摘要：The chief topic of this article is investigation of role and meaning of the Catholic Church and church elites in Croatia at the turn of the twentieth to twenty-first century. Presentday historiography established that Church had an important role in historical processes during the twentieth century in Croatia, especially regarding national cohesion and identity in opposition to the communist authorities. Author also elaborates relations between Catholic Church in Croatia and European Union in respect to some possible reflections / applications of European secular concepts to the Croatian society. Catholic Church in Croatia had an important role already from the beginning of the foundation of the Republic of Croatia; especially regarding diplomatic relations towards European Union, but at the same time Catholic Church supported preservation of Croatian national identity. Moreover, Catholic Church constantly warns about affairs and processes that retain democratization of Croatia, upholding the values of Christian humanism in order to make Croatia and Croatians recognizable within the European Union in respect to all the major principles of the Croatian national identity.
关键词：European Union; Catholic Church; Croatia; Croatian national identity; secularism; communism; Christian humanism; Croatian society.
