Maronite Voice - Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn

TheMaronite VoiceA Publication of the Maronite Eparchies in the USAVolume V Issue No. III March 2009Confession Anyone?The Prodigal Son by Fr. Abdo Badwi, University of Holy Spirit, Kaslik,Lebanon (USEK), Department of Sacred Art.When was the last time you went to confession?Years? Months? Each of us has our ownreasons for going or not going to confession!Fr. Numtallah Hardini, the teacher of St. Sharbel andone of three Maronites to be canonized a saint in thelast forty years, went to confession every day! He isquoted as having said, “If a man can change his shirteach day, I can confess my sins each day.” It was alsothought that the late Pope John Paul II went toconfession every week.The Church asks us to confess at least once a year. Wecall this our “Easter duty.” But it is the bare minimum.We could all do better in our desire to “be perfect asour Heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48).Recently, in the New York Times, of all places, therewas an article about one priest who made great effortsthat confession would be more meaningful andavailable for his parishioners. One confessional box,which had been nailed shut for years, had to bereopened. The other confessional, which was used tostore odds and ends had to be reopened and dusted off.The response of the people was surprising. They werecoming. Some who did not like the “face to face”confessional preferred the anonymity and simplicity ofthe confessional box.It does not matter how we “come clean.” What isimportant is that we ardently long for and seek our ownmoral and spiritual perfection and our desire to see theface of God. The desire to be made worthy, throughthe forgiveness of our sins, is as old as the JudeoChristian tradition; “Be holy as I am holy,” says theLord God (Lev. 19:2 and Peter 1:16).Lent is the time for prayer, penance and works ofmercy. Frequenting the Mystery of Penance(Confession) is a key element in our desire for holiness.So dust off the confessional and come in. A Happy andBlessed Lent to everyone.+ Bishop Gregory J. MansourEparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn

Schedule of Bishop Robert ShaheenMarch 2 - 12, 2009Maronite Bishops’ Meeting, BrazilMarch 19, 2009Episcopal Ordination of Bishop-Elect Rick Stika, Knoxville, Tenn.March 22, 2009First Mass, Knoxville, Tenn.March 23, 2009Washington, D.C.March 27-29, 2009Pastoral Visit to the Maronite Community in Baton Rouge, La.April 5, 2009Palm Sunday, St. Raymond Cathedral, St. Louis, Mo.April 6-11, 2009Holy Week, St. Raymond Cathedral, St. Louis, Mo.April 9, 2009Chrism Mass, St. Raymond Cathedral, St. Louis, Mo.April 12, 2009Easter Sunday, St. Raymond Cathedral, St. Louis, Mo. Eparchial CondolencesFather Joseph David, Pastor of St. George Church inUniontown, Pennsylvania, passed away on Thursday,February 5, 2009. Father David was born on December31, 1931 in Massillon, Ohio. He is one of fourteen children.He was predeceased by his parents and is survived by threebrothers (one of whom is his twin), and one sister. He servedin the United States Armed Forces from 1952 to 1954 andworked as an Electronic technician for many years. He thenentered Our Lady of Lebanon Seminary in Washington, D.C.,in 1990.Father David was ordained to the Priesthood on November 27, 1993 at OurLady of Lebanon Shrine in North Jackson, Ohio. As a priest he served in thefollowing parishes: Saint George, Wilkes-Barre, Penn., from 1993 to October1995; Saint John the Baptist, New Castle, Penn., from 1996 to 1998; and SaintGeorge, Uniontown, Penn., 1998 until present.The Ginnaz for Priests took place on February 9, 2009, and the FuneralLiturgy was celebrated on Tuesday, February 10 at St. George Church inUniontown. Condolences may be sent to: Mr. Robert M. David, 215 TaggartAvenue, NE, Massillon, OH 44646.Bishops Gregory Mansour and Robert Shaheen, along with the clergy andfaithful of the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn and the Eparchy of Our Ladyof Lebanon extend their heartfelt sympathy and the promise of our prayers to Fr.David’s family. May Almighty God grant his servant Joseph eternal rest. by Helena Gemayel AzziStories of the Saints Among UsMy late aunt, Sister Angele Gemayel, was one of the first nuns in the Orderof Fr. Jacques Haddad. When I was around five years old, she invited myfather (her brother) to bring his children to meet her superior. I rememberwalking to the big chair at the end of the room where a priest with a long beardwas sitting. So, I have greeted a future saint... perhaps sat on his lap! I amimpressed that Fr. Jacques will become a saint. We are truly blessed to have allthese saints in Lebanon. Fr. Jacques Haddad was beatified in June of 2008.The Maronite Voice would like to hear from any Maronites in the U.S.A.,who have similar stories to tell about growing up with the saints of Lebanon. 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 V Issue No. III Page 2 March 2009

Eparchial AssignmentsHis Excellency Bishop Robert J. Shaheen, Bishop of theEparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon has made thefollowing Eparchial appointments:Msgr. Louis Baz, Pastor of St. Anthony ofPadua Church, Cincinnati, Ohio is assigned asPastor of St. Maron Church in Detroit, Mich.,effective on February 26, 2009.Rev. John Paul Kimes, formerly AssociatePastor of St. Sharbel in Warren, Mich., andAdministrator of St. Rakfa Mission in Livonia,Mich., has been assigned at the request of theHoly See to the Congregation of the Doctrineof the Faith in Rome, Italy, for the next fiveyears.Chorbishop Michael Kail is appointed asAdministrator of St. Rafka Mission, Livonia,Mich., and remains Pastor of St. SharbelChurch, Warren, Mich.Rev. Thomas Craven, Jr. will be on a leave ofabsence, at his request, beginning March 1,2009.Rev. David Fisher is assigned as temporaryadministrator of St. Anthony of Padua,Cincinnati, Ohio, beginning February 26 through March 25,2009.Chorbishop William Leser is assigned as Administrator ofSt. Anthony of Padua, Cincinnati, Ohio, beginning March 25,2009. Attention All Maronite Parishesby Ramona Milford, ChairpersonThe Maronite Historical Committee has begun its workin compiling the “story” of the Maronite Church withinthe United States into three segments. One of the threewill be the story of each parish and mission from the time ofits dedication to the present.As some of our parishes approach their 100 thAnniversaries and as new missions are formed, there is a lotof story to tell. If you want your parish/mission to be a partof the big picture then please gather up your pictures,documents and other materials that tell us its story.How did your parish begin? Who were the religious toserve that parish? What organizations make up your parish?If we allow the history of the Maronite Church in theUnited States to fade like aging documents then the loss tofuture generations will be our own fault. Let us worktogether to take the precious jewel of our Maronite Churchout of the vault and bring it into the light for all to appreciateand admire.So get busy and dust off those old scrapbooks, movies,documents, pictures, etc. and then contact me by Email atramonamarie26@att.net or by phone at 618-234-9800 ext.241; or by mail: 9860 Tesson Creek Estates, St. Louis, MO63123. Sister Marla Marie Visits Australiaby Therese ToumaSister Marla Marie’spresence “downunder” waswarmly welcomed bythe Maronitecommunity in Sydney,Australia, during hervisit from February 19through March 4, 2009.Along her travels,Sister Marla Marie metwith Most Reverend AdAbi Karam, Bishop ofthe Eparchy of SaintMaroun of Australia.‘Maroniteness,’ the vitalword Bishop Adstrongly emphasized inMaronite Bishop of Australia, AdAbi Karam and Sister Marla Marie.their lively conversation, encompasses the living out of ourwhole Maronite Spirituality and tradition. Sister shared withBishop Ad the unique mission and charism of the MaroniteServants of Christ the Light, in imitation of our BlessedMother to serve as spiritual mothers alongside the priests inour parishes. Sister added how she perceives this “muchneeded mission of the feminine presence to be a source ofnew life in the Maronite Church.”Voice of Charity, the twenty-four hour Maronite Radiostation in Sydney, interviewed Sister Marla Marie for someof their programs. In the interview, Sister shared her thoughtsabout the importance of making the Divine Liturgy the centerof our lives and at the same time realizing who we are asMaronites and why we do what we do in the Liturgy.Personally, I appreciated how Sister used our ownterminology to express the significance of learning and livingout the treasures of our Maronite spirituality (i.e., DivineLiturgy instead of Mass).During her two week stay, Sister Marla Marieexperienced a taste of Maronite flavor on visits to some ofSydney’s seven Maronite parishes. In three of her parishvisits to the youth, she gave informative presentations on themission and spirituality of the Maronite Servants of Christthe Light. Specifically, at St. Joseph’s in Croydon, Sisterpresented an insightful discernment talk on her personal“Witness to Vocation and Mission.”I pray that the good news of the MSCL continues tospread, encouraging young women, especially those withinour Maronite community to be generous and open inconsidering a vocation to this new mission. To learn more,visit their website at maroniteservants.org.(Therese Touma is an applicant in the process of joining theMaronite Servants of Christ the Light.) The Maronite Voice Volume V Issue No. III Page 3 March 2009

