Plenković, Čović, Krišto attend the ordination of Željko Majić as bishop in Banja Luka

(Patria) - The ordination of Željko Majić as bishop is being held in Banja Luka at the Cathedral of St. Bonaventure.

The appointment is attended by Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, as well as the president and delegation of HDZ BiH Dragan Čović, Borjana Krišto. Among those present are the Mayor of Banja Luka Draško Stanivuković, and numerous faithful.

A congratulatory message to Bishop Majić was sent by Milorad Dodik, President of Republika Srpska.

"I extend my sincerest congratulations to Monsignor Željko Majić on the occasion of his ordination as Bishop of Banja Luka. I sincerely believe that with his skill and wisdom, he will instill new strength and strengthen faith and hope in the renewal of spiritual life and overcoming the troubles of the time in which we live.

With best wishes for good health and every happiness, I express my respect and appreciation," Dodik stated on X.

Monsignor Željko Majić was born in Drinovci on March 28, 1963. He attended high school at the Jesuit seminary in Dubrovnik (1977-1981). After military service in Serbia (1981-1982), he studied philosophy and theology at the Vrhbosna Higher Theological School in Sarajevo (1982-1988). He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Mostar-Duvno by Bishop Pavao Žanić in Mostar in 1988.

After ordination, he performed various church duties: administrator of the Priests' Home in Bijelo Polje (1988-1989), parish vicar of the Cathedral Parish of Mary Mother of the Church in Mostar (1989-1993). In 1993, the bishop sent him to Rome, where he obtained a licentiate in Pastoral Theology at the Pontifical Lateran University in 1995 ("Pastoral Problems in the Diocese of Trebinje under Ottoman Rule and the Pastoral Care of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith").

Upon returning to the Diocese, he was again appointed parish vicar at the cathedral in Mostar. He served as the bishop's personal secretary (1997-2000), pastor of the Parish of the Most Holy Trinity Blagaj-Buna (2000-2006), vice-rector of the Pontifical Croatian College of St. Jerome in Rome (2006-2012). From 2012 to 2021, he was the vicar general in Mostar. And from 2019, also director of Caritas of the Dioceses of Mostar-Duvno and Trebinje-Mrkan. During his service as the bishop's secretary, in the capacity of parish administrator, he was responsible for the parish of Grude (1999-2000), and during his service as vicar general, in the same capacity, for the parish of Crnač (2013-2022).

During his service in Rome and Mostar, he edited, together with others, several books of a spiritual, theological, and pastoral nature.

The Bishop Emeritus of Banja Luka and Apostolic Administrator, Monsignor Franjo Komarica, served as the residential Bishop of Banja Luka from July 15, 1989.