Fr. Petar Vlašić in Pula (Croatia)

date: 31.03.2007.

At the end of February of this year, Fr. Petar Vlašić, curate in the parish of Medjugorje with responsibility for the care of the filial church of the Merciful Jesus in Šurmanci, visited both St. Polycarp House, the Home for elderly and sick people, and Redemptoris Mater, the diocesan missionary seminary in Pula (Croatia). This visit was in response to an invitation from Mr. Martin Kliman, Director of St. Polycarp House, where the residents are taken care of by the sisters of the Merciful Jesus who came from Poland to Croatia in 1990.

In St. Polycarp’s House there are about 150 abandoned and forgotten old men and women, most of whom are refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina. In Redemptoris Mater, the seminary, 31 candidates from 15 countries are studying for the priesthood. Both institutions are situated in a former military complex.

On Thursday afternoon, February the 23rd, Fr. Petar, in concelebration with the parish priest and the curate of St. John’s parish, which is administered by the Conventual Franciscans, celebrated a Mass which was offered for the Medjugorje Prayer Group in Pula led by Elio Karlović. The Mass, was followed by Eucharistic Adoration.

On Friday afternoon, February the 24th, in the chapel of St. Polycarp’s Home for elderly and sick people, Mons. Ante Jurić, retired Archbishop of Split, presided over Holy Mass, which was concelebrated by Fr. Petar Vlašić, Fr. Janez, who is rector of the Seminary, and Dr. Vjekoslav Milovan, the postulator for the servant of God Miroslav Bulešić and pastoral counselor of St. Polycarp’s Home, along with several other priests. Fr. Petar preached about the life and martyrdom of St. Polycarp. All the seminarians and all the mobile residents of the home assisted at the Mass.

After Mass, there was a dinner, during which Mons. Juric blessed the rosaries and the pictures of the Merciful Jesus from Šurmanci, which were distributed to those who were present by Fr. Petar.