Los Angeles, CaliforniaSt. Maron’s Feast Day Celebration Honors Successful MaronitesFr. Abdallah Zaidan (left) honors Dennis Zine and George and Anthony Raluy asrecipients of the “Lifetime Achievement Award” and Fr. Elias Sleiman.by Tommy TedrosThe annual St. Maron’s Feast Daycelebration at Our Lady of Mt.Lebanon Cathedral in LosAngeles, California, turned out to beyet another memorable event. Thisyear, we honored in the presence of HisExcellency Robert Shaheen, Bishop ofthe Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon,special individuals for theircontributions to society under thetheme “Maronites Leading the Way.”Los Angeles City Council MemberDennis Zine, along with George andAnthony Raluy, members of theCathedral community, have excelled intheir personal lives and showed theirleadership skills throughout their lives.On Sunday, February 8, 2009, thecommunity of Our Lady of Mt.Lebanon – St. Peter Cathedral in LosAngeles celebrated its annual St.Maron’s Feast Day. St. Maron’s Dayis the feast day of the founder andpatron of the Maronite Church that iscommemorated every February 9. Theday started with a Pontifical DivineLiturgy celebrated by Bishop Shaheen.Members of the Order of Saint Sharbelformed the honor guard. ChorbishopFaouzi Elia, Vicar General; ChorbishopWilliam Leser; Father Abdallah Zaidan;Father Elias Sleiman; and Father PierreAlbalaa concelebrated. After thehomily, Tommy Tedros was enshrinedinto the Order of Saint Sharbel.Following the Liturgy, fivehundredguests attended a luncheon atthe Millennium Biltmore Hotel indowntown Los Angeles where DennisZine and George and Anthony Raluywere granted the “LifetimeAchievement Award.” Tommy Tedrosconducted the introductory part of theprogram and named the religious andcivic dignitaries in attendance includingCity Councilman Jose Huizar andConsul General of Lebanon in LosAngeles, Houssam Diab. Mistress ofCeremonies Liz Habib introduced thevarious guest speakers.Councilman Dennis Zine, LosAngeles’ first American-Lebanese CityCouncilman, was born, raised andeducated in Los Angeles and was firstelected to represent the nearly 300,000residents Third Council District in2001. In 2005 he was overwhelminglyreelected with 70% of the vote. Hebegan his public service career overforty years ago when he joined the LosAngeles Police Department and workedhis way up the ranks. Not only does hehave extensive public serviceexperience but also he has volunteeredin numerous community serviceorganizations. Councilman Zine’spriorities as an elected official includeimproving quality of life, reducingcrime, increasing public safety, andaddressing transportation issues.George and Anthony (Tony) Raluywere born in Brooklyn, New York.Their family was actively involved withOur Lady of Lebanon Cathedral inBrooklyn. Although their parents had asuccessful business in New York, theydesired a better life for their children.In 1954, they moved to Burbank,California, where their father, Tony Sr.,began delivering goods throughoutSouthern California. As their businessrapidly expanded, George, Tony andtheir sister, Lorraine, took an active partin the business. Their father’s passionfor the Maronite Church was instilled inthe entire family. After their fatherpassed away, George and Tonyinherited the trucking company, namedTony’s Express. It is a major localtransportation company. Their truckscan be seen all over the SouthernCalifornia freeways.Other speakers included Mr. KarimJaude, the chairperson of St. Maron’sDay 2009, and Bishop Robert Shaheen.Father Abdallah Zaidan awarded theSilver Massabki Award to Fadi andMilia Garabet for their dedication tothe cathedral community. An audiovisualpresentation of Dennis Zine andGeorge and Tony Raluy highlightedtheir backgrounds and career paths.These three recipients are welldeserving of the accolades and theymake us, the Lebanese community,proud to honor them in this event. The Maronite Voice Volume V Issue No. III Page 4 March 2009

THE ORDEROFSAINT SHARBELRichmond, VirginiaRegional Youth RetreatPerpetual Members Ms. Karen Hart Mr. Elie HomsiSt. Rafka Maronite ChurchLakewood, Col.Annual Members Dr. Louis AshkarSt. Rafka Maronite ChurchLakewood, Col.The Order of Saint Sharbel is anorganization of lay people andclergy who have pledged theirspiritual strength and financialsupport for Our Lady of LebanonSeminary and the retired Maroniteclergy of the Maronite Eparchiesin the USA.For more information about theOrder, ask your pastor or writetoEparchy of Saint MaronOrder of Saint Sharbel109 Remsen StreetBrooklyn, NY 11201OrEparchy of Our Lady of LebanonOrder of Saint Sharbelth1021 South 10 StreetSt. Louis, MO 63104by Cathy GeorgeFifty youth from three Maroniteparishes participated in a RegionalYouth Retreat on Friday, February13, through Sunday, February 15, at St.Anthony Maronite Church in GlenAllen (Richmond), Virginia. St.Anthony’s youth were joined by teensand their chaperones from Our Lady ofLebanon Church in Washington, D.C.,and St. Michael the Archangel Churchin Fayetteville, North Carolina. Theyexplored the “Challenge of Followingin the Footsteps of Jesus,” anexploration of discipleship today.After a fortifying dinner, theopening session took place in thechurch where the youth looked at howthe Maronite saints handled thechallenges of their times and turnedthem into the foundation of their faith.Each person received a stone with thechallenge to use it to build rather thanto tear down their own personalfoundation.The next day began with the Safro,or morning prayer, and liturgy. Thegroup went outside after breakfast for aseries of team-building mini-challengespresented by Carmen Dailey andMichael Maynes. The youth learned to“trust in the Lord…and he will makeyour paths straight” (Prov. 3:5-6) in avariety of activities. Afterwards,Richmond Police Lieutenant MichaelZohab spoke about the consequences ofplacing personal information andpictures on the Internet. Paul Sauer, asexuality teacher, talked about decisionmakingand leading a chaste life.Maronite Seminarians Tony Massadand Georges El-Hajj, Msgr. GeorgeSebaali, and St. Michael’s IanVanHeusen spoke about vocations.Everyone participated in theevening Penance service. Theresa Rizkfrom Our Lady of Lebanon Churchplayed several moving Maronite pieceson the violin. It was beautiful to see theatmosphere of prayer in the church andconcern for one another. After theservice, the evening ended with a DJand music in the hall.The youth were up early the nextmorning for their last session. Afterthinking about what builds up their ownfoundations, and creating a sculpture oftheir faith, they listened to MonsignorGeorge talk about the qualities ofdiscipleship. They participated in theparish liturgy as readers, gift bearersand peace givers. After lunch, the D.C.and Fayetteville youth departed withpromises to return. The Maronite Voice Volume V Issue No. III Page 5 March 2009

Brooklyn, New Yorkth84 Annual St. Maron DayChorbishop Michael Thomas, Fr. James Root, Tony and KateTannousis, Recipients of the Silver Massabki Award, BishopGregory Mansour, and Members of the Tannousis family.The Cathedral Parish of Our Lady of Lebanon celebratedththe 84 Annual Saint Maron Day on Saturday, February7, 2009 with a Grand Banquet and Hafli. Thefestivities were held at the Terrace on the Park in FlushingMeadows, Queens, New York. The evening began withcocktails and hors d’oeuvres followed by a formal dinner andHafli. Some 250 parishioners and friends were in attendancealong with His Excellency Gregory J. Mansour, Bishop of theEparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn; Chorbishop Michael J.Thomas, Vicar General; the Very Rev. James Root, Rector;and Father Jean Younes, M.L.M., Assistant at the Cathedral.They were also honored to have the acting Counsel General,Antoine Azzam, and his wife Danielle as well as Mr. JohnHeyer and his wife Maria, representing Mr. MartyMarkowitz, Brooklyn Borough President. Miss CarolineZiade, counsellor at the United Nations Lebanon Mission,and the newly appointed counsellor Mr. Oussama Khachabwere also in attendance. The Rev. Antoine Rizk, Pastor ofthe Virgin Mary Melkite Church, and the Rev. Khaddar ElYateem, Pastor of the Salam Lutheran Church also gracedthe community with their presence.Each year one person or couple is recognized for theirdevoted service to the Cathedral Parish and to the Eparchy.It is a difficult task many times to choose one person when somany do so much for their parish. This year was theexception. Mr. Tony Tannousis and his wife Kate were therecipients of the Silver Massabki Award. Without a doubtthey are two individuals who truly love and respect theirChurch, Eparchy and clergy. Tony is the immediate pastpresident of the Pastoral Council of the Cathedral. He also isthe initiator of the Mega Raffle which takes place on EasterSunday to help raise needed funds for the renovation andupkeep of the Cathedral and facilities. Tony and Kateworked very hard in establishing the Heritage Program(Religious Education and Arabic School). The Very Rev.James Root, Rector, along with Bishop Gregory and MikeNaber, NAM General Secretary, presented the award to Tonyand Kate. Therese Abi-Habib, Regional Vice President ofNAM, and Marion Ciaccia, NAM Delegate, were on hand tocongratulate the recipients.Each year the Cathedral Parish also recognizes oneoutstanding Youth by awarding the Faith of the MountainAward. This year Miss May Hasso, immediate past Presidentof the Cathedral MYO received the award. May and herparents were on hand as well. Father Root mentioned thatMay was very conscientious about her role as President andwas extremely helpful whenever called upon. She was andis a great role model for the other Youth of the Cathedral.The evening ended with a wonderful Chinese Rafflechaired by Therese Abi-Habib. Two round trip tickets toLebanon, a 42 inch flat screen TV and a Laptop Computerwere just a few of the items up for Auction.Those in attendance danced Dabke to the wonderfulmusic by Amin “Sultan” Khoury and his band. As usual thePastoral and Finance Councils did a marvelous job inplanning the celebration, and they are planning for next yearto be even better. Schedule of Bishop Gregory MansourMarch 3-12, 2009Meeting of Maronite Bishops of North and SouthAmerica, BrazilMarch 15, 2009Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral, Brooklyn, N.Y.March 16 -17, 2009Our Lady of Lebanon Seminary, Washington, D.C.,and Catholic University Board of TrusteesMarch 19, 2009Episcopal Ordination of Bishop-Elect Rick Stika,Knoxville, Tenn.March 22, 2009Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral, Brooklyn, N.Y.March 23 - 26, 2009Our Lady of Lebanon Seminary, Washington, D.C.,and USCCB Committee of Pro-life and CatechesisMarch 27, 2009Lenten Friday Prayer Service and Talk at Virgin MaryMelkite Church, Brooklyn, N.Y.March 29, 2009Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral, Brooklyn, N.Y.March 2, 2009Blessing of Holy Oils, Our Lady of LebanonCathedral, Brooklyn, N.Y.April 5-12, 2009Holy Week and Easter celebrations at Our Lady ofLebanon Cathedral, Brooklyn, N.Y.April 19, 2009Installation of Archbishop Timothy Dolan, NewYork, N.Y. The Maronite Voice Volume V Issue No. III Page 6 March 2009

