Maronite Voice - Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn

TheMaronite VoiceA Publication of the Maronite Eparchies in the USAVolume IV Issue No. XI December 2008Christmas 2008Be Your Best Self. Follow Your Own Star, For God Is With YouDear Friends,The warmth and joy of Christmas is centered inone thought. God became a child of man that wemight become the children of God. Today wecelebrate Christmas - today we again call our thoughtsto the awe invoking event … Jesus Christ is born!Who is Jesus Christ?He is the Son of Mary of Nazareth … He is one ofus… a fellow citizen of planet Earth. But there ismore. He is also Son of God, without ceasing to befully human.He is divine. That makes Him the most remarkablemember of the human race. The Birth of the Son ofGod as a member of the human race launches a newage in the history of the human family.In the person of Jesus, God joins Himself to Man. TheSon of God becomes one of us for our sake … God soloved the word that He sent His only begotten Son.Jesus is a gesture. A sign from God that Heunderstands us ... Cares for us … Loves us. He is onour side in the struggle of life … in the struggle for allthat is good, for all that is true, and for all that isbeautiful.So my dear friends, be yourselves. But be your bestself. Dare to be different. Follow your own star, forGod is with you.Don’t be afraid to be happy ... Enjoy what is beautiful... Love God with all your heart and soul. Believethose you love, love you.St. Mary, Virgin and Child, by Maronite Archbishopric of Cyprus,The Maronite Icons-Saints of the Maronite Church.Forget what you have done for your friends, andremember what they have done for you. Disregardwhat the world owes you, and concentrate on what youowe the world. It depends on you to make it a betterplace to live.(Continues on Page 20)

Schedule of Bishop Robert ShaheenDecember 5-7, 2008Dedication of St. Sharbel Parish Center, Las Vegas, Nev.December 12 -14, 2008Liturgy for young people, St. Raymond Cathedral, St. Louis, Mo.December 24-25, 2008Christmas Celebration, St. Raymond Cathedral, St. Louis, Mo.January 16-18, 2009Order of Saint Sharbel Retreat, West Palm Beach, Fla. Eparchial CondolencesVirginia Farhat, the mother of Seminarian Vincent Farhat and theaunt of Bishop Gregory Mansour, passed away on November 1,2008. Virginia raised ten children, and was preceded indeath by her husband Leo and her daughter Ann.Condolences can be sent to Seminarian VincentFarhat, c/o Our Lady of Lebanon Seminary, 7164Alaska Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20012.Bishops Robert Shaheen and Gregory Mansour,along with the clergy and faithful of the Eparchy of OurLady of Lebanon and of the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn, extendheartfelt sympathy and the promise of our prayers to Vincent, his brothers andsisters and their families. May Almighty God grant his servant Virginia eternalrest.Edmund G. David, age 98, the brother of Fr. Joseph David, Pastor of St. GeorgeMaronite Church in Uniontown, Penn., passed away on Sunday, November 23,2008. He was predeceased by his wife, Iona. In addition to Father Joseph, he issurvived by four brothers, one sister, and two daughters. Condolences can be sentto Father Joseph at Saint George Church, 6 Lebanon Terrace, Uniontown, PA15401.Bishops Robert Shaheen and Gregory Mansour, along with the clergy andfaithful of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon and of the Eparchy of SaintMaron of Brooklyn, extend heartfelt sympathy and the promise of our prayers toFr. Joseph and his family. May Almighty God grant his servant Edmund eternalrest. Father Donald Thomas passed away on Tuesday, December 2, 2008, after a longillness. He was predeceased by his parents, two sisters and is survived by twobrothers, Edmond and Joseph and two sisters, Nancy and Rita, several nephewsand nieces.The Funeral Liturgy was celebrated on December 10, 2008 at Saint JosephMaronite Church in Olean, New York. Condolences may be sent to: Mrs. RitaThomas Lynch, 82 Seel Acres, Dunkirk, NY 14048.Bishops Robert Shaheen and Gregory Mansour, along with the clergy andfaithful of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon and of the Eparchy of SaintMaron of Brooklyn, extend heartfelt sympathy and the promise of our prayers toFr. Thomas’ family. May Almighty God grant his servant Donald eternal rest. The Maronite Voice4611 Sadler RoadGlen Allen, VA 23060Phone: 804/270-7234Fax: 804/273-9914E-Mail: gmsebaali@aol.comhttp://www.stmaron.orghttp://www.usamaronite.orgThe Maronite Voice, (ISSN 1080-9880) the official newsletter of theMaronite Eparchies in the U.S.A.(Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon ofLos Angeles and Eparchy of SaintMaron of Brooklyn), is publishedmonthly.Send all changes of address, news,pictures and personalcorrespondence to The MaroniteVoice at the above captionedaddress. Subscription rates are$20.00 per year. Advertising ratesare available upon request.Publishers• Most Reverend Bishop RobertJoseph Shaheen• Most Reverend Bishop GregoryJohn MansourEditor Msgr. George M. SebaaliConsultor Fr. Abdallah Zaidan,M.L.M.Editing and proofreadingMary ShaiaAnne-Marie CondlinMichael MaynesPrinted in Richmond, Virginia.Maronite Convention 2009Our Lady of Mount LebanonCathedralLos Angeles, Calif.July 1-5, 2009For more informationcontact the NAM officeat (914) 964-3070or visit www.Namnews.orgThe Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. XI Page 2 December 2008

Sister RafkaA Consecrated Contemplative Maronite Asceticin the Eparchy of Saint Maronworking to amend my rule of life toreflect a single hermit.I will continue to live on alms inorder to be able to collect enough fundsto build a hermitage modeling the lifeof Mother Mary. I need a modest parcelof land conducive to silence andsolitude. I hope to start a website in thenear future to be able to communicatewith all of you, my Maronite family towalk into the New Millennium withSaint Paul.I thank each of you for your prayersand sacrifices for my vocation and begyour help to continue in this life ofadoration and sacrifice.Contact InformationSister Rafka with His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.HistoryIam Sister Rafka Parmenter, aconsecrated contemplative Maroniteascetic. I entered the ReligiousCommunity of women hermits of theMaronite Church established byArchbishop Francis M. Zayek in theEparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn onthe feast of Saint Anthony of theDesert, January 17, 1993, and wasclothed with the religious habit at SaintGeorge Maronite Catholic Church inPawtucket, Rhode Island on June 13,1993.I made my first profession oftemporary vows at The Monastery ofJesus the Eternal Priest on May 1, 1995and took my Perpetual MonasticProfession of vows on August 1, 1999at Saint George Maronite Church inPawtucket, R.I.In June 2005, Bishop GregoryMansour asked me to take a sabbaticalin order for him to address someconcerns regarding some administrativematters of my community. I left themonastery in August of 2005 for thesabbatical. In February of 2006, mysuperior, Mother Elias, decided to leavethe monastery and withdraw from theMaronite Church. The withdrawal ofmy superior lead to the immediateclosure of our monastery seeing I wasthe only one left in the community.In May of 2006, I voluntarily tookon the black habit of Saint Rafka withthe permission of Bishop Gregory.Bishop Gregory knew of my desire andcommitment to continue with my vowsin the Maronite Church, so onDecember 11, 2007, he accepted myprivate vows so that I could continue tolive a consecrated ascetic, living apartfrom an Institute in the manner of ahermit. I continue with the charism oferemitic life of Eucharistic Adoration,prayer and penance for priests andvocations to the priesthood, modelingthe Virgin Mary as Mother of theChurch.I am currently living inPhiladelphia, Penn., close to St. MaronChurch. I am currently living in a smallrow house one block from the church. Iam working to establish a nonprofitstatus to be able to solicit funds tocontinue this way of life and I amMailing Address(letters only)Sister Rafka,P.O. Box 25119,Philadelphia, PA 19147E-mail: srrafka@aol.comPhysical AddressSaint Maron’s Maronite CatholicChurch1010 Ellsworth StreetPhiladelphia PA 19147 Deacon andSubdeacon RetreatBishop Gregory Mansour hasasked that all permanent deaconsand subdeacons in the Eparchy ofSaint Maron of Brooklyn attend aretreat at Our Lady of Florida RetreatHouse in West Palm Beach, Florida,January 8 – 11, 2009. Their wives arealso invited to attend. The Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. XI Page 3 December 2008

