40th Death Anniversary of Friar Dominik Mandić

Friar Dominik Mandić was born in Široki Brijeg in Lise on 2nd December 1889. He ended his elementary school in Široki Brijeg. In the fall of 1901 he comes to the friar High school in Široki Brijeg where he finished five grades of high school and other 3 grades and graduation he finished in high school of Mostar. He started study theology at the Seminary in Mostar in 1907, and finishes it in Fribourg in Switzerland in 1914. He passes his doctorate in 1921. He puts Franciscan habitat on 19th August 1906 in Humac, sacred vows passes on 26th August 1910 in Mostar. He was ordained for priest on 4th August 1912 in Fribourg. In 1914 he returns to Široki Brijeg and leads courses for illiterate. In 1915 he comes in Mostar where he becomes the perfect and professor at the Seminary, professor at the national high school, the Secretary of the Province and from 1928 till 1934 becomes provincial. From 1934 till 1939 he is a director and professor at the Franciscan high school in Široki Brijeg. In 1939 he becomes a councilor and economic supreme of the supreme administration of Franciscan order in Rome. He builds a monastery of the General Administration of the order with the St. Mary Mediatrix church. He goes to America in 1951. He is a curator in America from 1952 till 1955. After that until his death he dedicates his life to the scholarly work. He died on 23rd August 1973 and buried in Chicago.
He started "People’s Freedom“, edition "Contemporary Issues“ and "Monumenta franciscana“. His principal works are: "De Legislatione antique Ordinis Fratrum Minorum“, "Schematismus almae missionariae provinciae OFM in Hercegovina“, "Acta franciscana Hercegovinae I (1463 - 1699)“, "Red Croatia“, "Diocese of Duvno“, "Bosnia and Herzegovina“, "Historical-critical researches 1., 2. and 3.“, "Croats and Serbs two old different nations“ and many more scientific papers and articles. He founded Croatian historical institute and publishing hose Croatia. After the World War II he helped many injured and expatriate people from the area of the newly established communist Yugoslavia. He is of the most important Herzegovinian and Franciscan in general. (Friar Ante Marić)