Fr. Damir Stojić, SDB, salesian priest, born and raised in Toronto, Canada. After finishing primary catholic school and secondary salesian school in Toronto, he initially enrolled psychology studies, but soon after, decided to become a priest and enrolled theology studies at Catholic Faculty of Theology in Zagreb. He graduated in 2002 and in the same year he was ordained for a priest. Two years later, in 2004, he started postgraduate studies at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where he recieved his master’s degree at the Department of Moral Theology with theme „Principles of Catholic Social Teaching in Minority Rights“. During his studies he was parish priest in Croatian Catholic Misson Saint Blaise.
After returning to Croatia in september 2007, he received decree of Zagreb’s Archdiocese for the service of a student chaplain at the University of Zagreb. He is also a member of the Committee for Youth Pastoral Activities of the Croatian Bishops’ Conference.
Today he is at service in parish of Holy Spirit and votive church of Holy Mother of Freedom in Zagreb. All over Croatia, but also outside of the borders, through lectures, seminars and spiritual renewals, he promotes Theology of the body by catecheses of saint John Paul II. He is a strong promoter of the values of human dignity and an engaged fighter for the right of preborns. Because of his brave testimony, strong presence in public and social influence, especially on youth, he is often a target of left-wing organizations and media. Due to his overall activities, he is recepient of this year’s award „Witness of the year“.