In a message written by Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone - published in Vatican daily broadsheet L’Osservatore Romano - the Pope invited bishops of Bosnia-Hertzegovina and Croatia who attended a joint assembly at the end of January in Srajevo, to show “due attention to the serious question of the future of the Catholic population in Bosnia-Hertzegovina.”
Present at the assembly, were all bishops of Bosnia-Hertzegovina and 19 bishops from Croatia. Archbishop Alessandro D’Errico, Apostolic Nuncio to Bosnia-Hertzegovina also attended the assembly.
During the solemn celebration held in Sarajevo Cathedral, on 30 January he addressed the following words to bishops, priests, clerics and faithful: “As you know, in Bosnia- Herzegovina we are facing a particularly delicate situation which affects the future of the Catholic faith in the Country.
Unfortunately, as has been stressed on a number of occasions, statistical data collected each year from diocesan curiae is not encouraging. Thus, in their pastoral letter last 8 December, Bishops of Bosnia-Herzegovina renewed their concerns regarding the situation, nevertheless expressing their trust in the action of the Spirit of God which guides history.
In this context, we must be very grateful – he continued – to the Cardinal Secretary of State for the important message he sent - on behalf of the Holy Father - to our bishops present here.”
A message of condemnation recently came from the Archbishop of Sarajevo, Cardinal Vinko Puljic, who said that “ethnic cleansing” in the Bosnian Serb Republic - Republic of Sprska – “is in fact admissible and consented by the international community.”
The cardinal, who was interviewed just a few weeks ago by the Pontifical Foundation Aid to the Church in Need, stated: “Everything here is in the hands of the Muslims and they are using every means possible to try to get us to leave the Country.”
On top of this, it is very difficult to obtain permission to build new religious buildings, whilst in Sarajevo more than 70 mosques are “have been financed by Saudi petrodollars in recent years.”
“This Joint Meeting”, the letter reads, “is a further sign of the Catholic Church's unity in Croatia and in Bosnia-Herzegovina. This unity consists not only of affectio collegalis but also of a common vision of the role, responsibilities and activities of the Church. It is nourished with the same devotion to the Holy Father, with sincere ecclesial commitment in the face of the challenges that the Croatian people in the area find themselves confronting and also with exemplary interventions of solidarity for the poorest and neediest social categories.”
“Unfortunately, as you well know” - the Secretary of State wrote on behalf of the Pope - “the data are alarming: “from about 800,000 Catholics in 1991, they have dwindled to about 440,000 today. In many parishes only the elderly are left; according to the annual statistics of the diocesan curias, the number of Catholics never stops falling. The causes of this sad phenomenon are known: the 1990s war brought about a huge loss in human lives and ecclesiastical structures; refugees did not return to the numbers many had hoped for; the difficult economic situation is forcing many young people to leave the Country, especially due to a lack of jobs. But there is also another element causing particular concern, that is the Country’s decreasing birth rate and consequent population decline.”
“The gravity of the situation” - one reads further - “demands that you, as Pastors and primarily responsible for the People of God in this region, of common accord intensify your commitment to the future of the Church in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Discouragement and resignation must be combated and personal involvement in the matter of survival must be encouraged”.
“The Holy Father” - Cardinal Bertone's letter says - “hopes that the collegial reflection of the two Episcopal Conferences will help inspire useful initiatives, to ensure that the Croatian people can continue to carry out their ecclesial mission in Bosnia- in Herzegovina and to make their valuable contribution to the civil life of the country.”