North Jackson, OhioThe Antonine Sisters WelcomeOne of their OwnThe Antonine Sisters in their chapel. From left to right: Sr.Celine Nohra, Sr. Kawsar Choufani, Fr. Rodolphe Wakim,Sr. Marie Madeleine Iskandar and Sr. Claudette Bou Saade.by Sister Celine NohraThe community of Antonine Sisters in North Jackson,Ohio, is happy to welcome Sister Kawsar Choufaniwho arrived from Lebanon on January 9, 2009. SisterKawsar joined the Antonine Sisters as a novice in 1996 andprofessed her vows in 1998. She traveled to France andearned a Management Diploma from the ConsevatoireNational des Arts et Métiers in Paris. Back in Lebanon, shegraduated with a Business Degree from the Jesuit Universityof Beirut and served for five years as the accountant in one ofthe biggest Antonine Sisters School in Jamhour [Beirut],Lebanon. Sister Kawsar is currently assisting the sisters inNorth Jackson in their ministry with the elderly and disabledwhile completing her Masters Degree in BusinessAdministration at the Youngstown State University. We wishher a blessed stay in the U.S.A. Wheeling, West VirginiaReverse Raffle/Dinnerby Linda Fadoul DuffyOur Lady of Lebanon Church in Wheeling, WestVirginia, held its First Maronite Reverse Raffle/Dinneron February 5, 2009. Held at the Wheeling CountryClub, the event featured cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a sitdown dinner followed by the drawing.Prizes were awarded to every twenty-fifth name calledbefore getting down to the final few. The room was filledwith excitement as the last names were called. The bigwinners for the night were Nick Conti, Randa Khoury,Beverly Duffy, Madelyn T. George, Thomas Ferris, and Billand Carol Dougherty.(Seated) Linda Fadoul Duffy, Luane Murad Frazier and LoisRutter. (Standing) Bill and Lou Ann Blazier, Debbie Evansand Fr. Bakhos Chidiac.The steering committee of Linda Fadoul Duffy, a ParishCouncil member, Luane Murad Frazier, Michel JosephMorgan, Lois Rutter, Debbie Evans, Bill and Lou AnnBlazier and Father Bakhos Chidiac, Pastor, worked hard onthis well-organized event and were pleased with theoutcome.Chicago, IllinoisBlessing of 2008's Babiesby Catherine AwadWith car seats in tow and bundled up tightlyagainst the cold, brisk wind, babies born in2008 were carried into Our Lady of LebanonChurch. Only an occasional cry was heard during theLiturgy celebrated by Monsignor Alfred Badawi. Nowfree from their winter coats and hats, each child wasgiven a special blessing and gift. Their parents posedproudly holding tightly their special bundle of joy. The Maronite Voice Volume V Issue No. III Page 7 March 2009

y Marie-Elizabeth DoharFlint, MichiganYouth RetreatFr. Gary George, Eparchial Youth Director, with youth at aregional retreat held at Our Lady of Lebanon Church in Flint,Michigan.Fr. Hanna Tayar and the parish family of Our Lady ofLebanon Church in Flint, Mich., hosted Maronite youthfrom eight parishes Friday, February 13, throughSunday, February 15, 2009.Under the direction of the Eparchial Youth Director, Fr.Gary George, the 80-plus youth, their advisers and religiousleaders gathered for a retreat of spiritual enrichment andspiritual preparation for the upcoming Lenten season. Inhonor of the Valentine’s Day holiday, the theme of the retreatcentered around the concept of unconditional love aspresented in the Bible: “For God so loved the world that Hegave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should notperish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).From this theme, the youth, with the guidance of Fr.Gary, Fr. Rodolph Wakim, and Fr. Hanna, tackled topics oflove, relationships, and intimacy. A great talk between theyouth and the priests about “Where Do We Belong?” raisedsignificant questions and stimulated extensive dialogue thatleft all participants engaged and intrigued. The participantswere extremely intelligent and insightful; their comments andquestions greatly contributed to the substance and materialdiscussed over the weekend.Following this discussion, Noha Zerka, a young adultadviser to the Flint MYO, and Matthew Romah, a youngadult adviser to the Pittsburgh, Penn., MYO, shared theirexperiences and gave witness to God’s presence in their lives.These two presentations raised even more questions andintensified the participants’ interests in the weekend’s theme.After the presentations, the youth participants spent timemeeting new people, forming new friendships, and rekindlingold friendships during icebreakers, snacks, and dancing tomusic provided by Matthew and Alex Romah.The next morning, the youth participants began a busyday with a morning prayer that embraced the principles andbeliefs of St. Valentine. Following morning prayer, the youthlearned about types of conditional and unconditional love,and broke into age-appropriate groups to further discuss theimplications of these types of love. After lunch, courtesy ofJohnny Solomon and Johnny Boy Subs, the youth enjoyedsome free time with more dancing and socializing.Following free time, the youth prepared themselves fora reconciliation service. During this service, the BlessedSacrament was exposed, and the youth were encouraged tomake a good Lenten confession. The youth were remindedthat the absolution that is granted through the sacrament ofReconciliation is a pervasive sign of God’s unconditionallove, and that the act of confession is an act that can onlystrengthen and deepen an individual’s relationship with God.The youth then traveled to a sports facility, where theyplayed flag football, soccer, dodge ball, and arcade games.Even Sr. Celine Nohra joined the youth in the arcade, playingair hockey and other games!Saturday evening, the youth were treated to a specialValentine’s Day dinner and hafli. During the hafli, MichaelTannous of Cleveland, Ohio, beat several others during afrenzied game of musical chairs. The participants danced forhours and enjoyed spending the evening with their friends,before heading back to the hotel.Sunday morning, the youth gathered for liturgy followedby a breakfast prepared by the parishioners of Our Lady ofLebanon Church.Noha Zerka and Johnny Solomon, the MYO advisersfrom Flint, planned a beautiful retreat, and the hospitality ofFr. Hanna and the parishioners of Our Lady of Lebanon wasoverwhelming. All participants had an amazing and enrichingweekend, and are truly grateful for the time and dedication ofthe host parish. VocationAwareness/SupportThe need for vocations in the Church is critical. One ofNAM’s most significant undertakings has been itsassistance to the Church in promoting an awareness ofvocations. As part of its Vocation Awareness Program, NAMconducts an annual Vocations AwarenessPoster/Essay/Multimedia Contest for Maronite religiouseducation students from kindergarten through high school.A packet, which includes a cover letter, contest brochure,local contest brochure and a contest flyer for posting in theparish, was sent to every parish (addressed to the religiouseducation director).Entries must be postmarked by May 15, 2009 (entriesafter this date will not be accepted). Send all entries to KimthJ. Richey at 1649 34 Street NW, Washington, DC 20007.In further support of vocations NAM is closely alignedwith the Order of Saint Sharbel and invites all Maroniteclergy, religious and seminarians in the United States asguests of NAM at all NAM events. The Maronite Voice Volume V Issue No. III Page 8 March 2009

