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POSITION OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LIKA DURING THE FIRST YEARS OF THE COMMUNIST DICTATORSHIP WITH THE SPECIAL ATTENTION ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BISHOP VIKTOR BURIĆ AND COMMUNIST REGIME
Miroslav AKMADŽA
Sažetak
Communist regime that came to power in Yugoslavia after the Second World War, according to its atheistic ideology, was averse towards religious communities, especially towards Catholic Church, which was accused for alleged collaboration with Ustashas’ regime. On the other hand Catholic Church could not accept that all the power was in the hands of the political structure that openly promoted and supported anti-religious policy. The communist authorities openly confronted Catholic Church in order to alienate Catholic Church in Yugoslavia from the Holy See and to put it under their control. Communist thought that in this way they will weaken the only well-organized enemy in the country. Therefore, soon after communist authorities started with imprisonments and murders of
bishops and clergy, which was followed by a prohibition of religious education in the public schools, nationalization of the Church properties, prohibition of religious press and other forms of suppression of religious freedom. All these burdens were part of the life of Catholic Church and Catholic believers in Lika. During the Second World War many of clergymen and Catholic believers in Lika deceased, and also many of them emigrated. Many churches and homes were destroyed or ruined during the war horrors. Unfortunately, the outcome of the war did not bring freedom and ending of the horrors. The communist regime slammed the Catholic Church and the faithful ones, who have remained loyal to tradition and religion. The number of priests in Lika was insufficient, and those
who were appointed to duty in parishes of Lika often were not allowed to perform their task. Their rectories were nationalized by the local communist authorities, as well as other properties. Furthermore, Catholic pupils were not allowed to attend religious education in schools or in parish churches. In such circumstances the role of Viktor Burić bishop of Senj and Modruš was especially
important, because he has not succumbed to the pressures of any regime, neither during the war nor after it. With diplomatic wisdom he tried to balance more or less acceptable relationship towards authorities, always backing fundamental interests of Catholic
Church and its believers.
Ključne riječi
Catholic Church; communist regime; Lika; bishop Viktor Burić
Hrčak ID:
98208
URI
Datum izdavanja:
19.12.2012.
Posjeta: 1.705 *