News from the Custody

Custodial Retreat
Custodial Annual Retreat was held from September 22 - 25, 2008 at St. Anthony Friary in Chicago. It was conducted by Fr. Nikola Vukoja, a member of Ss. Cyril and Methodius Franciscan Province, Zagreb and the professor at the Catholic Theological Faculty of the University of Zagreb.
Fr. Nikola talked about the values of our Franciscan charisma - Fraternity as a gift, commitment, and challenge.

Prvi red - The First Row: fra Ivan Strmečki, fra Jerko Kučan, fra Ilija Puljić, fra Marko Puljić, fra Ivica Majstorović, fra Frano Musić, fra Ljubo Krasić;
Drugi red - The Second Row: don Mate Bižaca, fra Jozo Grubišić, fra Lawrence Frankovich, fra Ante Bekavac, fra Miro Grubišić, fra Ljubo Lebo, fra Stephen Bedeniković, don Tony Kcira;
Treći red - The Third Row: fra Philip Pavich, fra Jozo Grbeš, fra Jozo Čuić, fra Josip Galić, fra Pavo Maslać;
Četvrti red -  The Fourth Row: fra Stjepan Pandžić, fra Nikola Pašalić, fra Častimir Majić, fra Vjekoslav Bambir, fra Nikola Vukoja

Two New Priests
            Fr. Velimir Bagavac and Fr. Josip Mioč, two members of the Franciscan Province of the Assumption of the BVM in Herzegovina, were ordained priests Friday June 6 at the Croatian Catholic Mission of Bl. Aloysius Stepinac in Chicago. They were ordained by Msgr. Ilija Janjić, the bishop of Kotor in Montenegro. Several guests came for this solemn celebration: Fr. Provincijal Dr. Fr. Ivan Sesar, Vicar Provincial Dr. Fr. Miljenko Šteko, Dean of students in theology, Provincial Definitor Fr. Ljubo Kurtović,  a colleague of the ordained Fr. Ivan Landeka (Jr.), several members of the Croatian Franciscan Custody and other priests who serve among Croatian immigrants from New York to Los Angeles, Religious Sisters and a goodly number of faithful from Chicago and vicinity.
            The candidates for ordination were presented by the Provincial and the Custos.  After greeting the ordinandi, the noteworthy guests, and all those present, the Bishop in his homily emphasized his great joy and satisfaction at being able to come from the “Gulf of Croatian saints” – from the Bay of Kotor to Chicago and administer the sacrament of Holy Orders to two members of the “glorious and martyred” Franciscan province of Herzegovina. He admonished them, saying that it is for them a day of consecration on which ”yet another identity is given – that of being a priest” which ”in addition to being human, patriotic, faithful and religious, must be protected like the apple of your eye”. If those identities will be recognizable in their lives, then they will certainly be able to witness for the suffering and victorious Christ. 
     It is important always to keep in mind, said the Bishop, that it is Christ who called them to His service. May we not forget that the reality of our total surrender to Christ is through the Eucharist. Therefore, our most beautiful and most cherished prayer ought to be the celebration of the most holy Eucharist.
            The Bishop pointed out that in the life of a priest also the Blessed Virgin Mary has a significant role. Let us entrust ourselves to the intercession of the Virgin, Holy Queen of apostles, Queen of Peace!           In order to preserve their jewels of identity, continued Bishop Janjić, the newly ordained, along with the Blessed Virgin Mary, should take recourse also to the help of the saints of Christ’s Church, and especially the saints of our Croatian people, in the first place, of Bl. Aloysius Stepinac, who knelt down “only before God”, and always stood upright before the powers of man.” Then also let the glorious Franciscan martyrs of the Church in Herzegovina be models for them along with God’s beloved of the Bay – the Gulf of Croatian saints.
            At the end of Mass, Fr. Ivica Majsto-rović, head of the Mission, invited everyone present for a pleasant time of refreshments. 
            Fr. Velimir Bagavac was born in Kakanj in 1980 and spent his childhood in Kraljeva Sutjeska. During the recent war in the old country, after wandering around from place to place with his parents and two brothers, he finally found a peaceful nook in Herzegovina. He went to the novitiate in 2001 and after novitiate he studied philosophy and theology at the Catholic Theological Faculty in Zagreb where he finished with a degree in 2007. He professed his solemn vows in 2006 and was ordained deacon in December 2007 in Zagreb. Since January 2008 he resided in the Croatian parish of Sts. Cyril and Methodius in New York studying English. His mother and father did not wait for his ordination. They both passed away in their fifties during the course of 2006.
            Fr. Josip Mioč was born in Šujica in 1982. After finishing the seminary he went to the novitiate together with Fr. Velimir  in 2001. He also studied philosophy and theology at the same Faculty together with Fr. Velimir. They also professed their  solemn vows together and were ordained deacons and priests together. In January Fr. Josip came to the Croatian parish of St. Jerome in Chicago to study English. Fr. Josip’s father, after many years of working in Germany did not get to have a long retirement. He died in 2004.
            The newly ordained returned to the Province where they will begin their pastoral work.

St. Anthony Celebration in Chicago
St. Anthony always and everywhere attracts the faithful, and so also in Chicago with the Croatian Franciscans at their St. Anthony Monastery.
            The weather forecast did not promise nice weather for this year’s celebration. All of May and beginning of June were full of rain, as rarely before. It rained up to a half hour before the beginning of the evening Holy Mass, and then it stopped and the sun came out shining.  Umbrellas were put away, the procession began and with a hymn to St. Anthony the Mass began.
            Fr. Ante Bekavac, assistant pastor at Sacred Heart of Jesus parish in Chicago was principal celebrant. Fr. Ante spoke beautifully about the strength and the beauty of the Word of God, which St. Anthony powerfully proclaimed and interpreted by his life and words. The preacher emphasized that since God’s Word entered profoundly into the saint’s life, it made him attractive at that time and for all times because God is the one who attracts when He is truly encountered and known. A real encounter with God takes place through the celebration of Eucharist and the reading and hearing of His Word and a life conformed to it, and not merely “by shaking hands with Him”. In the pictures and statues of St. Anthony we see the book of Gospels with the Child Jesus in an embrace.  That is because St. Anthony and Christ and His Gospel were the most powerful inspiration in his life.
            After Holy Mass there was a blessing of the children through the intercession of St. Anthony and veneration of his relic. Then the pilgrims stayed in enjoyable conversations and song till late in the night.