Maronite Voice.pdf - Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn

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Weymouth, MassachusettsEntrance Day of BlessingsLeft to right: Sister Marla Marie, Bishop Gregory Mansour,Therese Touma and Tresa Van Heusen.by Sister Marla MarieOnthe Feast day of the Presentation of Our Lord,Therese Touma and Tresa Van Heusen entered as thefirst postulants of the Maronite Servants of Christthe Light. Bishop Gregory J. Mansour, Bishop of theEparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn, offered the DivineLiturgy at the Mary, Mother of the Light Monastery inWeymouth, Mass. Chorbishop Joseph Lahoud, Pastor of OurLady of the Cedars in Jamaica Plain (Boston); Fr. JackMorrison, Pastor of Our Lady of Purgatory, New Bedford; Fr,Anthony Salim, Pastor of St. Theresa, Brockton ; and FatherWilliam Salmon concelebrated.After the Liturgy, Bishop Mansour blessed the candidatesand medals of Our Lady of Lebanon, and Sister Marla Mariepresented them with the medal to be worn with theirpostulant uniform."This is a blessed day for our new foundation and I givethanks to God for these vocations," said Sister Marla Mariewho is praying that many more women will respond to thecall to serve as a Maronite Servant. See their website andblog for more details: maroniteservants.org,radiatehislight.blogspot.com. Washington, D.C.Vocation Discernment WeekendThe Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn and theEparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon will hold a VocationDiscernment Weekend April 9-11, 2010, at Our Ladyof Lebanon Maronite Seminary in Washington, D.C. All mencollege-age and older who feel they have a vocation to thePriesthood are invited to this weekend of prayer anddiscovery. If you are interested, please contact your Pastor orone of the Vocation Directors: Fr. Dominique Hanna atdominique_hanna@hotmail.com or by phone (404) 525-2504; Msgr. sharbel Maroun at abouna@stmaron.com or byphone at (612) 379-2758; or Fr. Armando Khoury atfather@saintrafka.org or by phone at (720) 833-0354. Prayand work for vocations. Maronite Youth ConferenceThe National Maronite Youth Workshop will be held atSt. Vincent College in Latrobe (Pittsburgh),Pennsylvania, from Monday, July 19 through Saturday,July 24, 2010. The cost for the conference this year is $375per person (double occupancy); $500 per person (singleoccupancy-adults only).Applications and a non-refundable deposit of $150 perperson are due by May 28. Applications submitted after June18 are subject to a $50 late fee per application. Noapplications will be accepted after June 28.For more information, please email Fr. Gary George,Director, at abounag1@hotmail.com. Project RootsProject Roots is a program initiated by the MaroniteBishops in the United States and is designed to helpMaronites, as well as others and without discrimination,to connect with relatives in their homeland of origin in theMiddle East. It provides other services such as aiding newergenerations in obtaining or regaining the citizenship of theirparents or grandparents.For American citizens with Middle Eastern roots, it ispatriotic to establish and cement relations with their relativesin their original homeland. It is also being patriotic toAmerica, to obtain or regain that citizenship, since this willfurther strengthen ties between America and countries of theMiddle East by bringing balance to Middle Eastern societies.To that end, those involved with Project Roots will do allthey can to help those Americans and those of othernationalities who wish to connect to their roots in the MiddleEast.Bringing balance back into Middle Eastern societiesmeans that those Americans who obtain or regain suchcitizenship would have a say in what goes on in their countryof origin. They can help foster social justice which is arequirement for those wishing to walk in the footsteps ofChrist. Bringing balance back into society will help all theirrelatives in more than one way: It will usher in moderation,security to individuals and groups, as well as prosperity anda higher quality of life for relatives and all others who calltheir Middle Eastern country of origin their homeland.Project Roots is ready to help any and all Americans ofMiddle Eastern origin, from all sectors of society, who wishto obtain citizenship of the country of their roots. TheProject’s office in the U.S. is available to provideinformation, help with formalities here and in their countryof origin, and help in connecting with relatives there.Contact information by phone is via (310) 276-1939; Fax(310) 858-0856. On the internet the e-mail isprojectroots@live.com. The Maronite Voice Volume VI Issue No. III Page 3 March 2010

