Serbia: a message from mgr. Hocevar for the start of the new school year. Pastoral year, “strengthening families and parishes”. A focus on the Synod

“With the new pastoral year, let’s strengthen our deep bond with Jesus Christ. He opens a multitude of possibilities for us, because only He knows everything, only for Him everything is possible, only He is the master of everything and everyone”. This was stated by mons. Stanislav Hocevar, archbishop and metropolitan of Belgrade, in his message: “Why do we live miserably when we have so many opportunities?”, to coincide with the new pastoral, catechetic and school year. “Well begun is half done”, goes on the message, in which the archbishop of Belgrade announces that on September 5th, the first Sunday of the month, there will be a special invocation of the Holy Spirit on young people; in addition, pastoral and catechetical plans for the whole pastoral year 2021/2022 will be approved in every parish. In the document, he mainly calls the families to share their experiences of Sundays as days of joy and celebration dedicated to the Lord. Mgr. Hocevar mentions “the synodal process started by Pope Francis”, comparing it to the first Synod of the diocese of Belgrade, and calls the devotees to “share their spiritual riches”. Actually, among the goals of this pastoral year, the archbishop mentions the decisions of the Synod, and above all “strengthening families and parishes”. “The time of temptations with the Covid-19 pandemic″, he goes on, “disclosed so many new opportunities to communicate”. “That’s why we should not let the people around us die of selfishness and oblivion, with such an abundance of love and God’s mercy”.
Valentina Bombelli