As part of a multi-day visit to the Churches in Bosnia and Hercegovina, the delegation of the American Bishops’ Conference stayed in Banja Luka on the 24th and 25th of September. The delegation, led by Archbishop and Metropolitan of Chicago Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, also included: Msgr. Jeffrey Monforton, auxiliary bishop of Detroit who is also the chairman of the Subcommittee for Church Aid in Central and Eastern Europe and Jeniffer Healy, assistant director of the Office for Church Aid in Central and Eastern Europe.
On the first day, they met with the Bishop of Banja Luka, Mons. Zeljko Majic. The meeting was attended by: Mons. Karlo Visaticki (vicar general) and Mons. Ivica Bozinovic (economist).
Bishop Majic thanked the representatives of the Bishops’ Conference for all the goof they have done for the Diocese of Banja Luka and briefly presented the situation within the Diocese which is that in the last 30 years, the Diocese has been without over 80% of believers from prior to the war and where eight priests and one nun were killed at the altar in odium fidei.
Cardinal Cupich said that the reason for their visit was to meet up close – “to touch” – the local Churches to better understand the situation they are in so that in accordance with their capabilities, they can help the Church that is suffering.
The first day ended with a fraternal dinner where, along with members of the Ordinariate, retired priests from the Clergy House and the parish priests of the Banja Luka were present.
On the second day, after mass, the delegation visited the parish church and monastery of St. Anthony of Padua in Presnace, Caritas centre: Home for the poor and disabled “St. John Paul II”, the kindergarten “St. Ana”, the Trappist Abbey “Marija Zvijezda”, Catholic School “Bl. John Merz” and the parish and monastery of “St. Little Theresa”. They ended the visit with a pilgrimage and prayer to the Chapel of Bl. John Merz in the Banja Luka Cathedral of St. Bonaventure where the blessed relics are kept.
The members of the delegation followed, with interest, the presentation of employees in parishes and institutions. They also met with children in kindergarten and students of KSC “Bl. John Merz.” In Presnace, in the memorial room, they signed the memorial book and prayed at the place of martyrdom of Fr. Filip Lukenda and Sr. Cecilija Grgic.
After the visit to the Church in Banja Luka, the delegation, accompanied by the vicar general, went to Zagreb, which is the capital city of the country of which Cardinal Cupich’s grandparents moved to America from more than 100 years ago. (kta)