Tampa FloridaPastoral Visitby James NicholsOn January 9-10, 2010, His Excellency GregoryMansour, Bishop of the Eparchy of Saint Maron ofBrooklyn, made a pastoral visit to Sts. Peter & PaulMission in Tampa, Florida. On Saturday night the Bishopmet and dined with Father Peter Boulos, Administrator, andmembers of the Parish Council. They discussed the excitinggrowth of the mission since the church was dedicated in early2008. Planning for the purchase of land to build a rectoryand possible hall was also discussed. On Sunday the Bishopand Father Peter concelebrated the Divine Liturgy to anoverflowing church. The Bishop’s homily stressed theimportance of the Eucharist and the importance of ourchildren for the future of the church. Later the children wereinvited to the altar for the consecration. The Bishop explainedthe importance of reverence and respect for the Eucharist tothe children. He asked them to pay special attention andunderstand that they were in God’s presence as theconsecration was sung in Syriac, the language of our Lord.Following the Liturgy the parish community servedrefreshments, and everyone had the opportunity to personallyvisit with the Bishop. The Bishop and Father Peter celebratedthe Liturgy Monday morning before departing together forthe annual priest’s retreat in West Palm Beach. Tulsa, OklahomaBishop’s Visit to St. ThereseChurchby Randa HakimIn early October Bishop Robert Shaheen honored Tulsa,Oklahoma, with a visit and spent a weekend with FatherElias Abi Sarkis, Pastor, and the community.On Friday fifty-two parishioners joined the Bishop at adinner at King’s Palace Steakhouse owned by Wissam andRita Mchantaf.Bishop Robert Shaheen, Dr. Jorishie, and Fr. Elias Abi Sarkis,Pastor of St. Therese Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma.On Saturday Father Abi Sarkis invited all theparishioners and friends to a picnic to enjoy chicken andbrisket prepared by the Al-Khouri brothers’ restaurant.On Sunday, during the Liturgy Bishop Shaheen bestoweda great honor and recognition on Dr. Jake Jorishie. Dr.Jorishie was awarded the Papal Order of St. Gregory theGreat as a Knight for his high dedication and commitment toSaint Therese Church and the Maronite faith.Following the service Bishop Shaheen blessed anddedicated the newly built shrine of the Virgin Mary, donatedby Dr. Jorishie and his sister Mrs. Diana Deeba. A Lebanesebrunch prepared by the hard-working women and men of theparish was awaiting the Bishop and his flock. The festivitiesended when everyone bid the Bishop farewell as he headedback to Saint Louis.Saint Therese’s seventh annual Christmas Lunch andBake Sale took place on Sunday December 13, 2009. Anunprecedented 530 people were served, raising more fundsthan last year.May Saint Therese shower her blessings on all those whoserve her church and the Lord. Deadline for next month’s issue ofThe Maronite Voice is March25, 2010. Send all changes ofaddress, news, pictures and personalcorrespondence to:The Maronite Voice4611 Sadler RoadGlen Allen, Virginia 23060Phone: (804) 270-7234; Fax: (804) 273-9914Email: Gmsebaali@aol.com.Digital pictures must be high resolution in JPEG format.The Maronite Voice is also available online in PDF format atwww.stmaron.org. The Maronite Voice Volume VI Issue No. III Page 5 March 2010

Houston, TexasPlayground Dedication and Awardthem play.” That was our inspiration at Our Ladyof the Cedars Church in Houston, Texas, when we“Letbuilt a playground for our children.The children are the future of our church and community;it is our responsibility as parents to help them develop a senseof affection and joyful lasting memories about our church, sothey embrace the responsibility to carry forward the missionour generation started.By giving our youngest an area that they can call theirown, we are strengthening our community throughout; theplayground will help our children bond with each other anddevelop a sense of pride and belonging. And as an addedbonus, the children can’t wait to come to church on Sunday.The positive response and the support for the projecthave been inspiring; every person who contributed did sowith joy and enthusiasm, and the volunteers who assembledthe playground did so with hard labor and strongcommitment. It was wonderful to see once again ourcommunity come together to build a project that benefits ourfamilies.Planning, organizing, gathering committed volunteers arevery important, but the most critical aspect was the unshakencommitment of our Pastor, Fr. Milad Yaghi, whose guidanceand support was instrumental from the beginning of theproject until the end. Now the playground is finished and weas a community enjoy seeing our children at play.Massabki AwardOn Sunday February 7, 2010, two parishioners from OurLady of the Cedars Maronite Church in Houstonreceived the Massabki Brothers Award, an Eparchialhonor.At the end of the Divine Liturgy, which was concelebratedby Father Leon Strieder of the Galveston-HoustonArchdiocese and the clergy of Our Lady of the Cedars, Lynnand Alberto Tohme were surprised when Father Milad Yaghi,Pastor, made the announcement granting them the certificateand medal. The Tohmes are long-time parishioners and veryactive in all facets of parish life.They both volunteer in several programs, includingGrace Hawa (Lynn's sister), the Tohme triplets, Anthony,Serena, and Alberto, Fathers Pierre and Milad, and the ParishCouncil President Dr. Nicolas Nammour joined the honoredcouple in this picture taken in front of the Altar of Our Ladyof the Cedars Church.Maronite Christian Formation (MCF), Altar Server training,and the Adult Catholic Education, and they take part inpreparing and organizing the Parish retreats every