In the evening of October 18, 2023, members of the Croatian Catholic Medical Society (HKLD) celebrated the feast of Saint Luke the Evangelist, the patron saint of our Society, with Holy Mass in the Blessed Alojzije Stepinac Place of Worship. Mass was celebrated by Msgr. Ivan Štironja, bishop of the Diocese of Poreč and Pula. With this service, the members of the HKLD also marked the 25th anniversary of the beatification of Blessed Alojzije Cardinal Stepinac.

Msgr. Štironja expressed his gratitude for the invitation to join the members of the HKLD in the celebration of the feast of their patron saint and thanked them for all the sacrificing service they provide in caring for the sick and dying. He expressed his gratitude not only to physicians, but also to other health professionals – pharmacists, dentists, nurses – who persistently take care of patients in their most difficult moments of life. The bishop also sent words of support to the members of the HKLD for their active presence in Croatian society during the past 30 years. Bishop Štironja’s message also included a call to members of the HKLD not to lose heart, even in the most difficult and challenging moments, as was the case during the past pandemic, and to continue to trust in Almighty God who is the only rightful Ruler and who directs our good deeds.

The mass was concelebrated by Prof. Jerko Valković from the Croatian Catholic University, Prof. Fr. Stipan Jurič, who led spiritual retreats for members of the HKLD on the eve of this holiday, and Rev. Ivan Grbešić, Rev. Josip Đurin and the entire theological community (theologians, clergy and educators) of the Archbishop’s Theological Seminary of the Archdiocese of Zagreb, who with this act wanted to show recognition and gratitude to the healthcare workers for everything they do according to their vocation and profession.

At the end of the Holy Mass, the president of HKLD, Prof. Rok Čivljak expressed his gratitude to all the members and guests for their participation, especially the members of the Cantores Sancti Marci Oratory Choir who enhanced the liturgy with their singing, as well as to Bishop Štironja, for whom this was the first meeting with members of the HKLD.

Rok Čivljak