Celestin Tomić
Celestin (Dinko Bruno) Tomić (6 October 1917 in Vis – 23 September 2006 in Zagreb) was a Franciscan Conventual and biblical scholar.
After the fourth semester of Divinity College in Zagreb, in November 1941, due to the threat posed by both war and famine, together with his colleagues from the same Province of St. Jerome, he was sent to continue his studies in Rome.
At that time, there were several Croatian religious in Rome who were specializing Biblical studies there (the Jesuit Schmidt, the Franciscans Augustinović and Melada), with whom Celestin kept a permanent bond.
When the exhaustive project of publishing a new Croatian translation of the Bible was initiated, Celestin acted as Biblical language editor for most Old Testament books.
The Zagreb-based publishing house "Stvarnost" implemented the project, with the first edition appearing on the Croatian market in 1968, followed by a number of re-editions.
The archbishop Franjo Kuharić appointed Celestin as theological expert in the beatification process of the servant of God Alojzije Stepinac.
He also published a number of professional Biblical articles in numerous scientific, as well as popular magazines and messengers.
On the occasion of Celestin Tomić's 80th birthday, in October 1997, a special reception was organized at Zagreb's Sveti Duh.
A Collection of Papers was presented on the occasion, prepared in the honour of the celebrant, entitled "Spe gaudentes" - "Joyful in Hope".
After all, St. Paul’s times were not any easier or better, and still the tireless Apostle of the Gentiles felt the need to invite the faithful to be joyful in hope against all odds: Spe gaudentes!"
After he gained a divinity doctor's degree in Rome in October 1945, with the following thesis: Il mistero di Cristo secondo S. Ignazio Martire (The Mystery of Christ According to St. Ignatius the Martyr), a copy of the thesis was published in Rome in 1954, entitled L'intima natura della vita cristiana secondo S. Ignazio Martire (The Private Nature of Christian Life According to St. Ignatius the Martyr).
Thus it was already in 1939 that he started with regular contributions to the "St. Anthony’s Sanctuary" monthly, launched by Franciscan Conventuals in Zagreb in the 1930s.
Celestin wrote the total of 37 articles for the monthly, all the way until 1943, when he was in Rome, while the cooperation was rendered most difficult because of the ongoing war.
It was only in the 60th, with the announcement of the Second Vatican Council - parallel with the state institutions somewhat releasing their pressure on the Catholic Church – that the religious press started reawakening.
The Catholic press started growing again and here is where Celestin found the right place for his apostolate of spreading and explaining the word of God.
