Several parents of children at the Zvjezdica mira kindergarten in Rijeka have complained to Telegram about the new management linked to the controversial religious organization. The management and the archbishop reject the allegations.
At the beginning of the year, the ownership of the Catholic kindergarten Zvjezdica mira in Rijeka changed hands, causing serious concern among parents. The provincial administration of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul in Rijeka, reportedly facing financial difficulties, transferred its founding and management rights to the Institute for Education and Upbringing Gradina, a private association of the faithful. Parents claim they were not transparently informed that the institute is backed by the religious organization Opus Dei.
Unnamed mothers of children attending the kindergarten told Telegram.hr that they enrolled their children in the Catholic kindergarten to ensure they received a religious upbringing. "We were only told that the Institute is an association of laypeople within the Catholic Church and that it falls under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Rijeka. They did not explicitly say that this association belongs to the religious organization Opus Dei. We have heard and read various controversial things about how this religious group operates, so this change has seriously worried us," they said.
Adrijana Tomić, president of the Institute Gradina, rejects the claims of a lack of transparency in her response to Telegram.hr. "A meeting with parents was held immediately at the start of the transfer of founding rights. A few slides briefly presented the spirituality of St. Josemaría Escrivá. It was emphasized that the program would continue to include activities related to St. Vincent de Paul and the work of the Sisters of Charity. On that occasion, it was clearly and publicly stated that the spirituality of St. Josemaría Escrivá, the founder of Opus Dei, would also be nurtured. Therefore, we do not consider the claim that these spiritual orientations were hidden from parents to be founded," Tomić stated.
However, parents point out that many of them did not know that St. Josemaría Escrivá was the founder of Opus Dei. Communication with the Archdiocese of Rijeka added to the confusion. Parents said they were told at the meeting that the archdiocese had authority over the Institute, but when they contacted the archdiocese, they were told it had no authority because the Institute belongs to Opus Dei.
Tomić clarifies that this claim is imprecise: "The Institute fosters communion with the Archdiocese of Rijeka and respects its pastoral guidelines, while adhering to applicable church and civil regulations. One must distinguish between the canonical status and activities within the archdiocese and direct management: the Archdiocese of Rijeka is neither the founder of the kindergarten nor does it run its operations." She also emphasized that Opus Dei is not the founder of either the kindergarten or the Institute Gradina: "It is important to distinguish spiritual inspiration from legal ownership and management rights."
The Archbishop of Rijeka, Mate Uzinić, confirmed the Institute's connection to Opus Dei but does not share the parents' concerns. "It is true that the Institute Gradina is connected to the Prelature of Opus Dei. But personally, I don't see a problem with that. The kindergarten's educational approach is still based on a combination of Montessori pedagogy and Catholic religious education. It's a program that parents can accept or not accept," Uzinić told Telegram.hr.
The parents also raised a number of specific complaints about the new management. They claimed that a nun had her mobile phone taken away, a phone they had purchased and for which they paid the monthly plan. Adrijana Tomić denies this: "There was no confiscation of property or prohibition of communication. Official communication with parents is organized through official mobile phones, official email, and other predetermined channels." She explained that rules regarding the use of official devices were introduced to protect personal data and ensure equal access to information, not as a measure against anyone.
They were particularly bothered by the claim that part of the kindergarten's library was removed and replaced with books about Opus Dei. Tomić also rejects this: "The kindergarten uses general children's literature, picture books, professional pedagogical literature, Montessori materials, literature in the field of early and preschool education, and Catholic religious content appropriate for the children's age. Literature related to the spirituality of St. Josemaría may be a small part of such a collection, but it is not and cannot be the only literature, nor does it replace other religious, professional, or children's content."
The mothers also complained about a cold tone in communication, stating that their remarks were met with "If you're not satisfied, you can leave." Although Archbishop Uzinić sent a similar message in a comment to Telegram.hr, Tomić claims that this is not the official stance of the kindergarten: "If a particular parent perceived certain communication as inappropriate or dismissive, we are sorry for that impression."
