Appeal by the bishops on the occasion of the Bishop’s inauguration in Sarajevo

“THIS WAR IS AN ACCUSATION AGAINST MODERN CIVILISATION”

Today is the Feast of the Epiphany by which the Church celebrates God’s proclamation of salvation to all nations and all men. God is love. God is Light. God wishes to shine upon all men with his truth, love and mercy.

We are gathered here in Sarajevo, the centre of the Vrhbosna Metropoly on the occasion of the inauguration of our new Assistant Bishop, Msgr Dr Pero Sudar. No other bishop’s inauguration in modern history has been conducted in similar circumstances. During the liturgical celebration we could hear the explosions and mortar shells which have been mercilessly showering our city for two years now.

The city is without food, without electricity, without water as are many other towns in Bosnia. Residents of this city live their days and nights with the threat of death at every moment. This is the setting in which we are celebrating the bishop’s inauguration to Assistant Bishop of the Vrhbosna Archdiocese.

Personally experiencing the misfortunes faced by Sarajevo and Bosnia-Herzegovina as a whole, we bishops gathered here once again to raise our voices from this suffering city and suffering country in a dramatic appeal to the world. Asserting that this war, which has not yet ceased and which is constantly costing more and more lives, multiplying the wounded, increasing the number of refugees and those expelled from their hearths, is not only a misfortune but rather an accusation against modern civilisation, which it seems cannot find a way to stop it and ensure a just peace to those suffering, regardless of their nationality or religion. The outcome of the coexistence between the Serbs, Muslims and Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina is the fate of Bosnia-Herzegovina!

Peace cannot be created by force by those who are stronger, nor through the imposition of various interests, nor the privilege of rights for the strong. A just peace is one which will guarantee every human being his dignity, freedom and security. A just peace is one which will harmonise relations between the various nations and states so that the human being will be the primary interest of all those responsible for the fate of these people.

For this reason on behalf of the Church we represent, we forward a decisive invitation to all politicians, all participants in negotiations, all military commanders, to be conscious of how their names are being written in the pages of mankind’s history and indeed European civilisation! Do they accept the principle of the unalienable right of all human beings and all nations to live in just peace or are negotiations being held with the principle that power and force will determine justice?!

The Church has the moral strength to brighten human minds and consciences with principles of justice, truth and love so that the respect of human rights and dignity becomes a measure for all our aims and decisions.

We send this invitation to all those who believe in the Almighty God and on behalf of the eternal God who will be the judge of all consciences and histories! WE forward this invitation to all people of good will to use their moral affiliation to energetically stand up against this war, which is causing indescribable pain to thousands of families. We also join in with prayers to which we are invited by Pope John Paul II on 23 January this year, when the entire Church will pray together with all people of good will for just peace in these regions and the entire world. We also accept the call to fast on 21 January with the same intent.

We wish to take this opportunity to send our Christmas greetings and prayers to our Orthodox brothers so that Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, grants us peace in our times, a just peace, liberty and love for all people and nations.

We all pray together so that 1994 may truly be a year of reconciliation and peace so that an environment of security may enable the physical and spiritual wounds, caused by this war, to heal.

We call on God’s protection and love for all people!

Sarajevo, 6 January 1994

Cardinal Franjo Kuharic, Archbishop and Metropolitan of Zagreb, President of the CBC;
Msg. Vinko Puljic, Archbishop and Metropolitan of Vrhbosna;
Msg. Ciril Kos, Bishop of Djakovo-Srijem;
Msg. Franjo Komarica, Bishop of Banja Luka