50 years of Croatian Land and Croatian Cultural Club Cardinal Stepinac in America

by croatiaweek
October 3, 2023
in News

Croatian-American community celebrates ‘Mala Gospa’ with traditional picnic

(Photo: Ane Strazicic Rodriguez)

In the beautiful Great Parish Hall located in Manhattan, New York, beneath the Church of St. Cyril and Methodius and St. Raphael, around 200 Croatians gathered on Saturday, September 30, 2023, to celebrate the significant anniversary of the existence and work of the Croatian Cultural Club Cardinal Stepinac, which takes care of the Croatian community in New Jersey.

Fifty years ago, on the initiative of Father Mladen Čuvalo, Croatian-Americans from the Croatian parishes of St. Cyril and Methodius and St. Raphael established Croatian Cultural Club Cardinal Stepinac and, in a short time, acquired Croatian Land.

A proud, small, but devoted and faithful community, with the prayers of their friars and nuns, decided to purchase a piece of land in Montville, NJ. Thus, Father Mladen Čuvalo, with his visionary thinking, advised parishioners who dared to do what few would in those times.

While back in their homeland, which was under the boot of Yugoslav Communists, every sign of Croatia as a state and nationality was suppressed, on the other side of the world, in a land of democracy and freedom, a small but faithful and dedicated community of God’s people decided to buy a piece of land that represented their homeland, Croatia. Since then, and until today, that piece of land has been named Croatian Land.

(Photo: Ane Strazicic Rodriguez)

With pride, they look back at the last 50 years and see everything that has been done and happened on that piece of land, which meant much more than it initially represented.

Dreams were dreamt, work was done, tears were shed, and celebrations were had, all because of the idea of an independent state of Croatia, which we welcomed in the nineties with the sacrifice of many who laid down their lives for the homeland.

50 years of Croatian Land and Croatian Cultural Club Cardinal Stepinac in America

(Photo: Ane Strazicic Rodriguez)

They held this evening as a gesture of gratitude to all those who came before them, all the friars and nuns, and all parishioners who invested a part of themselves in that little piece of paradise for Croatians.

(Photo: Ane Strazicic Rodriguez)

“While simultaneously looking forward to the new generations, hoping that they will continue to use Croatian Land with the same fervor and vision as the generation that founded it,” said Father Nikola Pašalić during the blessing of the dinner.

(Photo: Ane Strazicic Rodriguez)

The evening was filled with good company, homemade food and drinks prepared by parishioners, and Viktor Šarić ensured good music, Croatian songs, and dancing late into the night.

(Photo: Ane Strazicic Rodriguez)

(Photo: Ane Strazicic Rodriguez)

(Photo: Ane Strazicic Rodriguez)

(Photo: Ane Strazicic Rodriguez)

(Photo: Ane Strazicic Rodriguez)

The President of the Croatian Land Committee, Ivica Kajić, expressed gratitude to all who contributed in any way to this grand celebration. “May God grant us to experience the next fifty years in unity and harmony because as long as there are Croatians, there will be Croatian Land.”