The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) celebrated its 41st birthday on Sunday, November 14, which is also the birth date of Fr. Pedro Arrupe, the founder of this international humanitarian organization operating in more than 50 countries led by mission to serve and advocate for the needs and rights of refugees and all forcefully displaced persons.

JRS in Croatia, which operates under the motto “Yesterday strangers, today neighbors”, acting not only FOR, but also together with refugees in building a welcoming and supportive society, organized this weekend an integration birthday trip to Varaždin, where they were welcomed by Msgr. Bože Radoš, Bishop of Varaždin, who is also the President of the Committee of the Croatian Bishops’ Conference for Migrants.

Welcoming the gathered refugees who found security and protection in Croatia, Bishop Radoš said that in a way we are all “travelers, even refugees on this earth”, and that “these people were given to us as a test of humanity on this journey, the test of our conscience, to be our mirror through which we will re-examine our life vocation and mission”.

He also reminded that Pope Francis often emphasizes, positively provoking, that without refugees we cannot appear before the face of God. “He will surely ask us, ‘Where are those I have given you to travel with?’ They are our companions, helpers on this journey, and we have been given that we too can be their helpers,” emphasized Msgr. Radoš.

As for the CBC Committee for Migrants and cooperation with the JRS, Msgr. Radoš said that both the Committee and the JRS have the same mandate and are aware that they are all part of the same journey, and that they have been given a mission to go and do good.

Fr. Stanko Perica, director of the JRS, said that the people who had been granted asylum in Croatia had started a new life here and that Croatia had given them refuge. “It is not easy when you are a foreigner, when you have to learn the Croatian language, but that is why we are here to help, and one form of such help is to take them on a trip, socialize, to tear them away from their everyday environment and show them some of our Croatian beautiful places. So we are glad that we were hosted here by the Diocese of Varaždin, Bishop Radoš and we are proud to be able to celebrate our birthday here,”said Fr. Perica.

JRS has been active since 1980, in Croatia and Southeast Europe since 1993, when Fr. Stjepan Kušan started aid projects for all refugees and displaced persons of The Croatian War of Independence. Today JRS is active through the activities of the SOL Refugee Integration Center in Zagreb.