VocationQuestions Askedof theMaronite Servantsof Christ the Lightby Sister Marla Marie LucasIn person or via email, I havebeen asked several goodquestions regarding the vocation of the Maronite Servantsof Christ the Light, the new foundation of consecratedreligious begun on June 1, 2008. I have included a couple ofquestions and answers here, and welcome you to ask others.Our email is sister@maroniteservants.org; our website is:Maroniteservants.org, and our Blog is:radiateHisLight.blogspot.com.Q. I've done quite a lot of research - both Roman andMaronite rite - but nothing has clicked just yet. Myresearch is primarily on-line and articles, etc.. It'sdifficult for me because I have so many ministries that Iam attracted to ….Yes, uncertainty is always a challenge and even more so inour technological times when things are so instantaneous.Relationships will never be like a click of a mouse. Prayerfuldiscernment is central to discovering one's mission/call in thislife. Lord, how do you want me to serve you? Where?He will lead the way as long as we keep an open heart andfaithfulness to daily prayer and the Sacraments. A religiousvocation is a deep attraction to give oneself completely to theBeloved, who is Christ and His Church. The ministry issecondary.Our Maronite Servant's call is to be there for our peopleto walk the journey of faith with them as a spiritual motherlooking out for their needs. In parish ministry the needs arediverse and reflect the Gospel life of Christ who preached,healed, fed, comforted, taught ...loved each and every one.Q. I just wanted to see if you - as a nun - had everexperienced any frustration in your vocation discernmentjust to see if what I'm experiencing is normal.Take heart, you are not alone in this experience. Trust in theLord. Reflect and ask yourself, "Am I seeking what Hewants for me? Or am I seeking what I want for me?"Discernment means we have to ask tough questions ofourselves and probe our motives and desires. It means thatwe have to truly seek detachment and surrender. Mary isyour model in this, and she will be your guide. Read theGospel of St. Luke, especially the beginning chapters, andmeditate on Mary's challenges and trials, her confusion whichsurrendered in an obedient faith. Mary gave all with joy,pondering in heart -- not fully understanding -- buttrusting.Washington, D.C.Pro-Life MarchEvery year thousands of young people and families bravethe winter cold to pray and march in the annual pro-lifedemonstration in Washington, D.C. The March thisyear will take place January 21 and 22, 2009. The Eparchyof Saint Maron of Brooklyn hopes that many Maronitepastors and parishioners will be able to join Bishop GregoryMansour and participate.The schedule is as follows as published by www.usccb.org:Wednesday, January 21, 20091:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.:An Afternoon of PrayerfulRemembrance and Intercession atthe National Shrine (Crypt Church)Sisters of Life/Archdiocese of NewYork Respect Life Office7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.: Opening Mass- Great Upper Church(Cardinal Justin F. Rigali,Chairman, USCCB Committee forPro-Life Activities, is the principalcelebrant and homilist)10:00 p.m. to 12 a.m. Confessions (Our Lady of HostynChapel, to the left of Crypt Church,lower level)10:15 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.: National Rosary for Life (CryptChurch, lower level)11:00 p.m. to 12 a.m.: Night Prayer (Byzantine Rite) -Crypt Church (Most Rev. WilliamSkurla, Byzantine Eparchy ofPassaic, with members of Epiphanyof our Lord Church, Annandale,Virginia)12 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.: Holy Hours for Life, Crypt Church(Pro-life seminarians from acrossthe country).Thursday, January 22, 20096:30 a.m.: Morning Prayer (Crypt Church)(Dominican House of Studies)7:30 a.m.: Closing Mass - Great Upper Church(Principal Celebrant and Homilist isto be announced).The Pro-Life March at the Mall, between the Capitol and theWashington Monument, begins at 12 Noon. The Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. XI Page 4 December 2008

Send Out, O Lord, Laborers for Your Harvest!by Fr. Armando ElkhouryThe church is in dire need for menand women to come forward andjoin the ranks of holy priests,monks, and nuns whom God called tobe His shining instruments in this everchangingworld.This shortage of vocations affectsall of us. As of today, there are notenough Maronite priests to serve theoverwhelming number of parishes inthe United States. Many of ourcommunities are blessed to have apriest serving them. Unfortunately,many others are not as blessed. Ourbishops hope to have an overabundanceof priests to serve their flocks. Wepriests hope for our numbers to grow.We cannot afford getting sick! It wouldbe a tremendous blessing to havemonasteries and convents in ourcommunities.There are many different ways topromote vocations to the priesthoodand religious life. Important as theymay be, none of them will be discussedin this article. It is not my intention toremind us that considering a religiousvocation is a worthy cause. What I amhoping to do, however, is to invite youto take Jesus up on his Word, “Theharvest is abundant but the laborers arefew; so ask the master of the harvest tosend out laborers for his harvest” (Luke10:2).The call to religious life is a giftfrom God, a privilege and not a right.Unworthy as I am of this gift, Godoffered it to me, I believe, because ofmy mother’s prayers. She kept askingHim to call one of her sons to thepriesthood. It is a blessing for aMaronite family to produce a priest. By1995, God still had not answered herprayers. She died on the eve ofEpiphany. She was persistent, however.Death did not deter her from continuingpraying to the master of the harvest tobless her family with a laborer in hisvineyard. I joined the seminary in 1998and was ordained six years after.At one point in my life, I thoughtthis was a cute story about my mother,until I got more involved in vocationwork. The shortage of vocations to thepriesthood and religious life is notunique to Maronite Eparchies in theUnited States. Other eparchies arefacing the same issues. Nonetheless,some are being blessed with higher thannormal numbers of men and womenanswering God’s call to religious life.They admit that they have been activelypromoting vocations. Yet,unanimously, they attribute the spike innumbers to prayers. Jeff Ziegler, areporter for Catholic World Reportwrote, “Officials of the nation’s mostvocation-rich dioceses most frequentlyattribute their success to divine gracegiven in response to prayer... BishopFabian Bruskewitz of Lincoln,Nebraska, credits first and foremost theatmosphere of prayer for vocations andthe intercession of the Blessed VirginMary, the patroness of the diocese’”(Priestly Vocations in America: A LookAt the Numbers, Catholic WorldReport, July 2005).With the blessing of our BishopsShaheen and Mansour, I am forming aprayer group network throughout theUnited States. This group has one andonly one purpose: to ask the master ofthe harvest to send out laborers for hisharvest. I invite you to join this prayergroup network by emailing me atfather@vineyardofthelord.com. Assoon as I formulate the email list, I willcontact each one with prayer requests.If for some reason email is not yourforte, please contact me via mail at: Fr.Armando Elkhoury, St. Rafka MaroniteChurch, 2301 Wadsworth Blvd.,Lakewood, CO 80214.Let us be persistent and hopeful.Didn’t Jesus teach persistence andhopefulness? And Jesus says to us,“Suppose one of you has a friend towhom he goes at midnight and says,'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,for a friend of mine has arrived at myhouse from a journey and I havenothing to offer him,' and he says inreply from within, 'Do not bother me;the door has already been locked andmy children and I are already in bed. Icannot get up to give you anything.' Itell you, if he does not get up to givehim the loaves because of theirfriendship, he will get up to give himwhatever he needs because of hispersistence. And I tell you, ask and youwill receive; seek and you will find;knock and the door will be opened toyou. For everyone who asks, receives;and the one who seeks, finds; and to theone who knocks, the door will beopened. What father among you wouldhand his son a snake when he asks for afish? Or hand him a scorpion when heasks for an egg? If you, then, who arewicked, know how to give good gifts toyour children, how much more will theFather in heaven give the Holy Spirit tothose who ask him?” (Luke 11:5-13).“Send out, O Lord, laborers foryour harvest!” is my prayer. I hope thatit will be yours as well. If the Lordis CallingYou, TheChurchNeedsYou!If you feel that you have a vocationto the Priesthood or religious life,please contact your Pastor or writeto:Msgr. sharbel Maroun, DirectorEparchy of Our Lady of LebanonOffice of Vocationsc/o St. Maron Church600 University Ave. NEMinneapolis, MN 55413OrFr. James Root, DirectorEparchy of Saint MaronOffice of Vocationsc/o Our Lady of LebanonCathedral113 Remsen StreetBrooklyn, NY 11201The Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. XI Page 5 December 2008

