Bosnia-Herzegovina: Rebuilding the parish house in Nova Topola destroyed during the war

In front ot the parish house of the parish St. Josip with Bishop Franjo Komarica. @ACN
In front ot the parish house of the parish St. Josip with Bishop Franjo Komarica. @ACN

From 1992 to 1995, following the break-up of Yugoslavia, war raged in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Some 243,000 people lost their lives, while around two million were made refugees as a result of the war and the redrawing of the map of the republic. Among them were many priests and religious. Many were abducted and brutally tortured, yet managed to survive, while others were murdered. Of some no trace was ever found again.

This in fact was the fate of the parish priest of Nova Topola, Father Ratko Grgic. On 16 June he was arrested by soldiers and taken away. Since then nothing was ever heard of him again. His parishioners could not even give him a grave in the churchyard, since his body was never found. His presbytery was likewise not spared. Only in 1991 it had been completely renovated, but just a year later it was burned down, thus sharing the fate of innumerable churches, convents and presbyteries throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Now the Catholics of Nova Topola want to rebuild their parish house, so that despite all the painful experiences of the past the life of the parish can be revived once more. Such a thriving parish is equally important for those people who were forced to flee abroad during the war and are now deliberating whether to return again. It will be easier for them to make the decision to return if they can have a feeling of hope for the future in their former homes. In Nova Topola in fact, the Catholic community already numbers around 500 faithful.

The country has become an old people's home

Bishop Komarica of Banja Luka, in whose diocese Nova Topola is situated, has for years been loudly and tirelessly calling for help and support for the Croat war refugees who now wish to return to their former homes. The country has become an old people's home, he complains, for today, some 14 years since the war, only a handful of the Catholic Croats have returned home and most of those who remained in their homes are now elderly. Many indeed have already died, so that today there are fewer Catholics in Bosnia then there were immediately after the end of the war. Again and again the bishop has deplored the lack of political will on the part of the Bosnian government and the international community to help the returning refugees. Just 2% of the total aid given has come to the Catholic Croats, he maintains.

"The refugees have no houses left, and when they do return, they often have to live without water and electricity. They can find no work and in the surrounding society it is often made clear to them that they are not wanted", Bishop Komarica reports. Tireless in speaking up for his people and against injustice, he still hopes that the politicians responsible will finally keep their promises, but more often than not people are left waiting in vain. And so the Church herself must act, since otherwise it will in all probability be too late. And so too, ACN is trying to help the Church in Bosnia and Herzegovina to heal the wounds of the war and look with hope towards the future once more.

A thriving parish can provide a new sense of belonging to people whose homes have been left in ruins. And so we have helped Father Anto Pelivan with €20,000. Father Anton Pelivan is the new parish priest and successor to Father Ratko Grgic, who disappeared without trace during the war. Father Anto Pelivan can now live among his people in Nova Topola, where there is still much to do - a new request reached us some days ago to continue our help for the renovation of the church of Novo Topola.

To know about this and many other similar projects in favour of the pastoral needs of the suffering Church, please contact our national offices.