the shepherd of his
people, and his credo and devotion to the Croatian people were best
summarized in his own words: "I would have been a villain had I not stood
by my own people, who prebiscitarily opted for their own state."

The beatification of Stepinac pays tribute to truth and to his sacrifice
before history but also before the present, because the forces which would
wish to impose on the Croatian people, the Catholic Church and this
democratic Croatia the blame for fascist sins and crimes, which the
Croatian people and State denounce, are still present on the scene.

The elevation of the leading person of the Catholic Church in Croatia in
the period of the Second World War to the Altar of the Blessed also pays
tribute to all the victims and martyrs of both the fascist and the
communist regime.

Those that one-sidedly condemn the Croatian people forget that the
profascist regime was imposed on Croatia just as it was imposed on all
other European countries, and that Croatia had a stronger antifascist
movement than other European countries. They also forget the fact that
today Croatia is building a democratic social order.

With your visit to Croatia in 1994 you enhanced the celebration of the
900th annivesary of the Zagreb Diocese. On this occasion, in addition to
the beatification of Cardinal Stepinac, you will honour the unique
celebration of the 1700th anniversary of the City of Split, of the Solin
church and of the Split Diocese which. as the oldest on Croatian soil,
played a special role in the conversion of the Croats to Christianity, in
the establishment of the Church and generally in the life of the ancient
Croatian State.
Holy Father,

Over the short period since you last visit to Croatia we have achieved our
loftiest goal - we have restored to the Croatian State all her occupied
regions which had bled under the Yugocommunist and Serbian aggression and
occupation together with the symbol of our suffering, Vukovar. We have been
able to return hundreds of thousands of displaced persons to their homes,
to rebuild many destroyed settlements and churches, thus providing for the
revival of overall life, religious life included.

In your addresses during your last visit you urged us to promote the
culture of peace which implies the fostering of tolerance and solidarity,
and of the Christian need to offer the hand of pardon to one's enemies as
well.

Guided by such a policy, and after we liberated most of our occupied
regions thanks to the unity of the Croatian people and the force of
Croatian arms, we also paved for the international community the way to the
peace agreements in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and for the peaceful
reintegration of the Croatian Danubian Region, which was accomplished
successfully through the cooperation of Croatian authorities and the
international community. It was Croatia's peaceable policy that made
possible the successful completion of the UN peace mission.

The Croatian people have been able to achieve their millennial dream about
the resurrection of the independent Croatian State in full unity with their
Catholic Church. Now the Croatian people are turned to new peace-time
challenges and tasks because their want to build their homeland as an
independent and free, and a stable and prosperous social State.

On that road, Holy Father, grant us your blessing, too!

Many still ignore or forget the fact that the Croatian people are one of
the oldest European peoples, that they were the first of all the Slav
peoples to accept Christianity, and that they had for centuries staunchly
defended Catholicism and struggled for their own survival. They forget that
the Croatian people, together with other peoples, gave Europe part of their
own identity, and contributed to the development of Christianity and
present-day Western civilization.

The Croatian people are proud of their accomplishments in the realization
of a stable democratic and economic order. Proceeding from such
foundations, the Croatian State leadership, and I personally as Head of
State, will continue to pursue the road to further building of the
democratic order based on the principles of respect and fostering of
general human values of Christian civilization.

Holy Father,
For several years Croatia has been involved in resolving the return of
Croatian displaced persons, and Serbian refugees, i.e., in taking care of
all those who suffered during the Yugocommunist aggression and the Homeland
War. The reconstruction of destroyed homes, and cultural and religious
buildings remains a political priority, and a very complex and protracted
ask in economic and humanitarian terms. We are engaged in this effort
mainly with our own resources but. without an adequate financial support,
all the displaced persons and sufferers will not be able to return to their
homes, and even less enjoy conditions for normal living.

Aware of how much the Holy See is concerned for the solution of pressing
humanitarian issues, we hope that it will be able to urge the international
community to provide more efficient assistance.
One of the essential long-term tasks facing Croatian society as a whole is
the achievement of moral and spiritual revival in terms of release from the
negative communist heritage but also in terms of preventing the
proliferation of negative manifestations present in modern civilization.

In the economic field, we want to improve the standard of living of our
people, and offer them occupational and social security by harnessing all
the economic and natural resources and potentials of the country. The
Government of democratic Croatia will continue to pursue the efforts
focused on improving the position and income of those social categories,
primarily retired persons, whose life has particularly been affected by war
circumstances, but also by the economic changes brought about by the
transition from the communist to the free market system.