year. Inaddition, Alberto has been a liaison with the local LatinArchdiocese on a variety of Parish programs.Parishioners join Father Yaghi and his two associates,Fathers Andre Estephan and Pierre El-Khoury, incongratulating Lynn and Alberto on this well-deserved honor.Their example of dedication and selfless volunteering servesas an inspiration to all at Our Lady of the Cedars. Scholarships AvailableEach year the Aitaneet Foundation, located in Cleveland,Ohio, awards scholarships to applicants of LebaneseChristian descent. Applicants must be of LebaneseChristian descent, a 2010 graduate of an accreditedsecondary school, and accepted to an accredited postsecondary education institution.This year the following Scholarships will be awarded:$3,000 Aitaneet Brotherhood Association Scholarship$2,000 Aitaneet Foundation Scholarship$1,000 Thomas & Mary Shaia Scholarship$1000 Edward Nahra ScholarshipSelection will be based on academic achievement,extracurricular involvement, financial need, and service toschool, church, and community. Completed applications mustbe postmarked no later than April 10, 2010. Recipients willbe notified prior to May 28, 2010.For applications and guidelines, please go towww.aitaneet.com and click on the scholarship icon. Allapplications are evaluated by an independent committee ofeducators. For any questions, call Victor Shaia at 216-621-0328.The Aitaneet Foundation was established in 2000 by theAitaneet Brotherhood Association as an independent nonprofitcharitable corporation to promote charitable,educational, and humanitarian endeavors. Our Tax Id is 34-1928941 and our mailing address is PO Box 93234,Cleveland, Ohio 44101. The Maronite Voice Volume VI Issue No. III Page 6 March 2010

In the final chapter, the importance of Lebanon to the historyof the Maronites is described. Patriarch Sfeir notes thatMaronites wrote their history in the land of Lebanon, not inbooks. It is made clear to the reader that the Maronitesconsider Lebanon their holy land and the symbol of theirhistory. Maronites have always kept their personality as theymoved throughout the world because of Lebanon. Lebanon,however, is seen as part of a mission that allows its diversepopulation to live together in harmony.Patriarch Sfeir concludes his letter with a thoroughdescription of the importance of Lebanon, set apart, as ahome for Christians and Muslims, as the home given to theMaronites by St. Maron, and as a home for the liberation ofthe human person. He then explained that for this JubileeYear, a central committee has been appointed. Thiscommittee has been commissioned “to make all necessaryarrangements to accompany celebrations and religious,spiritual, cultural, and social activities inspired by the HolySpirit, in walking in the footsteps of Saint Maron and intransmitting the Gospel message, and witnessing to Christ.”Everyone is invited to “organize religious celebrations,processions, ceremonies, and cultural and social activities,and to organize pilgrimage visits to holy Maronite places andpatriarchal sites.”(The full text of Patriarch Sfeir’s Pastoral Letter is foundonline at www.stmaron.org).Prayer for the Jubilee YearLord God,you called your chosen one, Saint Maron,to the monastic life,perfected him in divine virtues,and guided him along the difficult roadto the heavenly kingdom.During this jubilee year, commemorating 1600 yearssince the death of your chosen one, Saint Maron,when he was called to the house of your heavenly Father;We ask you, through his intercession,to immerse us in your love that we maywalk in your path,heed your commandments,and follow in his footsteps.May his holy example resonate throughout our lives.With your love, may we achieve that final destinationreached by our father, Saint Maron,and carry your Gospel throughout the world.Through his intercession, may we attainthe glory of the resurrection and everlasting life in you.Glory and thanks are due to you, to your blessed Father,and to your living Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen. Pope Benedict XVI Reflects onMeaning of PriesthoodDuring his Lenten spiritual exercises, Pope BenedictXVI reflected on the priesthood and what it means tobe a priest.The Pope noted on February 27, at the end of the annualseven-day spiritual exercises for the Pontiff and the RomanCuria, preached by Salesian Father Enrico dal Covolo.This year's retreat focused on "The Lessons of God andof the Church in the Priestly Vocation." This theme waschosen to reflect the Year for Priests currently under way."In the name of all of us present here," the Holy Fathersaid in a brief address, "I would like to say thank you withmy whole heart to you, Father Enrico, for this retreat, for theimpassioned and very personal way in which you guided ourpath toward Christ, on path of renewal of our priesthood."Pope Benedict XVI recounted how the Salesian preacherchose as his "starting point, as an always present background,as destination [...] Solomon's prayer for 'a heart that hears.'""In truth, it seems to me that here the whole Christianvision of man is recapitulated," the Pope said. "Man is notperfect in himself, man has need of relation -- he is a being inrelation. ... He needs to listen, to