ABOUT US
The Centre for Spiritual Help (Centre) was founded 1990 as a organization specialized for helping persons achieve spiritual health. In the Centre an authentic Croatian method, called hagiotherapy, is applied, which was developed by Ph.D. Tomislav Ivančić, professor at the Catholic-Theological Faculty in Zagreb, Croatia, member of the International Theological Commission in Rome and principal of the Centre.
The Centre’s work is based on the charisma of the Community “Prayer and Word”, which was also founded by T. Ivančić and which provides the expert and spiritual training for persons working in hagiotherapy.
Hagiotherapy is based on natural moral law inscribed in every person. Its goal is to lead man to live according to moral-ethical principles. Namely, if man does not live according to these principles, i.e. does evil, his relationship with himself, other people and God gets disrupted, and his spiritual health gets damaged. Through hagiotherapy this health is re-established by applying the way of wisdom (via sapientiae), the way of morality (via moralis), the way of transcendence (via transcendentiae) and the way of theology (via theologica). Within the last one there are the following ways:
– the way of God's unconditional love (via caritatis),
– the way of trust (via fiduciae),
– the way of reconciliation (via reconciliationis),
– the way of liberation from evil and decision for the good (via liberationis),
– the way of grace (via gratiae).
There is existential, basic and specific spiritual health, which can be viewed from the following standpoints:
a) cognitive,
b) transcendental,
c) interpersonal and
d) religious.
Through hagiotherapy spiritual health can be achieved in cases of:
- inherited inclinations to lack of spiritual health,
- damaged spiritual health caused by lack of love: lack of trust and confidence, feelings of guilt, fear, aggressiveness, dejection, desperation, lack of purpose, suicidality, anorexia, bulimia etc.,
- damaged spiritual structures, which include: conscience, free will, intellect, character etc.,
- spiritual trauma and suffering, such as: marriage and family crises, problems with children, loss of a beloved person, stress, PTSD, post-abortion syndrome etc.,
- deviant moral attitudes, such as: bitterness, revengefulness, maliciousness, criminality etc.,
- addiction to drugs, alcohol, gambling, magic, occult practices, indulgence, money, dependence of other people etc.,
- medium psychosis,
- symptomatic illnesses, i.e. physical or mental illnesses with a spiritual cause.
Way and Means of Work
After the causes of the spiritual problems are investigated, the status of spiritual health is established. After that spiritual laws and the interdependence of body, psyche and spirit are explained. Clarifications are given as to where and why a lack of spiritual health occurred and how to re-establish it. Based on that the person needs to make a decision to proceed on the way to spiritual health, after which God’s unconditional love (via caritatis) is mediated and the person’s dignity and trust (via fiduciae) is build. Finally, the person is led on the way of reconciliation, forgiving and repentance (via reconciliationis) to find God’s power and strength (via gratiae) for a virtuous and ethical life.
The means in hagiotherapy are: accepting and supporting the person, counselling, explaining spiritual laws and true ethical/moral values, prayer, meditation, Word of God and sacraments (for non-atheists).
Types of Work in Hagiotherapy
Hagiotherapy is carried out with individuals, groups, through specialized seminars (for children, the youth, parents, couples, the ill and persons taking care of them, as well as for various professions: teachers, medical staff, educators, managers etc.), creative-therapeutic workshops, via the telephone and visits at home, in hospitals, rehabilitations centres, nursing homes etc. In addition, lectures, radio-programs, as well as training and study courses for new staff in hagiotherapy are held on a regular basis. Via the telephone automatic service (060-322-322 (in Croatian)) spiritual impulses “Five minutes for you” by T. Ivančić can be heard every day.
For Whom is Hagiotherapy Intended?
Hagiotherapy is intended for all persons, regardless of their age, profession, religion or world-view (theists and atheists) and is provided by spiritually, theologically and professionally trained staff, free of charge.
Knowing about the efficiency of hagiotherapy, many medical doctors, psychologists, special teachers, pedagogues, teachers and social workers refer persons in need of hagiotherapy to the Centre.
The Goal of Hagiotherapy
The goal of hagiotherapy is to teach persons to accept and apply moral and ethical values in their lives. Persons are enabled to build healthy interpersonal relations, improve their communication stills and overcome conflicts and life crises. Apart from that, through hagiotherapy spiritual health is achieved, which means that a person can freely dispose of his/her psycho-physical and spiritual abilities. A spiritually healthy person chooses to act in a humane, moral, creative and purposeful way, is able to find his/her purpose and goal in life, communicate with all people, thus building community, trust, dialogue, ecumenism and cooperation. Furthermore, such a person acts according to the right scale of values, has moral security, is oriented toward the good, able to solve problems and engage positively in society. By being taught about the ways to achieve spiritual health, persons are also enabled to help themselves and others. By obtaining spiritual health in individuals - due to the dispersive effect of hagiotherapy - a contribution is made to the spiritual health of families, and thus, in due course, to the spiritual renewal of society.
Statistics and Results
Yearly more than 1,000 persons seek individual hagiotherapy in the Centre in Zagreb, whereas more than 8,000 persons take part in its various programs (seminars, workshops, lectures etc.).
The statistics show that through hagiotherapy spiritual health is achieved in 54 % of cases, improvement in 28 %, and for 15 % there is no feedback. No result is obtained in only 2 % of cases. The remaining percentage (1 %) is still undergoing therapy.
Appointments
To undergo hagiotherapy an appointment has to be made on tel. 00385(0)1/4829-829. The address of the Centre is:
CENTAR ZA DUHOVNU POMOĆ
Vodnikova 2/III
HR-10000 Zagreb
Croatia
The working hours are Mon-Fri from 8,00 to 20,00.
The e-mail address of the Centre is: cdp1(at)cdp.hr
The timetable of seminars and workshops in the Centre in Zagreb, as well as radio programs about hagiotherapy (in Croatian) can be found at <www.cdp.hr/najave događanja>.
Financial Support
Since hagiotherapy is provided to all persons free of charge, every financial support is most welcome.
The bank account of the Centre is:
IBAN: HR 34 2340 0091 1000 21715
Privredna banka Zagreb, Račkoga 6,
10 000 Zagreb
SWIFT CODE (BIC): PBZGHR2X
za Centar za duhovnu pomoć
703000-VAL-165648
Hagiotherapy in Croatia
Hagiotherapy if offered in the following towns in Croatia
(the country code for Croatia is 00385):
Zagreb: Vodnikova 2/III, Zagreb, tel./fax: 01-4829-829
President: M.S. Dr. Marina Marinović
Staff: Katarina Ralbovski
Boris Stolnik
Marija Gudek
Višnja Bartolović
Magdalena Glasnović
Cres / Rijeka: Trg Frane Petrića 3, Cres, tel.: 051-571-858
Kresnikova 8, Rijeka, tel.: 051-677-120
Dr. Mandica Jerbić, pediatrician
Ana Dujmović-Majurec
s. Beata Kuzma
Karlovac: Pavla Vitezovića 4, tel.: 047-611-795
(Wednesdays 10,00 – 16,00 sati)
Boris Stolnik
Sl. Brod: Slavonska bb, tel./fax: 035-400-481
Silva Vrdoljak
Bosiljka Škvorčević
Virovitica: tel: 048-816-048, (8 − 12 h and 16 − 18 h)
Dr. Zlata Domović
Dr. Sanea Nađ, psychiatrist
Osijek: Vodenička 23 a, tel.: 031-500-777
Split: Nodilova 1, tel.: 021-348-648
Dr. Anita Vladanović-Strujić
Dr. Maja Božić, oncologist