In the new geopolitical circumstances, we want to develop normal relations
and cooperation with all neighbouring states, based on the principles of
equality and mutual respect. As a Mediterranean and Central European
country, heir to Western Christian civilization to which it has also
provided a notable contribution, Croatia sees her future in association
with countries to which it belongs in historical and cultural terms.
Therefore, the Croatian people and the present leadership of Croatia are
determined in preventing any repetition of fateful historical mistakes, and
all intentions and schemes about the association of Croatia with new Balkan
or Southeast integrations.

Holy Father,
You have also repeatedly warned the world about the tragedy in Bosnia and
Herzegovina, and pleaded for the war and killing to stop. You have also
been concerned for the destiny of the Croatian people in that country, the
people which, being numerically the smallest, have also been the most
threatened, and which drew, throughout its long history, their spiritual
strength from the Catholic faith.

The same concern, but also state-national interest, determine Croatian
policy with respect to Bosnis and Herzegovina, in which civilizational
differences and specific national features, the appearance of expansionism
and fundamentalism, and the different strategic interests of international
forces, combine to form the still most complex global crisis. Croatia will
continue to pursue its constructive policy. It has already demonstrated
that it is a cardinal factor in the implementation of the Washington and
Dayton Peace Accords; it is also bound, by her Constitution and by her
signature of these peace accords, to safeguard the rights of the Croatian
people.

Along this road, the will of the Croatian people, manifested strongly and
clearly at the recent September elections, is a message to all who would
want to question their equality and constituent character. and normal ties
between the Federation and Croatia.

Holy Father,
The Catholic faith is historically profound and steady among the Croats.
The current government of democratic Croatia wants and endeavours to build
a social and state life based on the principles of Christian civilization.

It precisely because of this that certain international factors are
pressuring us, and imposing certain commitments which neither match the
present moment in history nor have other countries faced them, and not only
those which have embarked on developing a democratic system after the
collapse of communism.

We cannot help feeling that such an attitude with respect to Croatia is the
continuation of that policy which wanted to preserve the Yugoslavia created
at Versailles, which was for the Croatian people a prison, as Cardinal
Stepinac also rightly claimed. The pressures on Croatia reflect views
disapproving the establishment of the Croatian State, and even the
unwillingess of some to recognize reality - the disintegration of the
former Yugoslav community.

Moreover, the Croatian public also partly experienced such unjustified
pressures as an expression of the disfavour with which some factors in the
world view the firm ties between the Holy See and Croatia.
I am confident that - with our own resources, with God's help and with the
understanding of reasonable international factors - we will withstand all
difficulties and preserve our faith, national freedom and the established
sovereignty of our democratic State.

Along with the feelings of gratitude to the Almighty for making the
continuance of the Croatian people possible, and for having granted us your
two pastoral and State visits, we would in particular want to express our
gratitude to you for having been with us in this crucial time of
resurrection of Croatian freedom and State sovereignty.

Together with all the people of good will we are looking forward to the
great jubilee, the two thousand years of Christianity, firmly hopeful of
the preservation of the lasting value of the great ideals which you uphold
as the apostle of peace and the moral authority of the present-day world.

Holy Father,
Present-day Croatia and the majority of its people will follow you on the
road upholding the full respect of the freedom and dignity of man and
equality of peoples, on the arduous road to the building of peace and
prevention of all evils and injustices in social and international life!

***
5.  POPE'S SPEECH AT THE ZAGREB'S AIRPORT 02. OCTOBER 1998
October 2, 1998

Mr President, Distinguished Members of the Government,
Venerable Brothers in the Episcopate,
Dear Brothers and Sisters!

1. The Providence of God allows me to stand once again upon Croatian soil,
as I begin my second Pastoral Visit to this beloved land. In a sense, this
Apostolic journey continues the one which I undertook in September 1994,
when I visited only the Capital.

I am happy that I have been able to accept the various invitations which
came to me: from the Bishops of the country, from the President of the
Republic, from Members of the Government and the Croatian Parliament, and
from ordinary citizens as well. I thank the President of the Republic for
the very kind words of welcome which he has just addressed to me. I greet
the members of the Government and the other distinguished persons who
honour this meeting with their presence.
And I greet all of you most warmly, you who have come to welcome me:
through you, my greeting goes out to all the people of this noble nation,
so rich in faith and culture.

