SFO International Council - Quarterly edition   Vol. 2 - N. 2 - 2007 - May

Croatia - Course of Formation for the Spiritual Assistants of the SFO and YouFra

Fr. Ivan Matic, OFM

The first formation course for the Spiritual Assistants of the SFO and YouFra in Croatia was held from February 26 to March 1, 2007, in the retreat house, “Tabor,” in Samobor, Croatia. One hundred and six spiritual assistants were registered for the course, including a significant number of Franciscan Sisters who serve as spiritual assistants to the SFO and YouFra in the country. The National Minister, Mato Batorović, SFO, and the National Councilor for YouFra, Atonija Kvesić, SFO, were able to be present for the whole course. The course was sponsored by the Conference of National Spiritual Assistants of the SFO and YouFra in collaboration with the Conference of General Spiritual Assistants.

The principal presenters for the course were the General Spiritual Assistants: Martin Bitzer, OFM Conv., Samy Irudaya, OFM Cap, and Ivan Matić, OFM. They developed the following themes: The Importance of a Knowledge of the Documents of the SFO (this was prepared by Michael Higgins, TOR, and presented by Zvonimir Brusač, TOR, the National Spiritual Assistant in Croatia); Collegial Assistance (Martin Bitzer, OFM Conv.); The Role of the Spiritual Assistant in the Local Fraternity (Samy Irudaya, OFM Cap.); and Franciscan Youth and Assistance to YouFra (Ivan Matić, OFM).

The moderators for the course included the National Spiritual Assistant to the SFO and YouFra: Ljudevit Maračić, OFM Conv., the President in turn of the Conference of National Spiritual Assistants; Nikola Bašnec OFM Cap., National Spiritual Assistant; Miljenko Hontić OFM Conv., National Spiritual Assistant to YouFra; and, Milan Krišto, OFM, President in turn of the Conference of National Spiritual Assistants to YouFra. The presence of the following was greatly appreciated: the Ministers Provincial Đuro Hontić, OFM. Conv., and Ivica Petanjak, OFM Cap, and the Vicar Provincial Matija Koren, OFM. A particular recognition and thanks is given for the presence of Jure Šarčević, OFM Cap, General Councilor, and Bishop Josip Mrzljak, the Auxiliary Bishop of Zagreb who is a professed member of the SFO. The Bishop honored us by celebrating the closing Eucharist for the course.

The National Fraternity of the SFO in Croatia is made up of 5 regional fraternities with approximately 4,800 professed members. The National Fraternity of YouFra is also made up of 5 regional fraternities with approximately 1,000 young Franciscans in 68 local fraternities.

A number of spiritual assistants from Bosnia/Herzegovina actively participated in the course. They enriched our discussion through a sharing of their experience of life in mission in their land that is so beautiful - but is so marked by the wounds of war. In fact, as Petar Anđelović OFM, the National Spiritual Assistant for the SFO in Bosnia/Herzegovina, pointed out - of the 4,500 members of the SFO who lived in Bosnia before the war, only 1,225 remain in 18 local fraternities. According to Sretan Ćurčić, OFM, the National Spiritual Assistant in Herzegovina, there are approximately 700 professed members of the SFO in Herzegovina in 5 local fraternities and 1,000 Franciscan youth in 15 local fraternities of YouFra.

The formation course was well prepared and enjoyed the active involvement all of the participants. The work in groups was particularly fruitful and elicited a number of concrete proposals for the future of spiritual assistance to SFO and YouFra fraternities both in Croatia and in Bosnia/Herzegovina. For example, it was decided that it is important to organize a yearly course of formation on a national level that will be held every February. The next one will be held in Bosnia/Herzegovina from February 19-21, 2008, and its main theme will be the Manual for Assistance that is published by the Conference of General Spiritual Assistants. A Croatian translation of this text should be ready by the end of 2007. The Conference of National Spiritual Assistants in Bosnia/Herzegovina has accepted the responsibility of organizing the course in collaboration with the Conference of General Spiritual Assistants.

At the end of the course the participants received a printed copy, in Croatian, of all of the conferences of the General Spiritual Assistants as well as the Conference’s document: “Guidelines for the Formation of Religious in the Understanding of and Assistance to the SFO and YouFra.”