Saint Joseph Catholic Church

Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio told Vatican News that just as it is unthinkable for a priest to leave his congregation and celebrate Mass alone in a crypt chapel, it should also be unthinkable for a parish priest to govern apart from the laity.

Synodality, he said, “consists in gathering, engaging in dialogue, discerning, and deciding upon the good of the Church—for instance, the good of a specific parish. These four activities, carried out jointly by pastors and the faithful, find their institutional home within structures of synodality—for example, in the case of a parish, within the parish pastoral council.”

Krišto said that in a social media post that she was honored to meet with the Pope “ahead of Holy Week and Easter. We discussed equality, institutional stability, and the rights of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Grateful for the Holy See’s support and extended an invitation to visit.”

Krišto subsequently met with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations. According to a Vatican statement, the parties discussed “the situation of the Catholic community” and “certain outstanding matters in Church–State relations,” as well as the enlargement of the EU.

Krišto also discussed a meeting with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness. The Vatican statement made no mention of Krišto’s meeting Cardinal Parolin.

Bosnia and Herzegovina, a Balkan nation of 3.7 million (map), is 50% Christian (40% Orthodox, 10% Catholic) and 46% Muslim. Pope Francis made an apostolic journey to Sarajevo, the nation’s capital, in 2015.

Dame Sarah Mullally was installed as Archbishop of Canterbury on March 25. As Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Mullally is primate of the Church of England and first among equals in the Anglican Communion.