Anaheim, CaliforniaIn the Middle of Remodeling, aFire and Bank ClosureFire gutted the Church Hall and damaged part of St. JohnMaron Church in Anaheim, California.by Fr. Antoine BakhMembers of St. John Maron Maronite Church inAnaheim were all excited about remodeling andexpanding the church hall, adding a second floorwith classrooms and an outside patio area. The excitementwas cut short by a fire the day before Christmas Eve last year.The fire gutted an entire building and damaged part of thechurch. The facilities destroyed included the kitchen,bathrooms, two classrooms, the library and the pastor’s andsecretary’s office. Thankfully, no parish records were lost,because many items had already been relocated due to theconstruction project which began in October.The police said the fire was caused by arson and is stillunder investigation. Just two weeks after the fire, the bankwhich gave the parish a construction line of credit was shutdown by the FDIC. The continuance of the loan is stillpending.Currently, Liturgy is celebrated in nearby St. AnthonyClaret Catholic Church. Please keep the parish in yourthoughts and prayers. For further information please contactFr. Antoine Bakh at 601 N. Woods Avenue, Fullerton, CA92832 or by email: email@johnmaron.org., or call (714) 525-4216. San Diego, CaliforniaBusy Time at St. Ephrem ChurchHow splendid it is!!! Our youth groups have been veryfaithful to their weekly Rosary Prayer gatherings, onThursday evenings, come rain or shine! What greatexamples they are to us all. What do they do when they meet?Well, along with praying the Rosary, and holding roundtablediscussions moderated by Fr. Nabil, they also enjoy a socialhour. As well as that, they host guest speakers on a monthlybasis who address them on topics that are current and relateto the temporal and spiritual life. These guests are usuallyPh.D.s who are experts in their particular field, and have awealth of wisdom to share. Our guest for February was Dr.Maha Moses, Ph.D., in Psychology whoThe Sisters of Mother Theresa’s Congregation celebrate NewYear under the protection of Mary, Mother of the Light inSan Diego, California.addressed the youth on the topic of “What are the real effectsof what we take into our bodies.” Much was learned to helpdiscern what is good for us and what is not, both spirituallyand physically. God bless our youth and those who give oftheir time and talents to be with them.As the Season of the Holy Birth of Our Lord drew to aclose, how blessed we were to welcome clergy from the HolyLand who joined us in prayer for peace in the Holy Land andthroughout the world. The only hope for peace is prayeroffered through the intercession of Mary, the Mother of God!The Parishioners of St. Ephrem rang in the New Year bydedicating an intention that no matter how difficult this yearmay be, no matter what the challenges also may bring, wewill choose the way of the Lord for He alone is the way, thetruth and the light! We will take things step by step duringthis year to be closer to the Lord, trusting in his DivineProvidence. We were very blessed to have the Missionariesof Charity, Mother Theresa’s congregation, join their prayerswith us for this dedication, as they so often do. Uponreflection, we have been quite blessed in that we have had avery close relationship with the Sisters for the past seventeenyears. They have joined us for many of our liturgicalcelebrations and have prayed earnestly for our intentions.We owe them a great debt of gratitude. We feel they are trulymembers of our church family!During the Week of Prayer for Unity in the Church, wewere offered a day retreat and lunch hosted by Dr. and ClairMansour family. We had several guests among us whooffered their prayers and hopes for Unity. Deadline for next month’s issue of TheMaronite Voice is March 25, 2009.Pictures have to be original. Digitalpictures must be in “JPG” format.The Maronite Voice is alsoavailable online in a pdf format atwww.stmaron.org The Maronite Voice Volume V Issue No. III Page 9 March 2009

“He Fasted for Forty Days and Forty Nights and Afterwards HeWas Hungry.”Message Of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI For Lent 2009On February 3, 2009, the 2009 Lenten Message of the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI was madepublic. The text, dated December 11, 2008, has as its title “He Fasted for Forty Days and FortyNights, and Afterward He Was Hungry.” Following is the Pope’s Message as reported by Zenit.org.Dear Brothers and Sisters!At the beginning of Lent, whichconstitutes an itinerary of moreintense spiritual training, theLiturgy sets before us again threepenitential practices that are very dearto the biblical and Christian tradition --prayer, almsgiving, fasting -- to prepareus to better celebrate Easter and thusexperience God's power that, as weshall hear in the Paschal Vigil, "dispelsall evil, washes guilt away, restores lostinnocence, brings mourners joy, castsout hatred, brings us peace and humblesearthly pride." For this year's LentenMessage, I wish to focus my reflectionsespecially on the value and meaning offasting. Indeed, Lent recalls the fortydays of our Lord's fasting in the desert,which He undertook before enteringinto His public ministry. We read in theGospel: "Jesus was led up by the Spiritinto the wilderness to be tempted by thedevil. He fasted for forty days and fortynights, and afterwards he was hungry"(Mt 4:1-2). Like Moses, who fastedbefore receiving the tablets of the Law(cf. Ex 34:28) and Elijah's fast beforemeeting the Lord on Mount Horeb (cf.1 Kings 19:8), Jesus, too, throughprayer and fasting, prepared Himself forthe mission that lay before Him, markedat the start by a serious battle with thetempter.******We might wonder what value andmeaning there is for us Christians indepriving ourselves of something that initself is good and useful for our bodilysustenance. The Sacred Scriptures andthe entire Christian tradition teach thatfasting is a great help to avoid sin andall that leads to it. For this reason, thehistory of salvation is replete withoccasions that invite fasting. In the veryfirst pages of Sacred Scripture, the Lordcommands man to abstain frompartaking of the prohibited fruit: "Youmay freely eat of every tree of thegarden; but of the tree of the knowledgeof good and evil you shall not eat, for inthe day that you eat of it you shall die"(Gn 2: 16-17). Commenting on thedivine injunction, Saint Basil observesthat "fasting was ordained in Paradise,"and "the first commandment in thissense was delivered to Adam." He thusconcludes: "'You shall not eat' is a lawof fasting and abstinence" (cf. Sermo dejejunio: PG 31, 163, 98). Since all of usare weighed down by sin and itsconsequences, fasting is proposed to usas an instrument to restore friendshipwith God. Such was the case with Ezra,who, in preparation for the journeyfrom exile back to the Promised Land,calls upon the assembled people to fastso that "we might humble ourselvesbefore our God" (8:21). The Almightyheard their prayer and assured them ofHis favor and protection. In the sameway, the people of Nineveh, respondingto Jonah's call to repentance,proclaimed a fast, as a sign of theirsincerity, saying: "Who knows, Godmay yet repent and turn from his fierceanger, so that we perish not?" (3:9). Inthis instance, too, God saw their worksand spared them.******In the New Testament, Jesus bringsto light the profound motive forfasting, condemning the attitude of thePharisees, who scrupulously observedthe prescriptions of the law, but whosehearts were far from God. True fasting,as the divine Master repeats elsewhere,is rather to do the will of the HeavenlyFather, who "sees in secret, and willreward you" (Mt 6:18). He Himself setsthe example, answering Satan, at theend of the forty days spent in the desertthat "man shall not live by bread alone,but by every word that proceeds fromthe mouth of God" (Mt 4:4). The truefast is thus directed to eating the "truefood," which is to do the Father's will(cf. Jn 4:34). If, therefore, Adamdisobeyed the Lord's command "of thetree of the knowledge of good and evilyou shall not eat," the believer, throughfasting, intends to submit himselfhumbly to God, trusting in Hisgoodness and mercy.******The practice of fasting is verypresent in the first Christiancommunity (cf. Acts 13:3; 14:22;27:21; 2 Cor 6:5). The Church Fathers,too, speak of the force of fasting tobridle sin, especially the lusts of the"old Adam," and open in the heart ofthe believer a path to God. Moreover,fasting is a practice that is encounteredfrequently and recommended by thesaints of every age. Saint PeterChrysologus writes: "Fasting is the soulof prayer, mercy is the lifeblood offasting. So if you pray, fast; if you fast,show mercy; if you want your petitionto be heard, hear the petition of others.If you do not close your ear to others,you open God's ear to yourself" (Sermo43: PL 52, 320. 322).In our own day, fasting seems to havelost something of its spiritual meaning,and has taken on, in a culturecharacterized by the search for materialwell-being, a therapeutic value for thecare of one's body. Fasting certainlybrings benefits to physical well-being,but for believers, it is, in the first place,a "therapy" to heal all that preventsthem from conformity to the will ofGod. In the Apostolic ConstitutionPænitemini of 1966, the Servant of GodPaul VI saw the need to present fastingwithin the call of every Christian to "nolonger live for himself, but for Himwho loves him and gave himself forhim, he will also have to live for hisbrethren" (cf. Ch. I). Lent could be apropitious time to present again thenorms contained in the ApostolicConstitution, so that the authentic andperennial significance of this long heldpractice may be rediscovered, and thusassist us to mortify our egoism andThe Maronite Voice Volume V Issue No. III Page 10 March 2009