Order of St. Sharbel Retreat in Warm, Sunny Floridaby Wanda ElkhourieHow does a weekend in January in warm, sunny Floridasound? The Order of Saint Sharbel will sponsor aSpiritual and Social Retreat open to all on January 16– 18, 2009, at the Marriott Hotel, 1001 OkeechobeeBoulevard, West Palm Beach, Florida 33401. BishopsMansour and Shaheen will be attending. Registration fee of$200 includes Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast, Saturdaydinner and Sunday lunch at the church. Registration deadlineis January 2, 2009; after that date, the registration fee will be$225.The Marriott is now offering a new and reduced roomrate of $159 per night (when making reservations mentionyou are with the Order of St. Sharbel). Depending onavailability, these rates will be effective three days before andafter the retreat. Reservations should be made as soon aspossible to take advantage of the extended dates. If you havealready made your reservations based on the group rateinitially given, your rates will be adjusted by the hotel. Youmust contact the hotel directly to make reservations; dial tollfree 1-800-376-2292. The Marriott is providing a free shuttleservice that goes to the airport every 30 minutes starting at 6am and ending at 12 am; there is a phone at the kiosk atbaggage claim to call for pick up. When you call to makeroom reservations, mention that you will need the shuttleservice.The Marriott is within walking distance of the RaymondKravis Center for Performing Arts; the hotel shuttle will alsotake you there for free (website is kravis.org and click onPerformance to choose dates).You do not have to be amember of the Order of St. Sharbel to attend this retreat. Formore information, contact the following: Beverly Mike-Nard, President, OSS, 330-757-8867, BJMikeNard@aol.com;Anthony Budway, Immediate Past-President, OSS, 401-231-4057, budway99@cox.net; Bernadette Shalhoub, VicePresident, OSS, 561-967-9536, BBShalhoub@aol.com; orWanda Elkourie, Vice President, OSS, 205-987-7567,welkourie@charter.net. Registration FormOrder of Saint Sharbel RetreatJanuary 16-18, 2009Marriott HotelWest Palm Beach, FloridaLast Name:First Name:Address:Pre-Registration Form(Deadline January 2, 2009)____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________City/State/Zip: ____________________________________________Phone:Email:________________________________________________________________________________________Registration fee: $200 After January 2: $225 Amount enclosed: ____Make checks payable to:Mail form and check to: :Mary, Mother of Light Mission4891 Lake Worth Road, Greenacres, FL 33463 (Please do not send cash)Room reservations must be made through hotel:Marriott West Palm Beach1001 Okeechobee BoulevardWest Palm Beach, Florida 33401Toll Free 1-800-376-2292Room rate of $159 is available January 16 - 18, 2009Mention “Order of Saint Sharbel Retreat” to get discounted rate. The Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. XI Page 6 December 2008

San Antonio, TexasThird Pastoral VisitLeft to right: Fr. Ghassan Matter, Bishop Robert Shaheen, Fr.Abdallah Zaidan and Fr. Charles Khachan.by Robert Beathe and Judy PerilloOn September 29, 2008, the Maronite community of SanAntonio, Texas, welcomed the Most Reverend RobertShaheen on his third pastoral visit as Bishop.Accompanying His Excellency were Fr. Abdallah Zaidan,M.L.M., Superior of the Maronite Lebanese Missionaries inthe United States; Mary Denny, Vice Chancellor; and RoxieRask, Secretary to the Bishop. He began his stay as the guestof honor at the annual gala Magic is the Night. This eventwas created forty-five years ago to showcase the best inLebanese food, dancing, and entertainment to the entire cityof San Antonio. Magic continues to be the principal fundraisingevent for the community and is attended byparishioners, many local dignitaries and celebrities.The next morning Bishop Shaheen began his day havingbreakfast with the seniors in the Maronite CommunityCenter. The parish’s young adults acted as servers.On Sunday Bishop Shaheen presided at the DivineLiturgy. Fr. Abdallah Zaidan; Fr. Ghassan Mattar, Pastor;and Fr. Charles Khachan, Associate Pastor; concelebrated.The local chapter of the Order of Saint Sharbel formed thehonor guard. During the Liturgy Evangelina Kalifa, PeggyKaram, Richard Karam, Adriana Khalife, Jason Khattar,Joseph Khattar, Helen Kopcznski-Antonelli, Ross Mery,Joseph Rizzo, Jamal Tawil, and Manny Watters wereinducted into the Order of Saint Sharbel. Following theLiturgy a luncheon was served in the Grand Banquet Hall.Jamil and Ghayda Tawil hosted a dinner attended by theparish leaders and committee heads.The visit of the Bishop has great meaning to the Maronitecommunity in San Antonio, because it is the reminder andsign of the unity we share with other communities of theUnited States, and with Maronites worldwide. The Bishopcalls us to a greater vision, to look to a horizon beyond localconcerns. His presence and message call us to enlarge ourhearts and resolve to reach out to others with an inclusive andcompassionate spirit. The Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. XI Page 7 December 2008

Tampa, FloridaSupport for Children with Cancerin LebanonWashington, D.C.Clergy Day and Ordination toMinor OrdersLeft to right: Dr. Danny Sayad, Dr. Roula Farah-Sayad, andFr. Anthony Salim.by Dr. Danny SayadWith the theme that no child with cancer in Lebanonshould be denied the right to be treated due to lackof funding, a fund-raising dinner was organized bySts. Peter and Paul Maronite Mission on October 17, 2008 inTampa, Florida, on behalf of an organization known asCHANCE (Children against Cancer in Lebanon).CHANCE’S President, Dr. Roula Farah-Sayad, a boardcertifiedpediatric hemato-oncologist, gave an excellentpresentation regarding the difficulties that many doctors inLebanon have encountered in trying to provide theappropriate treatment for children with cancer. CHANCE isa non-profit organization that was launched in Lebanon fiveyears ago with doctors, parents and volunteers. Thisorganization has grown to cover more then five hospitals inBeirut with more then 200 volunteers.The parishioners of Sts. Peter and Paul Mission alongwith many friends and volunteers, organized this dinner. Allthe food, drinks, music, hall and lots more were donated. Thedinner was an excellent success, raising more than $13, 000.We are all happy and proud at how well our community andfriends responded to the call, and especially at how peoplewith so many different backgrounds were able to cometogether in support of one cause.The opportunity that we are giving to sick children ispriceless, and we would like to thank everybody who helpedin this event. This event was a good example of excellencein doing ordinary things extraordinarily well. Assisted by Chorbishop Michael Thomas, Vicar General ofthe Eparchy of Saint Maron (left) and Chorbishop SeelyBeggiani, Rector of Our Lady of Lebanon Seminary, BishopGregory Mansour ordains seminarians Vincent Farhat andTony Massad to the Order of Subdeacon.On Thursday, November 13, 2008, twenty priests of theEparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn and the Eparchyof Our Lady of Lebanon joined Their ExcellenciesBishop Robert Shaheen and Bishop Gregory Mansour for aclergy day at Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Seminary inWashington, D.C. Following lunch, Chorbishop MichaelThomas, JCD, Vicar General of the Eparchy of Saint Maronof Brooklyn, presented a workshop on Eastern Canon Lawwith emphasis on Maronite Particular Law. In the evening,Bishop Mansour presided at a Divine Liturgy in which heordained Seminarian Alex Joseph to the Order of Cantor andSeminarians Vincent Farhat and Tony Massad to the Order ofSubdeacon. The Maronite clergy in attendance concelebratedand the Choir of Our Lady of Lebanon Church served theLiturgy. Following the ordination ceremony, Our Lady ofLebanon Church hosted a reception for the newly ordained inthe Church’s Social Hall. Our warm personal greetings toyou and your families as wecelebrate the Incarnation of the Sonof God.We are grateful for the supportyou have given us during the year.May the Prince of Peace fillyour hearts with His Love andPeace at Christmas and in the New Year.From all of us here at The Maronite Voice, MerryChristmas and a Blessed and Joyful 2009.The Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. XI Page 8 December 2008

