IVAN BUTKOVI？ (1876 – 1954)

Sa？etak In this article author investigates and chronologically elaborates life of Ivan Butkovi？ who was prominent member of the Croatian Catholic Movement. This movement was initiated by Antun Mahni？, bishop of Krk, who formulated general ideas of the Movement: faith, nationality, democracy (Christian). The chief goal of the Movement was to organize laics to defend the Church in struggle against the contemporary liberal ideas. Author emphasizes Butkovi？’s contribution to the Movement especially regarding mobilization of laics in order that future laic members should become leaders of the Movement. Already as student in Vienna, Butkovi？ started the Movement through the work of the Croatian Catholic Academic Society ？Croatia？. Then, after establishing a journal for the Croatian Catholic youth named Lu？ [Light], Butkovi？, as disciple of bishop Mahni？, started to promote and disseminate ideas of the Movement. Butkovi？’s task was to extend the work of the Movement from Vienna to Croatia, and he has accomplished this in 1906 by organizing the Croatian Catholic Academic Society ？Domagoj？ in Zagreb. This association will become the chief initiator of establishing new Catholic societies, and organizer of all larger Catholic congresses in Croatia. After finishing his studies in Vienna, Butkovi？ in 1909 went to Zadar, where he became professor at Central seminary of Theology. From this position he supported organization of the Catholic Movement in Dalmatia. During his time in Zadar, Butkovi？ got acquainted with political ideas of the Party of Right that were spread through Catholic journal Dan [Day], which was published in Split. By the same token, Butkovi？ published his own political views in articles issued in newspapers Hrvatska Stra？a [Croatian Guard]. On the other hand, although he supported idea of forming a new Catholic political party, Butkovi？ maintained that Catholic youth should stay out of politics. Namely, after the formation of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in 1919, Butkovi？ became member of the Croatian popular party that was established by the Seniority. When in 1922 Zadar became part of Italy, Butkovi？ moved to Split. In the period between 1924 and 1925 he acted as vice-rector of Croatian institute of St. Jerome in Rome but soon he was forced to leave because of his disagreement with the students of the Institute. At the end of 1925 he returned to Split where he maintained his professorship until 1952, and two years after his retirement, in the age of 78, he passed away