Staff of the St Paul Catholic School Center in Zenica marked Teachers’ Day with a group outing to Makarska and Vepric. At the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Vepric, they attended Mass, and continued the programme with a visit to Makarska and time together. The portal *Nedjelja* reported on their celebration; the Catholic News Agency carried the report on October 8, 2026.
The Mass on Monday, October 5, was celebrated by Fr Ivo Ježidžić, pastor of the Klopče parish in Zenica. The Center’s director, Fr Marko Majstorović, delivered the homily for the occasion, while Fr Ante Topić, pastor in Sarajevo’s Grbavica neighbourhood, concelebrated.
The director’s homily focused on the dignity and responsibility of the teaching vocation. Speaking about the fundamental task of a Catholic school, Fr Majstorović stressed that it should be a place of love, acceptance and the building up of the human person. He thus presented the vocation of a teacher in connection with the school’s educational mission and its relationship with students.
He particularly emphasized the importance of welcoming every student and encouraging each one to grow to the full extent of their abilities. He thus connected the message of the school as a place of welcome with the teacher’s practical task: to welcome the student and support the development of their abilities. He also named love, acceptance and the building up of the human person as fundamental characteristics of a Catholic school’s mission.
The director connected his reflections on education and teaching with Christ as Teacher and Mary as the model of the first disciple. In his homily, he recalled how Christ taught and formed his disciples and showed them the way by his example. In Mary, he highlighted listening, acceptance and trust in responding to God’s call.
“At the heart of our mission is Christ, who was and is the Teacher. He had his disciples, taught and formed them, and showed them the way by his example. Alongside him, Mary is our model of the first disciple—one who listened, accepted and responded with trust to God’s call,” said Fr Majstorović.
After the Mass in Vepric, the staff continued their day together with a visit to Makarska. The time after Mass was filled with conversation, meeting one another and fellowship, and they concluded their Teachers’ Day celebration with a group lunch.
As the report noted, the gathering was an opportunity to give thanks to the teachers and all the Center’s staff for all the good, noble and valuable things they give their students every day. Along with gratitude for their daily work, the need to renew their strength for continuing the teaching mission was also emphasized. The celebration was thus presented as an encouragement for staff to continue their educational and teaching work with undiminished dedication, conscientiously and joyfully.
