The Conflict Between the Confraternity and Church Authorities of Solin in the 1930s

The Confraternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Solin was founded in 1888. It had its Statute, approved by the state authorities but not by the Ordinariate Bishopric of Split. In the course of its activities, the Confraternity achieved great merits in the religious life of Solin. Documents show that it became very strong as early as a decade after its founding, attracting large numbers of new members. Over the time it strengthened financially as well, as it built the new bell tower with its own funds in 1907, and financed casting the new bell in 1937. However, as early as in the summer of 1890, the Confraternity showed the first signs of disobedience to the Church authorities. Then, namely, subject to no agreement with the parish priest, the Confraternity organised procession on the occasion of translation of the statue of St. Anthony to Solin. The capricious behaving of the Confraternity and its disobedience to the parish priest reached their climax in 1937 and 1938 when the priest of the Parish of Gospa od otoka was Rev. Mate Mihanovic. At that time occurred numerous problems that burdened their relations to the outmost limit, involving also the bishop and the police in the matter. The Confraternity, headed by Mijo Grubisic, on their own and failing to counsel the parish priest decided on using the church bell-tower and reducing the parish-priest's fees, at the same time refusing to present their Statute to the bishop. A police record was made on the entire matter. However, this was not the end of the ungracious events. Worsening of the relations continued in November of 1938 when the church was visited by the king's emissary on the occasion of baptising of the Delale family's ninth child. On the occasion Grubisic and the Confraternity members protested unanimously against the use of the bell-tower, discharging eventually the bell-ringer, Petar Crmaric. What the parish priest, Rev. Mate Mihanovic, experienced with the Confraternity board is best described by his words: "For the sake of peace I stood lots with the Confraternity board, since they understand neither the laws nor the orders, made by neither ecclesiastical nor secular authorities. Their will is to make the law."