LEGAL FUNDAMENTALS OF THE PUBLIC PRESENCE AND ACTIVITY OF THE CHURCH IN CROATIA

Prisutnost i djelovanje Katoličke Crkve u javnosti u Republici Hrvatskoj temelji se na pravnim dokumentima koji su odraz želje kako hrvatske države tako i Katoličke Crkve da na suvremenim načelima, sukladno ostalim demokratskim zemljama Europe i svijeta, uredi međusobne odnose. Radi se o poštivanju općeprihvaćenog načela samostalnosti i odvojenosti, ali istodobno i međusobne suradnje na dobro ljudi koji su u isto vrijeme i građani Republike Hrvatske i vjernici, pripadnici Katoličke Crkve. Ta pravna uporišta nalazimo već u Ustavu Republike Hrvatske (iz 1990.), zatim u Zakonu o pravnom položaju vjerskih zajednica (iz 2002.), a posebno u konkordatskom pravu, odnosno u četiri Ugovora koje je Sveta Stolica sklopila s Republikom Hrvatskom: o pravnim pitanjima, o suradnji na području odgoja i kulture, o dušobrižništvu katoličkih vjernika, pripadnika oružanih snaga i redarstvenih službi Republike Hrvatske (iz 1996.) te o gospodarskim pitanjima (iz 1998.). U tim je Ugovorima zajamčeno mjesto i uloga Katoličke Crkve i njezinih ustrojbenih jedinica, kao priznatih javnih pravnih osoba, u javnosti, i pobliže u sredstvima društvenog priopćivanja, u odgojno-obrazovnim ustanovama, u bolničkim, karitativnim i drugim ustanovama društvene skrbi, u zatvorima, te u oružanim snagama i redarstvenim službama. Autor u članku ukazuje na postojeće odredbe i na potrebu da se one poštuju, kako bi međusobna suradnja Crkve i države bila na opće dobro onih zbog kojih su ova pravna uporišta i oblikovana.The public presence and activity of the Catholic Church in Croatia are based on legal documents which express the desire of both the Croatian State and the Catholic Church to regulate mutual relations based on contemporary principles, in line with other democratic states of Europe and the world. We speak here about the respect for commonly accepted principles of autonomy and independence, what include mutual cooperation for the benefit of persons, who are both citizens of the Republic of Croatia and Christifideles, members of the Catholic Church. These legal bases we find already in the Croatian Constitution of 1990, then in the Law about the legal status of religious communities of 2002, but particularly in the Concordatary law, namely in the four Agreements signed between the Holy See and the Republic of Croatia: about legal issues, about collaboration in education and culture, about religious assistance of the Catholic faithful, members of the Armed Forces and Police (all three salient in 1996) and finally about economic issues (1998). These Agreements guarantee a place and role of the Catholic Church and its ecclesial institutions, as recognized legal entities in public. In particular it is their presence and activity in the media, in education and training institutions, hospitals, hospices and other charitable and social institutions, in prisons and in the Armed Forces and Police. The author of this article points out the existing rules and draws attention to the need for them to be respected so that the mutual cooperation between the State and the Church can be of benefit for those for whom these legal principles are established