San Diego, CaliforniaSeventh Annual RetreatThis year we were blessed by the visit of Sister MarlaMarie of the newly established Order of Maronite Servants ofChrist the Light. With her was Therese Touma, a young ladyfrom Sydney, Australia, who is discerning her vocation. Weare anxious to have Sister Marla visit out parish and talk toour young ladies about her noble vocation.This message we bring back is that we have to do moresince we have been given more. We are also awed by thewisdom of the church. The Bible teaches that “There are alsomany other things that Jesus did, but if these were to bedescribed individually, I do not think the whole world wouldcontain the books that would be written” (John 21:25).Feast of All Saintsby Fr. Nabil Mouannes,Pastor of St. Ephrem Church, San Diego, CaliforniaAlthough this is our seventh retreat at Most Holy TrinityMonastery in Petersham, Mass., it seems like we havebeen going there forever. It seems as if we know theMaronite Monks of Adoration as we know our own familymembers. Abbot William Driscoll is our spiritual Fatherindeed. Whenever we are there it is him that we seek foradvice, for knowledge, for a view of history, for an opinionabout politics, and most of all for inspiration and spiritualadvice and growth. Father Michael Gilmary holds a specialplace in our hearts. He is the brother that we are joyous to bewith. He is our wise and learned brother. He is always sogenerous in pouring out his knowledge about the churchfathers, the teachings of the church. He is the image ofcharity and the smile never leaves his face, and he always hasa few humorous stories to share with us. He knows all of usby name. Even when we return home we are in his prayers.This year he asked us to pray for his elderly parents who aregoing through some difficult times. How can we not missthem when we think of Fr. Robert the Guest Master with hiswisdom, humility, contagious smile and laugh? Or Fr. JohnMarie and his holy presence at the Altar, introducing us toMary, Our Lady of America, and yet he talks to us aboutraising chickens and ducks. How can we not pray for andthink about Brother Patrick, who looks like St. Hardini, andhis spirituality is like Saint Therese’s, the Little Flower ofJesus?Holiness radiates to its surroundings. This is why we areanxious to be at the Most Holy Trinity Monastery for a retreatevery year. The 5 a.m. Safro starts our day of prayer untilthe 8:45 p.m. night prayer that prepares us for a peacefulsleep with the blessings of Mother Mary. This year our dayswere filled with the study of the Acts of the Apostles and theLetters of St. Paul. Of course, our day would not be completewithout a few walks, rosaries and heated discussions. DailyLiturgy, reflections and silent prayers in front of theEucharist, and the sacrament of reconciliation provide thecore of our spiritual nourishment.by Mary GhosnSt. Ephrem Academy in San Diego, California, alongwith Fr. Nabil Mouannes, Pastor, celebrated the Feastof All Saints on All Hallows Eve (Halloween) byfeaturing the Parade of Saints as well as presenting to thecommunity various Lives of Saints reports. This has been anannual event celebrated by the Academy since the year 2001in the hope of restoring the Feast of Halloween to its Catholicroots. The day also features a small festival as well as lunchfor the students and their families and friends. Eparchy of Saint MaronChristmas DirectivesChristmas Novena: His Excellency Bishop GregoryMansour has asked that the Maronite Christmas Novena becelebrated in all the parishes of the Eparchy of Saint Maronof Brooklyn from December 15 to December 23, 2008,inclusive.Christmas Eve Liturgy: It is not the custom of theMaronite Church to celebrate Christmas before midnight.However, the Chancery Office is fully aware that in manyareas the Christmas Eve Liturgy (around 5:00 p.m.) is verypopular. Therefore, pastors are urged to do all they can tomaintain the midnight tradition if at all possible. The Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. XI Page 9 December 2008

North Jackson, OhiothHuman Life Guild Speakers Mark Encyclical’s 40 AnniversaryThe following was written by Marly Kosinski, a journalist working in Warren, Ohio, and freelancing for theCatholic Exponent, Official Newspaper of the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown, Ohio. The Maronite Voicereprints it with the permission of the Catholic Exponent.Small white crosses in the front of Our Lady of Lebanon National Shrine in NorthJackson, Ohio, represent the children who have been murdered by abortion. Theywere placed by members of the Human Life Guild as a memorial to all the unborn,aborted babies. They remained there for the remainder of the month of October.(Picture by Tom Navarra).Human life and human love werethe themes of a Respect LifeConference held October 4, 2008at the National Shrine of Our Lady ofLebanon in North Jackson, Ohio. Theconference was sponsored by thediocesan Human Life Guild.Melinda Knight, Director of thediocesan Office of Pro-Life, Marriageand Family, said the conference was akick-off to Respect Life Month(October). The conference has beenheld the past four or five years, withvarious pro-life themes each year – forexample, abortion, stem-cell researchand human cloning.She said this year’s conference wastha celebration of the 40 anniversary of“Humanae Vitae,” the encyclical letterof Pope Paul VI “on the regulation ofbirth” (July 25, 1968). The document’sLatin title means “Of Human Life,” andthe encyclical reaffirmed the traditionalteaching of the Catholic Churchopposing contraception and abortionand addressing other issues pertainingto marriage and the transmission ofhuman life.The conference began with adiscussion of “Humanae Vitae” byDominican Father James Sullivan,pastor and prior of St. Dominic Parishin Youngstown. At the time “HumanaeVitae” was promulgated, FatherSullivan said, many people weredisappointed and even resentful todiscover that Pope Paul VI had notchanged the teaching of the Churchregarding contraception. The priest saidhe hoped that, by the end of his talk,attendees would see why the popecould not change this “necessary truth”and why the Church was proven rightin preserving its teaching.Father Sullivan discussed the timeperiod in which the encyclical waswritten, a time that followed the TetOffensive of the Vietnam War, theassassination of Dr. Martin Luther KingJr. and the assassination of Sen. RobertF. Kennedy. He explained the processin which Vatican officials were asked tosign the document and the reaction theencyclical received from the laity andreligious communities.“Priests and laity alike struggledwith the concepts presented in‘Humanae Vitae’ and those strugglescontinue today. But more people realizethere has to be something to ‘HumanaeVitae’ and Pope Paul VI had to be rightabout something, because all thepredictions he made have, sadly, cometrue, right down to the last detail,”Father Sullivan said.He cited various newspaper articlesdealing with the birth control pill,including one that estimated 11.7million people in the United States useit every week, and 13.8 millionAmericans are sterilized each year. Hetalked about the birth control pill andthe medical problems associated withtaking it that he said have been welldocumentedin medical journals and studies.“It’s really important for us to getto the heart of the abortion issue, whichis contraception,” he said. “The reasonwe have abortions in this country isbecause we have contraception. And wenot only have the means forcontraception, but we have acontraception mentality in this country.The only way to change that is by notjust accepting the precepts of ‘HumanaeVitae,’ but by being re-invigorated bythem so we can go and change others.”“We have to have the courage tostand up for our faith and embrace thisconcept so we can then convince othersof its importance,” Father Sullivan said.He then discussed the history of“Humanae Vitae,” noting that thecatalyst for it began in 1930, when theWorld Confederation of AnglicanChurches began allowing marriedcouples, and only married couples, toThe Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. XI Page 10 December 2008

