Bishop Majić presents data: Before the war, Banja Luka had 30,000 Catholics, now there are 1,100

(Patria) - This week in Banja Luka, a press conference was held ahead of the Bishops' Conference, and the Bishop of Banja Luka, Željko Majić, presented data to journalists on the number of Catholics in the area of that diocese.

Majic has been at the head of the diocese for a year and a half, and he said that everyone is aware of what the situation was like before the war and what it is like today.

„In the Diocese of Banja Luka, before the war, there were 120,000 faithful, today there are 23,300. As Bosnia and Herzegovina is divided into two entities, so all three of our dioceses operate in both entities. The Diocese of Banja Luka has 16 parishes in the Federation and 32 parishes in the Republika Srpska. In these 16 parishes in the Federation, there are 20,000 faithful, in these 32 parishes in the RS, 3,300 faithful. When we look at the pre-war ratio, we will notice that in the area of today's Federation, 40,000 faithful lived, and in the RS, 80,000 faithful. This statistic alone says it all“, said the Bishop of Banja Luka.

Bishop Majić reminded that the city of Banja Luka before the war had 30,000 Catholic faithful, and today in the ten parishes of the Banja Luka Deanery, meaning in the wider Banja Luka area, there are barely about 1,100 faithful.

He added that he feared the latest statistical data compared to the data from 2023 and 2024 would be even more unfavorable, but he is happy that the number did not drop further.

„That makes me extremely happy… Our hope is Christ, who has never disappointed us. It is not irrational optimism. I hope that life will be renewed here, that those who had to leave this area will begin to return, that we will once again witness here not only numerical growth, but the growth of the life of the Church.“