There is not one among you who did not recently witness the most significant event in the life of the Croatian people among whom we act as heralds of Christ's word. These are events that fulfilled the long dreamed of and desired ideal of our people. These are the hours when the tongue does not speak, but blood speaks by its mysterious union with the earth in which we saw the divine light, together with people from which we grew out of. Is it necessary to emphasize that even our hearts beat more lively? Nobody intelligent could condemn it, and nobody honest could resent it, because love for your own people is written with God's finger into human beings and is God's commandment! And who could resent us for this, as we spiritual shepherds are making our contribution to the national feast and fervor, when we full of deep affection and warm gratitude turn to God's Majesty? Because, as much as the course of these portentous events is complicated; as much as the factors that influence the course of events are heterogeneous, it is still easy to discern the hand of God at work. A Domino factum est istud et est mirabile in oculis nostris - "This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes." (Psalm 117, 23). [KJV: Psalm 118, 23]
However, as I speak to you today from this ancient mansion, in the shadow of this ancient temple that served as silent witness to our Croatian history, I do not speak to you only as a son of the Croatian people but even more as a representative of the Holy Church. I speak to you as the representative of the divine institution that grew out of the lap of infinity and which is the ending in infinity in a completely special meaning of this word. As the representative of that church, which is firmamentum et columna veritatis - "the pillar and ground of the truth" (I. Tim., 3, 15). and which was not afraid to tell the truth through my mouth, when it had to be said, though unfortunately its voice often remained a voice crying in the wilderness (John 1, 23).
Therefore by speaking to you as the representative of the Church and a shepherd of souls, I ask and invite you to strive and work with all your strength to make our Croatia the land of God, because only then we will be able perform two important tasks, which the state has to perform to the benefit of its members.
Loyal to God and to Holy Christ's Church, our Croatia will perform the elevated mission which an earthly homeland has to perform in promoting the spiritual welfare of its members. Faithful to God and to the Church, our homeland will show that it believes that the final goal of all human ambition is eternity, where there is the true eternal homeland. By respecting and protecting religious and moral values, our homeland will show that it believes, that the earthly homeland is the true mother only when it puts our arms together and teaches us "to give unto God what is God's," and that it is the true guardian of our lives only when it directs our steps in paths that lead high and when it removes discord from souls that God created for himself. But in its faith to God and to the Church, our Croatia will not only fulfil its duty of uplifting the spiritual welfare of the Croatian people, but also lay the most solid foundations for the healthy development of earthly national values and national freedom and solidity. The Church, which has observed the turns in the history of the world for two thousand years, is the witness of centuries as regnum de gente in gentem transfertur propter injustitias et injurias et contumelias et diversos dolos - "as kingdoms pass from one nation to another because of injustice and wrongdoings and disgrace and various deceits." (The Church 10, 8). Therefore we have to consider that our greatest duty in these crucial hours in the history of the Croatian people is to spiritualize our entire national being by looking toward eternity. We have to warn everywhere and teach that the holy fervor and noble enthusiasm in building the foundations of the young state of Croatia should be inspired by the fear of God and love for God's Law and His commandments, because only with God's Law, and not on the false principles of this world, will the state of Croatia be built on a solid foundation.
You should therefore readily answer my call to do elevated work for the safeguarding and progress of the Independent State of Croatia
Knowing the men who today control the destiny of the Croatian people, we are deeply convinced that they will offer our people their full understanding and help. We believe and expect that the Church in the resurrected State of Croatia will be able in full freedom to proclaim the irrefutable principles of the eternal Truth and Justice. Therefore the Church will follow the words of the Scripture: Verbum Dei non est alligatum - "The word of God is not bound" (II. Tim., 2, 9). And it shall consider its holy duty opportune, importune, arguere, increpare, obsecrare in omni patientia et doctrina et cum omni apostolica libertate - "in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine" (II. Tim., 4, 2) and with all apostolic freedom. That is how it shall do and it will consider it a valuable help in the difficult work in building our dear Homeland and State of Croatia.
If the good Lord allows, may it be so. And in order for it to be so, I invite you honorable brethren priests, not to stop inciting believers entrusted to you to prayers, but to raise your arms even more at the altar of the Lord to the "Father of the Stars," "from whom each good gift and every perfect present comes down." (Jakob 1, 17). --To fill the Poglavnik of the State of Croatia with the spirit of wisdom, so that he may perform the elevated and so responsible service to the honor of God and to the salvation of the people in justice and truth; so that the Croatian nation becomes the Divine nation, loyal to Christ and his Church built from Peter's cave! However, if in the eyes of the world prayer seems a needless thing, we consider it to be more important than anything in life, for "except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." (Psalm 12, 1). [KJV: Psalm 127, 1]
The Church of the Lord has never been lost in phrases, but it also never failed in that persistent work, on which the foundations of a fortunate future of individuals, nations and states are being created. Show that, honorable brethren, and now fulfil your duty towards the young state of Croatia.
In light of this we determine, that on Sunday May 4th this year a solemn Te Deum should be performed in all parochial churches, to which the parochial offices should invite the local authorities and the faithful. I hope that these festivities will be performed. And if circumstances will not allow it, it should be performed on the first available day. Regarding the cathedral in Zagreb, I will determine that for you in concord with the state authorities.
In Zagreb, April 28, 1941.
Archbishop Alojzije