2. I come among you as a pilgrim of the Gospel, following in the footsteps
of the first confessors of the faith. I come to gather the fruits of the
courageous witness given by Pastors and faithful since the first centuries
of Christianity. They are fruits which appear in all their richness most
especially in troubled times: during the Roman persecutions of the
beginning, then the Turkish invasion and occupation, and most recently the
terrible period of Communist repression. How can we not stand in admiration
before examples of faith such as the Bishop Saint Domnius, the Martyrs of
Salona, Delminium, Istria, Sirmium, Siscia, right up to the Servant of God
Alojzije Stepinac, who with other witnesses so brightly illumined this
century which brings to a close the second Christian millennium?

In giving thanks to the Lord for the Church's two thousand years in this
region and for the rich history of Croatian Catholics, I come today to
confirm my brothers and sisters in the faith. I come to encourage their
hope and to strengthen their love. This second Pastoral Visit to Croatia
has two focal points: the beatification of the Servant of God Alojzije
Stepinac as a martyr of the faith and the celebration of the seventeen
hundredth anniversary of the City of Split. To these are linked two
pilgrimages: to Marija Bistrica, the national Marian Shrine of Croatia, and
to the Island of Solin to the first Marian shrine of Croatia - two places
of great significance in the religious history of your region.

In this way the Croatian people's devotion to the Mother of God will shape
the itinerary of this Visit. As I begin, therefore, I wish to entrust my
journey through your land to her who is hailed as Advocata Croatiae,
fidelissima Mater. To her I raise my prayer, that she may continue to watch
over the progress of the Croatian people. May she protect Croatia and
sustain you in witness to Christ and his Gospel, pointing out to you down
the paths of time the way of eternal salvation.

3. It is fundamentally important that the Croatian people remain faithful
to their Christian roots, while at the same time they remain open to the
demands of the present which, if it has its difficult problems, offers as
well consoling reasons for hope. After the violent and brutal war in which
it found itself involved, Croatia is finally experiencing a period of peace
and freedom. Now all the population's energies are dedicated to the gradual
healing of the deep wounds of the conflict, to a genuine reconciliation
among all the nation's ethnic, religious and political groups, and to an
ever greater democratisation of society.
I rejoice at this and I urge you to persevere in that commitment with
generous determination. The obstacles created by the consequences of war
and by the mentality shaped by the Communist regime are many. It is
essential that you not yield to them. With the cooperation of everyone, it
will be possible in a reasonably short time to find appropriate solutions
even to the most complex problems.

I hope most fervently that in this part of Europe there will never again be
a repetition of the inhuman situations which we have repeatedly seen in
this century. May the sorrowful and tragic experience of recent times serve
as a lesson to enlighten the mind and strengthen the will, so that the
future of this country, as in Europe and throughout the world, may be
gladdened by increased understanding and cooperation between peoples of
different language, culture and religion.

I begin my Visit to the dear land of Croatia with words of love and hope:
may the Visit contribute to reconstruction on the basis of the enduring
values of a country which is an integral part of Europe. My hope is that
from the ancient Christian roots of this land there will come forth a
powerful stream of life-giving sap which will ensure that, at the dawn of a
new millennium, a true humanism will flourish for the generations to come.
I trust especially that Christians will give a decisive impulse to the new
evangelisation, offering in all generosity their witness to Christ the
Lord, the Redeemer of man.
Invoking divine assistance upon the entire Croatian nation, I bless you all
from my heart.

***

6.  POPE'S SPEECH IN FRONT OF THE ZAGREB CATHEDRAL 02. OCTOBER 1998.
October 2, 1998

1. Dear people of Zagreb and of all Croatia, dear young people and
families: peace be with you!
Here, before this majestic Cathedral, a monument of faith and art which
preserves the remains of the Servant of God Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac, I
greet you in the name of the Risen Christ, the one Savior of the world, and
I embrace you all with great affection!

My thoughts go to all the beloved people of this country, to whose noble
traditions of civilization I am pleased to pay homage. In a particular way,
I address you Christians, who, according to the words of the Apostle Peter,
must be "prepared to make a defence to any one who calls you to account for
the hope that is in you" (1 Pet 3:15).

I thank Providence which has guided my steps and brought me back once more
to Croatia. The words of one of your poets come spontaneously to my lips:
"Here all are brothers to me / I feel really at home . . ." (D. Domjanic,
Kaj). I would like to be able to greet personally all the people of this
land, whatever their social condition: from farmers to manual workers, from
housewives to professionals, from sailors and fishermen to office workers
and people of culture and science; from the youngest to the elderly and the
sick. My good wishes of peace and hope go to everyone!

