Office for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Tourists at the Archdiocesan Curia began work on 1 March 2016. Taking into account the routes and significance of the new migrations, the Archdiocese of Zagreb expanded its pastoral care to the pastoral care of migrants and tourists set by the example of Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Holy Scripture.
It is a Christian duty to treat everybody as their brother and sister. Moreover, we are invited to meet those different from us with special consideration and kindness so that we could find out what connects us and so that we could enrich each other’s lives through this experience. The Holy Scripture in the Book of Leviticus says: 'The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.’ (Leviticus 19:34)
The Office organizes its work in line with the instruction of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People
Erga migrantes caritas Christi, as well as guidelines of the Church fathers on the pastoral care of migrants and tourists. The Office will attend to migrants on the territory of the Archdiocese of Zagreb with special pastoral care, as well as tourists who visit the Zagreb Cathedral and other shrines or sacral objects in its territory.
The Office aims to develop the Church’s mission to take care of man and spread the Gospel in cooperation with all parties interested, especially when meeting people. It will do so by:
- Encouraging the community in solidarity and cooperation with tourists and migrants.
- Establishing places for providing information and help to tourists and migrants.
- Standing up for the respect of human dignity and the rights of tourists and migrants.
- Steering the migrating experience towards spreading the Gospel and growth of Christian life
Several thousand foreigners live in Zagreb temporarily or permanently due to work or study. Also, lately a lot of migrants from Middle Eastern countries pass through our Archdiocese and some of them seek asylum.
The Office wishes to provide necessary pastoral care for Catholic migrants and to engage in and develop a friendly dialogue with all migrants.
The Office will thus inform the public of different religious events, and coordinate and organize celebrations of Holy Masses in foreign languages, the sacrament of penance and reconciliation as well as other liturgical celebrations and, if necessary, organize other religious events, catecheses, spiritual revival and evangelization seminars. Also, the Office will cooperate with church organizations which are working with migrants.
It is important to open the doors of our sacred places and objects and organize sightseeing tours for tourists, as well as to enable them to get to know the church and religious heritage of our Archdiocese.
For this purpose, the Office promotes hospitality towards tourists, prepares various materials that will provide more information on the place they are visiting, organizes guided tours and be available for possible questions.
In the future, the Office will also propose possible pilgrimage routes through the Archdiocese of Zagreb for tourists. This activity will be done in close cooperation with the Office for Cultural Heritage of the Archdiocese of Zagreb.
Address: Kaptol 31, 10001 Zagreb
Phone: + 385 99 4047 053
Email:
peregrini@zg-nadbiskupija.hr
Commissioner for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Tourists: Rev. Anđelko Katanec