open our heart to love of God andneighbor, the first and greatestCommandment of the new Law andcompendium of the entire Gospel (cf.Mt 22: 34-40).*****The faithful practice of fastingcontributes, moreover, toconferring unity to the whole person,body and soul, helping to avoid sin andgrow in intimacy with the Lord. SaintAugustine, who knew all too well hisown negative impulses, defining themas "twisted and tangled knottiness"(Confessions, II, 10.18), writes: "I willcertainly impose privation, but it is sothat he will forgive me, to be pleasingin his eyes, that I may enjoy hisdelightfulness" (Sermo 400, 3, 3: PL40, 708). Denying material food, whichnourishes our body, nurtures an interiordisposition to listen to Christ and be fedby His saving word. Through fastingand praying, we allow Him to come andsatisfy the deepest hunger that weexperience in the depths of our being:the hunger and thirst for God.At the same time, fasting is an aid toopen our eyes to the situation in whichso many of our brothers and sisters live.In his First Letter, Saint Johnadmonishes: "If anyone has the world'sgoods, and sees his brother in need, yetshuts up his bowels of compassion fromhim -- how does the love of God abidein him?" (3:17). Voluntary fastingenables us to grow in the spirit of theGood Samaritan, who bends low andgoes to the help of his suffering brother(cf. Encyclical Deus caritas est, 15). Byfreely embracing an act of self-denialfor the sake of another, we make astatement that our brother or sister inneed is not a stranger. It is precisely tokeep alive this welcoming and attentiveattitude towards our brothers and sistersthat I encourage the parishes and everyother community to intensify in Lentthe custom of private and communalfasts, joined to the reading of the Wordof God, prayer and almsgiving. Fromthe beginning, this has been thehallmark of the Christian community, inwhich special collections were taken up(cf. 2 Cor 8-9; Rm 15, 25-27), thefaithful being invited to give to the poorwhat had been set aside from their fast(Didascalia Ap., V, 20,18). Thispractice needs to be rediscovered andencouraged again in our day, especiallyduring the liturgical season of Lent.******From what I have said thus far, it seemsabundantly clear that fasting representsan important ascetical practice, aspiritual arm to do battle against everypossible disordered attachment toourselves. Freely chosen detachmentfrom the pleasure of food and othermaterial goods helps the disciple ofChrist to control the appetites of nature,weakened by original sin, whosenegative effects impact the entirehuman person. Quite opportunely, anancient hymn of the Lenten liturgyexhorts: "Utamur ergo parcius, / verbiscibis et potibus, / somno, iocis et arctius/ perstemus in custodia" (Let us usesparingly words, food and drink, sleepand amusements. May we be more alertin the custody of our senses).Dear brothers and sisters,It is good to see how the ultimate goalof fasting is to help each one of us, asthe Servant of God Pope John Paul IIwrote, to make the complete gift of selfto God (cf. Encyclical "Veritatissplendor," 21). May every family andChristian community use well this timeof Lent, therefore, in order to cast asideall that distracts the spirit and grow inwhatever nourishes the soul, moving itto love of God and neighbor. I amthinking especially of a greatercommitment to prayer, lectio divina,recourse to the Sacrament ofReconciliation and active participationin the Eucharist, especially the HolySunday Mass. With this interiordisposition, let us enter the penitentialspirit of Lent. May the Blessed VirginMary, "Causa nostrae laetitiae,"accompany and support us in the effortto free our heart from slavery to sin,making it evermore a "living tabernacleof God." With these wishes, whileassuring every believer and ecclesialcommunity of my prayer for a fruitfulLenten journey, I cordially impart to allof you my Apostolic Blessing.From the Vatican, Dec. 11, 2008. Lenten Observances2009The Most Reverend Bishops RobertShaheen and Gregory Mansourhave issued the following Lentenguidelines for the Maronites of theUnited States:All Maronites who are physicallycapable are to abstain from meat onAsh Monday (February 23) and allFridays of Lent.Ash Monday and the Great Friday ofthe Crucifixion are also days offasting. Fasting in the MaroniteChurch involves eating and drinkingnothing at all (except water andmedicine) from midnight until noon.The rest of the day normal meals canbe taken but without meat. AllMaronites who are physicallycapable are to fast on these two days.Devotion of LentenFridaysAll parish priests are to celebrate theBenediction with the Cross everyFriday of Lent except for the GreatFriday of the Crucifixion. This servicemay be preceded by other populardevotions such as Evening Prayer(Ramsho), Stations of the Cross or eventhe Divine Liturgy. Benediction withthe Blessed Sacrament should not takeplace on Fridays of Lent.Personal DevotionClergy, religious and laity who wish toobserve the more traditional Maronitepractice of fasting and abstinence areencouraged to do so. That practice issummarized in the following, takenfrom the Synod of Mt. Lebanon (1736):Every weekday of Lent (Mondaythrough Friday) is a day of fasting andabstinence from meat and dairyproducts (eggs, butter, milk etc.)Fasting involves eating and drinkingnothing at all (except water andmedicine) from midnight until noon.The rest of the day normal meals can betaken but without meat or dairyproducts. Dairy products are excludedbecause they are animal byproducts.Saturdays and Sundays are exemptfrom fasting and abstaining, as are thefollowing three feast days: St. Maron-February 9, The 40 Martyrs-March 9,and St. Joseph-March 19. The Maronite Voice Volume V Issue No. III Page 11 March 2009

What are our Rights andResponsibilities When it Comes toChildren?by Bishop Gregory MansourNews of the octuplets born in California has elicited astrong response from many people. Perhaps it wasbecause the mother was a single mom who wanted tohave more children (she already had six all from in vitrofertilization); or because her father seemed angry about allthe publicity and her mother said she preferred that herdaughter would have been a kindergarten teacher if she lovedchildren so much; or because the fertility doctor compliedwith her wishes, took an undisclosed sperm donor, fertilizedher egg, then planted eight tiny embryos in her womb.Perhaps it was because of all the above reasons thatcommentators opined that someone should regulate humanbehavior, human decisions, and should intervene in aperson’s moral decisions, which affect the lives of so many.In this case, those affected by her choices were her parents,her other children (one with special needs), her eight newchildren, the neighborhood where she lives, the hospital thatserved the premature infants and the sperm donor of theoctuplets, who is also the same for the other six children. Oneperson’s choices affect many people.After thinking of these moral concerns, I became evermore grateful to have the guidance of reason and faith,especially in the form of the recent Catholic documententitled On Human Dignity, which brings importantbioethical principles to bear on the subject of in vitrofertilization, the sacred gift of life, the dignity of the unbornchild, and what it means to be responsible parents. I wouldsummarize in my own words the document in this way:Adults do not have a right to have children, they have aresponsibility. Children have all the rights. They havethe right to come into this world in a natural way,through a loving human sexual embrace of parents wholove each other and are committed to each other inmarriage. They have the right to life and the right todignity. They have the right to parents (a man and awoman). They have the right to be raised, educated andintroduced to life with respect and love. This moralprinciple, which is really just common sense andsensitivity to children, should guide every aspect of lifefrom in vitro fertilization, to the virtue of chastity, to sexoutside marriage, to the meaning and definition ofmarriage, to responsible parenthood. Children have rights; adults have responsibilities. It isthat simple. Therefore, every sexual act, every scientificact, every human act must conform to the truth thatchildren have the right to be loved, wanted and respectedfor their own sake. Adults are morally obliged toconceive children in love, to bear them with suffering ifneeded, to accept children into this world on their (thechild’s) terms, not on adult terms, and to raise them withthe dignity they deserve.In the case of the single mother of octuplets, it seems clearthat her interests came first, not theirs. However, even if notconceived in the way they have the right to be, these children,nonetheless, are deserving of the same love and respect dueevery child. Children are always and everywhere a gift, andit is our duty as adults to appreciate this gift in a way thatpleases God. The moral principle is clear: children first,always first. Period.For more information on the wise teaching of the Churchon this matter log on to www.usccb.org/prolife/ivf. The Virgin Mary inMaronite Lifeby Brother John M. Samaha, S.M.Persecutions and similar adversities have caused theMaronite faithful to migrate soon after they began togather at the Monastery of Saint Maron on the OrontesRiver. They fled Antioch to seek a safe haven in the ruggedmountains of Lebanon early in the sixth century. Challengespersisted through the Umayyad, Fatimide, and Mamloukdynasties and continued through the duration of the OttomanththEmpire (15 to the 20 centuries). The difficulties of the lasttwo centuries were no less aggravating for Lebanon and theMaronites -- and other Eastern Christians. The massacres ofthe 1840s and 1860s; the two World Wars; and the war inthLebanon of the last quarter of the 20 century continued theflow of emigrants. Oppression, famine, strife, lack of jobopportunities, and other hardships again forced Maronitesand other Christians to migrate from the Near East not onlyto neighboring Middle Eastern countries, but also to Europe,to the Americas, and to Oceania.Always and everywhere the Blessed Virgin Mary waspart of Maronite life as the faithful persevered andestablished parishes and eparchies in their new worlds.Generations later the immigrants of the expanded Church andtheir progeny still maintain their precious heritage and striveto solidify their communities. The Maronites of today striveto preserve their religious heritage and spirituality as theycelebrate their rich liturgical and para-liturgical services, andmake efforts to hand on the Maronite tradition.Among the cherished para-liturgical services is theBenediction with the Icon of the Virgin Mary while chantingthe hymn Ya Umm Allah (O Mother of God). But often theyoung do not understand the deeper special significance, andneed some instruction and assistance toward that end. It isimportant to enlighten our younger generation about this andother revered Marian devotions received from our ancestors,and to realize why they placed themselves under the mantleof our Blessed Mother’s protection.The Maronite Church is both Apostolic and Marian, builtupon the Apostles and the love of the Virgin Mary. OurChurch has journeyed over the ages with the Virgin Mary,whose icon is engraved in every heart and honored in everyhome. Every morning and every evening and in everydifficulty our people naturally sigh Ya Adra (O BlessedVirgin). Everywhere the icon of the Virgin Mary is ourconstant companion.(Continues on page 20)The Maronite Voice Volume V Issue No. III Page 12 March 2009

