The Zagreb Archdiocese reported a priest to police for alleged abuse of a minor in 2021, only after receiving a media inquiry regarding the case.
Key facts
- •The Zagreb Archdiocese reported the priest to police on October 9, 2026, five years after the initial 2021 complaint.
- •The report was filed two days after the media outlet Dnevnik.hr sent an inquiry about the case.
- •Archbishop Dražen Kutleša appointed the priest as a parish vicar in September 2024 and as a chaplain in August 2026.
- •Cardinal Josip Bozanić served as Archbishop of Zagreb from 1997 until April 2023.
- •The Zagreb police confirmed they have begun a criminal investigation into the matter.
The Zagreb Archdiocese reported a priest to the police on October 9, 2026, following allegations of abuse involving a minor that were first reported in 2021. The report to authorities occurred two days after Dnevnik.hr submitted an inquiry regarding the case. The Archdiocese has declined to provide further details, while the Zagreb police confirmed they have initiated a criminal investigation.
History of the Allegations and Church Response
Following the 2021 complaint, the priest was reportedly removed from his duties as a parish administrator and banned from public activity. While he appeared to be withdrawn from public life for several years, he was later appointed as a parish vicar in September 2024 by Archbishop Dražen Kutleša, and as a chaplain in an institution within the Archdiocese in August 2026. Neither of these appointments, nor his initial relief of duties, were listed in the Archdiocese's official annual reviews of appointments and dismissals.
Reporting Obligations and Legal Context
Guidelines from the Croatian Bishops’ Conference require church authorities to report credible accusations of abuse to state authorities. The fact that the Archdiocese eventually submitted a report suggests they deemed the accusations credible. Under Croatian law, all individuals are required to report suspicions of criminal offenses. It remains unknown whether the current Archbishop, Dražen Kutleša, or his predecessor, Cardinal Josip Bozanić, informed the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith as required by church law.
Timeline
- 2021A minor reported being physically abused by a priest.
- April 2023Dražen Kutleša succeeded Josip Bozanić as Archbishop of Zagreb.
- September 2024The priest was appointed as a parish vicar by Archbishop Kutleša.
- August 2026The priest was appointed as a chaplain in an institution within the Archdiocese.
- October 7, 2026Dnevnik.hr sent an inquiry to the Archdiocese regarding the case.
- October 9, 2026The Archdiocese submitted a report to the Zagreb police.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Total Croatia News.