listen to the other, above allthe Other -- with a capital 'O' -- who is God. Only in this waydoes he know himself, only in this way does he becomehimself."The Pontiff noted that during the spiritual exercises, hehad full view of an image of the Mother of the Redeemer, ...the living seat of wisdom, with Wisdom incarnate in herwomb.""St. Luke presents Mary precisely as a woman wholistens from the heart," Pope Benedict XVI explained, "whois immersed in the Word of God, who listens to the Word,who meditates (synballein) on it, composes and treasures it,who carries it in her heart.""The Fathers of the Church say, that in the moment of theconception of the eternal Word in the womb of the Virgin,the Holy Spirit entered into Mary through her ear," he said."In listening she conceived the eternal Word, she gave herflesh to this Word. And thus she tells what it means to havea heart that listens."Mary is surrounded here by the fathers and the mothersof the Church, by the communion of saints. And so we seeand we have understood during these days that we cannottruly hear the Word in the isolated 'I' but only in the 'we' ofthe Church, in the 'we' of the communion of saints.""And you, dear Father Enrico, have shown us, haveprovided a voice for five exemplary figures of the priesthood,beginning with Ignatius of Antioch and continuing to the dearand venerable Pope John Paul II," continued the Pope. "Thuswe have truly again perceived what it means to be a priest, tobecome priests more and more."You have also stressed that consecration is for mission,it is destined to become mission. During these days we havepenetrated our consecration more deeply with God's help."Thus, with new courage, we would like now to take up ourmission." February 28, 2010 (Zenit.org)The Maronite Voice Volume VI Issue No. III Page 11 March 2010

In Persona ChristiDr. Marie Anderson.by Marie Anderson, M.D.In persona Christi is a termfrequently used to describe a priest.The universal patron of priests, St.John Vianney once said, “Thepriesthood is the love of the Heart ofJesus.”Throughout my life, God has sentan abundance of faithful priests toguide me in unexpected ways. Eachplayed a distinct role in my spiritualgrowth. Just like me, each possessedunique gifts and struggled with dailychallenges and human failings. Yetthese men worked together seamlesslyfor the betterment of my soul. In mostcases they were unaware of guidanceothers had given. Yet, they wereremarkably consistent in their teaching.How can this be?I believe the Holy Spirit inspiresGod’s faithful priests through prayer.If a priest is to transform lives throughhis example of holiness and celebrateMass worthily, he must regularly placehimself in God’s presence for spiritualnourishment. In order to touchpeople’s souls in the Sacrament ofConfession, he must have one ear opento the penitent, and one to the HolySpirit.I am a physician who returned tothe faith thirteen years years ago andlater joined the Tepeyac Family Center,a completely pro-life obstetrics andgynecology practice in Fairfax,Virginia. I have come to considerworking in this holy place as myvocation, and I have learned muchabout how to practice there…frompriests.It amazes me to see the similaritiesbetween faithful doctors and priests.We both care for the whole person, butthe emphasis varies. I often referpatients to priests. One particular priestsends patients to me when theirspiritual difficulties seem to stem frommedical illness; he had studied pre-medbefore he entered the seminary. That iscontinuity of care at its best!On a personal level, priests werepresent at my baptism and throughoutmy life. They helped me as I grew inmy faith and later when I questioned it.When I stepped away from the Churchfor a while, they continued to treat mewith the love and compassion Christhas for his children. When I was readyto return, a priest was there to lead meback home.At the time, I was practicingmedicine in a way which was not inkeeping with Church teaching. Afaithful priest guided me through thedifficult period of spiritual growthwhich followed. With each passingday, I felt God stretching my heart tofill it with grace. It was painful, but itwas a good pain. I hungered to receivethe sacraments, but I couldn’t until Ieliminated my objectionable practices.The priest and many other peopleprayed for me in earnest. What ablessing it was to experience the reliefof having the burden of sin lifted frommy shoulders in the confessional whereChrist was waiting for me, veiled as thepriest. All I had to do was come to himin humility.After joining the Tepeyac FamilyCenter, I learned that obstetrics is oneof God’s best classrooms. We cannotcontrol the challenges of pregnancy,labor, and delivery, but priests can helpus respond to these challenges inpersona Christi.In 2004, our twenty-five year olddaughter died suddenly in a motorvehicle accident. Needless to say, I wasdevastated. Numerous priests cameforward to help me. Eight of themliterally dropped everything toconcelebrate her funeral Mass.Together, they transformed mycrushing pain and suffering into anincredible opportunity for holiness.Throughout my life, and particularly onthis occasion, I have truly experiencedthe “love of the Heart of Jesus” throughGod’s faithful priests. Marie Anderson, M.D., F.A.C.O.G., isMedical Director of the TepeyacFamily Center in Fairfax, Virginia.Marie and her husband Dave have threechildren. This article was disseminatedby Sister Mary Ann Walsh, Director ofMedia Relations, United StatesConference of Catholic Bishops(USCCB).People’s Prayer forPriestsDear Lord,We pray that the Blessed Motherwrap her mantle around yourpriests and through herintercession strengthen them fortheir ministry.We pray that Mary will guide yourpriests to follow her own words,“Do whatever He tells you”(Jn 2:5).May your priests have the heart ofSt. Joseph, Mary’s most chastespouse.May the Blessed Mother’s ownpierced heart inspire them toembrace all who suffer at the footof the cross.May your priests be holy,filled with the fire of your loveseeking nothing but your greaterglory and the salvation of souls.Amen.Saint John Vianney, pray for us.© 2009 United States Conference ofCatholic Bishops, Washington, D.C.Permission is granted to reproducethis text in whole or in part withoutadaptation for non-commercial use.Secretariat of Clergy, ConsecratedLife and Vocations.The Maronite Voice Volume VI Issue No. III Page 12 March 2010

Birmingham, AlabamaLebanese and Cultural Festival &Centennial CelebrationThe St. EliasMaronite CatholicChurch inBirmingham, Alabama,is having its TwelfthAnnual Lebanese Foodand Cultural Festival onApril 9-10, 2010.There is no admissioncharge. The public willhave an opportunity to taste the food and experience theatmosphere of this Lebanese Maronite Catholic Church—theonly one in the State of Alabama—and also help celebrate its100 years in Birmingham. In July of this year, St. EliasChurch will host the National gathering of Maronites from allover the United States as part of our 100 year celebration.Many cultural events explaining the rich history andtradition of the Maronite Catholic faith, which originated inLebanon, will be held during the two day event. Some of thecultural events will include a Heritage Room wheredemonstrations of the Birmingham Lebanese Community andcultural displays from Lebanon will occur. Also, tours of thenewly renovated Church will be held each day. The tourswill include a discussion of the famous stained glass windowssurrounding the Church and the use during Church servicesof Aramaic, the native language spoken by Jesus.Nightly entertainment will again feature the extremelypopular Amin Sultan Band from New York outside in a tentwith music and dancing from 6:00 to 9:30 p.m., Friday andSaturday. The public is also invited to attend our Liturgyservice which will start at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday. Inside themain Hall, Friday night and Saturday, on stage, our youthwill perform traditional Lebanese dances. Beginning onFriday night and concluding Saturday at 8:30 p.m., a SilentAuction will be held.Twenty-five percent of all proceeds of the Festival willgo to local and national charities other than St. Elias. In thelast eleven years St. Elias has donated over $195,000.00 toother charities from Festival proceeds. Check out our websiteat http://www.stelias.org/festival_2010.html. Food For ThoughtIt is because of faith that we exchange the present for thefuture.St. Fidelis of SigmaringenThe Maronite Voice Volume VI Issue No. III Page 13 March 2010

Youngstown, OhioYouth Regional RetreatFr. Gary George conducting the youth regional retreat.by Marie-Elizabeth DoharMore than 125 participants from eight regional parishesand their advisers gathered at St. Maron Parish inYoungstown, Ohio, on Friday, February 12, 2010,for a weekend retreat in preparation for Lent. Hebrews 12:1-2, “... Let us run with perseverance the race marked out forus. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus...” both served as a metaphorfor the Lenten journey and tied in with the theme of theretreat.In keeping with current events, the retreat’s theme wasinspired by the Winter Olympics and focused on the virtuesof unity, faith, truth, respect and courage. This theme wasconveyed in many aspects of the weekend’s activities,including a team-building bowling tournament on Saturdayafternoon and the Olympic-themed banners designed by eachgroup, which were displayed for all to see.On Friday evening, after a dinner prepared by St.Maron’s parishioners, Father Gary George, Youth Directorand Pastor of St. Maron Parish, led the youth participants inevening prayer and reflection. The youth watched spiritualmusic videos before the Blessed Sacrament was exposed forAdoration. Father Gary carried the Eucharist around thechurch and blessed the youth present. Following eveningprayer, the youth had time to socialize, dance and playgames.Monsignor Anthony Spinosa, Rector of the NationalShrine of Our Lady of Lebanon, welcomed the youth to theShrine Saturday morning, and he shared a brief history of theShrine with the youth during their visit. Father Gary thenintroduced Tony, Alex and Gabe, the seminarians who hadcome from Washington, D.C., to join the youth for theweekend. Sandy Romah, an adviser from Our Lady ofVictory Parish in Pittsburgh, Penn., then spoke about a younggirl she had met