Parishioners of the Parish of St Francis Xavier in Švarča made a pilgrimage on Wednesday, 26 January 2022, to the Croatian National Shrine of St Joseph in Karlovac. Led by their parish priest, Fr Duje Kurtović, they took part in the second Wednesday of the Great Devotion to St Joseph. Mass was presided over by Msgr. Tomislav Subotičanec, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Zagreb, concelebrated by the shrine’s rector, Msgr. Antun Sente, and Fr Kurtović.
Joseph’s example of accepting God’s will
In his reflection on the Gospel passage, Msgr. Subotičanec invited those gathered to examine their relationship with Christ. “Do we, in our community, in the Church, try to claim Jesus as our own?” he asked, warning against attitudes in which believers supposedly defend Jesus but are actually thinking of their own advantage. He also asked whether there are situations in life in which they would like to control Jesus’ destiny.
He directed his answer to St Joseph, presenting his life as an example of doing God’s will. “His life is precisely what gives us the right answer. He is the one who did God’s will throughout his entire life,” the preacher said. He invited the faithful to contemplate Joseph’s example and discover the value of his humble, unobtrusive acceptance of God’s plans.
Faith in medicine and family life
The parish choir from Švarča enriched the Mass with song. This week’s testimony of faith was shared by Prof. Dr Zora Zakanj, a paediatric specialist and the sister of Fr Duje Kurtović. “Medicine is my calling, my vocation. Every day I work with healthy and sick children,” she said. She explained that the foundation of her training was helping people when illness strikes, and that a child’s sudden health problems often come as a shock to parents and the whole family.
Msgr. Sente asked her about parents and how to support them during the coronavirus pandemic. Zakanj said that even after finishing work on the ward, she receives calls from friends, colleagues and acquaintances seeking help or advice. Although she is sometimes tired from her medical duties, she almost always listens to their questions and tries to help as much as she can.
Alongside speaking about her brother, a priest, Zakanj also spoke about her son Matej, who was a deacon at the time and preparing for the priesthood. Asked what it is like to grow up with a priest and raise a future priest, she replied: “The best thing to say is: ‘My soul magnifies the Lord.’” She described having a brother who is a priest and a son who will become one as a great joy and grace for the family.
Speaking about the importance of faith, she testified: “I cannot imagine my life without faith.” Every morning, as soon as she opens her eyes, she thanks God for a new day, and she and her husband often add the Litany of St Joseph to their prayers. “Faith is the driving force of our lives,” she stressed.
The pilgrimage report also highlighted the importance of praying for doctors, especially during the pandemic, when they are exposed to health risks. Zakanj described that time as challenging and said that doctors sometimes gather to pray in the chapel of Karlovac General Hospital. In her testimony, she linked prayer with strength in relationships with patients. “The fruits of the people’s prayers for doctors are truly visible. I sincerely thank you,” she said.
Daily prayer to St Joseph
Zora Zakanj’s husband, Željko, also spoke about what St Joseph means in their lives. He said that after their wedding they invoked St Joseph in prayer to be the protector of their marriage. “We pray to St Joseph every day,” he testified.
Fr Duje Kurtović also shared his testimony. He said that he had come out of isolation that day, had gone to the shrine in the morning for the dawn Mass, and then taken part in the evening gathering. In the readings for the day, he recognised his motto as a newly ordained priest: “Fan into flame the gracious gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give you a spirit of timidity, but of power, love and sound judgement.”
Kurtović added that people are sometimes unaware of how much strength they have and how much they receive from the Lord until someone from outside prompts them to see it. Such encouragement, he said, helps them recognise how the intercession of St Joseph accompanies them through life, especially at his shrine.
The spiritual journey of the Great Devotion comprised a total of 19 Wednesdays with St Joseph. According to the programme at the time, each Mass was preceded by a devotion that began at 5:45 p.m., and after Mass at the national shrine, pilgrims received a blessing of the religious objects they had brought.