use contraception (barrier methods andeventually oral contraceptives).“Well, we see how long [allowingonly married couples to usecontraception] lasted. And between1930 and 1968, many things were doneto advance the birth control pillspecifically, but also [to advance]anything that separates life from love,which is the theme of this conference.The Church was faced with manychallenges in the early 1960s when thepill was discovered, and Pope JohnXXIII summoned a commission to lookat the issue.Their opinion was, sadly, that theChurch change its view and that waspublicized before Pope Paul VI issued‘Humanae Vitae’,” Father Sullivansaid.He said the commission, whichconsisted of scientists and clergymembers, recommended that Paul VIchange his opinion, but he did not. Thepriest continued with an outline of thefour predictions Paul VI made aboutwhat would happen in a society thatembraced artificial birth control,including:Marital infidelity and a generallowering of moral standards, whichhe said would have a particulardevastating effect on the young.Father Sullivan cited the exampleof the sexual experimentation ofteenagers so prevalent in today’ssociety;That man would reduce woman tobeing a mere instrument of thesatisfaction of his own desires. Thepriest cited the example ofpornography and television showsthat promote promiscuity;That certain governments woulduse contraception as a weapon anda means to control othergovernments. Father Sullivan saidthat in the past, the United Stateshas told certain Central Americancountries that they could notreceive American aid unless theyadopted birth control policies fortheir people.That contraception would givepeople a false understanding thatthere are no limits to the power ofman over his own body. FatherSullivan said Paul VI believed thatif people could control when life isgiven and when it’s not given, theywould have a false sense ofthemselves as human persons.Father Sullivan said all of thepredictions have come true and the lastone especially has bearing on scientificconcepts such as cloning andembryonic stem-cell research.“At the time of Paul VI, the Churchwas seen as out of step and out oftouch. All we can do as members of theChurch today is reconsider theseconcepts and attempt to unseat thiscontraceptive mentality because then allthe other problems, original sinnotwithstanding, will disappear,” hesaid. “The greater lesson here is one ofGod’s grace transforming our lives sothey are not reduced purely to the levelof nature.”Father Sullivan’s talk served as anintroduction to the second speaker,Coleen Kelly Mast, an internationalspeaker on chastity education and aCatholic Radio talk show host. KellyMast is the author of the “Sex Respect”and “Love and Life” programs, bothaimed at teenagers.She spent some time discussing theprograms and how she got involved inteaching them, followed by personalstories of her struggles with pregnancyand motherhood. She said during hersecond pregnancy, she was diagnosedwith Rh disease, which is caused byincompatibility between the blood of amother and her fetus.Kelly Mast said doctors wereencouraging her to have an abortion,telling her that the baby would be bornwith retardation or not survive at all, aswell as putting her at risk. After her sonwas born with no health issues, thosesame doctors encouraged her to besterilized because of the risk of havinganother Rh baby.She said she and her husband beganusing Natural Family Planning to spacetheir children in a manner that woulddecrease the health risks for her and thebaby. (The only family planningmethod approved by the Church, NFPteaches a couple to monitor theirfertility so they know when to beintimate and when to abstain. It is notthe old unreliable “rhythm method” ofthe past.) She said five years went bywithout her getting pregnant. Then sheand her husband stopped using NaturalFamily Planning, inviting God todecide when they would have their nextchild.Kelly Mast said her third pregnancywas worse than the second and her sonwas two months premature. She saidthe baby was literally killing herbecause she became so ill because ofthe Rh factor, and she was killing herbaby with her (incompatible) blood.Still, they both survived, proving thedoctors wrong again.“I figured my son and I wouldbecome the poster children of the prolifemovement,” she said. However, thespeaker said she did not want to giveher talk on negative topics such as antiabortionand anti-birth control, butsomething positive – a way of lovingthat surpasses all others and a love sogreat that it reflects the love of theinventor of love Himself, God.“God created a love, a unity of twohuman beings that no other creature canseparate – a love that comes alive in theother person and is all encompassing; alove that can only be defined assacramental love, which is not onlynatural but supernatural. A man andwoman are meant to be co-creators[with God], and doing so reflects thelove that God intended,” Kelly Mastsaid.She said intimate love betweenmarried persons is a way of expressingtheir love and should not be treated assomething ordinary because ittransforms a couple and prepares themfor creating a family. She used the OldTestament story of Adam and Eve toexplain how God created Eve asAdam’s perfect partner, to which Adammarveled, “finally, this is bone of mybone and flesh of my flesh.”Using a couple from the audienceto accompany her narration of the Biblestory, Kelly Mast pointed out how theserpent’s successful temptation of Evecorrupted her relationship with Adamand forever changed man’s relationshipwith God. She continued speakingabout conjugal (marital) love, saying itmeans being open to God’s plan forchildren, saying yes to commitment andfidelity, and emptying one’s self intoanother person, not in the physicalsense but in the emotional and spiritualsense.(Continues on Page 20)The Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. XI Page 11 December 2008