through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, wholost her battle with cancer. The story of this young girl, andher motto F.R.O.G. (Fully Rely On God), touched the youthparticipants in a deeply profound way. The youth alsoparticipated in group sessions led by Father Gary, SisterCeline, Deacon William George, and the seminarians andadvisers. Father Gary and Monsignor Anthony then ledparticipants in a procession with the icon of the BlessedMother. Before leaving the Shrine, participants enjoyed anlunch prepared by the Antonine Sisters. After their bowlingtournament, youth returned to St. Maron Parish for areconciliation service, at which time they were reminded ofthe importance of sharing the gifts they possess with God.Later Saturday evening, the youth were treated to a haflicourtesy of the parishioners at St. Maron Parish. The hall wasbeautifully decorated in Olympic-style, complete withsnowboards, ice skates and a torch, and the youth enjoyedLebanese food, desserts and a chocolate fountain. Theydanced and partied for hours to music provided by Matthewand Alex Romah of Our Lady of Victory Parish.Sunday morning began with the parish liturgy at St.Maron’s, where the youth read petitions, transferred gifts, andsang in the choir. Following liturgy, the parishioners preparedbreakfast for the youth participants, who were tired butrenewed in faith. Much like the Winter Olympians, who haveinspired people around the globe and will soon return to theirnative countries spreading the light and joy that theyexperienced in Vancouver, retreat participants wereencouraged to carry the Light of Christ home to theirindividual parishes. Detroit, MichiganFeast of Saint MaronOn Saturday February 6, 2010, St. Maron Church,Detroit, Mich., celebrated the Feast of St. Maron witha beautiful Liturgy. Msgr. Louis Baz was the maincelebrant. Chorbishop Michael Kail, Fr. Elie Zouein fromLimington, Canada, Fr. Marc George from St. Peter and Paulin Detroit, and four Monks from the Order of the BlessedMary concelebrated. Three Subdeacons helped in thecelebrations.Msgr. Baz gave a homily about St. Maron and how thethree Detroit Maronite Churches: St. Maron, St. Sharbel, andSt. Rafka, are celebrating this special occasion together. Healso spoke about the life of Saint Maron and how we shouldalways be united in prayers and in our spiritual life. The Maronite Voice Volume VI Issue No. III Page 14 March 2010

Lawrence, MassachusettsJubilee of Saint MaronWaterville, MaineTalent ShowHis Beatitude Patriarch Nasrallah Peter Cardinal Sfeirproclaimed this year to be a Jubilee Yearthcommemorating the 1600 year of the death of SaintMaron.In accordance with his message, the parish family ofSaint Anthony Maronite Church in Lawrence, Massachusetts,opened this Jubilee Year of Saint Maron with a tridiumcelebration which was very enriching and successful thanksto Almighty God and all those involved in putting together aprogram for each day.We salute Subdeacon Jim Demers and Mr. Joe Abi-Saadfor their inspiring presentation regarding the life of SaintMaron and the Maronites. Also, we thank the parishioners fortheir time and effort in preparing a reception that followedthe presentation.On Saturday, at the end of the Divine Liturgy, theDaughters of Saint Anthony were the highlights of theevening. They were recognized for their dedication andservices throughout the years in parish life. A specialreception was arranged in their honor for their love anddedication to their church. Later on, the doors of the hallopened wide to welcome parishioners and friends who cameto celebrate and share in the festivities, watching the MYOperforming the beautiful steps of the Dabke. The fellowshipmarked this special event as we began the Jubilee Year ofSaint Maron.On Sunday, the Divine Liturgies took a different aspectof preaching by explaining the symbolism within the Liturgy,and the people were grateful to understand the true meaningof the rich symbolisms of our Maronite tradition in theLiturgy. A complimentary breakfast was held after eachliturgy to express our appreciation as a family of faith to ourpatron saint, St. Maron. The entire weekend brought uscloser, imitating the humility and the holiness of our father,St. Maron. We wish the many who came to support us ahappy and blessed Jubilee Year, which we hope to close onMarch 2, 2011 at the feast of Saint John Maron, the firstMaronite Patriarch. by Fr. Larry JensenSt. Joseph Maronite Catholic Church had its annualcelebration of being Maronite and starting the LentenSeason with their Mjadra Dinner and Talent Show.Several years ago, "Sito" Caroline Nale would prepare aMjadra Dinner for the parish on Cana Sunday to start theLenten Season. After Caroline went home to be with theLord, her children continued this great tradition for "BeitMaroon" the family of Maron. This year it was Mark Naleand Carol Nale Levine and their helpers. Along with thisDinner is a Talent Show organized by Marie Deeb, the parishchoir director.It was a fun filled evening of humor, music, singing, anddance. It would be hard to say which was the biggest hit forthe parish family; there was robust clapping for each eventand cameras flashing. We can be certain at St. Joseph's, noone started Lent