2. With affection I turn particularly to you young people, who have come
out in such great numbers to greet me upon my arrival in your country. I am
especially pleased that my pilgrimage is starting off under the sign of
young people.

Dear friends, in you I greet the future of this region and of the Church in
Croatia. Today Christ is knocking at the door of your hearts: open the door
to welcome him in! He has the complete answers to your expectations. With
him, under the loving gaze of the Blessed Virgin Mary, you will be able to
build your future creatively.

Draw inspiration from the Gospel! In the light of its teaching you will be
able to cultivate a healthy critical spirit in the face of fashionable
conformity, and you will succeed in bringing to your world the liberating
newness of the Beatitudes. Learn to distinguish between good and evil,
without being hasty in judging. This is the wisdom which must be the mark
of every mature person.

3. The citizen, particularly the believer, has precise responsibilities
with regard to his own homeland. Your country expects from you a
significant contribution in the different areas of social, economic,
political and cultural life. Its future will be better to the degree that
each one of you makes a commitment to self-improvement.

Human life on this earth entails difficulties of various kinds: solutions
to these are certainly not to be found by seeking refuge in hedonism,
consumerism, drugs or alcohol. I exhort you to face adversities with
courage, to look for answers to them in the light of the Gospel. You must
rediscover the resources of faith, so that you can draw from them the
strength to bear courageous and consistent witness. The Servant of God
Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac, who tomorrow - God willing - I shall raise to
the honors of the altar, encouraged the youth of his day: "Pay attention to
yourselves and continue to grow up, because without people who are solid
and mature from a moral point of view nothing is accomplished. The greatest
patriots are not those who shout the loudest, but those who most
conscientiously fulfil the law of God" (Homilies, Speeches, Messages,
Zagreb 1996, p. 97).

May your youthful enthusiasm, nourished by a profound relationship with
God, never fade. In this regard, the same Cardinal Stepinac said to his
priests: "Put far from our youth all faint-heartedness, as though it were
the plague, for it is unworthy of Catholics, who can boast so great a name
as is the name of our God" (Letters from Prison, Zagreb 1998, p. 310).

4. I have ardently desired to make this second Visit to Croatia in order to
continue the pilgrimage of faith, hope and peace begun in September 1994.
Now, happily, the war is no more. My hope is that there will never again be
war in this noble country. May this land, together with the entire region,
become an abode of peace: true and lasting peace, which is always built
upon justice, respect for others and the coexistence of different peoples
and cultures.

Croatia, an integral part of Europe, has definitively closed a painful
chapter of its history, leaving behind the terrible tragedies of the
twentieth century in order to look towards the new millennium with a
fervent desire for peace, freedom, solidarity and cooperation among
peoples. I wish to quote here the words spoken by my Predecessor of
venerable memory, Pius XII, on 24 December 1939: "A fundamental basis for a
just and honorable peace is the guarantee of the life and independence of
all Nations, big and small, strong and weak" (AAS, 32 [1940], p. 10). These
words retain all their value also in the prospect of the new millennium
which is now at the threshold. But they are also words which call upon
every individual Nation to model its own juridical system according to what
is demanded of the State ruled by law, thanks to the growing respect for
the aspirations rooted in the innate dignity of the citizens who make up
the State.

It is my hope that the fundamental rights of the person will be ever better
recognized and embraced in this country, beginning with the right to life
from its very first moments until its natural end. The degree of a Nation's
civilization is measured by the compassion which it shows its weakest and
most needy members, and by its commitment to work for their rehabilitation
and their full insertion into the life of society.

5. The Church feels called to be part of this process of human promotion.
She knows, however, that her first and primary duty is to make her
contribution by proclaiming the Gospel and forming consciences. In
fulfilling this task she counts on each one of you, dear faithful people
who are listening to me today: she counts on your witness and, before all
else, on your prayers.

It is by prayer, in fact, that we open ourselves to the constant saving
presence of God in the life of every person and every people. Communion
with God nourishes courage and hope in our hearts. May each one of you
rediscover the immense treasures hidden in personal and community prayer!
With all my heart I hope that the people of Croatia will remain faithful to
Christ also in the future. This faithfulness holds the secret of true
freedom: it is Christ, in fact, who "for freedom . . . has set us free"
(Gal 5:1). And this freedom, as one of your poets sings, "is a gift in
which God Most High has given us every treasure" (I. Gundulic, Dubravka).

