Maronite Voice - Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn

TheMaronite VoiceA Publication of the Maronite Eparchies in the USAVolume 1 Issue No. 7 July 2005The Year of the Eucharist Is A Strong Invitation To Enter Into TheMind Of Christ, To Love The Church As He Did and To Live With HimIn The Communion of The ChurchDear Brothers and Sisters:The month of July is very specialfor us Maronites in the U.S.A.During this time, we celebrate thefeasts of our popular saints such as St.Sharbel, Blessed Massabki Brothersand others. Also in July, we gather forthe National Maronite Conventionsponsored by NAM and hosted by thecommunity of St. Ephrem in SanDiego.The Maronite Convention enablesus to be with other members of thefamily of Maron, people with whom weshare the same beautiful faith andheritage. We gather as the one Bodyof Christ in celebrating the DivineLiturgy, in saying communalprayers, in socializing and visitingwith each other and attending theworkshops. All this is done as anexpression of love and care for everymember of this Body.The most beautiful expression ofour faith is coming together tocelebrate the Divine Liturgy. TheEucharist was the center of the livesof our forefathers and continues tobe so for us today. St. Sharbel usedto spend hours in adoration as he satin front of Jesus in the BlessedSacrament. The Blessed MassabkiBrothers were martyred in theChurch for refusing to deny theirfaith.During this Year of theEucharist, let us follow the exampleof our saints by making our DivineLiturgy be the center of ourgathering. For in so doing, it givesmeaning to the rest. This Year of theEucharist is therefore a stronginvitation to enter into the mind ofChrist, to love the Church as He did andto live with Him in the communion ofthe Church. Let us try to spend sometime in the company of Jesus in theBlessed Sacrament and ask our MotherMary to help us get to know her DivineSon on a more personal level. Let usspeak to them as we would to a closefriend.We have a great example in theearly Christian community which was“ofone heart and onebody”(Acts 4:32)as they shared in the breaking of thebread. I hope and pray our conventionwill be a reflection of the earlyChristians in their love for God and foreach other, and in their unity of heartand mind. Then, when we go backhome, we would share with ourbrothers and sisters this enrichingexperience.Our own“ecclesialcommunion”isborn of the love of Christ and HisChurch. And such love can be learnedonly in the intimacy with the sameChrist, present in the Holy Eucharistand made known to us by the Churchthroughout the centuries. Therefore, letus remain active members of the“bodyof Christ,” close to the Heart of Jesus,leaving behind anything that separatesus from the love of Christ. Each one isinvited to abandon his/her desires andsubmit self to Christ. Doing that, wewill set ourselves free as we become allto Christ, children of the Father.As Maronites, we have a greatlegacy of faithfulness to Christ andcommitment within our Church to liveout that message. This commitment isa daily journey that would be madeeasier by our unity and support. As weshare in the same Eucharisticcelebration, receiving the same “Bodyof Christ,” we become united to Christand to each other. Let us strengthenthis unity by becoming Eucharisticpeople, offering ourselves for thesalvation of others. Let us join ourheads and our hearts with our Maronitebrothers and sisters so we may, as onebody, continue to build up the“BodyofChrist.” By God’s love and grace, andwith our ongoing effort, I am sure wewill be able to accomplish this.The Most Reverend Robert J. ShaheenBishop of the Eparchy of Our Lady ofLebanon.

