Thursday, August 15, 2013 the day of the Feast of the Assumption (Velika Gospa) WTTW Prime in Chicago will be rebroadcasting the documentary film called “They Never Walked Alone” that celebrates 100 years of St. Jerome Croatian parish located in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood. The film will air starting at 2:00 pm CST.
Category: Religion
Pope Francis and his encounters with Croatians in Argentina and Brasil
Pope Francis, as a cardinal of Buenos Aires, encountered Croatians in Argentina in various occasions. He concelebrated during a mass dedicated to blessed Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac (1898-1960). His personal confessor was Croatian Franciscan Berislav Ostojić. We express our gratitude to Carmen Verlichak, Croatian-Argentinean writer living in Buenos Aires, for providing us with interesting photos.
Carmen Verlichak Croatian-Argentinean writer published a monograph El Cardenal Stepinac in Buenos Aires 2013
In 2013 Carmen Verlichak, Croatian-Argentiean writer living in Buenos Aires, wrote a monograph about Blessed Cardinal dr. Alojzije Stepinac 1898-1960, entitled El Cardenal Stepinac. It has been published by the Krivodol Press in Argentinean’s capital. This is the first monograph in Castellano about this important historical and religious figure published in South America. In 1998 Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac was beatified by Pope John Paul II in Marija Bistrica, during his second Apostolic visit to Croatia.
Fr. Ante Gabric, S.J. – An Apostle of the Sundarbans, Croatian missionary in Bengal, India
Many among those who worked and lived with Fr. Ante continue to give witness to the holiness of this great missionary they knew, and some are convinced that ‘God visited us in the form of Fr. Ante Gabric’. The work started by Fr. Ante and other missionaries is being continued today among the Santals, who are much more deserving and are still in the periphery, but witnessing to the faith by their lives. The Calcutta Jesuit province while thanking the Lord for giving a worthy and zealous missionary to Bengal thank also the Croatian Province and the people Croatia for their continued prayerful support for the ever growing mission today. The article was written by Fr. Irudaya Jothi SJ of the Calcutta Jesuit Province.
Happy Easter from distinguished Croatian painter Zdenka Sertic 1899-1986
Zdenka Sertić 1899-1986 studied painting in Zagreb, Berlin and Paris, and specialized in drawings related to Croatian folklore. From 1939 to 1941 directed the Ethnographic Museum in Zagreb. She painted some of the most beautiful Croatian postage stamps, and participated in exhibitions in Paris, Leipzig, Barcelona, Berlin, Kopenhagen, Haag and Bruxelles. She also painted several beautiful Easter greeting cards, that we show in this article. According to Dr. Vedran Deletis, NY, “Croatian glagolitic Lenten chants retrace a venerable and direct link to our ancestors, our roots, and our religious belief. Born out of Middle Ages, they continue to extend an unbroken tradition of Croatian history…”
Cantores Maruli vocal quartet promoting Renaissance music and distinguished Croatian guitarist Petar Culic
Male vocal quartet Cantores Maruli, from the city of Split, promotes religious repertoire written by recognised or neglected Croatian composers. The name Cantores Maruli (Marul’s Singers) wishes to pay a tribute to a famous Croatian Renaissance writer Marko Marulić – Marul 1450.-1524., named “the father of Croatian literature”. The quartet cherishes rich Croatian cultural heritage and emphasises its importance within the contemporary environment. We also present Petar Čulić, distinguished Croatian classical guitarist.
Merry Christmas to Mr. Slobodan Praljak and to Mr. Dario Kordic with their families
Christmas of joy and pain.
Dr. Borislav Arapović: A Remarkable Address Given by a Croatian Minister to Those Going to War 1778
An amazing anti-war, pacifist sermon was given in 1778 by an anonymous Croatian preacher to Croatian soldiers, immediately before the battle between Austrian and Prussian troops in Bohemia. While the Croatian original is still unknown, that same year eight translations were published in German in 1778, Dutch in 1778 (in the Hague (sic!), Amsterdam, and Leeuwarden), in Swedish in 1778 and 1779, and in Latvian in 1804 and 1805. The existing documents have been published by Dr. Borislav Arapović, Croatian scholar living in Stockholm, honorary president of the Biblical Institute in the capital of Sweden, foreign member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Gradovrh a new web portal for Croats in Tuzla is launched
Until its destruction, the Gradovrh monastery was a spiritual and cultural center for Croatian Catholics in the northeastern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina centered around Tuzla. Even though the monastery no longer exists, its name is still revered by Croats in the Tuzla area to this day. Not only does the journal published by Matica Hrvatska in Tuzla carry its name, but a new website aims to preserve Gradovrh’s legacy in this digital age and report on the situation of Croats there.
Bosnia and Herzegovina where the God weeps
Even though religious freedom is enshrined in the 1995 constitution (Article 2), there are alarming cases of discrimination and violence. Muslims, Catholics and Orthodox have all reported many cases of aggression and religious intolerance. Religious practice is relatively low but there are some areas where religion is taken very seriously. Examples of this include the Croatian Catholic communities in Bosnia, where they are a minority. They find themselves in a difficult position, fighting for survival… Martyred nuns have been beatified in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2011.
