Mate Uzinić


Mate Uzinić is a Croatian Roman Catholic bishop of Diocese of Dubrovnik.

Early life and education

Mate Uzinić was born on September 17, 1967 in Dubrava near Omiš where he attended elementary school, after which he moved to Split in order to attend high school in the Split Archdiocesan Seminary. After finishing high school in 1988, Uzinić enrolled in Faculty of Catholic Theology from which he graduated in 1993.

Priesthood

Uzinić was ordained to the priesthood on June 27, 1993. From 1993 to 1995 he served as Vicar in Omiš, and from 1995 to 1996 priest in small village Otrić-Seoci in Pojezerje municipality.
From 1996 he continued studies in Pontifical Lateran University, where he earned licentiate in canon and civil law in 2000.
From 2000 to 2002 he served as judicial vicar and judge in a First instance ecclesiastical court in Split. In 2000 he became an associate in the pastoral care service of the Strožanac parish, and in 2001 rector of the Central Seminary in Split. Since 2002, Uzinić is a member of the Presbyterian Council of Archdiocese of Split-Makarska, and since 2004 a member of the Council of the Croatian Bishops' Conference for the promotion of vocations and seminaries.
On 24 January 2011, Uzinić was appointed Bishop of Dubrovnik by Pope Benedict XVI. He received his episcopal consecration from Marin Barišić, with Josip Bozanić and Želimir Puljić serving as co-consecrators on 19 March 2011.

General outlook

Bishop Uzinić is considered to be theologically moderate.
He is the only Croatian bishop that uses Facebook regularly.
On April 26, 2012, Uzinić held a speech on Symposium of priests of the Diocese of Šibenik in which he talked about child abuse scandals, and had stated among other that "Church must put victim on the first place, and not the abuser or the Church as an institution, as it has been done in the past. If we do that, all victims of sexual abuse would not look at Church as enemy, but as helper and friend. That day has not yet arrived, and that means that we are not yet fully Church that we are called to be."
Commenting on 2012 Split pride, Uzinić wrote a post on Facebook in which he made it clear that he didn't support Pride but in the same time urged citizens of Split "not to get provoked and do something that true Christians would not do", referring to the 2011 Pride when hundreds of people threw stones on the Pride participants. Uzinić added that Christians have the "right and duty" to disagree with Split Pride, but has urged people to rather avoid area where Pride was being held and spend time in prayer or walk in nature. He cited Romans 12:17-18; "Repay no one evil for evil. Respect what is honorable in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men."
In May 2015, Uzinić has set a precedent in the Catholic Church in Croatia by publishing the financial report of his diocese, thus becoming the first Croatian bishop who has done so.
In August 2015, while referring to the European migrant crisis, Uzinić stated that "we must not look at people through prejudice, we need to meet them and meet with them. Refusing to help refugees is like a war crime."