The Universal Declaration Of Human RightsSixty Years Laterby Brother John M. Samaha, S.M.December 10, 2008, is the 60 thanniversary of the officialsigning of the United Nations’landmark Universal Declaration ofHuman Rights. To mark this specialoccasion and to evaluate the currentstatus of this key document, theEmbassy of the U.S.A. to the VaticanCity State organized a series ofconferences.The theme of the daylong forumheld on October 16 was “For Everyone,Everywhere: Universal Human Rightsand the Challenge of Diversity.” Themeeting hall at the host Istituto MariaSantissima Bambina was bulging withprelates, ambassadors, professors, andstudents who came to learn from thestellar speakers on the program.For six decades the Declaration hasbeen bandied about by supporters anddetractors. During his May 2008appearance at the United Nations PopeBenedict XVI indicated some threatsand opposition to the document incurrent times, and highlighted the needto scrutinize progress and bolster thismodern magna carta.In response to the papal invitationto evaluate this Human Rights Project,Mary Ann Glendon , U.S. Ambassadorto the Holy See, opened the forum witha paper by University of Chicagopolitical theorist, Jean Bethke Elshtain.Professor Elshtain explained how theuniversality of the Declaration has beenquestioned by some factions in recenttimes, who consider it a “Westerndocument” which reflects only thethinking of the European-influencedparts of the world and by particularinterest groups in the West. Suchattitudes contribute to the fragmentationof the Declaration, as though it wasoffering a buffet of choices. Bothgroups reinterpret the documentbecause they choose to ignore itsfundamental understanding of thedignity of the human person, the mostimportant contribution of Catholicsocial teaching to the formulationprocess of the Declaration.In another presentationAmbassador Glendon paid tribute to the“great generation” of diplomats whoserved on the composing commissionof eighteen members which was headedby Eleanor Roosevelt. She pointed outthat the Declaration’s adoption withouta single dissenting vote was a nearmiracle, considering the culturaldiversity of the commission and thepolitical minefield in which they had towork.In the troubled times of the late1940s relations between the SovietUnion and the West were deterioratingrapidly, Glendon explained, andconflicts were erupting in many areasof the world, especially in Palestine,Greece, Korea, and China. Yet onlyeight of the fifty-eight member statesabstained: Saudi Arabia, South Africa,and the six-member Soviet bloc. Anddespite the Chinese civil war thatspawned the People’s Republic ofChina in the year following theDeclaration’s adoption, one of theprincipal authors of the document wasthe Chinese delegate, Confucianphilosopher P’eng ch’un Chang.Glendon also commented on theremarkable collaboration of RenéCassin, a backer of the State of Israel,and the Lebanese delegate, CharlesMalik, a staunch Christian who was atthat time the leading spokesman for theLeague of Arab States. They foundcommon ground to work together inproducing the Declaration underemotionally charged conditions.Melding the wisdom of manycultures and the efforts of many minds,the Declaration seemed universal whenthe forty-eight nations adopted it. Doesit still speak to all peoples?Ambassador Glendon pointed out thatsome authoritarian regimes began tocomplain of “Western culturalimperialism” in the human rightsproject. Those charges, she noted, werefollowed by efforts of special interestgroups to formulate their agendas interms of human rights. “The more theHuman Rights Project showed itspower in places like South Africa andEastern Europe,” she commented, “themore intense became the efforts tocapture its prestige for various ends, notall of which were respectful of humandignity.”She concluded her address bystrongly encouraging all participants tothcelebrate this 60 anniversary bycarefully reading the document, not assimply a list of statements, but as a“whole with mutually conditioningparts.”Following Ambassador Glendon’schallenging analysis came anextraordinary panel who spoke in asession chaired by JapaneseAmbassador to the Holy See, KagefumiUeno. The speakers were ProfessorHsin-chi Kuan of the University ofHong Kong and Habib Malik, son ofthe UN charter delegate Charles Malikand professor at the Lebanese AmericanUniversity in Beirut. Their compellinginterventions were frank and forthrightabout past and present situations andsupported the proposition that there hasbeen and is a universal basis for thenotion of human rights that resonateswith people of the East and Middle Eastas well as the West.Other papers by Cardinal RenatoMartino and Professor Janne Matlaryrelated Catholic social thought to theDeclaration and re-established theDeclaration in the original vision of itsauthors as an integral text withinterdependent parts.The closing session of the day wasan address by Father Thomas Williams,author of Who Is My Neighbor?Personalism and the Foundations ofHuman Rights. He tackled the thornyquestion of how to recognize auniversal foundation for human rights.The framers of the Declaration based iton the centrality of the idea of humandignity. But others in later yearschipped away at that very foundationcausing a fragmentation of the notion ofuniversal human rights. FatherWilliams contrasted two incompatiblevisions of human dignity: one that seesdignity possessed by all human beingsin equal measure, and only by humanbeings; and a second outlook that seesdegrees of dignity both among humanbeings and among other species as well.Naturally, only the first vision iscapable of grounding universal humanrights.(Continues on Page 20)The Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. XI Page 12 December 2008

Westchester, New YorkThird Annual Parish DinnerPawtucket, Rhode IslandFund-Raising RaffleSt. George Maronite Catholic Church in Pawtucket,Rhode Island is conducting a fund-raising raffle to helprebuild the church which was destroyed by fire moretwo years ago.The Grand Prize is a New Corvette or $50,000 cash.Also ten $1000 prizes will be awarded. Drawings will takeplace after 1500 tickets are sold. Donation is $100 per ticketand the winner needs not be present.For more information about ticket sales, please contactthe Church at 401-723-8444 or Fred Simon at 401-769-3000or Deeb Tannous at 401-265-1800. Please note that this offeris void where it is prohibited by law. North Jackson, OhioShrine’s Online Gift Shopby Rita ZiheeniThe Westchester Maronite Catholic Mission (WCMCM)in Westchester, N.Y., gathered for its Third AnnualFamily Dinner on November 16, 2008 at Place Knightsof Columbus in White Plains, N.Y. Adults, teenagers andkids enjoyed the pre-festivities of Thanksgiving andChristmas.The Dinner was indeed a festivity by itself. The crowd ofalmost 180 parishioners made it an exceptional event. FatherJean Younes opened with a prayer, and the kids’ show thatfollowed was equally enjoyed by adults! Following theshow, dinner was served. Mr. Sami Khoueiri, the Presidentof the Parish Council, recognized with a gift the efforts ofMs. Katia Daaboul in setting up and maintaining its website.It is important to mention that Ms. Daaboul has undertakenher task while residing in Lebanon. To check our website,please follow the link: www.wmcm.org.At WMCM, we never forget our parents in Lebanonespecially during this time of the year. For that reason, thedinner included a 50/50 raffle to help students pay theirtuition in our home country.Even though the night ended, we promise you many moreto come, especially our upcoming Christmas party onDecember 19. See you then! Something Beautiful For God“To Show great love for God and our neighbor we neednot do great things.It is how much we put in the doing, that makes ouroffering something beautiful for God.”Mother Theresa of CalcuttaThe National Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in NorthJackson, Ohio, takes great pleasure in announcing theopening of its online gift shop. The website carries avariety of items sure to catch the eye of everyone searchingfor a great gift or looking to enrich their spiritual life.Whether it is a crucifix needed for a new home, a statue fora special feast day, or a First Communion gift, the online giftshop is sure to have something for the occasion.The online gift shop offers twenty different categoriesthat cover everything from art to miscellaneous items.Access to the gift shop website is easy. It can be reachedthrough Our Lady of Lebanon Shrine’s home page atwww.ourladyoflebanonshrine.com by clicking on one of sixbuttons. The most visible being the one with the green bowon top. Direct access is also available atwww.Ourladyoflebanonshrine.com/giftshop.html. The siteis secure and all major credit cards are accepted. Shipping isquick and reliable through UPS. Questions and concerns canbe addressed easily either by calling the gift shop at 330-538-3351, ext. 1 or by emailing the gift shop atgiftshop@Ourladyoflebanonshrine.com. Deadline for next month’s issue ofThe Maronite Voice is December 26,2008.The Maronite Voice is the officialNewsletter of the Eparchy of OurLady of Lebanon and of the Eparchyof Saint Maron of Brooklyn.Send all changes of address, news, pictures and personalcorrespondence to:The Maronite Voice4611 Sadler RoadGlen Allen, Virginia 23060Phone: (804) 270-7234; Fax: (804) 273-9914Email: Gmsebaali@aol.comPictures must be original. Digital pictures must be in“JPG” format.The Maronite Voice is also available online, in PDFformat, at www.stmaron.org. The Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. XI Page 13 December 2008

Waterville, MaineAnnual Christmas Bazaarby Fr. Larry JensenSt. Joseph Maronite Catholic Church in Waterville,Maine, had its annual Christmas Bazaar on November15, 2008. There were people waiting to enter up to anhour before the doors opened to the public. These were"professional" shoppers hoping to get first choice from theWhite Elephant Table. Fortunately, the many booths withcrafts, baked goods, and other items were ready for someearly customers.The big selling items were the spinach and meat pies. Thedemand was greater than the supply and we were sold outbefore noon. MYO helped with the popcorn and soda standand the baked goods table was also a popular attraction. If thesuccess of a Bazaar is measured by selling out of all fooditems, then we certainly qualified!The Bazaar ended with several raffles, with prizesranging from floral arrangements and framed art to giftcertificates from several area businesses. The laughter,smiles, and greetings of parishioners and friends say loudly,a great time was had by all! Newtown Square, PennsylvaniaChildren’s Halloween Partyby Lillian ShahadeOn October 24, St. Sharbel Maronite Church inNewtown Square, Penn., held its annual Halloweenparty for children of all ages. A large number ofchildren showed up for the party with parents in tow. Therewere no ghouls, ghosts or scary costumes this year. Therewere cowgirls, cowboys, clones, comic book heroes, clowns,princesses and pirates. Fr. Paul Mouawad, Pastor, evenshowed up in costume, but the children guessed him rightaway.The children had a great time playing spin art, mini races.dunking for apples, egg on a spoon and the biggest treat of allis always the piñata when the kids get the chance to grab allthe candy they can grab.A light dinner and desserts were prepared by several of themothers. A special thanks goes to Laila and David Haddad,Mina and Maryam Alsaigh, Norma and Christina Muaddi andReema Naser who took care of all the games and saw to itthat the kids had a great time. Schedule of Bishop Gregory MansourDecember 6, 2008Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral, Brooklyn, N.Y.December 14, 2008Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral, Brooklyn, N.Y.December 15-16, 2008Catholic University of America, Board of TrusteesMeeting, Washington, D.C.December 21, 2008Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral, Brooklyn, N.Y.December 24-25, 2008Christmas Celebration, Our Lady of LebanonCathedral, Brooklyn, N.Y.January 6, 2009Epiphany of the Lord, Our Lady of LebanonCathedral, Brooklyn, N.Y.January 9-11, 2009Deacons and Subdeacons Retreat, Our Lady ofFlorida Retreat House, West Palm Beach, Fla.January 12-16, 2009Annual Clergy Retreat, Our Lady of Florida, WestPalm Beach, Fla.January 16-18, 2009Order of Saint Sharbel Annual Retreat, West PalmBeach, Fla. The Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. XI Page 14 December 2008