The Society to Preserve the Millvale Murals of Croatian painter Maxo Vanka
 Maxo Vanka’s murals for Millvale’s Croatian Church of St. Nicholas are a unique contribution to the American mural movement of the 1930s and 1940s. The Society to Preserve the Millvale Murals of Maxo Vanka is a nonprofit public supported historic art preservation organization. Vanka’s work touches upon common themes of his era, including family, labor, and war, but with a focus upon the disenfranchised and the dispossessed.
Collegium pro musica sacra Croatian choir founded in 1972 celebrates 40 years of existence
Collegium pro musica sacra, Croatian choir specialised for churhc music ranging from Gregorian coral to modern sacral music, with a special emphasis on Croatian church music,ÂÂ has been founded in 1972, ie. 40 years ago. It was founded by s. Imakulata Malinka on the photo, who directed the choir until 1999, and since then until 2010 it was directed by s. Cecilija Pleša. Now the Collegium pro musica sacra is conducted by Iva Juras, prof. The choir has won silver medals at the Internation choir competition in Jerusalem, Israel, in 1996, then in Bremen in 2004in Rome 2009, and gold medal at the International competition of choirs held in Bratislava, Slovakia, in 2010.
The Righteous Road of Stepinac – film by Jakov Sedlar produced by FILMIND Tel Aviv
Important testimonies of Amiel Schromony (1917-2009), Dan Baran and others about blessed cardinal Alojzije Stepinac (1898-1960) in a film by Jakov Sedlar. Text written by Rev. Živko Kustić, narrated by Rick Alerson, produced by Ron Assouline, Jakov Sedlar and Igor Prizmić, executive producers Dominik Sedlar and Stephen Ollendorf. Digital postproduction by FILMIND – Tel Aviv, 2009. Available on YouTube since February 2012.
Msgr. John E. Kozar Croatian American appointed president of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association
Msgr. John E. Kozar, former national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States, has been appointed president of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association and the Pontifical Mission for Palestine. John E. Kozar: “Family. It is, perhaps, what comes to mindmost often during the Christmas Season. So at this time of year then, I think often of my visits with our mission family…” … “Family in need. Family offering loving service. And through it all, you are there – at Christmas and all through the year – supporting, in prayer and generous sacrifice, the Church in the Missions in its outreach to the poor. May the hope and peace of the Lord be with you in the coming year!”
Branko Fucic 1920-1999, representative collection of conference papers published about his life and work
Sixty three conference papers from the International Scholarly Seminar on the Life and Work of Academician Branko Fučić (1920-1999) have been published in 2011 in voluminous, representative monograph comprising 844 pp. Branko Fučić was distinguished expert in Croatian Glagolitic Script, in the history of Croatian church art, in particular for the area of Istria, dr. honoris causa in theology, and recipient of Herder’s prize in Vienna. The monograph has been edited by dr. Tomislav Galović of the Faculty of Arts and Letters, University of Zagreb.
International conference in Carmelite convent of St. Elijah in Busko Blato in Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Carmelite convent of St. Eliah in Buško Blato in B&H and the Society Passion Heritage from Croatia’s capital Zagreb organized a very succesful international conference dedicated to passion heritage of Croatians in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The accompaning program included two concerts of sacral music of Croatians in B&H, with participation of original groups in fantastic national costumes from various parts of the country. The principal organizer of the conference was F. Zvonko Martić, on the photo.
Pope Benedict XVI in Croatia's capital Zagreb 4 and 5 June 2011
“I offer my most cordial greetings to the beloved land of Croatia!” Here I would like to introduce the main topic of my brief reflection: the theme of conscience . This cuts across all the different fields in which you are engaged and it is fundamental for a free and just society, both at national and supranational levels. Truly, the great achievements of the modern age – the recognition and guarantee of freedom of conscience, of human rights, of the freedom of science and hence of a free society – should be confirmed and developed while keeping reason and freedom open to their transcendent foundation, so as to ensure that these achievements are not undone, as unfortunately happens in not a few cases.
Zvonko Martic & Vido Bagur authors of ethno monograph about Croatians in B&H
Carmelite monk f. Zvonko Martić on the photo and Vidoslav Vido Bagur are authors of important monograph in Croatian and English dealing with national costumes, dances, customs of Croatians throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina: Vila bana zvala priko Vrana (A Fairy Called the Viceroy Over the Mountian of Vran) . The book has 200 pp. and about 100 pp contain luxorous photos. The monograph is accompanied with two DVD-s containing numerous dances and songs.
Pope Benedict XVI on his apostolic visit to Croatia 4 and 5 June 2011
Croatia will soon host pope Benedict XVI on 4 and 5 June 2011, which is the National Day of Croatian Families. The slogan of his visit is “Together in Christ”. For that occasion a very nice song has been composed, in which about 30 Croatian singers participate. The first international recognition of Croatia came in 879 from Pope John VIII, ie. 1132 years ago!
Blessed Easter to Mr. Gotovina, Mr. Markac, Mr. Praljak, Mr. Kordic and their families
Happy and blessed Easter to Mr. Ante Gotovina, Mr. Mladen Markac, Mr. Slobodan Praljak, Mr. Darijo Kordić, and their families from Nenad Bach, Darko Žubrinić, CROWN Team and from the readers of the CROWN. Happy and blessed Easter to all the people of good will.