Summer BreakSchedule of Bishop Robert ShaheenJuly 7-9, 2005MYO Retreat, Plymouth, Mich.July 18- 20, 2005Clergy Meeting, San Diego, Calif.July 21- 24, 2005Maronite Convention , San Diego, Calif.August 11, 2005Presbyteral Council Meeting, North Jackson, Oh.August 12, 2005Deacon Ordination, National Shrine, North Jackson, Oh.August 13 – 16, 2005Our Lady of Lebanon Shrine, North Jackson, Oh.August 17 – 20, 2005Personal RetreatAugust 21, 2005Memorial Mass, Danbury, Conn.September 11 – 24, 2005Maronite Bishops’ Synod, Lebanon.September 25- 30, 2005Rome, Italy.Schedule of Bishop Gregory MansourJuly 7-8, 2005MYO Annual Retreat, Detroit, Mich.July 18- 20, 2005Clergy Meeting, San Diego, Calif.July 21- 24, 2005Maronite Convention, San Diego, Calif.July 26, 2005Pastoral Visit to Scranton, Penn.July 31, 2005Pastoral Visit, Somerset, N.J.August 7, 2005Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral, Brooklyn, N.Y.August 12-16, 2005Our Lady of Lebanon Shrine, North Jackson, Oh., and Pastoral Visit to NewCastle, Penn.August 21, 2005Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral, Brooklyn, N.Y.September 8, 2005Maronite Bishops’ Synod, Lebanon. The Maronite Voice wishes its readers an enjoyable, safe and God-filled summer.The Maronite Voice will not be published in August. It will appear again inSeptember.The deadline for the September issue is August 25, 2005. 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,p i c t u r e s a n d p e r s o n a lcorrespondence 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 ZaidanEditing and proofreadingMary ShaiaAnne- Marie CondlinMichael MaynesPrinted in Richmond, Virginia.Maronite CensusRegister your family in theMaronite Censuswww.maronitecensus.netemail: usa@maronitecensus.netor callEparchy of Saint Maron ofBrooklynat 1-718-237-9913Eparchy of Our Lady ofLebanonat 1-314-231-1021Leave your name and address andyou will receive the Census formby mail.The Maronite Voice Volume 1 Issue No. 7 Page 2 July 2005

Maronites of Tulsa, Oklahoma Celebrate Ground Breaking For St.Therese Of The Child Jesus Maronite Church(Left to right) Bishop Edward Slattery, Catholic Diocese of Tulsa; Bishop RobertShaheen, Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon; Archbishop Francis M. Zayek; Msgr.James Namie and Fr. Elias Abi-Sarkis break ground for St. Therese of the ChildJesus Maronite Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma.by Dr. Jake JorishieIn a city called Tulsa, on the plains ofthe great State of Oklahoma, in thecenter of the United States,something very special happened on theweekend of June 10 – 12, 2005. Aftereight years of work, a lot of faith andprayers, and by the grace of God,ground was broken for a new MaroniteChurch; the first and only EasternCatholic Church in the state. Thetradition and dreams of many animmigrant and their descendants cametrue, as they now truly felt that they hadreclaimed their Maronite Rite, thetreasure they had longed for.A full weekend of activitiesfocused around the groundbreaking ofSt. Therese of the Child Jesus MaroniteCatholic Church on Sunday, June 12,2005. The official breaking of groundwas officiated by The Most ReverendRobert Shaheen, Bishop of the Eparchyof Our Lady of Lebanon. BishopShaheen was assisted by a largecontingent of Maronite and RomanCatholic clergy that included The MostReverend Francis Zayek, ArchbishopEmeritus of the United States; TheMost Reverend Edward Slattery,Bishop of the Diocese of Tulsa,Oklahoma; Msgr. Faouzi Elia, VicarGeneral of the Eparchy of Our Lady ofLebanon; Msgr. Mansour Labaky,visiting from Lebanon; Msgr. JamesNamie from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla; Fr.Don Sawyer of Austin, Tex; Fr. AndreMuhana, of St. Louis, Mo.; Fr. SteveBonian of Boston, Mass.; Fr. GarySherman; Fr. Josh Littwak of Tulsa; Fr.Jack Gleason, Pastor of the Church ofthe Madalene of Tulsa; and last, butcertainly not least, our own Father EliasAbi-Sarkis, Administrator of St.Therese of the Child Jesus MaroniteCatholic Mission of Tulsa, Oklahoma.Each of the clergy participated withprayers, songs, and the blessing andturning of the ground. At the end of theceremony everyone in attendance had achance to turn the earth with one of thegold shovels and pose for pictures ofthis historic event.The official festivities actuallybegan on the evening of Friday, June10, 2005. Joseph and Randa Hakimhosted the members of the entireMaronite community, all the visitingclergy, and