Eucharistic celebration in the parish church of St. Elijah, where a large number of believers gathered, and which is located near the aforementioned school, was led by the auxiliary bishop of Vrhbosna in peace, msgr. Pero Sudar together with 11 priests, among whom were: host priest OFM Marko Kepić, director of the Zenica KŠC, rev. Vlatko Rosić and the dean of Žepče, rev. Predrag Stojčević.

St. Paul - teacher and student

At the beginning of the Holy Mass, the words of greeting were delivered by parish priest Kepić, who briefly presented the importance of Paul and expressed his joy that the feast of his conversion is being solemnly celebrated in that parish due to the day of the KŠC.

In the appropriate sermon, Bishop Sudar first spoke about the Apostle of the People and reminded how St. Paul did not belong to the twelve disciples of Jesus, but he is among the most important apostles and together with St. Peter struck the foundations of the Church of Christ. He noted that more is known about his life than the lives of the other apostles because he presented himself in his epistles. Speaking about his conversion, the preacher recalled the words of St. Augustine, who asserted that an incredible miracle happened with Paul and that he turned from a wolf into a lamb. Reflecting on that very act, Bishop Pero recalled how Paul had Gamaliel as a teacher in his youth, who had his own school in Jerusalem and who tried to "fight" against the rigid understandings of the Old Testament. "He (Gamaliel) was on the trail of that of Jesus that the law is for the sake of man, not man for the sake of the law (...) He taught St. Paul, and what every teacher should teach his student, to question himself. A person cannot pass through worldly paths, cannot grow to the extent of a man if he does not question himself from time to time. That means asking whether what I am doing is really right?", said Msgr. Sudar and added that it is obvious that St. Paul, while persecuting Christians, examined his conscience and questioned the correctness of his own actions. "Only on healthy human thinking, on questioning and a sincere attitude towards life can God build his grace. Miracles can happen where there is restlessness of spirit, that healthy restlessness of spirit. That is why Paul, in front of the great teacher, as a disciple, grew into a teacher of the people. That's why he was able to become, as Pope Benedict XVI defines him: 'the greatest next to the Only One'", emphasized the preacher and former promoter of the System of Catholic Schools for Europe.

Explaining why the Zenica KŠC has St. Paul as its patron, Bishop Sudar said that this was because he was both a student and a teacher. "That's why St. Paul is a role model and a protector on the path of maturing into a man in fidelity to his own belief and the discovery that in God man reaches full meaning", said the Bishop of Vrhbosna in peace.

Worries, pains and lessons

After the Holy Mass in the amphitheatre of the KŠC, a formal academy was arranged, which began with the performance of the hymn of the System of Catholic Schools for Europe, after which Principal Rosić gave a welcome speech. "Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle, our patron saint, is an occasion in a festive spirit, first of all to thank God for all the benevolence showered on this Centre, to ask for intercession for future life and work, but also to celebrate the successes and awards of this Centre in promoting educational values", said rev. Vlatko and also mentioned the award that this school recently received from the Federal Ministry of Education for success in federal, state and international competitions in various teaching areas and for contributing to the implementation of activities that develop empathy, critical thinking skills, innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship and healthy lifestyles through curricular, extracurricular and outside the school engagement of students. "While we teach ideals to young people, we must renounce our delusions and idols that trap us and do not allow us to be free people. St. Paul, by the example of his life, and especially through his epistles, showed what it means to be completely free from everything earthly and to belong only to God, and to give oneself to the service of man", said director Rosić, presenting some of the most significant projects accomplished in the past year. He thanked everyone who participated in the preparation of the Day of the Centre and expressed his special satisfaction with the opening of the Paulus gallery, which exhibits student works created during the 28 years of the existence of KŠC "Sv. Pavao".

This was followed by an appropriate program prepared by professors - sisters Nada Abramović and Janja Jaković and professor Davorin Bošnjaković. It consisted of musical numbers performed by students Ema Zećo and Amina Bajramović and a play called Care, Pain and Lessons.

At the end, Bishop Pero gave the closing speech, who, along with the School Day congratulation, expressed his gratitude to all those who help the operation and growth of the Centre. "It is ideal to love another as oneself because we cannot understand another, we cannot feel what he needs if we do not know ourselves. That's why the school's first task is to help students get to know themselves. No matter how hard we try, each of us knows that, the man remains a secret", pointed out Msgr. Sudar with the desire for the Catholic School Centre to teach young people to search for and find meaning and to learn to love people, life, the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the invitation to seek their happiness in their homeland.

KŠC "Sv. Pavao" started its work in 1995, and it houses an elementary school and a general gymnasium. During almost three decades of its existence, it has become a recognizable educational institution in the City of Steel, but much more widely, which is evident through numerous awards and recognitions.