Phoenix, ArizonaCostume PartySpeaking on behalf of the MYA, we love to host picnicslike these. It allows all of us in the community to spendquality time with each other as well as escape from theeveryday routine of the week. We have a great chance tobond by spending the whole day together. San Francisco, CaliforniaKnights of Columbus ChapterMembers of St. Joseph Mission’s MYA group prepare fortheir picnic on October 12, 2008.by Fr. Ghattas KhouryOn Sunday, October 26, 2008, Saint Joseph MaroniteMission in Phoenix, Arizona held its annualHalloween party. Children from different age groupsand their families participated. There was a variety ofcostumes and decorations; the Church’s social hall was filledwith excitement and joy. MYO members and high schoolstudents participated in the decorating and in making thefood. It was great to see the smiles on the children’s faces asthey played musical chairs, and gracefully competed in thecostume contest. The music filled the hall and encouragedeveryone to dance. Laughs could be heard from all around,and everyone had a great time. The MYO did a great job inconducting the games and keeping everything organized andunder control. Also, the ladies who helped in the kitchen didan outstanding job. As the end of the night rolled around, theMYO stood together and made sure everything was cleanedup. Many thanks to all who helped out and participated in thisparty.MYA PicnicThe Maronite Young Adults (MYA) of St. JosephMaronite Mission in Phoenix, Arizona, hosted a picnicat Chaparral Park. Fr. Ghattas Khoury celebrated theDivine Liturgy under the bright sun and cool breeze. As soonas Liturgy was over, people lined up for a lunch prepared bythe MYA. Our small knit group pulled together and servedto make the picnic as successful as possible. Also, manygames were played and many people enjoyed the three majorcard tournaments.by Nicole RishwanSan Francisco Bay area’s community of Our Lady ofLebanon Maronite Church is working hard to establisha Knight of Columbus Council. The prospect knightsmet for the first time at Sinbad Restaurant and shared MiddleEastern dinner together. The prospect Grand Knight KhalilSaikali explained the mission statement and goals of theknights and answered questions. “The Knight of Columbusfraternity was formed to render financial aid to members andtheir families. Mutual aid and assistance are offered to sick,disabled and needy members and their families. Social andintellectual fellowship is promoted among members and theirfamilies through educational, charitable, religious, socialwelfare, war relief and public relief works.” Prayer For Priestly VocationsFather, in every generation You provide ministers of Christand the Church.We come before You now, asking that You call forth moremen to serve our eparchies in the ministerial priesthood.Give us priests who will lead and guide Your holy peoplegathered by Word and Sacrament.Bless us with priestly vocations so that we can continue tobe a truly Eucharistic Church,strengthened in our discipleship of Jesus Christ, Your OnlySon.Raise up, we pray, men who are generous in their service,willing to offer their lives and all their gifts for Yourgreater glory and for the good of Your people.We make our prayer in the presence and power of the HolySpirit, through Christ, our Lord.Amen.The Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. XI Page 15 December 2008

The Documents of the Maronite Patriarchal Synod areavailable in Arabic from Saint Maron Publications for $15plus $5 shipping, and in English for $25 plus $5 shipping.The Prayer of the Faithful, three volumes of morning andevening prayers of the faithful in English, is available fromSaint Maron Publications.Volume One (Sundays of the Church; Season ofAnnouncements; Birth of the Lord and Epiphany) is availablefor $40 plus $5 shipping.Volume Two (Seasons of Great Lent and Resurrection)is available for $40 plus $5 shipping.Volume Three (Seasons of Pentecost and Holy Cross) isavailable for $30 plus $5 shipping.The Prayer of the Faithful (in Arabic), also three volumes ofmorning and evening prayer of the faithful, is now availablefrom Saint Maron Publications for $75 plus $10 shipping.Mary in the Maronite Church, by Archbishop BoutrosGemayel and translated by Fr. Georges El-Khalli, is nowavailable from Saint Maron Publications for $15 plus $4shipping.A Book of Blessings and Prayers: This book contains anintroduction and pastoral notes regarding blessings accordingto the Maronite Rite. The work is divided into six parts: Theblessing of persons; objects; oil, water, and air; places;articles for liturgical use; prayers for various occasions andneeds. It is available in hard cover (185 pages) for $20 plus$5 shipping.The Maronites, History and Constants by Antoine KhouryHarb. This 245-page hardcover book on the history of theMaronite Church contains more than 600 full-colorillustrations and is available for $45 plus $5 shipping.To order your copy (ies) please write to:Saint Maron Publications4611 Sadler RoadGlen Allen, Virginia 23060For further information, call (804) 762-4301. For a completelisting of publications carried by Saint Maron Publications,please visit www.stmaron.org. The Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. XI Page 16 December 2008

Austin, TexasThe deadline is April 1, 2009 (incomplete or late applicationswill not be accepted). Submit all materials to:ADC Research Institute, Attn: Dr. Nawar Shora1732 Wisconsin Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20007. Fall River, MassachusettsChristmas Bazaar(Left to Right) Lauren, Lance, Krissie, Luke, and DeaconRonnie Lastovica.Deacon Ronnie Lastovica recently received permissionfrom Bishop Aymond of the Catholic Diocese ofAustin and Bishop Shaheen of the Eparchy of OurLady of Lebanon to work at Our Lady’s Maronite CatholicParish in Austin, Texas. Scholarships AvailableJack G. Shaheen 2009Mass Communications ScholarshipsPurpose: To honor Arab-American students who excel inmedia studiesAmount: $1000Eligibility College students classified as a junior, senior, or enrolledin graduate school for the 2009-2010 academic yearmajoring in journalism, radio, television, and/or film Must have a minimum of 3.0 GPA and be a U.S. citizenof Arab heritageApplicants please submit the following items to the ADCResearch Institute:• A one page statement explaining your goals andstating that: you are a U.S. citizen; you are of Arabheritage; and why you merit the scholarship.• Two original signed letters of recommendation frommass communications professors.• Copies of your articles, videos, films, etc. (The itemswill not be returned to you).• Official academic transcripts including your GPA• Permanent home address, phone number, e-mailaddress, phone number during the school year.Left to right: Noreen Burns, Lillian Nasser and MizetteNasser.by Theresa MassoudSunday, November 23, 2008, from 9-4 p.m., St. Anthonyof the Desert’s Parish Hall in Fall River, Massachusetts,was transformed into a busy, happy, hive of activity asthe Parish hosted its Annual Christmas Bazaar and LebaneseFood Sale. Offerings from the Lebanese Kitchen and Pastrytable were enjoyed as well as the various items from the crafttables, country kitchen and enticing raffle baskets.From the CCD students who donated most of the raffleitems, to our veteran cooks who organized the ethniccooking, all generations participated. The following Sub-Chairpersons and their committees aided Chorbishop JosephF. Kaddo and bazaar Chairman Rochelle Kieron:Terry Galib (Publicity); Dennis Abdow and Terri Massoud(Posters); Beverly Burke and Lynne Nasiff (Kitchen); JemailLepage, Alice Hassoun, Fadia Youssef, Dora Peterson, VioletHowayeck and Annie Shaheen (Cooking Instructors); EvelynSimon and Noreen Burns (Pastry); Mary Ann and Ron Santos(Coat Sales); James Burke and Peter Nasiff (Beverages);Jackie Duarte (Crafters); Diane Coriarty (Country Kitchen);Andrea Nasiff (Dishwashers); Cathy Assad (Cashiers); andAnn Turley (Treasurer).A heartfelt “Thank you” to all who helped make ourannual bazaar a great success! The Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. XI Page 17 December 2008

