Croatian archbishop praises Vatican document on blessings

The Archbishop of Rijeka in Croatia, Mate Uzinić, sees the Vatican's latest declaration as a desire to be a church with open doors in which everyone can find acceptance and love. In an interview with the Italian internet portal "La Voce" (Wednesday), the Croatian dignitary emphasised that a blessing can be received by people who "pray that everything that is true, good and humanly valid in their lives and in their relationships will be enriched, healed and elevated by the presence of the Holy Spirit".

As the source of the Vatican Declaration, the Supreme Pastor referred to the person of Jesus, "who goes out to meet all people and makes gestures that shock those who invoke rules and regulations to reject people and close doors". He himself had read commentaries on the declaration in which Jesus' call to the adulteress in the Gospel of John to stop sinning was placed centre stage. According to the Archbishop, this is not the central message. Rather, "the statement is a call not to throw stones, but to be close to those who seek God's closeness".

The Archbishop of Rijeka is known for his pro-papal stance, for which he has been repeatedly criticised by some circles of the Church in Croatia. On the occasion of the International Day against Homophobia in 2021, Uzinić was the first Croatian dignitary to ask homosexuals for forgiveness, especially those who felt rejected by the church. During his tenure as Bishop of Dubrovnik, he focused on cooperation with the laity and organised theological summer academies where Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox students met with renowned theologians such as Tomáš Halík, Timothy Radcliffe, James Martin, Ivan Šarčević, Marianne Heimbach-Steins and Cyril Hovorun. (mtr)