Archbishop Vukšić celebrated the Eucharist together with the archbishop of Vrhbosna in peace, Cardinal Vinko Puljić and about 30 priests concelebrating.

At the beginning, Msgr. Vukšić greeted those present, especially rev. Zubak, and then the oldest among the Vrhbosna canons, Msgr. Pavo Jurišić, a professor at the Catholic Faculty of Theology, reminded that the new residential canon of the Chapter of Vrhobosna, rev. Zubak is the current director of the Catholic school center Sv. Franjo in Tuzla and parish priest in Husino parish, and briefly presented his life path.

Then the Chancellor of the Vrhbosna Archdiocese, rev. Mladen Kalfić read the decree by which Archbishop Vukšić, on January 4^th, appointed rev. Marko Zubak resident canon of Vrhbosna chapter and archdeacon of Fojnica archdeaconry.

Pray, listen and learn

The special sermon was delivered by a new canon who recalled the words of the late Đakovo bishop Ćiril Kos that he did not recognize himself twice in his life: the first time when the UDBA condemned and imprisoned him, and the second time when he received some recognition. "Today I do not recognize myself in the role of the one who receives recognition, because it is not a recognition but a cross. And if it is a recognition, then it is not only me. This is a recognition to all those who love this Archdiocese, i.e. the Church, God and people. This is a tribute to all those who are always on the side of the disenfranchised, the small, the unprotected... This is a tribute to my late parents, father Ante, who was killed by UDBA in 1971 in Germany, just because his name was Anto and he corresponded with parish priest Pero Anić, my baptist, and helped build the church, and I was only two years old at the time. This is a tribute to my late mother Ana, who at the age of 35 was left alone with us six children without any income, and she raised and fed us all and educated. This is a tribute to all my professors and educators, colleagues and friends", said rev. Marko and thanked the Archbishop for the trust given to him as well as the current canons.

"When I came to this cathedral as a theologian in 1989, Archbishop Jozinović preached sitting down due to his illness, and canons Miro Petrović and Milidrag Bujas passed away soon after. We got to know and remember professors and canons Mate Zovkić and Pero Pranjić well. With rev. Ivan Mrša, canon and parish priest here in the cathedral, I was a deacon in 1994. Here I baptized my first child, little Stefani, on the feast of St. Stephen", said rev. Zubak, reminding that he has been entrusted with certain services that he did not know how to perform. "Now again I don't know what this service should include, except to pray, listen and learn... And every service in the Church is given for personal building and the building of the entire Church community. That's why today, together with St. Thomas, I pray: My God, don’t forget me when I forget You. Do not forsake me, Lord, when I forsake You. Do not depart from me, when I depart from You. Call me when I flee from You, draw me if I oppose You. Lift me up when I fall. Lord, my God, grant me: a woke heart so that no vain thought may turn me away from you, a righteous heart so that no evil intention can mislead me, a firm heart that can bravely face any adversity, a free heart so that no restless passion can overpower it. Give me, please, the will that seeks you, the wisdom that finds you, the life that pleases you and the confidence that I will have you in the end", he said at the end of the sermon.

After the homily, rev. Zubak prayed and signed a confession of faith and an oath to conscientiously perform the canonical service at the altar.

Towards the end of the Holy Mass celebration, Archbishop Vukšić introduced the new canon into service, handing him the choir vest - a purple mantle and the canonical cross, and introduced him to the canonical bench in the presbytery of the cathedral.

The Holy Mass celebration ended with the singing of the grateful hymn Tebe Boga hvalimo (We praise You, God), and a solemn blessing, reports KTA. The liturgical singing was animated by the Cathedral Mixed Choir Josip Stadler under the direction of rev. Marko Stanušić, and were assisted by theologians led by the cathedral master of ceremonies, rev. Ivan Rako.

Who is the new canon?

Rev. Marko Zubak was born in 1969 in the parish of Kulina in the Derventa deanery. He attended high school in Zadar at Vicko Zmajević Archdiocese's Seminary. He completed his studies in theology at the Vrhbosna Catholic Theology in Sarajevo (that is, in Bol on island Brač, due to the war events). He was ordained a priest in Kakanj in 1995 (also because of the war). During his priesthood, he held various positions in the Archdiocese of Vrhbosna: he was parish vicar in the parish of Crkvica in Zenica, head of publishing activities in the Archdiocese's Ordinariate and editor of Vrhbosna, temporary administrator of the parish of Deževica, parish priest in Bijelo Brdo and administrator of the Kulina parish, vice rector, and then spiritual guide of the seminarians at the Archdiocesan Seminary Petar Barbarić in Travnik, chancellor of the Vrhbosna Archdiocese, rector of the Vrhbosna Theological Seminary, parish priest in Bijeljina and manager of the Par Selo parish. Currently, the director of KŠC Sv. Franjo in Tuzla and manager of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary parish in Husino.