Cardinal Bozanić and Bishops Škvorčević and Perić named to the papal commission
Pope Francis has chosen members of the Vatican commission which will cooperate with the commission of the Serbian Orthodox Church regarding the issue of canonization of Croatian Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac. The members are: Cardinal Josip Bozanić, Archbishop of Zagreb; Antun Škvorčević, Bishop of Požega; Ratko Perić, Bishop of Mostar-Duvno; and professors Jure Krišto and Mario Jareb, reports Večernji List on March 6, 2016.
As for the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) commission members, they are Amfilohije, Metropolitan of Montenegro and Primorje; Porfirije, Metropolitan of Zagreb and Ljubljana; Jovan, Bishop of Pakrac; Irinej, Bishop of Bačka; and a former Serbian ambassador to Vatican Darko Tanasković.
"This is the Vatican’s choice and the talks will happen under their patronage. We have not received any information from them so far and are waiting for an invitation from Vatican, as this is not a matter between the Catholic Church in Croatia and SPC, but between the Vatican and SPC", said one of the SPC commission members commenting on the latest news from the Holy See.
Pope Francis on Thursday received members of the Permanent Council of the Croatian Bishops Conference (HBK), including Josip Bozanić, Archbishop of Zagreb; Želimir Puljić, HBK President and Bishop of Zadar; Đuro Hranić, Archbishop of Đakovo-Osijek; and Dražen Kutleša, Bishop of Poreč and Pula. They informed the pope about the state of the Catholic Church in Croatia and discussed the work of the commission that has been tasked by the pope to analyse the role of Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac before, during and after the World War II.
The members of the Permanent Council had separate meetings with the Secretary of State Pietro Parolino and the President of the Papal Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity Cardinal Kurt Koch.
