On Sunday, February 9, the Croatian Parish of St. Cyril and Methodius and St. Raphael in New York celebrated the memorial day of its heavenly patron, Blessed Alojzije Stepinac.
The solemn Mass celebration at 12.30:XNUMX was led by the Archbishop and Metropolitan of New York, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, with concelebration by the parish priest, Fr. Nikola Pašalić, the parish priest of St. Dominic's Parish in Goražde, Fr. Josip Tadić, and assistance from the parish vicar, Fr. Lovro Šimić, and the cardinal's secretary, Fr. Stephen Rice. The Mass was attended by diplomatic representatives of the Republic of Croatia: Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić-Radman, Croatian Ambassador to Washington DC Pjer Šimunović, Consul General of the Republic of Croatia in New York Nikica Kopačević, and other employees of the ministry and consulates.
After the welcoming words of the parish priest, Fr. Nikola Pašalić, the solemn Eucharistic celebration began, in which the youth of the parish community participated in a special way. Cardinal Dolan thanked the parish priest for the invitation and expressed his joy at being able to lead the mass in honor of such a great man as Blessed Alojzije Stepinac.
After the Gospel, read in Croatian and English, Cardinal Dolan emphasized in his homily that Stepinac was a great patriot, but never a negative nationalist who would deny others the right to life and freedom: "The Nazis and Communists demanded that his "piety" and "worship" be directed towards these regimes, but he resisted them with equal force and fervor, saying that only God should be worshipped and adored, while the homeland and other people should be respected and valued.", said Cardinal Dolan.
He added that Cardinal Stepinac was a man of principles and perseverance in good, which he never abandoned, even in the most difficult days of his life.
"Stepinac is an example to all of us, not only to you, but to me as well. We don't have to be Croatians to love and appreciate him, because he was a man for everyone, convinced that every person has the right to life, freedom of expression and their own religion.", the cardinal emphasized.
After the mass, the Cardinal's socializing with the numerous faithful of this parish continued in the pastoral gathering hall. Children who are learning Croatian language and folklore, members of the Kolo Grupa and the Croatian School "Kardinal Stepinac" (3rd, 7th and 8th grade), performed a cultural program. The food was prepared by chefs from the La Fortuna restaurant, owned by the Croatian family Ojdane and Jere Kursara, while the Croatian musician Viktor Šarić provided a good atmosphere.
"It was an honor to host the Cardinal, spend time with him, and hear what Cardinal Stepinac meant to him. He said that Cardinal Stepinac was his hero.", she said to Croatians Online Lucy Eljuga Čirjak, member of the Board of Directors of the Croatian School "Kardinal Stepinac" and mother of two students, Chloe and Rocca.
Photo: Lucy Eljuga Čirjak
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