MERZ, IVAN. — A zealous promoter of Catholic Action in Croatia, born at Banjaluka (Bosnia) on 16 Dec. 1896, died at Zagreb on 10 May 1928; he studied at Vienna and Paris, took his degree in philosophy at Zagreb, and later became professor at the archiepiscopal lyceum there.
Notable was his contribution to the formation and growth of the association “Orlovi” (Eagles), which soon became the most flourishing and promising of the Catholic youth organizations. He led an intense spiritual life and deepened his study of papal encyclicals, spreading their knowledge and ensuring their application, thus imparting to Croatian Catholic youth a stamp of genuine Roman spirit.