a number of local clergywith an outdoor dinner reception attheir home. The approximately eightypeople in attendance were provided awonderful meal of Lebanese favoritesand a variety of spirits and specialdesserts. The weather was perfect asmany enjoyed the Hakim’s beautifulback yard and warm hospitality. In thelate hours of the evening, as somerelaxed under the stars, one could hearthe unique voice of Msgr. Labakysinging a number of beautiful songs ina variety of languages. What awonderful end to a very specialevening!Saturday morning brought all theclergy to the home of Dr. Jake Jorishie,for a traditional Lebanese breakfastprepared by his sister Diana JorishieDeeba, visiting from St. Louis. All sataround the table and told special storiesand jokes about their adventures in lifeand as priests. Archbishop Zayekcertainly was the leader and won theprize for the best joke teller.Saturday afternoon signaled thestart of Lebanon Fest 2005. This 7 thannual summer fundraiser for themission was held at Bishop Kelly HighSchool. The 500+ in attendance wereprovided with a traditional Lebanesedinner. The men worked outside on sixgrills cooking chicken and kafta. Theladies were hard at work in the kitchenserving and preparing tabouli, hummus,spinach and meat pies. A large bakesale of favorite Lebanese dessertsrounded out the menu. This verysuccessful 5-hour event included asilent auction; ongoing raffles; a giftshop bazaar; live music; a heritagedancer; and, for the kids, amagician/clown and Jupiter jump.Sunday was the most special day ofthis joyful weekend. After thegroundbreaking, the day culminatedwith the Divine Liturgy. As has beenthe case for the past seven years, theMaronite community of Tulsa met atnoon to celebrate Mass at the Church ofthe Madalene. This Sunday was mostdifferent as 200 attendees witnessed aThe Maronite Voice Volume 1 Issue No. 7 Page 3 July 2005

procession of thirty clergy entering the church singing withthe choir“Toe Bashlom”(a special song to honor the bishopsin attendance), and all going to the altar to celebrate together.Bishop Robert Shaheen was the main celebrant, but again allthe clergy had an opportunity to take part in the liturgy. Thevoices of the Maronite Clergy singing and praying in unisonwas a most beautiful and spiritual experience for all. Msgr.Labaky even took to the piano to sing and lead the choir inthe communion hymn. Bishop Edward Slattery provided awarm and touching homily, stressing how the Eastern Churchdeserved to find a home of its own in this country, and howblessed he felt to have the Maronites within his community.In his closing remarks Bishop Shaheen stressed howimportant it was for the youth to claim and be part of theirMaronite tradition, and then gave a special thanks to BishopSlattery and to Father Gleason for their brotherly, generousand continuous support of the efforts of this Maronitecommunity.40 th Assumption PilgrimageAugust 12 -15, 2005 marks the 40 th Pilgrimage to theNational Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in NorthJackson, Ohio. This year’s pilgrimage wil be a veryexciting one for the National Shrine and for all Maronites inthe United States as it is the 40 th anniversary of theestablishment of the Shrine. “The years have pased quicklyand many visitors and pilgrims have come to Mary’s homefor many reasons. Al have left with God’s blesings andgraces.” says Msgr. Anthony Spinosa, Rector. TheAssumption Pilgrimage this year will include a day ofspiritual preparation as we celebrate the Year of theEucharist.Pilgrimage ScheduleOn Friday August 12, at 10:00 A.M., Bishop RobertShaheen, Bishop of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon,will ordain Subdeacon Tom Craven to the Order of Deacon.In the evening, Msgr. George Appleyard, Pastor of St. AnneByzantine Catholic Church, will preside at a EucharisticDevotion and Benediction.On Saturday, August 13, His Excellency Nicholas J.Samara, Auxiliary Bishop of the Melkite Eparchy of Newton,Mass., will celebrate“Parakleses to The Mother of God” at4:00 P.M. The Most Reverend Basil M. Schott, O.F.M.,Metropolitan Archbishop for the Byzantine Catholic Dioceseof Pittsburgh, will celebrate an evening (7:00 P.M.)Byzantine Liturgy followed by a candlelight procession.Assisted by Bishop Robert Shaheen, Archbishop Francis M.Zayek cuts a cake to celebrate his 40 th anniversary as aBishop in the United States of America.A short reception and celebration followed in the