US embassy cable - 05VATICAN542

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 000542 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (JLARREA), EUR/SCE: (FOOKS) 
 
E.O. 12958: E.O. 129958: DECL 11/29/2015 
TAGS: KIRF, PREL, SOCI, BK, HR, VT 
SUBJECT: ANOTHER VOICE IN VATICAN SUPPORTING BIH BISHOPS 
 
REF: Vatican 534; Vatican 516 
 
VATICAN 00000542  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
---------- 
Summary 
---------- 
 
1.  (C)  The Vatican's Monsignor Petar Rajic (protect) gave us 
yet another indication of Holy See support for the Catholic 
bishops of Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) November 22, expressing his 
support for their statement calling for constitutional change in 
the country, and general support for Bishop Peric and Cardinal 
Puljic.  Rajic said the Holy See had little control over the 
Franciscans in Herzegovina, a situation he called "a real 
schism" in the Church.  Whether or not his views are accurate, 
Rajic does not come across as a radical, and seems to have a 
good deal of influence in the Papal Apartments, enjoying 
substantial face time with the pope.  End Summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
More Vatican Support for BiH Bishops 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
2.  (C)  Monsignor Petar Rajic of the Holy See Secretariat of 
State (protect) gave us yet another indication of Vatican 
support for the Catholic bishops of Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) 
November 22.  Rajic, a Canadian of Croatian heritage associated 
with the diocese of Trebinje-Mrkan, was very positive on the 
recent BiH bishops' statement calling for constitutional change 
in the country and subscribed to the view we've heard before: 
the bishops' involvement in the issue is not so much political 
meddling as a push to protect the civil rights of their people 
(ref a).  Rajic also noted what he regarded as the unfair 
representational situation for Catholics in Mostar.  Rajic 
called Bishop Ratko Peric (Rajic's home bishop since his diocese 
does not have one of its own) "misunderstood" and very 
intelligent.  He urged a close examination of his writings 
before judging him. 
When asked about Cardinal Vinko Puljic's apparent hardening 
towards the international community in recent years, Rajic said 
that the prelate seemed to have simply tired of words and 
unfulfilled promises. 
 
--------------------------- 
Franciscans in Schism 
--------------------------- 
 
3. (C)  Rajic backed up the view we've heard before from the 
Vatican MFA, that the Holy See really has little control over 
the Franciscans in Herzegovina (ref b).  "This is really a 
schism," he said, noting that Peric's relationship with the 
order was also very difficult.  Rajic said he was not convinced 
that Franciscan leadership in Rome was doing all it could do 
about the situation, though he admitted that like Vatican 
officials, the Franciscans in Rome had little control over what 
happened on the ground there. 
 
---------------------- 
No Bishop in Trebinje 
---------------------- 
 
4.  (C)  Rajic noted that his home diocese of Trebinje-Mrkan had 
been without a bishop for some time.  He said the appointment of 
a bishop would be an important sign from the Holy See that it 
was supporting the Catholics of Herzegovina and that they were 
"there to stay."  For some reason, however, the Congregation for 
the Evangelization of Peoples, the Vatican department charged 
with administering Herzegovina, had not acted on suggestions to 
do so. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
Comment: Strong Influence, Rising Star 
---------------------------------------- 
 
5.  (C) Rajic was born and spent his formative years in Ontario, 
but returned to his parents' homeland when he decided to become 
a priest, studying at a seminary in Sarajevo.  He then joined 
the Trebinje-Mrkan diocese and was eventually assigned to serve 
in an ethnic-Croat parish in Toronto.  Shortly thereafter he 
joined the Vatican Diplomatic Service, and served in Senegal and 
Iran.  He now works in the internal affairs section of the Holy 
See, and has substantial face time with the pope, often 
accompanying dignitaries to see the pontiff for private 
audiences.  Although Rajic has little official role in creating 
foreign policy in his current job (and in fact was cautious in 
speaking about BiH, emphasizing that his remarks were only 
personal opinions), this proximity to the pope gives him great 
opportunity to influence the pontiff.  Whether or not one agrees 
with him, Rajic does not come across as a radical, and presents 
his opinions in a carefully measured manner.  The fact that he 
is familiar with the situation in Herzegovina, but can speak as 
a Canadian with a little distance from the subject, may increase 
his impact. 
 
VATICAN 00000542  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
6.  (C)  The BiH issue continues to be of interest at the 
Vatican.  The Croatian ambassador had a copy of the BiH bishops' 
statement handy when he met last week with the Ambassador 
Rooney, and we understand that a meeting of the Croatian and BiH 
ambassadors has been scheduled at the MFA to discuss the 
situation. 
SANDROLINI