y Beth MajewskiWaterbury ConnecticutYouth RetreatSister Marla Marie (center) with members of Our Lady ofLebanon Church’s MYO in Waterbury, Conn. Fr.Dominique Hanna, Assistant Pastor of Our Lady of theCedars in Boston, Mass., and a member of the EparchialVocation team is to the right.The MYO at the Our Lady of Lebanon Church inWaterbury, Conn., was honored and grateful to SisterMarla Marie of the Maronite Servants of Christ theLight for being the presenter at our mini-retreat on Saturday,February 7, 2009.The young adults as well as the MYO especially enjoyedthe fun activity of "The Cell Phone vs. The Bible." Inaddition, Sister Marla Marie taught the youth a well-neededlesson of how to locate and cross reference scripture passagesin the Bible. The most relevant message that Sister conveyedwas to dig into the Word of God (who is the basis of ourfaith) to nourish ourselves with prayer, guidance, and innerpeace. Chicago, IllinoisMYO Group Hits the GroundRunningby Pierrette MalekThe dire economic situation in the United States affectsnot only Main Street and Wall Street, but also ourstreets. The confidence that we all used to hold in ourjobs, homes and investments has turned into uncertainty anddiscomfort. These types of difficult situations are bound tohappen and are sometimes out of our control. The mosteffective way to combat life’s challenges is to unite andsupport each other in every way possible. This is animportant lesson that Monsignor Alfred Badawi, SubdeaconJohn & Mrs. Bobbie Sfire and the directors of Chicago’sMaronite Youth Organization voice to every member.Our vision is to build each participant’s character bystriving for three pillars: spiritual, service and social growth.Any event that the MYO sponsors must target at least one ofthe pillars. We believe that bonding through social andservice events will help the teenagers grow closer and morecomfortable with one another. Building this bond sociallywill help the group to grow spiritually because members willfeel more secure in sharing their thoughts and feelings atspiritual events.With the pillars in mind, the MYO has had a busy season.In December, we volunteered at Faith Food Pantry, Illinois’largest food pantry. This annual service event attracts a largenumber of MYO members and their families. It exposes themto social issues that they must acknowledge and discuss. It isan event that we all look forward to because it gives us achance to give back to our fellow citizens and realize theblessings that God has bestowed upon us.In January, we held an informal social gathering inShaker Hall. Each member brought an appetizer or dessert,Msgr. Badawi kindly provided a Chicago-style pizza dinnerand the advisors provided the music, movies and games. Aswith any Lebanese event, there was great food, funentertainment and, of course, plenty of leftovers. The eventwas meant to bring everyone together for the first time in theNew Year. The members got the chance to catch up, take astudy break from their finals and brainstorm ideas for newMYO fundraisers and events.One week later, the members carpooled to Grant Park’sice skating rink, located in downtown Chicago. After hoursof skating, or trying to, and a couple of falls—(okay, weadmit it, we had several falls!), the group made it in one pieceto a local restaurant. We enjoyed a family-style dinner filledwith interesting topics of discussion and laughter.The service and social events held throughout the pastcouple of months have prepared the members for theupcoming spiritual event. The members connected at theseevents and have formed strong relationships that will groweven stronger at the retreats. Our Lady of Lebanon is honoredto welcome Most Reverend Stephen Hector Doueihi, BishopEmeritus of the Eparchy of Saint Maron, who will be leadingthis year’s parish Lenten Retreat. We hope that therelationships that the MYO members have built with eachother will compel them not only to actively participate in thisevent, but also to gain as much spiritual growth as possible.The uncertainty in the current economic situation iscreating a great amount of tension throughout America. As inmany other cases, we will get through it—slowly, but surely.As a community, it is our duty to unite and provide supportfor one another through this process. Msgr. Badawi and theMYO directors are making the utmost effort to show theteenagers that this is the group in which they can findreassurance and a sense of stability.Helena Yassmine, Chicago’s MYO elected president,explains it best: “I can relate to the MYO members becausethey understand my culture, my religion and my values. I donot have to be on my toes all of the time because I do notneed to explain to them why certain Lebanese or Maronitetraditions are the way they are. They understand me in a waythat my peers at school just cannot. I feel at home when I amwith this group.” Food For ThoughtTo maintain a joyful family requires much from both theparents and the children. Each member of the family has tobecome, in a special way, the servant of others.Pope John Paul IIThe Maronite Voice Volume V Issue No. III Page 13 March 2009

San Francisco, CaliforniaMembership DriveMembers of the Ladies Guild of Our Lady of Lebanon in SanFrancisco, California, with Fr. John Nahal, Pastor.by Nicole RashwanOn January 31,2009 the Ladies Guild of Our Lady ofLebanon Maronite Church in Milbrae [San Francisco],California, organized an evening membership drive forthe ladies of the parish. About forty women came for theevening of prayer, fun, and entertainment. The programcovered, among other things, educational games, and a littlesummary on the Mission Statement, purpose, and goals of theGuild. Then all the ladies prayed the rosary and sang hymnshonoring the Blessed Virgin Mary. After, it was time to eatthe delicious food prepared by the Ladies Guild. At the end,the program finished by opening the floor for suggestions,and everyone left with a souvenir. Columbus, OhioFeast of Saint Maron(From left to right) Adele Busch, David Saliba, Fr. PierreBassil and Victor Ghanem.parishioners and friends gathered for a Pot Luck dinnerimmediately following the Liturgy. They were honored towelcome Fr. Fisher back home to Columbus after he recentlyspent some time at the Vatican in Rome. The highlight of theevening was a performance by the Dabke Troupe from TheOhio State University. The Dabke Troupe is part of theLebanese Student Organization at Ohio State. This was a verymemorable celebration for our Mission family. Cincinnati, OhioParish Awardby Adele Knieser BuschThe "Beit Maroun" family of Our Lady of LebanonMaronite Mission in Columbus, Ohio, gathered at St.Margaret of Cortona Catholic Church to celebrate theFeast of St. Maron on Saturday, February 7, 2009. Theevening began with a Maronite Divine Liturgy concelebratedby Fr. Pierre Bassil, Mission Administrator, and Fr. DavidFisher. During the Liturgy, Fr. Bassil recognized threeparishioners for their great love, zeal and dedication to their"Beit Maroun" family and to Our Lady of Lebanon Mission:Victor Ghanem, the founding Chairman of the Mission who,with his wife Alise, plan and host many of the Social eventsand business meetings; David Saliba, the founding Treasurerand Finance Committee Chairman; Adele Knieser Busch, theMission's "Press" and Administrative Secretary. Many(From left to right) Msgr. Louis Baz, Pastor, Dan and AnnNader and Fr. Mitch Pacwa of EWTN.by Msgr. Louis BazCongratulations to Dan and Ann Nader of St. Anthonyof Padua Church, Cincinnati, Ohio, on receiving theHoly Bible in appreciation of all the hard work they dofor the church and the community. The Maronite Voice Volume V Issue No. III Page 14 March 2009

