Vinko Puljić

Cardinal Vinko Puljić ( born September 8, 1945 in Priječani, Yugoslavia ) is Archbishop of Vhrbosna (Sarajevo).

Life

Vinko Puljić completed his schooling and his theological studies at church schools in Zagreb and Đakovo. In 1970 he received the sacrament of Holy Orders, and then worked until 1973 as a chaplain in Banja Luka.

From 1973 to 1978 he was chaplain in Ravska from 1978 to 1987, he worked as a spiritual director in the seminars of Zadar. He regularly organized retreats, retreats and days of recollection. Subsequently, he served as pastor for three years the church in Bosanska Gradiška. In 1990, he was briefly chancellor of the seminary in Sarajevo, but then received the appointment as Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province Vhrbosna -Sarajevo. In 1991, he received in Rome by Pope John Paul II consecrated bishop; Co-consecrators were the then prosecuted ex officio in the Vatican Secretariat of State, Archbishop Giovanni Battista Re, and the then Secretary of the Congregation for Bishops, Archbishop Justin Rigali Francis.

On November 26, 1994 he took this as a cardinal priest with the titular church of Santa Chiara a Vigna Clara to the College of Cardinals. At this time he was the age of 49 the youngest member of the College of Cardinals. He is also a member of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.

Cardinal Vinko Puljić was in the years 1995-2002 and 2005-2010 Chairman of the Bishops' Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

During the Bosnian war he engaged in humanitarian assistance, including own risk. Through its commitment to the peace Puljić gained international prominence.