In the chapel of St. Dominic with archbishop Vukšić, the apostolic administrator of the Military Ordinariate in BiH, also concelebrated the parish priest of Goražde rev. Josip Tadić, retired professor of Catholic theological faculty (KBF) rev. Božo Odobašić and rev. Ante Luburić the parish priest of Nevesinje and Trebinje.

The Holy Mass also gathered a few nuns of the Society of Daughters of God’s love (KBLJ) led by the provincial head sister Gordana Igrec, and a significant number of believers.

Grow in humbleness

Msgr. Tomo in an appropriate sermon reminded of the words from the Holy scripture “be the followers of God”. “Followers of God is actually the whole wisdom of complete Christian life and all the wisdom of following the examples of the saints. One of those saints gathered us here today, the protector of this parish on the eastern border of the archdiocese of Sarajevo, St. Dominic, the follower of God, above all by the virtue of humility, by the virtue of prayer, by the virtue of witnessing and announcing the Joyous news, ie this basic message to be the followers of God (…) I don’t know if you know, but this year marks 800 years since St. Dominic from this world went on to the saints. Eight hundred years this year is a anniversary that marks this day, but the whole of Catholic church as well and especially the whole Dominican province – male and female on the level of all Croatian people – because at the same time with the 800 years since St. Dominic’s death marks 800 years of Dominican presence in these areas. True, one or two years difference, but because it is 800 years even since death of St. Dominic, at the same time we mark both anniversaries”, reminded Msgr. Vukšić and spoke about virtues of St. Dominic specially pointing out humbleness.

“Today we want St. Dominic and all Christian preachers, holy Christian preachers to be – not only our examples to look at as followers of God – but advocates so we can constantly grow, progress, firstly in our own dedication, through building of our own humbleness, through our own serving of Gospel and through witnessing  before this world so the Church of Christ on this Earth can grow, of course, firstly in holiness and spirituality, but also in numbers and statistically so it can move forward in missionary sense”, said, among other things, Archbishop Coadjutor. 

In the end pastor Tadić addressed the gathered by welcoming them and said words of gratitude and then referred to the program that followed.

Also, before the blessings, words of gratitude were said by Archbishop Vukšić who reminded that the rosary was created in the Dominican order, and asked the gathered to take the rosaries that he brought.

Blessing in community

After the Holy Mass, gathered believers kept briefly talking in front of the parish office and then went to the place where the new church of the Blessed Martyrs of Drina was built.

There, the believers were joined by the archpriest Mihajlo Andrić, the mufti of Goražde Remzija ef. Pitić and imam Dženan ef. Imamović and the mayor of Goražde Ernest Imamović.

The service of the word was done after which rev. Ante read the Charter that was then put in to a metal capsule by rev. Josip and Msgr. Tomo and then laid in one of the cornerstones, and then the parish priest poured concrete over it.

In the end, the parish priest and archbishop coadjutor thanked everyone who spiritually, materially and with their work participated in the project of building the church calling the act of blessing “mutual voice sent to Heavens”.

Then, all together went to the memorial of the Drina martyrs where the litanies were prayed and the prayer for their proclamation for saints, and photographing was done.

The gathered then went for a common lunch.