Croatian Catholic movement
Encyclopedia
Croatian Catholic movement (HKP) is the name for the gathering of organized Catholic lay initiatives and associations, who acts in the first half of the 20th century in Croatia
, as a response on increasing liberalism
, with a new, aggressive approach, and on the phenomena of Church and religion lost the influence on the society, and as a reaction to similar movements in other countries (see political Catholicism
).
It started with First Croatian Catholic meeting in Zagreb
in year 1900, which were initiated by similar motions in Europe and by the impulses of the popes Leo XIII and Pius X. By the conclusions of the Meeting Croatian catholic publishing society were established, which runs catholic newspaper Hrvatstvo in Zagreb
1904. In a meanwhile Dr Antun Mahnić (1850 – 1920), bishop of Krk
, starts with a magazine for Christian philosophy called Hrvatska straža. In the same time he initiates founding student catholic magazines and societies all over the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. One of them was Academic club "Domagoj" in Zagreb
(founded 1906). The organ of student societies was Luč (published from 1905), whose editor was Dr Ljubomir Maraković
.
Later Mahnić initiates Pius society, which fruit was week newspaper Jutro. There were some struggles between the group around Hrvatstvo, who founded new political party, and the group around Jutro. The crucial year for the Movement was year 1910, when Croatian Catholic peoples union established and Hrvatstvo with its party disappeared. In the same year Croatian Catholic student union were founded, as the corporate body of all student associations. HKP became stronger and soon was run by new leadership – Croatian Catholic seniority (HKS), an exclusive organization of Catholic clerical and lay
intellectual circles (1912).
The goal of HKP was defending and promoting Catholic faith and its moral principles in Croatian public and social life, which were endangered by rapid liberalism
and secularism
. Also, the most important issue was gathering and spiritual and intellectual education of the youth. Till the beginning of the First World War, HKP had about 5 000 members in different kinds of basic societies in cities and villages.
The fateful event in the development of the Croatian Catholic Movement (HKP) was the founding of the Christmas issue of the Catholic journal Riječke novine, the seniors – a circle around Dr Petar Rogulja – publish their "first political program article", in which they take a view on the necessity of pursuing the "national unity of Slovenians, Croats and Serbs". When the seniors accepted the political program "Svibanjska deklaracija" (The May Declaration of 1917) as a basis for their work on "national issues", it was quite evident that Rogulja's "Yugoslav orientation" of the HKP had won a decisive victory. "The Declaration" was politically at its highest when Antun Mahnić started publicly supporting it (1918). In the year 1918. HKS initiates Croatian People's Party (1919), which were mostly clerical and also dominantly Yugoslav oriented, what produced a great unsuccessfulness in the new state – the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
.
In the new circumstances, new lay Catholic organization appears in 1920s –"Hrvatski orlovi", initiated by Dr Ivo Protulipac
and Dr Ivan Merz
. "Orlovi" became very popular and widespread Catholic youth organization in Croatia
. Because of the Yugoslav regime oppressions "Orlovi" needs to work with the new name: "Križari" (1929).
From the original HKP was nothing left except "Domagoj" and "Križari". Between "Križari" and "Domagoj" existed large disputes and disagreements. Aldo bishops tried in the 1930s to join together "Domagoj" and "Križari" in one Catholic action
, that was not possible.
After the Second World War in communist Yugoslavia
all public religious activities connected with anticommunist politics were forbidden.
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, as a response on increasing liberalism
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
, with a new, aggressive approach, and on the phenomena of Church and religion lost the influence on the society, and as a reaction to similar movements in other countries (see political Catholicism
Political Catholicism
Political catholicism is a political and cultural conception which promotes the ideas and social teaching of the Catholic Church in public life...
).
It started with First Croatian Catholic meeting in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
in year 1900, which were initiated by similar motions in Europe and by the impulses of the popes Leo XIII and Pius X. By the conclusions of the Meeting Croatian catholic publishing society were established, which runs catholic newspaper Hrvatstvo in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
1904. In a meanwhile Dr Antun Mahnić (1850 – 1920), bishop of Krk
Krk (town)
Krk is the main settlement of the island of Krk, Croatia.-Characteristics:It is located on the southwest coast of the island and is the historical seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Krk.The city is ancient, being among the oldest in the Adriatic...
