Croatia: Bishops’ Plenary. Guidelines for the protection of minors on the agenda

The 66th ordinary Plenary Assembly of the Croatian Bishops' Conference began today and will last until 20 April. It will be chaired by its President, Mgr. Drazen Kutlesa, who was appointed by Pope Francis as the new Archbishop of Zagreb on 15 April. Items on the agenda include the presentation of the document “Catechumenal itineraries for married life. Pastoral guidelines for particular Churches” by the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life. The guidelines of the Bishops’ Conference for the protection of minors and vulnerable persons will be discussed, and the guidelines of the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI) on the subject, translated into Croatian, will also be presented. “For several years now, the Croatian Bishops' Conference has been treating this as a sensitive matter”, said Mgr. Kutlesa. On the initiative of the Synod of Bishops, a day of prayer will be held on 31 May, the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, for the success of the Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. To mark the occasion, Cardinal Mario Grech, General Secretary of the Synod of Bishops, will arrive in Croatia. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Conference, set up by the Holy See on 15 May 1993. For this occasion, Mgr. Kutleša thanked all the bishops who have worked and continue to work in the Bishops’ Conference, thereby “contributing to the mission of the Catholic Church in Croatia for the growth of faith and the Kingdom of God, at the service of man”. Furthermore, at 7 p.m. tonight, the bishops will be taking part in the celebrations for the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Catholic News Agency IKA and the Croatian Catholic Radio HKR.
Iva Mihailova