The morning mass dedicated to Dr. Ante Alfirević, a priest and Jesuit, was led by parish priest Don Ivan Delić this Saturday in Kaštel Sućurac. The mass was attended by faithful who came to pay their respects and remember his contribution to the community.
Don Ivan particularly emphasized his work and commitment to the unity of the Croatian people. Don Alfirević was a prominent cultural figure, philosopher, writer, sociologist. After the mass, flowers and candles from the Podvorje Association were laid in front of the monument to Dr. Ante Alfirević. The Franciscan nuns of Christ the King from Lovret prayed the appropriate prayer.
Anton Ante Alfirevic He was born on January 26, 1875 in Kaštel Sućurac to his mother Andrica Jerkunica and father Grgo Alfirević, a farmer. He attended elementary school in his hometown, and then continued his education in Split, where he graduated from the 'ck velikogimažija' in 1894. He earned a doctorate in philosophy and theology at the Roman collegium Germanicum in 1902. In 1901 he was ordained a priest, and from 1902 he was a spiritual director at the episcopal seminary in Split. From 1903 to 1919 he was a catechist and professor at the Archdiocesan Classical Gymnasium in Split.
In 1919 he entered the Jesuit order and moved to Zagreb. There he was superior of the Jesuit residence from 1929 to 1936. He moved to Sarajevo in 1937, where he was a professor at the Vrhbosna Theological Seminary until 1941, and then moved back to Zagreb, where he was rector of the Archdiocesan Seminary and principal of the Archdiocesan Classical Gymnasium until 1944. He died in Zagreb on 17 January 1945.
He initiated, founded and edited several philosophical and theological journals: 'Hrvatska straža', 'Dan', 'Život'. He also distinguished himself with his literary and translation work. In addition to a series of articles and treatises, he wrote the novel 'Through the Thorns of This World' (1904/05), and several books, such as 'Where Do Living Beings Come From' (1904), 'Eucharistic Congress' (1923), 'The Holiness of the Church in the 20th Century' (1929), 'St. Cyril and Methodius, Slavic Apostles' (1935), 'Closer to God' (1938), etc. He also contributed his numerous articles to other magazines: Prosvjeta, Katolički list, Vrhbosna, Kršćanska škola, etc. The range of topics he dealt with was extremely wide: literature, theology, philosophy, morality, psychology, archaeology, education, politics - in this area he consistently represented the ideas of the Right - dance, media, Catholic press, etc.
He was one of the prominent leaders of the Croatian Catholic movement, in which he actively organized various religious manifestations: the 'Students' Meeting in Split' in 1906 and the Eucharistic Congress in Dubrovnik in 1937. He also distinguished himself on the economic and social level, as the founder of the Croatian Savings Bank and the Cooperative Association of Dalmatia.
Photo: MB
