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.
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.
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.
Photo: Ane Strazicic RodriguezThe 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 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.”
Photo: Ane Strazicic Rodriguez