Roman Catholic Diocese of Banja Luka

Diocese of Banja Luka
Dioecesis Banialucensis
Banjolučka biskupija
Coat of Arms of diocese of Banja Luka
Location
Country  Bosnia and Herzegovina
Ecclesiastical province Archdiocese of Vrhbosna
Deaneries
  • Banja Luka
  • Livno
  • Jajce
  • Bihać
  • Prnjavor
  • Bosanska Gradiška
Statistics
Area 16,457 km2 (6,354 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics		 (as of 2015)
540,000[1]
34,361[1] (6.4%)
Parishes 48[1]
Information
Denomination Roman Catholic
Rite Roman Rite
Established 5 July 1881
Cathedral Cathedral of Saint Bonaventure
Patron saint Saint Bonaventure
Secular priests 34[2]
Current leadership
Pope Francis
Bishop Franjo Komarica
Metropolitan Archbishop Vinko Puljić
Auxiliary Bishops Marko Semren
Vicar General Anto Orlovac
Map
Website
http://www.biskupija-banjaluka.org

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Banja Luka (Serbo-Croatian: Banjalučka biskupija, Latin: Dioecesis Bania Lucensisis) a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in western Bosnia. The diocese is centred in the city of Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Erected on July 5, 1881, the diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Vrhbosna, as the Diocese of Banjaluka. In 1985, the name of the diocese was split to the current diocese of Banja Luka.

The original Cathedral of Saint Bonaventure in the city was built in 1887. However, an earthquake in 1969 levelled the church. Banja Luka's current cathedral was built in 1974. Currently, Bishop Franjo Komarica is head of the diocese. On Thursday, July 15, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Father Marko Semren, O.F.M., guardian of the Franciscan convent of Gorica-Livno and professor of the Franciscan Theological Institute of Sarajevo, as auxiliary bishop of Banja Luka to Bishop Komarica.

The city of Banja Luka, and much of the territory that the diocese covers contains an Orthodox Christian majority. The Bosnian War greatly affected the diocese. Virtually all of the churches in the bishopric sustained some damage, and many were destroyed. Many Catholics were expelled from the region or fled, leaving only a fraction remaining. Bishop Komarica has been urging people to return, to mixed results.

Ordinaries

Apostolic Administrators

Apostolic Administrators of Banja Luka
From Until Incumbent Notes
1882 1884 Josip StadlerArchbishop of Vrhbosna. Elected on 29 September 1881 and confirmed on 18 November 1881. Consecrated on 20 November 1881. Appointed Apostolic Administrator of Banja Luka on 18 November 1882. He held office until 24 March 1884.
1884 1912 Marijan MarkovićFranciscan friar. Appointed Apostolic Administrator of Banjaluka on 27 March 1884, consecrated on 4 May 1884. Died in office on 20 June 1912.
From 1912 until 1946 Josip Stjepan Garić served as Bishop of Banja Luka
1946 1951 Smiljan Franjo ČekadaFranciscan friar. Appointed Apostolic Administrator of Banjaluka in 1946 after death of bishop Garić. Also served as Auxiliary Bishop of Vrhbosna (1939-1940), bishop of Skopje (1940-1967), Coadjutor Archbishop of Vrhbosna (1967-1970) and Archbishop of Vrhbosna (1970-1976).
1951 1958 Dragutin ČelikAppointed on 15 December 1951 and consecrated on 16 December 1951. Died in office on 11 August 1958.
Sources:[3][4][5][6]

Bishops

Bishops of Banja Luka
From Until Incumbent Notes
1881 1912 Sede vacanteOffice held by apostolic administrators.
1912 1946 Josip Stjepan GarićFranciscan friar. Appointed on 14 December 1912 and consecrated on 20 February 1913. Died in office on 30 June 1946.
1946 1958 Sede vacanteOffice held by apostolic administrators.
1959 1989 Alfred PichlerAppointed on 22 July 1959 and consecrated on 18 October 1959. Resigned on 15 May 1989 and died on 17 May 1992.
1989 present Franjo KomaricaAppointed on 15 May 1989, previously consecrated on 6 January 1986 as Auxiliary Bishop of Banja Luka and Titular Bishop of Satafis.
Sources:[7][8][9]

