Croatia

Cardinal Josip Bozanic was born on 20 March 1949 in Rijeka, Croatia. He was ordained on 29 June 1975 and holds a licentiate in Dogmatic Theology and in Canon Law. Cardinal Bozanic served as Chancellor and as Vicar General of the Curia of Krk. He has been lecturer of Dogmatic Theology and of Canon Law at the Theological Institute of Rijeka.

On 10 May 1989 he was appointed by Pope John Paul II coadjutor Bishop of Krk. On 14 November 1989 he was made Bishop. He has served as Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Rijeka-Senj. Within the Bishops’ Conference of Croatia, he served as President of the Commission for the Lay People and as member of the Permanent Council, and since 1996 has been President of the Commission for Relations with the State. In 1997 he was elected President of the Bishops’ Conference of Croatia and was reconfirmed in 2002.

In 2001 Cardinal Bozanic became Vice-President of the Council of European Bishops´ Conferences (CCEE), a position he continues to hold. On 5 July 1997 he was appointed Archbishop of Zagreb. Created and proclaimed Cardinal by John Paul II in the 21 October 2003 Consistory, with the Title of S. Girolamo dei Croati (St Jerome of the Croatians). After being on Observer to COMECE since 2003, Cardinal Bozanic became Member of COMECE in 2013.

Croatian Bishops’ Conference: http://www.hbk.hr/