hungry or was grumpy leaving for theirhome when the evening was over. Danbury, ConnecticutMYO/MYA Christmas TripOn December 30, 2009, twenty youth and young adultsfrom St. Anthony Parish in Danbury, Connecticut,took a trip to New York City. Passion Play advisorsChip Jowdy and Diane Debonis planned a day full ofsightseeing. They looked at Department Store Christmaswindow displays, walked through Time-Square, where theysaw Ryan Seacrest rehearsing for the New Year’s Eve Balldrop, saw the Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center, andattended the Broadway production of Wicked, and ended theday at Dave & Busters for dinner where they ran into BradPitt. As everyone walked around New York, buying 2010New Year glasses, pointing out strange sights, and trying tostay warm, they bonded and made new memories and newfriendships. Bringing together our Maronite Youth andallowing them to enjoy themselves and have fun was theobjective of the trip, and it was a great success. The Maronite Voice Volume VI Issue No. III Page 15 March 2010

Jacksonville, FloridaSt. Maron Feast DayCarol and Michelle Bahri were part of the youth entertainersat St. Maron Mission.On February 6, 2010, Saint Maron’s Council of theKnights of Columbus in Jacksonville, Florida,sponsored a fundraising banquet to benefit the St.Maron Maronite Mission Church building fund at theChurch/Hall in celebration of the Feast of Saint Maron.Musical entertainment was provided by the youth groupand a dinner was prepared and donated by MandalounRestaurant. The Youth Group proved to be multi-talentedand everyone enjoyed the performance. Fr. Elie Abi Chedidand Deacon Elias Shami were very pleased with the financialoutcome. Proceeds netted $7,200. Cincinnati, OhioSilver Massabki AwardPadua and Monsignor Abood agreed and held a meeting tobegin the journey, Rose was there. She and many othersjoined and started our local chapter. Rose has been an officerand a delegate of the chapter. She has supported through allthe years the many functions of the local chapter whether incharge of an activity, helping those in charge or participatingin the event. She was part of the Children’s dabke troupe, TheCincinnati Cedars, which she helped train and they performedat many of our church’s events. She has helped with theSunday school Maronite formation classes. She is a lifetimemember of NAM. She has represented St. Anthony of Paduaby serving on the National NAM Board. For decades Rosepreformed the traditional folk dance with oudist VinceSawma at the church’s local festival as well as chairing theCultural booth. These services were also provided atInternational festivals in the Cincinnati area representing theLebanese community. She was a member of the church choirfor decades. Rose serves on the Parish Council of St.Anthony of Padua."Following the Liturgy the community gathered in theMsgr. Abood Maronite Center to enjoy breakfast prepared byChef Semaan Dargham. The MCF students spoke to theparish about the life of St. Maron. Each student from Pre-Kththrough the 10 grade recited the life and spirituality of thefather of the Maronite Church. We began: Who was St.Maron? A holy priest who gave his life to God. Then ended:As we read in Psalm 92:12, 'the righteous man will flower asthe palm tree, and be multiplied like the cedar of Lebanon'. Father David Fisher, Pastor of St. Anthony of PaduaMaronite Church, Cincinnati, Ohio, presented RoseAbi-Radi with the Silver Massabki Award on February7, 2010. Joe Sowma, President of NAM local chapterdescribed the service of Rose to the Church: "When MabelZehenni requested the formation of NAM at St. Anthony ofThe Maronite Voice Volume VI Issue No. III Page 16 March 2010

The Maronite Voice Volume VI Issue No. III Page 17 March 2010

The Maronite Voice Volume VI Issue No. III Page 18 March 2010

San Diego, CaliforniaSt. Ephrem Church and Mariam Mother of Life Shrine named Pro-LifeCenter for the Eparchy of Our Lady of LebanonMariam Mother of Life Shrine in San Diego, California.by Mary GhosnIn December St. Ephrem Maronite Church in San Diego,California, received a notice from Bishop Shaheenappointing the Church and Mariam, Mother of Life Shrineas the Pro-Life Center for the Eparchy of Our Lady ofLebanon.It is a great honor for the parish to take up this new andchallenging apostolate for the Eparchy. Under the leadershipof Fr. Nabil Mouannes, Pastor, also named Chairman of theEparchial Pro-Life Office, along with our dedicated Sanctityof Life Committee, we feel ready to meet that challenge!The appointment from Bishop Shaheen followed ourrequest to inaugurate the Mariam, Mother of Life Shrine as acenter of Pro-life activity. This we asked for after muchreflection, prayer and a sincere hope about undertaking thisgreat work. Over time it became apparent to us that we had aspecial calling to take a leadership role in advancing a cultureof life. It was God’s providence that inspired Fr. Nabil toname our shrine: Mariam, Mother of Life! We are certain thishas great and deep significance. What, too, has become moreand more evident is that, as every age is often defined by asingle issue, the issue of our day is the Defense of Life, fromits very inception to its natural