churchhall. This reception also recognized the 40 th Anniversary ofArchbishopZayek’sassignment to the U.S.A. to establish anEparchy and organize the Maronite churches in this country.This was truly a special day in the lives of the Maronitecommunity of Tulsa, Oklahoma - a historic day for St.Therese of the Child of Jesus Mission. This is the day theLord has made, and we did rejoice and celebrate! For the latest information on the Eparchy of Saint Maronof Brooklyn and the Eparchy of OurLady of Lebanon; Maronitepublications; and teachings of theMaronite Church visit the eparchialwebsites at www.stmaron.org(Eparchy of Saint Maron) orwww.usamaronite.org (Eparchy ofOur Lady of Lebanon). On Sunday, August 14, from noon until 4:00 P.M., therewill be Hayrides to Martyr Trail; a Rosary on the hour from1:00 until 5:00 P.M.; andchildren’sactivities from 2:00 -5:00 P.M. At 3:30 P.M., Fr. Gary George, Pastor of St.Maron Church in Youngstown, Oh., will conduct a spiritualconference on Eucharistic themes followed by MaroniteVespers chanted by the Antonine Sisters. Msgr. Robert J.Siffrin, Vicar General of the Diocese of Youngstown, willcelebrate the evening Divine Liturgy followed by acandlelight procession.On Monday, August 15 (Feast of the Assumption),additional liturgies during the day are scheduled as well asthe blessing of the sick, the Rosary every hour andconfessions. His Excellency Gregory John Mansour, Bishopof the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn, will celebrate thenoon Liturgy followed by the blessing of the sick. Fromnoon until 4:00 P.M., again there will be hayrides to MartyrTrail and children’s activitiesfrom 2:00 -5:00 P.M. At 3:30P.M., Fr. Gary George will conduct a second spiritualconference on Eucharistic themes followed by MaroniteVespers chanted by the Antonine Sisters. Bishops RobertShaheen and Gregory Mansour will celebrate an evening(7:00 P.M.) Maronite Pontifical Liturgy. A candlelightprocession will follow the Liturgy.The National Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon is locatedat 2759 North Lipkey Road in North Jackson, Ohio. Forfurther information on the Shrine call (330) 538-3351 or byEmail to OLOLshrine@AOL.COM or check the Shrine websiteat www.ourladyoflebanonshrine.org .The Maronite Voice Volume 1 Issue No. 7 Page 4 July 2005

Orlando, FloridaOrdination of Deacon Abi NaderUniontown, PennsylvaniaFeast of St. GeorgeBishop Gregory Mansour celebrates the Divine Liturgy onApril 23, 2005 at St. George Church in Uniontown, Penn.Bishop Joseph Mahfouz of Brazil and Chorbishop John Farisconcelebrated.On The weekend of April 23-24, 2005, His Excellency(Left to right) Fr. George Zina, Bishop Gregory Mansour and Bishop Gregory Mansour, Bishop of the Eparchy ofnewly ordained Deacon Simon Abi Nader.Saint Maron of Brooklyn, visited St. George MaroniteChurch in Uniontown, Pennsylvania for the Feast of St.by J. Michael McGillGeorge. Bishop Joseph Mahfouz of Sao Paulo, Brazil,Chorbishop John D. Faris, Fr. Bob Lubic and Fr. Joseph R.David, Pastor, concelebrated the Divine Liturgy. SubdeaconDuring the weekend of June 4 - 5, 2005, His Excellency Thomas R. George assisted.Bishop Gregory Mansour of the Eparchy of Saint Following the homily by Bishop Mansour, Joseph M.Maron of Brooklyn made a pastoral visit to St. Jude Faris and James Nichman, Jr. were admitted to the Order ofMaronite Church in Orlando, Florida. This was the first Saint Sharbel. The First Holy Communion class made apastoral visit by Bishop Mansour since his ordination asBishop. He was accompanied by Msgr. Michael Thomas,Vicar General of the Eparchy.The highlight of the Bishop’s visit wasthe ordination ofmusical presentation to Bishop Mansour. The parish choirwas composed of all age groups including theparish’sYouthOrganization and the Maronite Christian Formation.Following the liturgy over 225 parishioners and guests,Subdeacon Simon Abi Nader to the Order of Deacon on including Sister Marie Christiane Mahfouz and EliseSaturday, June 4. Deacon Abi Nader had been serving as theParish’sSubdeacon for the past several months, since herelocated from Our Lady of Lebanon Parish in Miami,Mahfouz from Lebanon, attended a banquet at ShadysideRestaurant.Earlier in the day, Bishop Mansour had met with allFlorida, where he began his studies for the Deaconate. parish organizations. Sunday morning, St. George ParishBishop Mansour was the principal celebrant at theSaturday Liturgy and all three of the