SloveniaIn the church of St. Simon in Zadar, the first mass was held in the native Filipino language for Filipino Catholics living in the area of the Zadar archdiocese. The mass was conducted by Filipino Capuchin priest and spiritual leader Michael Angelo V. Flores under the theme 'One faith, one community, one in Christ,' uniting many Filipino Catholics who have recently migrated to Croatia. According to Flores, this event marked a special moment for the local community, noting that approximately 500 Filipinos live in the Zadar archdiocese today, while around 16,000 reside across Croatia, with numbers continuing to grow. He emphasized the importance of maintaining Catholic identity through worship in the mother tongue, highlighting concerns that those unable to participate in masses in their native language might lose their Catholic faith. Many Filipinos who have moved to Croatia still lack sufficient knowledge of the Croatian language to actively participate in services. Flores expressed enthusiasm about the possibility of sending Filipino priests to Croatia regularly to conduct masses for the Filipino community.
Bias read (Center): The article presents a balanced view of the situation regarding Filipino Catholics in Croatia, focusing on cultural and religious aspects rather than taking a stance on any political issue. It highlights the efforts made to accommodate the community's needs without showing favoritism or criticism.
