Reconciliation and the Challenges of Coexistence: The Example of Croatia in the Aftermath of the War of Independence

On Saturday, September 28, at the Catholic Faculty of Theology in Zagreb, a webinar was held organized by the Dominican Order on the topic: “Reconciliation and the Challenges of Coexistence: The Example of Croatia in the Aftermath of the War of Independence.” The discussion addressed the pastoral presence of the Dominican family in the ongoing war in Ukraine, and the diverse experiences of Croatians in dealing with the consequences of war were presented to try to find answers to the war in Ukraine. The webinar, along with lecturers in Zagreb, was attended by around one hundred people from all over the world, with translation into English, French, Spanish, Croatian, and Ukrainian. At the beginning, Sister Sabine Schratz, a Dominican sister who arrived from Dublin, Ireland, for coordination, welcomed the participants on behalf of the organizers.

The main coordinator for Croatia was Sister Martina Ana Begić, a professor from the Department of Moral Theology at the Catholic Faculty of Theology in Zagreb. The preparation for the entire project took a year, and in the organization, along with Sister Ana Begić, participated Magdalena Novosel, a master’s in psychology.

The webinar in Zagreb was the first in a series of webinars aiming to open important topics such as responsibility, identity, and human rights, and to emphasize the visibility of the Dominican Order in various areas of society. The organizers hope that shared reflection, the exchange of experiences, and connection will be beneficial for society as a whole and enable a joint evangelical effort for peace.

Sister Sabine Schratz, whose research areas include European church history of the late 19th and early 20th centuries and the development of Catholic social teaching, emphasized the importance of mutual cooperation in the topic at hand, noting that we need each other when it comes to the challenges of coexistence and reconciliation.

Josip Šimunović, Dean of the Catholic Faculty of Theology in Zagreb, welcomed the gathering on behalf of the hosts.

Dominican Zdzislaw Szmanda joined from Kyiv, emphasizing that in the current dramatic situation in Ukraine, it is crucial to strengthen the local community and offer hope to the people. He also highlighted the central role of forgiveness, which he said is important even during war.

Presentations were given at the webinar by Vladimir Dugalić, professor at the Department of Moral Theology at the Catholic Faculty of Theology in Đakovo and secretary of the Iustitia et Pax Commission of the Croatian Bishops’ Conference; Alojz Čubelić, professor of philosophy at the Catholic Faculty of Theology in Zagreb; Martina Knežević, professor of psychology at the Croatian Catholic University; Ivica Markota, a retired officer of the Croatian Army; and Taras Barščevski, professor at the Department of Sacred Scripture at the Catholic Faculty of Theology in Zagreb. Among other things, the presentations emphasized that the Church has always promoted the gospel message of reconciliation and warned that evil must not be answered with evil. The great need for pastoral and spiritual care for veterans was also highlighted.

Ana Dagelić

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