Dr. Ivan Šreter, born in Pakrac, and due to his place of professional activity, also from Lipik, is one of the figures in recent Croatian history who, due to his heroic and human qualities, is really worth knowing. He was an extremely professional, diligent and respected doctor, in whom people trusted. According to the testimony of colleagues and associates, he stood out with his dedication and constant availability to all people with no distinction. Because of the above, but also due to his distinct managerial abilities, he became the director of the hospital in Lipik. His professional growth from childhood was accompanied by the spiritual one. As a child, in dangerous times, as a brave minister, he accompanied his pastor in blessing houses. During his student days in Zagreb he zealously attended religious instruction with the famous Croatian and world theologian, founder of hagiotherapy, Dr. Tomislav Ivančić. To him, Dr. Šreter was one great person, who, if he had lived in the days of the early Church, would surely have been canonized. Together they grew spiritually and together followed an inner impulse to transcend the level of traditional Christians: one the level of a traditional priest and the other the level of a traditional physician. It can be said with certainty that they both moved to another world achieving what they had strived for during their lives, each in his own way. Despite Dr. Šreter's courageous efforts and public action in the early 1990s to preserve peaceful coexistence, false arguments and false news from governing structures (from neighbouring Serbia) or from outside were used as an excuse to destroy peaceful coexistence and take tanks to the streets. Although aware of the dangers of the weather and the heated situation, Dr. Šreter worked equally hard to preserve peace. "In our conditions and in our fields, be a Croat from the bottom of your heart and be a Catholic means being a bit naive. That is our definition, but it is also our being. These are the words with which the famous theologian Zivko Kustic described Dr. Šreter's childish naivety. "He took responsibility when no one had the courage to do so. Where a smart man would not put his foot, he put his head." On August 18, 1991, he was abducted in an ambush and then followed by beatings and inhuman abuse, a man who only wanted peace. Dr. Šreter did not love his enemies at a distance, but as a supreme Christian he loved with God's power the enemy who broke his bones and covered his body with bruises. Beyond the framework of Jesus’ life, it is difficult to conceive this love, a love that despite the endured suffer seeks to save a man. It was Dr. Šreter who wanted to save his enemy with his love. One day we will 19 know for sure whether this saint and martyr passed away at the memorial day of the world ambassador of God's mercy, St. Faustina Kowalska.
