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On Sunday 29th
September 2002, solemn mass led by Msg. Vladimir Stankovic, general
vicar of the Zagreb Archdiocese, closed the chapel of the Bl.
Augustin Kažotić in the eastern suburb of Zagreb. Fr. Frano Prcela,
Provincial of the Croatian Dominican Province and Dominican brothers
that were active in the chapel participated in the celebration.
The chapel of about
70 m2 floor space, built as one of the appartement buildings, was
during the last 40 years the only liturgical space in this part of
the city, as Communist government didn't permit building of new
churches. It is interesting to mention that Msgr. Stankovic
personally (as a civilian) signed the Contract of buying the house
in 1964, and that the first mass was celebrated on 7 March 1965.
The closing of the
chapel followed after the building of the new church and monastery
consecrated to Bl. Augustin Kazotic (1260 – 1323), the first
Croatian blessed, a Dominican and the bishop of Zagreb and Lucera in
Italy. Even though the church hasn't been completely finished, it
has been regularly used for the passed two years for celebrating the
holly mass, and brothers hope to move into the convent soon. There
is plenty of good will, but still there are financial problems.
The Croatian
Dominican Province in co-operation with the Zagreb Archdiocese
celebrated the 300th Anniversary since Augustin Kazotic was declared
a blessed by dedicating a whole year to Augustin Kažotić. The Year
of Augustin Kazotic was celebrated from 4 April 2001 to 7 April
2002.
During this period
numerous religious and cultural events were organized to bring
closer the Blessed to the public.
The Year was opened
on 4 April 2001 by solemn holly mass led by Msgr. Josip Bozanic in
the Zagreb Cathedral. The mass was co-celebrated by bishop
coadjutors, Provincial of the Croatian Dominican Province,
archbishop of the Kažotić's native Split Archdiocese and numerous
congregation.
From April 16-21 a
group of pilgrims from Zagreb visited Lucera, Italian Diocese, in
which the Blessed Kažotić lived briefly, but where he was very
successful and because of it he is still being celebrated there.
The day of August 3,
the holiday, was celebrated in a special way in the Church of Bl.
Augustin Kazotić in Zagreb, as well as in Trogir, Kažotić's birth
place, where numerous bishops led by the Split Archbishop Msgr.
Marin Barisic participated. On that occasion the Kazotic's monument
was unveiled in front of the Dominican convent.
On 22 September the
new parish of Bl. Augustin Kazotic was founded in Zagreb and it was
entrusted with the Dominican brothers.
On 15 November 2001
the scientific meeting dedicated to Kažotić was organized in the
Dominican Priory of the Holly Rosary in Zagreb. The meeting was
attended by various Croatian historians and theologians. The present
participants were geated by the Provincial Fr. Frano Prcela and
Msgr. Vlado Košić, the Zagreb bishop coadjutor and the President of
the Commettee for celebrating the Year of Augustin Kazotic.
As Bl. Kažotić was
recorded in the history as a Dominican, the bishop of Zagreb and
Lucera, but also as a friend of the poor and rejected persons, from
December 2-25 was organized a humanitarian mission (action) Advent –
Time of Solidarity. The aim of this mission was helping the poor,
especially Croatian immigrants and refugees from Bosnia and
Herzegowina and Kosovo. Croatian Dominican Province and the Zagreb
Archdiocese joined the action and in this way remembered the
Kažotić's exile to Lucera.
During this action a
series of 6 lectures was organized. Solidarity was presented from
Biblical, historical, social and legal perspective (point of view),
and two lecturers expressed their personal and professional
experiences. The lectures were moderated by prof. Mladen Havelka,
head-master of the Medical School of Zagreb and Fr. Frano Prcela,
Provincial of the Croatian Dominican Province.
Brothers Dominicans
marked the Advent of 2001 by thematic preaching in three churches in
Zagreb. The preaching was based on the first readings for Advent
Sundays and was entitled: Love of peace, Justice, Solidarity and
Humanity. The importance of this action can be seen in the fact that
every Sunday in these three churches the Dominican brothers
celebrate 14 holly masses with preaching.
Bl. Kazotic was well known for trying to improve school system, so
from February 12-19 2002, The Book Week was organized with a series
of various lectures about a book as such, and a book about the Bl.
Kažotić was presented. The book was written by Fr. Marijan Biškup,
the prior of the Zagreb convent.
As a part of the Book
Week, Fr. Guy Bedouelle (prof. From Fribourg in Switzerland) visited
Zagreb. He gave a lecture entitled Studying and University.
Dominicans and Medieval Universities of Europe. The lecture was
followed by a discussion that was moderated and translated by Fr.
Franjo Sanjek, prof. of the Church History at the University of
Zagreb.
The action of
exchanging books was organized among the congregation, as well as
collecting the books for the library of one elementary school in
Bosnia, which was distroyed during the war. This action was well
accepted by the visitors.
In co-operation with
the Croatian Post, a special stamp was published with an image of Bl.
Augustin Kazotic. The stamp is meant for the international letters,
so even in this way Bl. Kažotić is a link between Croatia and the
World.
During the whole Year
of A. Kažotić, The Croatian Catholic Radio broadcasted every third
in a month a special half-an-hour programme where many Dominican
brothers participated. Thanks to this programme Kazotic became much
closer ot the faithful of Croatia.
The Year of Augustin
Kažotić was closed on 7 April 2002 by a solemn mass in the convent
and parish church consecrated to him. But, this year hasn't finished
yet. We are still waiting Bl. Kazotic to be proclaimed a saint, as
well as completion of the convent and church.
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