On the second Lent Friday, OFM Stipan Radić, the diocesan director of the Pontifical Missionary Work (PMD) for the Archdiocese of Vrhbosna and parish priest of St. Anna in Bansko Brdo, Lepenica, lead the holy mass and sermon. The theme of the Sermon was missionaries from the Croatian people in the missionary missions of the Church.

Before the Mass celebration, the piety of the Way of the Cross was led by the parish priest of the cathedral parish and the Sarajevo’s dean, venerable Mato Majić, with the assistance and animation of the theologians of the Vrhbosna’s Seminary.

At the beginning of Mass celebration OFM Stipan Radić, the priests, deacons, theologians, nuns, and other believers were welcomed by the provost of the Vrhbosna capitol and rector of the cathedral, Msgr. Ante Meštrović.

Reflecting on the gospel, OFM Stipan reminded of the important role of Croats in the missionary world. “Accepting Christianity, Croatian believers accepted and seriously understood Christ's command to make all the nations his disciples and to teach them to keep what He commanded them. They did not close themselves to their national and state borders but readily responded to Christ's call and went among other nations and brought to them the Joyful news”, said OFM Stipan reminding how the first Croatian missionary, the first Croatian proclaimed saint and martyr is St. Nikola Tavelić.

“He was born in Šibenik around 1340. He had his first missionary experience in BiH, where he came around 1372. In Bosnia and Herzegovina he spread Christianity for 12 years - until 1384. - when he went to the Holy Land of Palestine, with three more brothers friars. On November 14^th 1391., in Jerusalem, he sealed his preaching with martyr death. He was proclaimed a saint on June 21^st 1970.”, the preacher said.

He also reminded of this age missionaries from the Church in Croats. “The last three missionaries from the Croatian people were the three Sisters of the Bosnia- Croatian Franciscan Province (sisters Ivka Lučić, Elizabeta Žuljević, Franciska Ivanović), who received the Mission Cross and their Mission here on October 21^st last year and went to mission to Uganda. We currently have 82 missionaries in 27 countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia, Oceania and in mission areas of Europe – 59 male missionaries and 23 female missionaries”, said OFM Stipan.

“Reading the Missionary media Radosna vijest (The Good News) and other sources about Croatian missionaries we can follow their work and see their sacrifice and nobility. On this occasion I will mention three bright examples from the recent history. Father Anto Gabrić - born in Metković in 1915., attended the Jesuit Seminary in Travnik and went to Bengali in India in 1938. He comes from exemplary and big Christian family - eight children. He died in Calcutta in India and was buried in mission station Maria Polli”, said the preacher.

Another example is sister Marija Petković - born also in a large family of eight children on December 10^th  1892. in Blato on Korčula. “She started her elementary school when she was five years old, and she was 11 when she finished it. She is a founder of the religious community of Daughters of Mercy of St. Francis. In 1940., she went to mission in Argentina, where she stayed until 1952. She returned to Rome and died in Rome on July 9^th 1966. She is the patron of Croatian missionaries. In the end I mention, OFM Vjeko Ćurić, a Bosnian Franciscan, who was born on April 26^th 1957. in a family of six children. He was killed in Rwanda on January 31^st 1988. Even during his life, he was called African Oscar Schindler”, said the preacher.

After the holy communion prayer, the rector of the cathedral, Msgr. Meštrović thanked the leader of the Mass and preacher OFM Stipan for announcing the theme and preacher for the following Lent Friday.