6. Goodbye until tomorrow at the Shrine of Marija Bistrica! I now invoke
the blessing of God and the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary upon all
of you here present, upon all who have joined us by radio and television,
and upon all the people of this country. May the Lord grant you steadfast
faith, active harmony and the wisdom to make decisions inspired by the
common good.
And may there never disappear from your lips the beautiful greeting which I
too now address to you:
Praised by Jesus and Mary!

***

7. GREETINGS TO THE HOLY FATHER IN FRONT OF THE ZAGREB CATHEDRAL
Msgr. Josip Bozanic, Archbishop of Zagreb President of the Croatian
Conference of Bishops
October 2, 1998

Holy Father!

This day, on which the Church observes the Feast of the Holy Guardian
Angels, could not have been made more beautiful and meaningful to us in
Croatia and especially here in Zagreb, than by this meeting with you, who
come to us as the Angel of Our Hope!

Few cities have had the joy and honor of welcoming the Pope on two
occasions. Our Zagreb and all its citizens are accordingly proud, honored
and grateful today.

Allow me, therefore, Holy Father, to present to you this grateful multitude
of young people from Zagreb and the rest of Croatia. On their behalf, on
behalf of my brothers in the Episcopate, and on my personal behalf, I wish
you a heartfelt welcome!

Here, before what we like to call Stepinac's Cathedral, we stand today in
holy exaltation and pride. The people of Zagreb and the countless faithful
of our Homeland during the past decades have transformed this cathedral
into a place of pilgrimage, the grave site of our martyr and teacher
Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac, whom tomorrow, Holy Father, in Marija Bistrica
you will elevate to level of beatification, a model for our faith.

Holy Father, the allocutions you imparted to us in Zagreb four years ago,
as a pilgrim of peace, still echo in our memories. Now for the second time
you are with us in our Homeland, in order to guide us even more forcefully
according to the Gospels and indicate the paths for proper growth.

Here, before you now, is a particularly numerous assembly of young people.
They represent the young people of our Homeland. They have come to meet
with you in order to encounter Christ together with you. In you they find
their true friend. Four years ago, you urged them to be builders of peace
by first changing their own hearts. "Only God is a safe foundation for the
life and the inviolable dignity of each individual," you told them then.
When you reflected on the Jubilee Year 2000, you wrote: "The future of the
world and the Church belongs to the young generations who, born in this
century, will be mature in the future century, the first in the new
millennium" (Tertio millennio adveniente, 58).

Holy Father, young people await your words in order to find in them the
light for their lives, courage for their march into the future and impetus
for building a new civilization of love. Angel of Our Hope, we ask you to
confirm us in faith and through the power of the Holy Spirit, fortify us in
our faith and show us the path and lead us toward the third millennium -
Christ's and ours.
Holy Father, welcome to our Zagreb, the capital city of Croatia!

***

8. Fra Jozo Grbes, Chicago
PROCLAMATION OF CARDINAL STEPINAC DAY IN CHICAGO AND NAMING OF THE STREET

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR CITY OF CHICAGO
RICHARD M. DALEY MAYOR

PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, Aloysius Stepinac was born on May 8, 1898, to a peasant family in
a village near Krasic, Croatia; and WHEREAS, on October 26, 1930, Stepinac
was ordained a Roman Catholic priest; seven years later, on December 7,
1937, Stepinac became archbishop of Zagreb,Croatia; and WHEREAS, in
response for his refusal to sever his ties to the Roman Catholic Church,
the communist government for former Yugoslavia falsely accused him of Nazi
collaboration.  Following a mock trial on October 11, 1946, he was found
guilty and imprisoned for sixteen years; and WHEREAS, on January 12, 1953,
Pope Pius XII made Stepinac a Cardinal.

Although a Cardinal, the communist government refused to allow him to
perform his duties and he remained in Krasic under house arrest until his
death on February 10, 1960; and WHEREAS, in June, 1993, an autopsy was
performed on Cardinal Stepinac's body and it revealed that he was
systematically poisoned while he was imprisoned and therefore died a
martyr; and WHEREAS, the Croatian-American community, which comprises
approximately 150,000 individuals in the city of Chicago, seeks to honor
the memory of Cardinal Stepinac by designating Princeton Avenue between
26th and 33rd Streets as "Cardinal Stepinac Way".

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RICHARD M. DALEY, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO, do
hereby proclaim October 3, 1998, as CARDINAL STEPINAC DAY IN CHICAGO, in
recognition of his lifelong dedication to the cause of political, religious
and human rights that has made him a symbol of greatness to the
Croatian-American community and to the city of Chicago. Dated this 1st Day
of October, 1998.


Richard M. Daley
Major

###


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