Lawrence, MassachusettsBishop Visits with MYOBishop Gregory Mansour (center) with member of St.Anthony’s youth in Lawrence, Mass. Msgr. Azar, Pastor, ispictured to the left.by Msgr. Peter Fahed AzarFrom January 30 - February 1, 2009, His ExcellencyBishop Gregory Mansour, Bishop of the Eparchy ofSaint Maron of Brooklyn, visited St. Anthony MaroniteParish in Lawrence, Mass. He met with the Knights of Maryand the MYO. After a brief prayer with all of the groups,there was an opportunity for questions. He allowed the MYOto ask him questions openly about our culture and religion.He also shared with us his story of becoming a priest and hisopinions on recent topics. It was an honor to have BishopGregory answer our questions and share his experiences. Wilkes-Barre, PennsylvaniaLadies Christmas CelebrationThe members participated in annual projects which includeddistributing poinsettias and visiting the shut-ins of the parish;the Giving Tree Project for needy children coordinated byMary Ann Nockley; and a dinner social attended by thesociety members and their guests.Pictured from left to right are: Rosa Khalife-McCracken(Spiritual and Social Committee Chairperson), JoanneLangdon, Theresa Shiner (Ways and Means), Ann Hassy(Vice-Preisdent), Father Hanna Karam, Administrator, RosieMonseur (Altar Care), Subdeacon Crosby Sparks, LillianMadaya (President), Bernie Sherbenco, and AngelineKhalife. New Syriac Catholic PatriarchInstalled in LebanonAmid cheers and ululation, His Eminence IgnaceMoussa Cardinal Daoud installed the former head ofthe Syriac Catholic Eparchy in the U.S. and Canada asPatriarch of the Syriac Catholic Church, Patriarch IgnaceJoseph III Younan, on February 15, 2009.The ceremony unfolded in the presence of His BeatitudeMaronite Patriarch Nasrallah Peter Cardinal Sfeir and anecumenical assembly of patriarchs, bishops and priests frommost Eastern Catholic and Orthodox Churches, including thePatriarch of the Syro-Malankar community of India, AbhramMar Julios. The Apostolic Nuncio to Lebanon, ArchbishopLuigi Gatti and the Archbishop Emeritus of Washington,D.C., Theodore McCarrick, represented the western branchof the Church.Surrounded by bishops of his community, the Patriarchmade his way into the Church, head covered by a white veil.He moved forward among the lines of festive worshipers andremained behind the altar until the end of the religiousservice in accordance with a ritual that recalls Jesus’ retreatinto the desert.At the end of the Liturgy, he was enthroned by thebishops of his community, before whom he knelt and wholaid their hands upon him.Born in Hassake, Syria “where my parents found refugeafter fleeing Turkey,” he took parish duties as a priest inLebanon, in the same Syriac neighborhood that is home to thechurch in which he became patriarch. Before he was elevatedto the dignity of bishop he was sent to the United States toserve the Syrian communities in 1986. From 1995 until hisJanuary 2009 election as the new Patriarch of Antioch,Patriarch Younan was the head of the Newark Syriac Eparchyin the United States and Canada.Immediately following his enthronement, PatriarchYounan blessed the faithful as he was lifted three times in hischair. Patriarch Younan said, "It is a great honor I don'tdeserve, but I put my whole trust in the one who said, 'Youhave not chosen me; I have chosen you.'" The Altar and Rosary Society of Saint Anthony and St.George Church in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania,celebrated the Christmas Season in a very special way.The Maronite Voice Volume V Issue No. III Page 15 March 2009

The MaroniteOutreach:Why Every PennyCountsby Carole and Alain SadakaRecently the Maronite Outreach heldits fifth annual meeting to reviewMaronite Outreach and discuss its accomplishmentsDedicated to the over the last year and since its inception,preservation of putting those years in perspective andChristianity in setting future goals and milestones. WithLebanon the main goal always being thepreservation of Christianity in Lebanon,the members reviewed how current programs havecontributed to this goal over the years.An organization that was established since 1998, and hasgrown in ten years to ten chapters spread over six states, theMaronite Outreach has offered over 400,000 US Dollars inaid to Christians in Lebanon. This translated to 135scholarships sent to students in Catholic schools, 120 directsponsorships providing for daily as well as medical andeducational assistance of Christian children in need, and therebuilding or rehabilitation of nine Churches destroyedduring the war.$750 per collection or an average of $50 per family. With thislittle amount from each family we were able to raise enoughmoney to have a positive impact on the lives of Christianchildren in Lebanon. As an example, our San FranciscoChapter, working within the parish of our Lady of Lebanonin Millbrae [San Francisco], California, had forty-threechildren submit twenty-five piggy banks for a total of $900in funds raised.The money collected from these piggy banks isdesignated to the scholarship fund used to keep Lebanesechildren in school, especially in Catholic schools. In the bigpicture, pennies add up to thousands of dollars that pay thetuition of several students, thereby allowing teachers to getpaid and Catholic schools to stay open and continuespreading the message of Christ in Lebanon. In return forcontributing part of their allowances to the piggy bankproject, the children are rewarded with coloring books thateducate them about our Maronite faith and heritage.We hope this encourages all our parishes to continuecontributing to this simple project and hopefully invite othersto join in and grow these funds to allow more children inLebanon to benefit from your generosity.For more information on all Maronite Outreach projectsand how you can help, please visit us atwww.maroniteoutreach.org or call (213) 458-0580. The Maronite Pontifical by His Excellency Bishop StephenHector Doueihi, Bishop Emeritus of the Eparchy of SaintMaron of Brooklyn. The Maronite Pontifical contains allrites delegated to the bishop in the liturgical celebrations. Itdescribes the actions which the pontiff, as a celebrant,performs and the prayers he says during these celebrations. Itincludes mainly the rites of ordination to the priesthood andthe solemn consecrations reserved to the bishop in theChristian worship.The Maronite Pontifical is available for $20 plus $5shipping.Fr. Antoine Bakh, Pastor, with children of St. John MaronChurch in Anaheim, California.Through different projects led by over seventy volunteersnationwide, and through the help of our generouscommunities, this was all possible. One project in particularthat has been very popular among parishioners and hasgained increasing success is the “Piggy Bank” project. Thissimple program was built on the basic idea of “childrenhelping children.” It raises the awareness for the needs ofchildren in Lebanon and provides an avenue for children inthe United States to directly help those less fortunate thanthem.Every penny counts, and this has been proven by the factthat $15,000 was recently raised from the Piggy Bankcollections alone. This was achieved by conducting twocollections in each of our ten chapters, which translates toMary in the Maronite Church, by Archbishop BoutrosGemayel and translated by Fr. Georges El-Khalli, is nowavailable from Saint Maron Publications for $15 plus $4shipping.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 V Issue No. III Page 16 March 2009

Mr. Carlos Slim Helu, Maronite Convention GuestSpeakerby Amira MatarthThe highlight of the 46 Annual NAMConvention!! A once in a lifetimeopportunity!! How often does one get achance to have lunch with the world'ssecond richest man - a great MaroniteLebanese, a super businessman, anaccomplished leader - our very ownCarlos Slim Helu.Theth46 Annual MaroniteConvention, sponsored by theNational Apostolate of Maronitesand hosted by Our Lady of Mt.Lebanon-St. Peter Cathedral, is proudto announce the appearance of a specialguest speaker, Mr. Carlos Slim Helu, ata luncheon on Friday, July 3, 2009. Mr.Slim will come from Mexico in supportof the Maronite community andconvention. Prior to the luncheonthere will be a private VIP reception forlarge and corporate sponsors andanother reception for the guestsattending the luncheon. A largeattendance at this grand event isexpected. Make your reservationbefore it is sold out. Look forupcoming details.Mr. Carlos Slim Helu is a livinglegacy influencing and inspiring peoplein this day and for future generations tocome. He is a citizen of Mexico. A selfmade man who takes pride in hisLebanese heritage, he is the son of aLebanese immigrant. Since hischildhood, Mr. Slim was taught to keepa ledger to record expenditures. He wasencouraged by his father to learn andunderstand finance. The young Carlosshowed a special aptitude for numbers,and by age twelve he was buying sharesin the Bank of Mexico. When CarlosSlim was thirteen years old his fatherdied. He studied civil engineering at theAutonomous National University ofMexico and while still studying, hebegan to teach mathematics and linearprogramming. After a few years ofteaching, Carlos Slim incorporated hisfirst business venture, a stockbrokerage. The same year, he marriedSoumaya Doumit. In future ventures, hecombined the first letters of theirnames, as in the name of his holdingcompany, Grupo Carso.He is the second-richest person inthe world and yet he continues to bekind, sincere and devoted to allmankind. They say that the Mexicanequities market, the performance of hiswireless telephone company and hismany other business entities gave himan immeasurable fortune but behind allof that is a great man with a powerfulmind, an entrepreneur, an industrialist,a philanthropist and a person with a bigheart who is also a generous giver. Hisbusiness endeavors were a source ofcreating jobs and opportunities forpeople in Mexico, Latin America andworldwide.In 1982, Mexico plunged into aneconomic crisis, but Carlos Slim'sconfidence in his country held firm andhe acquired the Mexican affiliates ofReynolds Aluminum, General Tire andthe Sanborn's chain of stores andcafeterias. As the economy recovered,Slim's fortune grew, and hisacquisitions accelerated. He acquiredthe Mexican interests of a number ofU.S.-based brands: Firestone tires,Hershey's chocolate, Denny's coffeeshops. He bought and merged a numberof insurance companies into the giantfirm.Since 1986, the Carso Foundationhas concentrated on developingMexico's human capital througheducation and training programs. Inaddition, the Carso Foundation's effortswere directed to build infrastructure,promote education and reduce poverty,not only in Mexico, but throughoutLatin America. The Telmex Foundationis one of the largest philanthropicinstitutions in Latin America. Inaddition to activities in health,nutrition, conservation and disasterrelief, it has provided universityscholarships for hundreds of thousandsof talented students who wouldotherwise be unable to pursue highereducation. Mr. Carlos Slim Helu wasthe principal donor to the long-termproject to restore and revitalize MexicoCity's downtown, the Centro Histórico.Let us not forget that Lebanon andmany Lebanese were the beneficiariesof charitable, humanitarian, educationaland social contributions.A widower and father of six, Slimis a baseball fan and art collector. Hekeeps his art collection in MexicoCity’s Museo Soumaya, established in1994 and was named in honor of hislate wife who ran the institution formany years. In the midst of thisstaggering success, the family of CarlosSlim remains an unusually close-knitone. As Carlos Slim devotes more ofhis time to his philanthropic enterprises,his three sons have taken the reins ofthe major components of Grupo Carsoand the Slim family still dines togetherevery Monday night. ConventionPre-RegistrationThe Hyatt Regency Century Plazaat 2025 Avenue of the Stars inLos Angeles, California, is thethheadquarters of the 46 AnnualMaronite Convention. The hotel roomrate is $140 a night. The preregistrationdeadline is June 8, 2009.Hotel Reservation is done with yourregistration for the convention, usingthe registration form available throughNAM’s office or online atwww.namnews.org. After you registerfor the Convention, the Hotel willcontact you with your confirmationnumber. You must provide a validcredit card for reservations.Package OptionsFull Adult Package is $300 (lateregistration is $330). It includes allevents Wednesday through Sundayexcept the Friday Lunch.Long weekend Package is $275 (lateregistration is $305). It includes eventsfrom Thursday through Sunday exceptthe Friday Lunch.Weekend Package is $225 (lateregistration is $255). It includes eventsfrom Friday evening through Sunday.Short Weekend Package is $150 (lateregistration is $180). It includesSaturday and Sunday events. Hotelaccommodation is not included in theregistration packages.For more information on the 46 thMaronite Convention, visitwww.namnews.org. The Maronite Voice Volume V Issue No. III Page 17 March 2009

