the Begić's proposal or to write which parishes should be retained by the Franciscans, and which should be at his disposal. In January 1886, Buconjić wrote back to Vannutelli, informing him that he would not take the parishes from the Franciscans. Upon receiving Buconjić's answer, Vannutelli informed Jacobini that the agreement between the Franciscans and Buconjić shouldn't be confirmed and that the parishes should be divided as in Bosnia, where the situation was the same as in Herzegovina. He proposed that the one-third of the parishes at least should be under the disposal of the bishop. However, since Buconjić was a Franciscan himself, Vannutelli considered that it would be impossible to bring a new solution and that the Herzegovinian Custos should be informed that the Rome does not want to make any new decrees since there is a harmony between the bishop and the monks. Jacobini accepted Vannutelli's position. Thus, Rome kept the issue unresolved. Friar Lujo Radoš fruitlessly urged the Congregation for Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs in March 1888. Lupori advised Friar Nikola Šimović to explain the Franciscans' position on the matter to the Nuncio in Vienna and to try to get a confirmation for their proposal. At the end of October 1889 he visited the Nuncio who told him that he will try to resolve the matter in the interest of the Franciscans. After returning to Mostar, Šimović again wrote to the Nuncio reminding him of Radoš's proposal from 1888. The Nuncio replied in December 1889, promising he will support such a proposal. However, the issue still remained unresolved for years. In 1892, the Franciscan Custody of Herzegovina was elevated to a province. After Begić was elected Provincial in 1898, he tried to broker any deal he could, rather than to hold the insecure status quo. Buconjić was supposed to visit Rome after Easter in 1899, which Begić was as an opportunity to finally resolve the issue of parishes. Custos Rafael Radoš was supposed to join Buconjić in Rome, however, he died in March 1899, so Begić wrote to the General of the Order in April to represent the Franciscan Province in Herzegovina. Buconjić discussed the issue with Begić, and both wanted to preserve the strong Franciscan presence in the Diocese of Mostar-Duvno. Finally, Buconjić proposed that 25 parishes should belong to the Franciscans, while twelve parishes would be at the bishop's disposal. Also, Buconjić proposed the establishment of