Addressing representatives of civil society, the political, academic, cultural, and business world, the diplomatic corps, and religious dignitaries who gathered in the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb to welcome him on Saturday afternoon, Pope Benedict XVI said that from the historical and cultural point of view Croatia has always been part of Europe and that it will soon be so at the political and institutional level as well.
In his speech, the Pope focused on the issue of conscience, saying that is the foundation of a free and just society both on the national and supranational level.
Here I mean Europe, of which Croatia has always been part historically and culturally and will soon be so at the political and institutional level as well, the Holy Father added.
The Pope said that the quality of social and civic society and the quality of democracy depend to a great extent on the attitude toward conscience, how conscience is understood and how much is invested in the shaping of conscience. He said that conscience should be treated as a place for listening to what is good and true and as a place of responsibility towards God and humanity, adding that conscience is a major factor for cultural development and promotion of the common good.
By shaping conscience, the Church is giving its valuable contribution to society. The shaping of conscience begins in the family, and is fortified in parishes where children and the youth are taught about the Bible which is "a great code" of European culture, he said.
Children and the youth learn there about the meaning of community based on giving rather than on economic interests or ideology and based on love which he said is the main driving force of the true development of every human being an the whole humanity.
Believers are called to live according to that education, being guided with the principles of the social teaching of the Church for social justice and the defence of life, family and freedom of faith and upbringing,
The Holy Father said he was glad that he had begun his journey to Croatia with meetings with different strata of society and with the diplomatic corps, who gathered in the HNK building.
The participation of representatives of other Churches and Christian communities, as well as of the Jewish and Muslim religions, prove that religion is not a separate reality in relation to the society but it is its natural element which also calls for listening to God as a precondition for the search for the common good, justice and acceptance of the truth, the Pontiff said in his speech.
He thanked Zadar Archbishop Zelimir Puljic and Professor Niko Zurak for their speeches at the beginning of the ceremony. He thanked Professor Zurak for mentioning Jesuit Rudjer Boskovic in his speech and for emphasising the Christian roots of many cultural and scientific institutions in Croatia, adding that it was important to respect those roots which he said could also be an inspiration today.
Speaking of Jesuit Rudjer Boskovic, born in Dubrovnik on 18 May 1711, the Pope said that he was an embodiment of the fortunate connection between the faith and science.
Boskovic, a theologian, physicist, astronomer, mathematician and philosopher, was interested in many scientific disciplines and had a passion for unity, which is typical of the Catholic culture, the Pope said.
Therefore the establishment of the Catholic University in Croatia is a sign of hope and I would like it to contribute to the uniting of different segments of the contemporary culture, values and identity of your people, continuing with the fruitful Catholic contribution to the history of the noble Croatian nation, he said.
This beautiful theatre is a place that reflects your national and cultural identity. To be able to meet you here is yet another reason for spiritual joy, the Pontiff said, among other things.