, starts with a magazine for Christian philosophy called Hrvatska straža. In the same time he initiates founding student catholic magazines and societies all over the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. One of them was Academic club "Domagoj" in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
(founded 1906). The organ of student societies was Luč (published from 1905), whose editor was Dr Ljubomir Maraković
Ljubomir Maraković
Dr Ljubomir Maraković was a Croatian literary critic and historian, and one of the leaders of the Croatian Catholic movement....
.
Later Mahnić initiates Pius society, which fruit was week newspaper Jutro. There were some struggles between the group around Hrvatstvo, who founded new political party, and the group around Jutro. The crucial year for the Movement was year 1910, when Croatian Catholic peoples union established and Hrvatstvo with its party disappeared. In the same year Croatian Catholic student union were founded, as the corporate body of all student associations. HKP became stronger and soon was run by new leadership – Croatian Catholic seniority (HKS), an exclusive organization of Catholic clerical and lay
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
intellectual circles (1912).
The goal of HKP was defending and promoting Catholic faith and its moral principles in Croatian public and social life, which were endangered by rapid liberalism
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
and secularism
Secularism
Secularism is the principle of separation between government institutions and the persons mandated to represent the State from religious institutions and religious dignitaries...
. Also, the most important issue was gathering and spiritual and intellectual education of the youth. Till the beginning of the First World War, HKP had about 5 000 members in different kinds of basic societies in cities and villages.
The fateful event in the development of the Croatian Catholic Movement (HKP) was the founding of the Christmas issue of the Catholic journal Riječke novine, the seniors – a circle around Dr Petar Rogulja – publish their "first political program article", in which they take a view on the necessity of pursuing the "national unity of Slovenians, Croats and Serbs". When the seniors accepted the political program "Svibanjska deklaracija" (The May Declaration of 1917) as a basis for their work on "national issues", it was quite evident that Rogulja's "Yugoslav orientation" of the HKP had won a decisive victory. "The Declaration" was politically at its highest when Antun Mahnić started publicly supporting it (1918). In the year 1918. HKS initiates Croatian People's Party (1919), which were mostly clerical and also dominantly Yugoslav oriented, what produced a great unsuccessfulness in the new state – the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
.
In the new circumstances, new lay Catholic organization appears in 1920s –"Hrvatski orlovi", initiated by Dr Ivo Protulipac
Ivo Protulipac
Ivo Protulipac was a Croatian lawyer and important Catholic activist , who was assassinated by Yugoslav secret police in 1946....
and Dr Ivan Merz
Ivan Merz
Blessed Ivan Merz was a Bosnian-Croatian lay academic, beatified by Pope John Paul II on a visit at Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 23, 2003...
. "Orlovi" became very popular and widespread Catholic youth organization in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. Because of the Yugoslav regime oppressions "Orlovi" needs to work with the new name: "Križari" (1929).
From the original HKP was nothing left except "Domagoj" and "Križari". Between "Križari" and "Domagoj" existed large disputes and disagreements. Aldo bishops tried in the 1930s to join together "Domagoj" and "Križari" in one Catholic action
Catholic Action
Catholic Action was the name of many groups of lay Catholics who were attempting to encourage a Catholic influence on society.They were especially active in the nineteenth century in historically Catholic countries that fell under anti-clerical regimes such as Spain, Italy, Bavaria, France, and...
, that was not possible.
After the Second World War in communist Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
all public religious activities connected with anticommunist politics were forbidden.
Sources
- KRIŠTO, Jure: Hrvatski katolički pokret (1903. – 1945.), ZagrebZagrebZagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, 2004. - MATIJEVIĆ, Zlatko: "Hrvatski katolički pokret i politika (1903. – 1929.)", in Croatica christiana periodica, ZagrebZagrebZagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, 25 (2001), 47, p. 181 – 205. - MATIJEVIĆ, Zlatko: "Croatian Catholic Movement and the creation of the Yugoslav State (1912 – 1918)", in Review of Croatian history, ZagrebZagrebZagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, 1 (2005), 1, p. 159 – 177. - SINJERI, Josip: "Biskup Antun Mahnić i Hrvatski katolički pokret", in Riječki teološki časopis, RijekaRijekaRijeka is the principal seaport and the third largest city in Croatia . It is located on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and has a population of 128,735 inhabitants...
, 15 (2007), 2 (30), p. 551 - 587.