Auxiliary Bishops

Auxiliary Bishops of Banja Luka
From Until Incumbent Notes
1985 1989 Franjo KomaricaAppointed on 28 October 1985 and consecrated on 6 January 1986. Succeeded Bishop of Banja Luka on 15 May 1989.
2010 present Marko SemrenFranciscan friar. Appointed on 15 July 2010 and consecrated on 18 September 2010.
Sources:[9][10]

Demographics

Diocese of Banja Luka has a population of 550,300. As of 2012, 35,428 (6.44% of the population) are Roman Catholics.

Historical Roman Catholic population

The historical Roman Catholic population is given in the following chart:

Deaneries

Churches

Parish churches

This is a list of Parish churches by deanery:

Deanery of Banja Luka

  • Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Banja Luka
  • St. Vitus's Church, Barlovci
  • Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Ivanjska
  • Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Banja Luka
  • Saints Peter and Paul Church, Motike
  • Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, Banja Luka
  • Church of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, Presnače
  • Saints Peter and Paul Church, Šimići
  • Saint Joseph's Church, Trn

Deanery of Bihać

  • Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, Bihać
  • Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Bosanska Dubica
  • Saint Joseph's Church, Bosanska Gradiška
  • Holy Trinity Church, Novi Grad
  • Saint Joseph's Church, Drvar
  • Church of Saint Leopold Mandić, Ljubija
  • Saint Joseph's Church, Prijedor
  • Saint John the Baptist Church, Ravska
  • Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Sanski Most
  • Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Sasina
  • Church of Saint Anthony the Hermit, Majdan
  • Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, Stratinska
  • Sacred Heart Church, Šurkovac

Deanery of Bosanska Gradiška

  • Church of Saint Roch, Gradiška
  • Saint John the Baptist Church, Bosanski Aleksandrovac
  • Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Dolina
  • St. Francis' Church, Mahovljani
  • Saint Joseph's Church, Nova Topola

Deanery of Jajce

Deanery of Livno

Deanery of Prnjavor

  • Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, Prnjavor
  • Church of Saint Leopold Mandić, Dragalovci
  • Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Kotor Varoš
  • Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Kulaši
  • Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Sokoline
  • St. Francis' Church, Vrbanjci

Religious orders

Mariastern Monastery (established in 1869)

The Diocese of Banja Luka is home to a small number of religious orders and congregations. While there are not as many today in 2013 as there were in 1950, they still make up a large population of the diocese.

In 1950, there were 71 religious priests, 4 male religious, 310 nuns and sisters ministering in the Diocese.

As of 2013, 47 priests of religious orders, 92 religious sisters and nuns minister in the diocese.

Male Religious Orders Currently in the Diocese

Female Religious Orders Currently in the Diocese

Saints, Blesseds & Venerables of Banja Luka

  • Blessed Ivan Merz – Bosnian-Croatian lay academic, beatified by Pope John Paul II on a visit at Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 23, 2003. Ivan Merz promoted the liturgical movement in Croatia and together with Ivo Protulipac created a movement for the young people, “The Croatian union of the Eagles” (“Hrvatski orlovski savez)”, inspired by the “Eucharistic Crusade,” which he had encountered in France.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Diocese of Banja Luka". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  2. ↑ http://biskupija-banjaluka.org/index.html/
  3. ↑ "Archbishop Josef Stadler". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  4. ↑ "Bishop Marijan Marković, O.F.M." Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  5. ↑ "Archbishop Smiljan Franjo Cekada". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  6. ↑ "Bishop Karel Celik". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  7. ↑ "Bishop Emmanuel Josip Stepan Garić, O.F.M." Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  8. ↑ "Bishop Alfred Pichler". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  9. 1 2 "Bishop Franjo Komarica". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  10. ↑ "Bishop Marko Semren, O.F.M." Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 January 2015.

Coordinates: 44°46′31″N 17°11′43″E / 44.775361°N 17.195144°E / 44.775361; 17.195144

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