The Maronite Voice Volume V Issue No. III Page 18 March 2009

Just LookThe following article, written by His Eminence EdwardCardinal Egan, Archbishop of New York, was published inThe Catholic New York (CNY) October 2008. The MaroniteVoice reprints it with the permission of John Woods, Editorin Chief of CNY. Picture is courtesy of Life Issues Institute.The picture on this page is an untouched photograph ofa being that has been within its mother for 20 weeks.Please do me the favor of looking at it carefully.Have you any doubt that it is a human being?If you do not have any such doubt, have you any doubt thatit is an innocent human being?If you have no doubt about this either, have you anydoubt that the authorities in a civilized society are duty -bound to protect this innocent human being if anyone were towish to kill it?If your answer to this last query is negative, that is, if youhave no doubt that the authorities in a civilized societywould be duty - bound to protect this innocent human beingif someone were to wish to kill it, I would suggest - eveninsist - that there is not a lot more to be said about the issueof abortion in our society. It is wrong, and it cannot - mustnot - be tolerated.But you might protest that all of this is too easy. Why, youmight inquire, have I not delved into the opinion ofphilosophers and theologians about the matter? And evenworse: Why have I not raised the usual questions about whata "human being" is, what a "person" is, what it means to be"living," and such? People who write books and articlesabout abortion always concern themselves with these kindsof things. Even the justices of the Supreme Court who gaveus "Roe v. Wade" address them. Why do I neglectphilosophers and theologians? Why do I not get into defining"human being," "person," "living," and the rest? Because, Irespond, I am sound of mind and endowed with a fine set ofeyes, into which I do not believe it is well to cast sand. Ilooked at the photograph, and I have no doubt about what Isaw and what are the duties of a civilized society if what Isaw is in danger of being killed by someone who wishes tokill it or, if you prefer, someone who "chooses" to kill it. Inbrief: I looked, and I know what I saw.But what about the being that has been in its mother foronly 15 weeks or only 10? Have you photographs ofthat too? Yes, I do. However, I hardly think it necessary toshow them. For if we agree that the being in the photographprinted on this page is an innocent human being, you have nochoice but to admit that it may not be legitimately killed evenbefore 20 weeks unless you can indicate with scientific proofthe point in the development of the being before which it wasother than an innocent human being and, therefore, availableto be legitimately killed. Nor have Aristotle, Aquinas or eventhe most brilliant embryologists of our era or any other erabeen able to do so. If there is a time when something lessthan a human being in a mother morphs into a human being,it is not a time that anyone has ever been able to identify,though many have made guesses. However, guesses are of nohelp. A man with a shotgun who decides to shoot a being thathe believes may be a human being is properly hauled beforea judge. And hopefully, the judge in question knows what a"human being" is and what the implications of someone'swishing to kill it are. The word "incarceration" comes tomind.However, we must not stop here. The matter becomeseven clearer and simpler if you obtain from theNational Geographic Society two extraordinary DVDs. Oneis entitled "In the Womb" and illustrates in color and inmotion the development of one innocent human being withinits mother. The other is entitled "In the Womb—Multiples"and illustrates in color and in motion the development of twoinnocent human beings - twin boys - within their mother. Ifyou have ever allowed yourself to wonder, for example, what"living" means, these two DVDs will be a great help. The oneinnocent human being squirms about, waves its arms, sucksits thumb, smiles broadly and even yawns; and the twoinnocent human beings do all of that and more: They fighteach other. One gives his brother a kick, and the otherresponds with a sock to the jaw. If you can convince yourselfthat these beings are something other than innocent and livinghuman beings (perhaps "mere clusters of tissues," as onenational news magazine suggests), you have a problem farmore basic than merely not appreciating the wrongness ofabortion. And that problem is - forgive me - self-deceit in amost extreme form. (Continues on page 20)The Maronite Voice Volume V Issue No. III Page 19 March 2009

The Maronite VoiceSt. Anthony’s Maronite Catholic Church4611 Sadler RoadGlen Allen, Virginia 23060-6108NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE PAIDPERMIT NO. 1370GLEN ALLEN, VIRGINIAJust LookContinued from page 19Adolf Hitler convinced himself and his subjects thatJews and homosexuals were other than human beings.Joseph Stalin did the same as regards Cossacks andRussian aristocrats. And this despite the fact that Hitler andhis subjects had seen both Jews and homosexuals with theirown eyes, and Stalin and his subjects had seen both Cossacksand Russian aristocrats with theirs. Happily, there are fewtoday who would hesitate to condemn in the roundest termsthe self - deceit of Hitler, Stalin or even their subjects to theextent that their subjects could have done something to endthe madness and protect living, innocent human beings.It is high time to stop pretending that we do not know whatthis nation of ours is allowing - and approving - with thekilling each year of more than 1,600,000 innocent humanbeings within their mothers. We know full well that to killwhat is clearly seen to be an innocent human being or whatcannot be proved to be other than an innocent human beingis as wrong as wrong gets. Nor can we honorably cover ourshame (1) by appealing to the thoughts of Aristotle orAquinas on the subject, inasmuch as we are all well awarethat their understanding of matters embryological washopelessly mistaken; (2) by suggesting that "killing" and"choosing to kill" are somehow distinct ethically, morally orcriminally; (3) by feigning ignorance of the meaning of"human being," "person," "living," and such; (4) bymaintaining that among the acts covered by the right toprivacy is the act of killing an innocent human being; and (5)by claiming that the being within the mother is "part" of themother, so as to sustain the oft - repeated slogan that a mothermay kill or authorize the killing of the being within her"because she is free to do as she wishes with her own body."One day, please God, when the stranglehold on publicopinion in the United States has been released by theextremists for whom abortion is the center of theirpolitical and moral life, our nation will, in my judgment, lookback on what we have been doing to innocent human beingswithin their mothers as a crime no less heinous than what wasapproved by the Supreme Court in the "Dred Scott Decision"in the 19th century, and no less heinous than what wasperpetrated by Hitler and Stalin in the 20th. There is nothingat all complicated about the utter wrongness of abortion, andmaking it all seem complicated mitigates that wrongness notat all. On the contrary, it intensifies it.Do me a favor. Look at the photograph again. Look anddecide with honesty and decency what the Lord expects ofyou and me as the horror of "legalized" abortion continues toerode the honor of our nation. Look, and do not absolveyourself if you refuse to act.+ Edward Cardinal Egan,Archbishop of New York The Virgin Mary in Maronite LifeContinued from page 12Maronite devotion to Mary highlights her relationship toher Son, to the life of the Church, and to each of uspersonally. This manifests itself in our liturgical practicesand various devotions. If prayer, liturgical prayer inparticular, is the true expression of faith, then Maronitesexhibit special veneration of Mary stemming from theScriptures, the teachings of the Fathers of the Church, and thefaith of its people. As Mother of our Redeemer she is alsothe spiritual mother of each of us, and leads us to her Son.Realizing this underscores the importance and need toreturn to and delve into the sources of our Marian heritage.This will energize our veneration of her and strengthen ourfilial attachment to her. This attachment to Mary is theattachment of children to a mother, and inspires us to havefor her a shrine in every town, an icon in every home, andfilial love for her in every heart. The Maronite Voice Volume V Issue No. III Page 20 March 2009