Day of KŠC "Sv. Pavao" was celebrated

Holy Mass and ceremonial academy on the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, January 25^th, Catholic school centre (KŠC) "Sv. Pavao" celebrated School Day in Zenica.

Eucharistic celebration in the parish church of St. Elijah, where a large number of believers gathered, and which is located near the aforementioned school, was led by the auxiliary bishop of Vrhbosna in peace, msgr. Pero Sudar together with 11 priests, among whom were: host priest OFM Marko Kepić, director of the Zenica KŠC, rev. Vlatko Rosić and the dean of Žepče, rev. Predrag Stojčević.

St. Paul - teacher and student

At the beginning of the Holy Mass, the words of greeting were delivered by parish priest Kepić, who briefly presented the importance of Paul and expressed his joy that the feast of his conversion is being solemnly celebrated in that parish due to the day of the KŠC.

In the appropriate sermon, Bishop Sudar first spoke about the Apostle of the People and reminded how St. Paul did not belong to the twelve disciples of Jesus, but he is among the most important apostles and together with St. Peter struck the foundations of the Church of Christ. He noted that more is known about his life than the lives of the other apostles because he presented himself in his epistles. Speaking about his conversion, the preacher recalled the words of St. Augustine, who asserted that an incredible miracle happened with Paul and that he turned from a wolf into a lamb. Reflecting on that very act, Bishop Pero recalled how Paul had Gamaliel as a teacher in his youth, who had his own school in Jerusalem and who tried to "fight" against the rigid understandings of the Old Testament. "He (Gamaliel) was on the trail of that of Jesus that the law is for the sake of man, not man for the sake of the law (...) He taught St. Paul, and what every teacher should teach his student, to question himself. A person cannot pass through worldly paths, cannot grow to the extent of a man if he does not question himself from time to time. That means asking whether what I am doing is really right?", said Msgr. Sudar and added that it is obvious that St. Paul, while persecuting Christians, examined his conscience and questioned the correctness of his own actions. "Only on healthy human thinking, on questioning and a sincere attitude towards life can God build his grace. Miracles can happen where there is restlessness of spirit, that healthy restlessness of spirit. That is why Paul, in front of the great teacher, as a disciple, grew into a teacher of the people. That's why he was able to become, as Pope Benedict XVI defines him: 'the greatest next to the Only One'", emphasized the preacher and former promoter of the System of Catholic Schools for Europe.

Explaining why the Zenica KŠC has St. Paul as its patron, Bishop Sudar said that this was because he was both a student and a teacher. "That's why St. Paul is a role model and a protector on the path of maturing into a man in fidelity to his own belief and the discovery that in God man reaches full meaning", said the Bishop of Vrhbosna in peace.

Worries, pains and lessons

After the Holy Mass in the amphitheatre of the KŠC, a formal academy was arranged, which began with the performance of the hymn of the System of Catholic Schools for Europe, after which Principal Rosić gave a welcome speech. "Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle, our patron saint, is an occasion in a festive spirit, first of all to thank God for all the benevolence showered on this Centre, to ask for intercession for future life and work, but also to celebrate the successes and awards of this Centre in promoting educational values", said rev. Vlatko and also mentioned the award that this school recently received from the Federal Ministry of Education for success in federal, state and international competitions in various teaching areas and for contributing to the implementation of activities that develop empathy, critical thinking skills, innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship and healthy lifestyles through curricular, extracurricular and outside the school engagement of students. "While we teach ideals to young people, we must renounce our delusions and idols that trap us and do not allow us to be free people. St. Paul, by the example of his life, and especially through his epistles, showed what it means to be completely free from everything earthly and to belong only to God, and to give oneself to the service of man", said director Rosić, presenting some of the most significant projects accomplished in the past year. He thanked everyone who participated in the preparation of the Day of the Centre and expressed his special satisfaction with the opening of the Paulus gallery, which exhibits student works created during the 28 years of the existence of KŠC "Sv. Pavao".

This was followed by an appropriate program prepared by professors - sisters Nada Abramović and Janja Jaković and professor Davorin Bošnjaković. It consisted of musical numbers performed by students Ema Zećo and Amina Bajramović and a play called Care, Pain and Lessons.

At the end, Bishop Pero gave the closing speech, who, along with the School Day congratulation, expressed his gratitude to all those who help the operation and growth of the Centre. "It is ideal to love another as oneself because we cannot understand another, we cannot feel what he needs if we do not know ourselves. That's why the school's first task is to help students get to know themselves. No matter how hard we try, each of us knows that, the man remains a secret", pointed out Msgr. Sudar with the desire for the Catholic School Centre to teach young people to search for and find meaning and to learn to love people, life, the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the invitation to seek their happiness in their homeland.

KŠC "Sv. Pavao" started its work in 1995, and it houses an elementary school and a general gymnasium. During almost three decades of its existence, it has become a recognizable educational institution in the City of Steel, but much more widely, which is evident through numerous awards and recognitions.