Croatian Capuchin Province of St. Leopold B. Mandić

The Order of Capuchin Friars Minor (in Latin: Ordo Fratrum Minorum Capuccinorum - abbreviated: O.F.M.Cap.) is a third major branch of the First Order for Religious men founded by St. Francis of Assisi. The founders sought to return to the primitive way of life of solitude and penance as practiced by the founder of their Order (including simple living, itinerant preaching and plain dress). 

In 1528, Friar Matteo obtained the approval of Pope Clement VIII and was given the permission to live as a hermit and to go about everywhere preaching to the poor. The eremitical idea was abandoned, but the life was to be one of extreme austerity, simplicity and poverty – in all things as near an approach to St Francis' ideals as was practicable.

In 1574 Pope Gregory XIII granted Capuchins the right to establish ultramontane provinces and to spread to various countries.

Because of the simplicity of their lifestyle and the mobility of their ministry, the new branch received early recognition and grew fast, first in Italy, and since 1574 all over Europe. By 1625 the Order numbered 16.967 members while during the French Revolution in 1789 the Order numbered 35.000 members. Today, the Order is present in 106 countries around the world.

The apostolic and pastoral acitivites

Promoted by the Council of Trent, Capuchins gave themselves generously to the service of the entire Church (born, like the Jesuits, at the beginning of the Counter Reformation, the Capuchins became a major force in church activity). The great external work was preaching and spiritual ministrations among the poor (since 1743, the office of “Apostolic Preacher” has been reserved to the Capuchins), they are notable for their closeness to people, spreading Eucharistic devotion in all its expressions (the most known is the 40 Hours of continual adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament), missionary activity, introducing to contemplative prayer (also referred to as centering prayer). 

The Capuchins are known for taking care of patients during great epidemics: plague, cholera, floods and wars.

The Capuchins greatly endeared themselves to the people and this was immortalized in the renowned Italian novel, "I Promessi Sposi" (The Betrothed), by Alessandro Manzoni.

Throughout history, the Capuchins have left their mark in the field of science, including natural science and multiple secularities (read more at www.ofmcap.org).

Franciscan capuchins in Croatia

The arrival of the Capuchin brothers to Croatia was in Rijeka, where the Capuchins began to build their monastery in 1610, and after that in Zagreb (1618), Herceg Novi (1688), Split (1691), Varaždin (1699), Osijek (1703), Karlobag (1710) and Beograd (1718).

The Croatian Capuchin Province has 9 monasteries across Croatia: in Zagreb, Varaždin, Osijek, Rijeka, Karlobag, Split, Dubrovnik and Topusko. 

Some of renown Croatian Capuchins are: Mihael Anđeo Božidarević, superior general of the Order of Capuchin; Marin from Senj, who was deployed to Lika and Krbava; Stefan Zagrebec, a kajkavian preacher and storywriter; Angelik Bedenik, missionary and a bishop in India; Robert Menini, missionary and a bishop in Bulgaria; Bernard Škrivanić, disseminator of catholic news and Marian miracles; Anzelmo Canjuga, church musician; Tomislav J. Šagi Bunić, Hadrijan Borak and Zdenko T. Tenšek, excellent professors, theologians and philosophers. 

Our spiritual and religious leader is St. Leopold Bogdan Mandić

The Croatian Capuchin Province follows the Capuchin Franciscan tradition: confession, preaching, catechesis, work in missions and in hospitals (in Varaždin, Zagreb, Split, Rijeka), and in prisons (Osijek). The missionary activity of the Province is mainly carried out by means of pastoral work in the parishes. Beyond their pastoral and apostolic activities, the Order seek to create and develop other activities of the Capuchin Friars such as: foreign missions, various devotions, conducting parish renewal missions, proclamation and preaching retreats, catechesis, working with members of the Secular Franciscan Order (SFO) and Franciscan Youth (FRAMA), pastoral care for the sick and infirm.

New socio-political situation has opened up new possibilities of dealing with some of the new and different pastoral activities and church problems. Both priests and brothers in the monastery are teaching or providing religious education in schools. While working at Theological Seminary and scientific research, several brothers are also committed to scientific work. The Croatian Capuchin Province is known from the most modern means of media communication (press, radio and television) to publishing religious magazines such as Ljudima prijatelj – dedicated to the life of the Croatian Capuchin St. Leopold Bogdan Mandić (read more at www.kapucini.hr).

We are a group of men with many diverse personalities and backgrounds called by God and committed to serving those most in need in a great diversity of cultures. There is one unifying way to define our spirit and purpose: PRESENCE. We recognize and lift up the Holy Spirit through education, mission, and parish ministry, making a positive change in the world.

Spiritan History

The history of the Spiritans over three centuries is the story of thousands of Fathers and Brothers and lay persons who have forgone society’s aspirations to power, prestige, and wealth. Rather, they made — and continue to make — profound sacrifices to minister to the poor and disadvantaged. They have crossed economic, social, cultural, and racial and ethnic boundaries as they proclaim the Good News in diverse parts of the world. The Spiritans remain at the forefront of international missionary orders.

The Congregation began in France in 1703 and eventually expanded throughout the world, with special focus on the African continent. Their North American presence spans the entire country, with special focus on African-American and Hispanic parishes. Duquesne University, a nationally recognized Catholic university located in Pittsburgh, was founded by Spiritans for children of the immigrant poor, and today attracts students from around the world.

Our missionary group has been active in Croatia since 1981. The first Spiritan to come to Croatia was Fr. Albert from Germany who had his first post in Jastrebarsko and Sikirevci and since 1986 he has been working in Podvinje. Soon Fr. Michel from France joined him and a few years later came father Jaroslaw from Poland. In the following years Podvinje was home to Fr. Krištof and Fr. Slavomir from Poland ans well as to Fr. Andrzej Owca who came in 2000 also from Poland.

Today, there are two Spiritans communities in Croatia. One is in Podvinje and the other in Osijek. Fr. Albert Thielemeier, CSSp form Germany, Fr. Ante Šiško, CSSp from Croatia, Fr. Josaphat Mosha, CSSp from Tanzania and Fr. Marek Szrejna, Cssp from Poland all work in Podvinje in the parish of St. Anthony of Padua. In Osijek there are three missionaries, Fr. Jean-Michel Jolibois, CSSp from France, Fr. Arkadiusz Krasicki, CSSp from Poland and Fr. Paul A. Karim, CSSp from Sierra Leone. The only Croatian Spiritans are Fr. Ante Šiško CSSp working in Podvinje and Fr. Tomislav Mesić CSSp currently appointed in Tanzania.

Today, Spiritans have three thousand members (29 bishops, 2192 priests, 209 brothers and 563 seminarians who have taken the first vow). Geographically, 1166 of them come from Europe, 1058 from Africa, 160 from North America, 113 from South America and 10 come from Asia and Oceania. We should add 75 laymen to this number. They are a novelty and they all come from different countries. We put great hopes on them to become a part of our future efforts. Our Spiritans in Croatia belonged to the German Province until 2002 when they got a privileged status of an international group directly subordinate to the General House in Rome. When it comes to vocation, eighty young men join our group annually by taking first religious vows and their number is the same as the number of our members who die every year. Most of these young men come from the southern hemisphere. Today Spiritans are present in 61 countries around the world.