end, and so we are compelledto be a voice for the “least among us” and for those who haveno voice.With that in mind, and recognizing that all baptizedChristians accept undisputedly the Gospel as the Word ofGod, we must all therefore believe what we read, teach whatwe believe and practice what we teach! Therefore, we are allmessengers of the Gospel who must announce the “goodnews” of Jesus Christ through word, deed and with charity.Pope John Paul II begins his great encyclical EvangeliumVitae with: “The Gospel of life is at the heart of Jesus’message... it is to be preached with dauntless fidelity as“good news” to the people of every age and culture.” TheHoly Father makes it clear throughout this teaching that thereis only one Gospel which is “the Gospel of God’s love forman, the Gospel of the dignity of the person and the Gospelof life- and they are a single and indivisible Gospel.”Therefore the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the Gospel of life!Everyone consequently is called to believe, teach and practicethe Gospel news. Indeed, in this day of moral relativism,when there is no clear definition of right and wrong, whenwhat was once a crime (abortion) is now defended by the lawas a “right” and when what should be the safest place to be,the mother’s womb, is the deadliest place for a little baby,more than ever there is an enormous need for such a placesuch as a shrine dedicated to advancing and praying for theCulture of Life and an Apostolate to actively promote it! Infact, with the far reaching agenda of the culture of deathextending into every aspect of society, what is required areheroic and dauntless defenders and missionaries of life! PopeJohn Paul gave us the call: we must build a new culture oflife. Pope Benedict gives us the starting point for the mission:God is Love.St. Ephrem Parish is ready to answer the call! And weinvite all people of goodwill to join us and mobilize asdefenders of the Gospel of Life in this great Campaign forLife! Believe what you read, teach what you believe, andpractice what you teach. We hope you join us in being aMissionary of Life. Mid-Atlantic East NAM RegionalConventionMsgr. Maroun Asmar, Pastor of St. Sharbel Church inSomerset, N.J., and Administrator of Our lady Star ofthe East Mission in Pleasantville, N.J., and Fr. PaulMouwad, Pastor of St. Sharbel Church, Newtown Square,Penn., would like to invite you to the first NAM RegionalConvention to be held in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on April9-11, 2010 at the Clarion Hotel & Convention Center, 6821Black Horse Pike, Atlantic City West, Egg Harbor Twp, NJ.Telephone (609) 272-0200 or 1-800-782-9237.The Theme is “Change” in the “Year of Saint Maron.” asthwe celebrate the 1600 anniversary of his death. Theworkshops reflect this theme well.The Convention will be full of faith and renewedfriendships for many who regularly attend the conventionsand will offer an eye opening experience and new friendshipsfor the first time participants.The Host Pastors and Our Lady Star of the East MaroniteMission encourage you to be part of this historical gatheringand meet new families, new friends and rejoice with your owncommunities.For more information about the convention, about NAMand its programs, please visit www.namnews.org. The Maronite Voice Volume VI Issue No. III Page 19 March 2010

The Maronite VoiceSt. Anthony’s Maronite Catholic Church4611 Sadler RoadGlen Allen, Virginia 23060-6108NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE PAIDPERMIT NO. 1370GLEN ALLEN, VIRGINIAChrist is Risen, Truly is RisenAlleluia!Chicago, IllinoisBlessing of 2009 BabiesContinued from page 1Easter is a time of new beginnings, a new life in everyform. On Palm Sunday we honor the children whonever rejected Christ. Let us now begin to becomeas a little child, for of such is the kingdom ofheaven. If we honor Christ every day it can be anew day for us, a new opportunity to gain eternallife, a new chance for peace within ourselves andwithin our communities when we gather withour families, with our friends, and when weencounter Christ in every stranger we meet.Christ is Risen, truly He is Risen. HappyEaster to all.PrayerO Lord,let Your justice be our way, and Yourpeace the foundations of our actions.On this day of Your Resurrection, mayYour peace reign among us.Let Your will be done in us all the length of ourdays, through the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,now, and at all times. Amen.(Maronite Liturgy).+ Bishop Robert J. ShaheenEparchy of Our Lady of LebanonJack Nicholas Araujo, Thomas Chehade, Keira FayrouzPepin, Maeve Elizabeth Crowley, Jason Alan Sfire, Jr., EliasLucien and Gabriella Jaquelyn Tamer, Isabella SophiaJazaerlian, Augustine John Couri, Nathaniel Gerald Carroll,Anthony Nabil and Mia Isabel Barakat, Lily Marie Shadid,Christopher Nemeh, Joseph Wehbe, Sebastien and MicheleMarie Mechalani Grouard, and Alex William Awad.by Lina DaouJanuary 17, 2010 was a memorable day for families andparishioners at Our Lady of Lebanon Church in Chicago,Illinois. Monsignor Alfred Badawi, Pastor, blessed all thebabies born in 2009 in a special liturgy. The Maronite Voice Volume VI Issue No. III Page 20 March 2010