Towards an Integral Humanism. Cardinal Franjo Kuharić - an Apostle of a New Social-Political Order

»Proizlazi da je teološka dimenzija nužna bilo da se protumače bilo da se riješe aktualni problemi ljudskoga suživota« (Ivan Pavao II., Centesimus annus, br. 55) Nove okolnosti donose i nove izazove na koje je potrebno odgovoriti. Kako bi odgovor bio primjeren i polučio željeni uspjeh važno je pri tome razriješiti sve relevantne nepoznanice. Početkom 90-ih godina prošlog stoljeća demokracija, pluralizam mišljenja, parlamentarizam, višestranačje i izbori, prava i slobode prodrli su u hrvatsko društvo. Zbog nedostatka demokratske tradicije i njezine praktične primjene društvo je u to vrijeme karakteriziralo stanje nesnalaženja i neupućenosti. Važnost poznavanja svakoga pojedinog subjekta od posebnog je značaja u pluralističkom društvu. Te činjenice osobito je bio svjestan kardinal Franjo Kuharić. Budući da je zbog ateizma u prošlom društvenom sustavu za većinu stanovnika u Hrvatskoj Crkva bila nepoznata, on je držao bitnim predstaviti je vjernicima i široj javnosti. U prvom se dijelu članka, stoga, prikazuju naglasci njegove misli o porijeklu, naravi, poslanju i službi Crkve i to u svjetlu službenog nauka Drugoga vatikanskog koncila. Drugi dio članka pokazuje Kuharićev istančan smisao za uočavanje i isticanje bitnoga kao i lakoću i jednostavnost u prenošenju poruke. Polazeći s kršćanskog kuta motrenja on u središte postavlja teme koje su izuzetno važne za razumijevanje, ali i daljnje usmjerenje pojedinca, društva i države. Uz društveno-politički vid govora o demokraciji, zajedničkom dobru, političkim strankama i slobodnom izboru Kuharić naročito stavlja naglasak na njihovu etičku dimenziju. U trećem se dijelu članka prikazuje Kuharićevo stajalište o suodnosu Crkve i države u novim okolnostima, njihovi prostori autonomije i suradnje oko zajedničkog dobra pojedinca i zajednice. Iako bi se prikazano moglo nazvati općenitim i poznatim, konkretne okolnosti kao i mentalitet određenog naroda čine da ono općenito i poznato bude prepoznato i vezuje se upravo uz pojedini narod. Kardinal Franjo Kuharić je tom nimalo lakom zahtjevu nedvosmisleno dao svoj doprinos.New circumstances bring new challenges that need to be addressed. In order to reach an adequate response and sought-out success, it is important to disentangle all the relevant unknowns. At the beginning of the nineties of the past century democracy, pluralism of thought, numerous political parties and elections, rights and freedoms all found their place in the Croatian society. However, since this society had no democratic tradition and no tradition of practical implementation of democracy, it was, at that time, characterised by the state of confusion and ignorance. The importance of knowing each and every subject is especially needed in a pluralistic society. Cardinal Franjo Kuharić was well aware of this fact. Since the atheism of the former social system made the Church unknown to the most of the citizens of Croatia, he considered of utmost importance the task of introducing the Church to the faithful and to public. Therefore, the first section of this article presents the highlights of his thought on the origins, the nature, the mission, and the service of the Church in light of the official teaching of the Second Vatican Council. The second section of the article proceeds by showing Kuharic\u27s nuanced sense for noticing and pointing out what is important as well as the levity and simplicity with which he was able to convey a message. Starting from a Christian point of view, the Cardinal emphasises the issues which are extremely important for understanding and a further guidance of an individual, society, and state. Beside the social-political part of his discourse, which treats issues like democracy, common good, political parties, and free elections, the Cardinal also emphasises the ethical dimension of these issues. The third section of this article shows Kuharic\u27s position on the Church-state relation in the new circumstances, their respected areas of autonomy and their cooperation on those matters that constitute the common good of individuals and community. Although the article shows the matters which might be considered quite general and well-known, the concrete circumstances and the mentality of a certain nation have a capacity to transform what is general and well-known into what is specific for a certain nation. Without doubt, Cardinal Franjo Kuharić managed to give his contribution to this uneasy task