Pope Wants Special Role forLebanonOn November 17, 2008, in the Vatican, the Holy Fatherreceived the Letters of Credence of Georges Chakib ElKhoury, the new ambassador of Lebanon to the HolySee, to whom he expressed the hope that the Lebanese people"may courageously continue their efforts to build a unitedand solidary society."The millennial history of the country, and the place itoccupies at the center of a complex region, give it afundamental mission to contribute to peace and harmonyamong everyone," said the Holy Father.After highlighting how "because of its experience of lifeand of inter-community and inter-cultural collaboration,Lebanon is a 'treasure' that has been entrusted to all theLebanese people," the Pope expressed the hope that "theinternational community may protect and value the countryand, through real commitment, may contribute to preventingit [from] becoming a land in which regional and globalconflicts are played out. Lebanon must, then, be a laboratoryin which to seek effective solutions to the conflicts that havelong troubled the Middle East."The election of the President of the Republic, theformation of a government of national unity and the approvalof a new electoral law", he said, "will favor national cohesionand contribute to the true coexistence of the variouscomponents of the nation ... I hope that, leaving particularinterests to one side and healing the wounds of the past,everyone will make an effective commitment to the path ofdialogue and reconciliation so that the country may progressin stability."The tensions that still exist demonstrate the need tocontinue down the path opened some months ago with theDoha Agreement, in order to build Lebanese institutionstogether," Pope Benedict noted. "In this commitment to thecommon good, people must be guided by an unshakeablecertainty: each member of the Lebanese people must feelLebanon as their home and know that their own concerns andlegitimate expectations are effectively taken intoconsideration, while showing reciprocal respect for the rightsof others."To this end," the Holy Father went on, "it is necessaryto promote and develop true education for peace,reconciliation and dialogue, directed above all at the younggenerations. ... Lasting peace, which is the profoundaspiration of all Lebanese, is possible only if everyone givesfundamental importance to the will to live together in thesame land, and considers justice, reconciliation and dialogueas the appropriate context in which to resolve the problems ofindividuals and groups."On this subject, Pope Benedict XVI underlined howbuilding a society "which ensures all its members a free anddignified life" calls for "increasingly tight cooperationbetween all sides of the nation, based on trustingrelationships between individuals and communities."The Holy See," he said, "always follows events inLebanon very closely and pays particular attention to theefforts made to find a definitive solution to the problemsfacing the country. Particularly sensitive to the sufferingsundergone for so long by the people of the Middle East, theHoly See continues with determination its commitment topeace and reconciliation in Lebanon and throughout thatregion so beloved to all believers."Finally the Holy Father, recalling the recent beatificationof Fr. Jacques Haddad, "apostle of mercy," greeted theCatholic community in Lebanon, inviting its members tobecome "architects of unity and fraternity."Vatican Information Service (VIS), November 17, 2008Pontiff Urges Practicing What YouPreachPope Benedict XVI says lay people are called to show theunity that should exist between faith and life, and urgedChristian politicians to be coherent with the faith theyprofess. The Pope said this on Saturday, [November 15,rd2008) when he received participants in the 23 plenaryassembly of the Pontifical Council for the Laity. Theassembly was dedicated to a consideration of Pope John PaulII's apostolic exhortation "Christifideles Laici," some twentyyears after its publication.As challenges for the future, the Holy Father stressed theneed for greater and better formation, especially of youngpeople, as well as greater "coherence of life.""Every realm, circumstance and activity in which it is tobe hoped that the unity between faith and life can shine, isentrusted to the responsibility of the lay faithful, moved by adesire to communicate the gift of encountering Christ and thecertainty of the dignity of the human person," he said.The Pontiff further contended that there is an urgent needfor "evangelical formation and pastoral support of a newgeneration of committed Catholics in politics."Christian politicians must be "coherent with the faith theyprofess, have moral rigor, the capacity to make judgmentsregarding culture, professional competence and the passionto serve the common good," he affirmed.WomenThe Bishop of Rome also noted the particular role of womenin ecclesial and social life. "Not enough will ever be saidabout how much the Church acknowledges, appreciates andvalues women's participation in their mission at the service ofthe spread of the Gospel," he said.Pope Benedict XVI exhorted Christian women to havethe "courage to address demanding tasks," though heacknowledged that in doing this, they need "special sharpnessin discerning the cultural currents of our time, and thatspecial passion in caring for all that is human, whichcharacterizes [women]."Finally, the Pope mentioned the importance of thewitness of young people and their formation and contact withthe tradition of the Church, as manifested in World YouthDays."New generations," he said, "not only are the preferentialrecipients of the transmission and sharing of the Catholictradition, but are also individuals who expect in their ownheart proposals of truth and happiness, to be able to giveChristian witness of them, as already occurs in an admirableway." (Zenit.org, November 17, 2008)The Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. XI Page 18 December 2008

The Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. XI Page 19 December 2008

The Maronite VoiceSt. Anthony’s Maronite Catholic Church4611 Sadler RoadGlen Allen, Virginia 23060-6108NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE PAIDPERMIT NO. 1370GLEN ALLEN, VIRGINIAContinued from Page 1Christmas 2008When you are faced with a decision, make it as wisely andprayerfully as possible, then forget it … We will never haveabsolute certainty in this life.And above all, remember God helps those who helpthemselves ... Act as if everything depends upon you andpray as if everything depends on God.Live each day to the fullest. Don’t be so eager to judge yourfellow man … Give the benefit of a doubt. Get the most fromeach hour, each day, each age that the Lord gives you inlife… and if God is in your heart, you can always lookforward with confidence and back without regrets.God Bless and keep you forever.Merry Christmas and Happy Blessed New Year to all.Sincerely yours in the Newborn Savior,+ Most Reverend Robert J. ShaheenBishop of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon.thEncyclical’s 40 AnniversaryContinued from Page 11“It is the Church’s job to protect this plan of God by teachingus the truth, saying ‘yes’ to His plan and passing it on to ourchildren and grandchildren so they may experience the samefulfillment in their marriages,” she said.Kelly Mast said conjugal love provides fulfillment inevery way for married couples, but outside of marriage,sexual relations becomes only sex and leaves people wantingmore. She said the focus today is on “instant and repetitivegratification” and has led to distortions of love as Godintended, including the legalization of homosexual marriage.She said men and women can enjoy each other physicallyduring marriage, but they should practice Natural FamilyPlanning and abstain from sex during a woman’s fertile daysif having a child would be irresponsible at that point in theirmarriage.“If we distort the relationship between procreation andintimacy, our love and spiritual life will die,” Kelly Mastconcluded. Declaration Of Human RightsContinued from Page 12Without that grounding, the Human Rights Project willdevolve into a simple list of special interests determined byconsensus and subject to the power plays of pressure groups.The entire text of the United Nations’ Universal Declarationof Human Rights (Preamble and thirty articles) may be foundonline at www.un.org/Overview/rights. The Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. XI Page 20 December 2008