Original scientific paper
CATHOLIC ADOPTION OF THE IDEOLOGY OF YUGOSLAVISM
Jure Krišto
; Institute of Contemporary History, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Under the tutelage of communist ideology, recent Croatian historiography uniformly defined the political role of the Catholic church as negative and regressive. In such an atmosphere, it was impossible to evaluate its role more objectively; it is almost unknown that there were differing views among Catholics themselves of the Church's role in the political life of Croats. One of the most consequential events in the recent history of Croatia is her entrance into the State of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes in 1918. It is barely known that certain most active segments of the Catholic population substantially contributed to the realization of this, now it appears, fateful move. This was the most active part of Catholicism during the first quarter of the century, a branch of the Croatian Catholic Movement, led by bishop Antun Mahnić. The author follows the activity of this group, especially during the period immediately prior to and during the World War I, when it adopted the ideology of Yugoslavism, an already strong movement among less active Croat Catholics as well as non-Catholics. The role of layman Petar Rogulja, priest of eastern rite Janko Šimrak, bishop Antun Mahnić, archbishop Antun Bauer, and franciscans of Bosnia and Hercegovina, the most significant supporters of ideology of Yugoslavism, and of archbishop Josip Stadler and the Slavonian leaders of the Movement, its ardent opponents, are highlighted. A particular attention has been paid to the beginning signs of the Split in the Movement, which was taking place along the ideological lines, the split which deepened in the period between two wars.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
209586
URI
Publication date:
1.12.1992.
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