Liturgies on Sunday.observed the 50 th priestly anniversary of its Pastor Emeritus,Father Peter J. Mahfouz. Although wheelchair bound, Fr.Monsignor Thomas and Father Zina concelebrated. Deacon Mahfouz was in the sanctuary area. Chorbishop John D.Simon assisted at all of the liturgies.Following the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, June 5, 2005Bishop Mansour was honored at a luncheon in the parish hall.Over 300 parishioners and dignitaries attended. Father ZinaFaris, who was ordained during Fr.Mahfouz’spastorate,delivered the homily.Following the liturgy, the Ladies Guild and the Altar-Rosary Society hosted a breakfast-brunch in the social hall.and the entire parish community expressed their delight withtheBishop’svisit. The parishioners of St.Jude’swere wonover by Bishop Mansour’s charismatic nature.St. Jude Maronite Church is located at 5555 Dr. PhillipsFood For ThoughtBoulevard in Orlando, Florida. For further information on theparish call (407) 363-7405 or check the parish’s website atGod’s love for us in heaven is not greater than it is now.www.saintjudechurch.org . St. Thomas AquinasThe Maronite Voice Volume 1 Issue No. 7 Page 5 July 2005

Vacation Bible Campin Glen Allen, VirginiaCathy George leads a group of young children, at St.Anthony’sBible Camp, as they follow the journey of thewise men to Bethlehem.Saint Anthony’s Maronite Church in Glen Allen(Richmond), Va., sponsored its annual Bible Camp fromJune 26 through July 1, 2005. Ninety childrenparticipated in Bible stories, music, arts and crafts andphysical activities. Parents and teenagers volunteered toshepherd the children, run one of the centers, or fix snacksand lunches. In a special way the Vacation Bible Campfocused on trips that New Testament figures took to findJesus. The children learned about the wisemen’sjourney toBethlehem, the healing of the ten lepers,Jesus’journey fromthe cross to the Resurrection, the appearance of the RisenJesus to Thomas, and Philip’s conversion of the Ethiopiantraveler. Throughout the week, the older children researchedMaronite saints who journeyed to Jesus. They presented theirinterviews on the last day. The children also learnedliturgical music and practiced readings for the closing liturgyMsgr. George M. Sebaali, Pastor, celebrated achildren’sLiturgy on Friday. The young people sang the responses andhymns, read the first reading and intercessions, andparticipated in other parts of the Liturgy. Afterwards thechildren proudly performed the many songs they learnedduring the camp and showed their parents their arts andcrafts. The camp ended with a cookout and swimming. Eparchial AssignmentHisExcellency Bishop Gregory Mansour, Bishop of theEparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn, has made thefollowing Eparchial appointment:Appointed Fr. Kamil Chouafati asParochial Vicar at St. Anthony MaroniteChurch in Glen Allen, Va., effective on June1, 2005.Fr. Kamil comes to the Eparchy of SaintMaron of Brooklyn from the Eparchy ofJbeil in Lebanon. “Keep Our Children Safe”Summer Program At St. Anthony’sChurchSaintAnthony’sChurch in Glen Allen (Richmond), Va.,has initiated a“KeepOur Children Safe” program topromote awareness of lures used in crimes againstchildren and youth and to learn preventive strategies. Thefirst of three sessions was held on Sunday, June 26, 2005following the Divine Liturgy. Parents and middle and highschool students were invited to hear a presentation on theInternet and its dangers. Les Lauziere, a criminal investigatorfor the Computer Crime Unit in the Office of the VirginiaAttorney General, talked about how to protect the familyfrom a variety of Internet predators.Mr. Lauziere gave suggestions on how to avoid being acyber-victim. He advised families not to download fromunknown persons, to keep their identity information private,never to send their pictures to anyone and to watch out forspyware on their computers. He said that no one under theage of 18 should have a profile online. It would allowviolators and predators a way to get to children and teens. Heencouraged teens to never respond to any onlinecommunications that make them feel uncomfortable or tomessages that are offensive. He said that most of teenviolations are the result of bullying online. Stalking andharassment online are crimes and violators can be arrested.He warned against arranging a face to face meeting withpeople that are met on the Internet.Mr. Lauziere also gave advice