|
|
|
He inspired young people By Fr. Nagy From an Irish visitor to Yugoslavia we have received this outline of the life of a remarkable Coation Catholic, Dr. Ivan Merz, whose life may be said to have been dedicated to the youth of his country and who was honoured by them as guide and counsellor in the living of a full Christian life. His life of self-sacrifice for the good of Croatian youth was, at first sight, very ordinary, yet it was fruit ful. What leisure time he had from teaching he consecrated to work with Catholic youth. GOT OTHERS TO PRAY His intensive spiritual life was the real source of his apostolic activity. The centre of his life of prayer was daily Mass and Communion and meditation for half an hour each day. He also recited the Rosary daily and was often found in his flat with the Breviary in his hands. Not alone did he pray himself; he was an apostle of prayer. Many of his articles, published in various magazines, inspired his readers on aspects of the spiritual life. He organised a circle of spiritual life in his flat and instructed his friends of how to pray the prayer of contemplation. Spiritual renewal through the liturgy figured large in his programme. «On the basis of liturgical contemplation every Catholic becomes big and universal,» he wrote. He left his prsonal interests on the side and felt the same as the Church. To quote his again: «The beauty of Catholic ceremony is so «fascinating that whoever once feels its charm feels in his soul a desire to lesve everything and spend the rest of his life in liturgical prayer, singing hymns to the Holy Trinity night and day.» Ivan can with justice be called the pioneer of the liturgical revival in Croatia. Ivan's second big love was the Church with the Roman Pope. Answering the question: «Why do I love the Catholic Church and the Pope?» Merz answered: «Because I see a clear picture of my well-loved God and Saviour, Jesus, and in the Pope under the image of a man I see my Master .» YOUTH ORGANISATION Even as a student Ivan was connected with many European Catholic organisations. He studied their organisation, rules and activities, so that when he returned to Zagreb he was chosen as president of the existing youth organisation, and brought it a strong religious and cultural dimension. Young people in everyday contact with Ivan looked on him not only as apostle an leader, but as a real friend, especially when there as need for putting a young person on the right track. Many young people now dvanced in age remember his advice and his efforts to have them live in spiritual life. CATHOLIC ACTION With the publication of the encyclical on Catholic Action by Pope Pius XI Ivan intensified his work. He did not try to found a separate organisation, but introduced the ideas of the encyclical in existing Catholic Action associations. However, very often be met with a lack of comprehension and resistance. «Often we would tell him he was a revolutionary,» Father Jager, S.J., recalls «and that he creates a revolution by introducing papal ideas into our society. He ould then answer us: «What a strange revolution it is to repeat what the Pope has already said!» With great patience, toleration and Christian charity towards his ideological enemies he succeeded in spreading the ideas of Chatolic Action among Croation Catholics. Never very robust, Ivan got meningitis after undergoing an operation and died in a Zagreb hospital on May 10, 1928, he was less than 32 years old. HONOURED IN DEATH The grandiose funeral with which Catholic Zagreb honoured iits apostle of youth was not the only mark of esteem shown him by his friends and the young people for whom he worked. A number of commemoratve articles appeared immediately after his death and on a subsequent unniversary J. Verbnek published his biography «Christ's Knight, Ivan Merz». After the 1945 war two other biographies appeared. What Ivan Merz meant for Croaton youth was perhaps best shown in the epitaph on a wreath at his funeral , writen by boys and girls from Vinkovci:- Thank you, eagle of Christ, for showing us the path towrds the sun.
|