In the Eucharistic communion with the nuncio were 20 priests, including: the envoy of the Archbishop of Vrhbosna, Tomo Vukšić, the canon and archdeacon of Fojnica, Rev. Marko Zubak, the provincial delegate for the Carmelite sisters of the Croatian Carmelite Province and spiritual assistant of the International Federation of barefoot (discalced) Carmelite Monasteries in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia and Albania, father Jakov Mamić, the rector of the Archdiocesan Missionary International Seminary Redemptoris Mater in Vogošća, Rev. Michele Capasso, the definitor of the Province of Bosna Srebrena, OFM Miro Relota, and the parish priest of Stup and dean of the Sarajevo Deanery, Rev. Miroslav Ćavar.

The Holy Mass was also attended by nuns from various congregations active in Sarajevo, led by two provincial superiors: sister Vinka Bilješko (Sisters of Mercy) and sister Željka Dramac (of the Franciscan school sisters). Among the faithful who filled the monastery church was the Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ivan Sabolić, with his wife.

The liturgical singing was led by the Choir of the Vrhbosna Theological Seminary, Stjepan Hadrović, directed by the rector of the seminary, Rev. Ivan Rako.

"My Calling is Love"

In his homily (which you can download HERE), Nuncio Chullikatt recalled the occasion of the gathering of believers, which is the celebration of the 100^th anniversary of the canonization of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, who was declared a saint by Pope Pius XI. "She was a young Carmelite, who lived in the silence of the monastery in Lisieux, far from the noise of the world, and yet she became one of the most beloved and brightest spiritual figures of the entire Church. This centenary is not just a memory, but a living revelation: Therese still speaks to us today, guides us and awakens in us a longing for holiness", said Archbishop Francis of Assisi, and briefly presented the life of the saint who died in 1897 at the age of 24 and whom John Paul II proclaimed a Doctor of the Church and Patroness of the Missions in 1997. He particularly focused on her Little Journey and her saying: “My vocation is love. In the heart of the Church, my mother, I will be love!”

“St. Therese invites us to rediscover the heart of the Gospel. Not to be afraid of our own weakness, but to offer it to God with trust. Holiness is not reserved for a chosen few: it is a universal mission, possible for everyone. True love gives meaning to even the most humble things: a patient act, a kind word, a silent prayer. This Little Way is a path of freedom: it frees us from the fear of failure, from the anxiety of having to be perfect. God loves us not when we are strong, but precisely in our weakness, if we entrust ourselves to him. Therese, in the silence of Lisieux, paved the way of trust and surrender, along which we too are called today to walk with open hearts”, said the nuncio, encouraging those present to thank God “for the gift of this young Carmelite who, from her cloister, taught all of humanity the power of love.”

Gratitude for a Quarter Century of Carmelite Presence

After the prayer after communion and the singing of the Te Deum, the Archbishop of Vrhbosna addressed the audience, conveying the congratulations of Msgr. Vukšić, who was on a military pilgrimage to Lourdes, and recalled the beginnings of the restoration of the Sarajevo Carmel in 1997, and pointed out the courage of the sisters who came to the then war-ravaged suburb of Sarajevo and, with the wholehearted help of Cardinal Vinko Puljić, built a monastery. He wished the Carmelite community new spiritual vocations and said that they should never forget "that without you we would have difficulty persevering".

Then, on behalf of the Croatian Carmelite Province and the Provincial, father Vinko Mamić, father Jakov sent his congratulations, thanking the Vrhbosna Archdiocese and all who support the Sarajevo Carmel. He recalled that the Little Path of St. Therese "became a great path of holiness for millions of believers: a simple, strong path, a path of trust in the Father's love" and said that for Catholics in Sarajevo "this anniversary is more than a historical memory, because you have the presence of Carmel here that daily evokes and attends the speech of the Little Way of this Saint and offers you a heart that beats with the rhythm of love".

At the end, the words of thanks were delivered by the prioress of the monastery, sister M. Jelena of Christ the King, recalling the 25^th anniversary of the canonical foundation of the monastery. "We thank God for all the past years of our presence in the heart of this local Church. On this occasion, we also remember the very beginnings of the construction of this monastery at the request of Archbishop Msgr. Marko Jozinović and the post-war reconstruction of the destroyed monastery with the great commitment and perseverance of Cardinal Vinko Puljić, who a quarter of a century ago solemnly read the decree on the foundation of this monastery of the Immaculate Queen of Carmel on the foundations of the still destroyed monastery church", said sister Jelena.

A monastery emerged from the ruins

After the Holy Mass, those present stayed in the monastery courtyard where, thanks to the Stup parish and the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a military meal was prepared for everyone. For this occasion, the faithful from the Plehan parish, led by the parish priest and guardian, OFM Ante Tomas, made a pilgrimage to the Sarajevo Carmel, as well as pilgrims from all the Sarajevo parishes, as well as: Uskoplje, Žepče, Novi Šeher, Mostar, Vitez, Kiseljak, Posušje, Čitluk and other places.

The Carmelite sisters were invited to Sarajevo in 1988 by the then Archbishop Marko Jozinović, and two years later the foundation stone for the new monastery was laid. Just before the last war, in 1992, part of the monastery was completed and the sisters were supposed to come, but the war events prevented them from doing so. After the war, through the efforts and perseverance of Cardinal Vinko, the reconstruction of the destroyed monastery began, which was already able to accommodate eight sisters from the Croatian Carmelites on September 17^th, 2000. Thus, on the foundations of the church on September 23^rd 2000, a Holy Mass was celebrated in honour of the canonical founding of the new Carmelite order, and soon a new monastery and church sprang up. The canonical cloister of the monastery was established on July 16^th 2006, and two years later the monastery church was completed and consecrated. In 2018, the life of the Sarajevo Carmelite order was renewed thanks to the cooperation of the monastery of the Federation of Discalced Carmelites of Blessed Alojzije Stepinac, and this community today has eight members.