The Relations between the Ustasha and the Roman Catholic Clergy in the Independent State of Croatia

Pope Pius XII and the Challenge of Totalitarianism in Yugoslavia,1941–1958 (2025) [pp. 127-154]

AUTHOR(S) / АУТОР(И): Dušan Fundić

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DOI: 10.46793/POLITY25.127F

ABSTRACT / САЖЕТАК:

This paper examines the relationship between the Roman Catholic clergy and the Ustasha regime in the Independent State of Croatia, ranging from active collaboration to silent acceptance. Initially, Archbishop Alojzije Stepinac and the higher clergy enthusiastically supported the creation of an independent Croatia under Ustasha rule. However, this enthusiasm gradually gave way to a more cautious yet ultimately unwavering endorsement of the state’s existence and territorial claims. The clergy’s support remained widespread, as many members were integrated into the state system through civil service, the educational apparatus, and the military vicariate. After 1943, as Axis defeat became imminent, the Croatian clergy sought to distance the broader goal of Croatian independence from the Ustasha regime. Stepinac’s late attempts to appeal to the Allies proved ineffective, and with the Communist-led forces taking control, the Catholic Church in Croatia found itself in direct conflict with the new authorities.

KEYWORDS / КЉУЧНЕ РЕЧИ:

Independent State of Croatia, Roman Catholic Clergy, Alojzije Stepinac, Ustasha regime

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