Bosnian Catholics in a ‘grave position,’ cardinal warns

Last updated on: June 23, 2014 at 11:44 am by CNA Daily News

Bosnian Catholics in a ‘grave position,’ cardinal warns 2014-06-23T11:44:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Vatican City, Jun 23, 2014 / 05:44 am (CNA/EWTN News).- During a recent conference in Bosnia discussing interreligious violence, Cardinal Vinko Puljic said Catholics face great persecution due to a lack of ethnic equality.

“We Catholics are in a grave position. There is no equality and this is a problem. There is no equality in the Serbian Republic, there is no equality in the federation,” the cardinal explained to CNA June 17.

"Where there is no equality, it isn’t possible to live in peace,” he added.

Cardinal Puljic is the sixth and current Archbishop of the Vrhbosna diocese in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. He participated in a June 16-17 Oasis conference discussing the temptation of violence among religions.

Held in Sarajevo, Bosnia, the conference brought together various international experts who discussed the theme “The Temptation of Violence: Religions between War and Reconciliation” in light of the 100-year anniversary of the First World War that began in the city with the 1914 assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie.

The cardinal noted holding the conference in Bosnia was particularly significant because of the country’s religious and ethnic diversity.

“Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country where we live together as Christians, Muslims, Jews but also where there are Christian traditions, Orthodox, Catholics,” he said. “This conference is very important to give an impulse not only for us Christians, but also for Muslims.”

“We want to create a paradigm for Europe where it is possible to live together with respect and human rights,” Cardinal Puljic said, noting that this “doesn’t depend only on communities of different religions.”

It also depends on “the international community and the local politics who need to create equality.”

Historically divided into three key ethnic groups, Bosnia-Herzegovina is composed of a majority of Muslim Bosniaks followed by a large percentage of mostly Orthodox Serbs and a great population of Croats, a majority of which are Catholic.

The current religious and ethnic situation is complex, Cardinal Puljic observed. The region has seen a series of wars, the most recent of which is the Bosnian War of 1992-1995 in which the country’s Serb population began a policy of ethnic “cleansing” in large areas of Bosnia inhabited by non-Serbs and Muslim, Croat and Serb populations who opposed their army.

“Local Christians are diverse,” Cardinal Puljic said. Catholics are a minority in the area whereas the Serbian Republic is mostly Orthodox and the Federation is a majority Muslim.

“Europeans always speak about Christians but for us it is very different,” the cardinal observed. “When we speak of Christians, we are about half-and-half, half Christian, half Muslim.”

“But also the Christians are not in the same situation, because (for) us Catholics it’s very important to create a climate of ecumenism,” he added, noting there are currently “great tensions between Orthodox Christians and Muslims” in Bosnia.

"We Catholics are like catalysts between them. We want to create tranquility” and “a climate of dialogue,” he continued, stating that although it’s not possible to solve every problem, it’s “necessary to always talk in order to destroy prejudice.”

Cardinal Puljic then recalled the many “very beautiful messages, beautiful words” spoken during the conference, saying that “for me this is like a small school. One receives a certain richness.”

“I am also very grateful that Europe has not forgotten Bosnia-Herzegovina” he said, adding that “this conference gives the message ‘you are not alone, we are with you.’”

Vatican

Previous Post

June 23, 2014

Sacred art evangelizes hearts, Catholic experts say

Next Post

June 23, 2014 Defend others before the Father, Pope Francis urges

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What did Jesus turn over in the temple?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Lamps Statues Scrolls Tables