specifically to parents:communicate with teens, keep the computer in a centralroom, use parental controls or blocking software, maintainaccess to thechild’saccount and regularly check their email.Finally he said to report inappropriate contact to lawenforcement agencies.The second session on the danger of drugs will be heldon July 24. It will be led by Lt. Michael Zohab whocommands a sector of the 2 nd Precinct of the Richmond PoliceDepartment. The third sesion of “Keep Our Children Safe”will be held in August on the topic of sexual abuse andexploitationThe participants reacted to the first session withenthusiasm and are looking forward to the next two. ParentGuide: Parent Handbook to the Child Lures School Program,by Kenneth Wooden, was given to parents at the first meetingfor home use. These sessions will be followed up with aparish VIRTUS workshop on child abuse in the fall whichwill be open to all parish volunteers. Thank YouThe Maronite Voice wishes to thankthe anonymous donor from Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania, for the $50 cashdonation to support our Eparchialnewsletter. The Maronite Voice Volume 1 Issue No. 7 Page 6 July 2005

THE ORDEROFSAINT SHARBELOur Lady of the Cedars Burns Its MortgageNEW MEMBERSPerpetutal MembersSamia M. AklSt. Elias Maronite ChurchBirmingham, Alabama(Ms. Akl recently upgraded hermembership from annual toperpetual)***Annual MembersJosephine A. AnderaRobert BeatheCurtis and Jo Ann Reed, Jr.Ted and Cathy Van DeldenTimothy P. O'ConnorSt. George Maronite ChurchSan Antonio, TexasRoland ChidiacPhilip TayahAl LatoufSt. Sharbel Maronite ChurchWarren, Michigan(Mr. Latouf has just beenofficially installed.)***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 Maronites Eparchiesin the USA.For more information about theOrder, ask your pastor or write toEparchy of Saint MaronOrder of Saint Sharbel109 Remsen StreetBrooklyn, NY, 11201OrEparchy of Our Lady of LebanonOrder of Saint Sharbel1021 South StreetSt. Louis, MO 63104Msgr. Louis Baz, Pastor, burns the mortgage of Our Lady of the Cedars Churchin Fairlawn (Akron), Ohio. Bishop Shaheen (standing) and Msgr. AnthonySpinosa look on.by Thomas Maroon, Jr.On the weekend of April 30-May 1, 2005, the parishioners of Our Lady of theCedars Church in Fairlawn, Ohio, and their Pastor, Msgr. Louis Baz, had thepleasure of burning their mortgage. His Excellency Bishop Robert Shaheen,Bishop of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon, shared this wonderful occasionwith the parish.Well over 200 people were in attendance to mark this momentous occasion andto celebrate their dedication and hard work throughout the years. Our Lady of theCedars Church is nearly seventy years young. Its founding fathers would beextremely proud and very pleased to see the existing complex.The Mayor of Fairlawn, Bill Roth, presented a proclamation to BishopShaheen, designating the weekend to him and the parish of Our Lady of the Cedars.There is a long list of people who dedicated their love and energy to paying offthis mortgage, but a special mention was made of Gloria Haddad who was tirelessin making this day possible.Chorbishop Faouzi Elia, Vicar General and Chancellor of the Eparchy of OurLady of Lebanon, was in attendance. Msgr. Anthony Spinosa and the AntonineSisters from the National Shrine in North Jackson, Ohio, participated in thecelebration. Fr. David Fisher, who helps when Msgr. Baz is away, and severalLatin and Melkite priests were also in attendance.Chorbishop Michael Kail, former Pastor of Our Lady of the Cedars for overtwenty years and who started this endeavor, sent a congratulatory letter to Msgr.Baz and all parishioners.The Liturgy on May 1 for the Feast of Our Lady of Lebanon was offered inthanksgiving for the burning of the mortgage and also to wish Bishop Shaheen ahappy 41 st anniversary to the priesthood on May 2.Rosie Silfani and a committee created a commemorative book for theoccasion.The Maronite Voice Volume 1 Issue No. 7 Page 7 July 2005

May Busy Month for St. George Church In San Antonio, Texasbrunch as they could be easily workedoff in the exercise room of the MaroniteCommunity Center (MCC) which isnow open to the parish. The 42,000 sq.ft. athletic and entertainment complexobtained its Certificate of Occupancythis month. This document is ourassurance that everything is perfectlylegal and that the MCC met all thebuilding codes and specifications by thecity of San Antonio and the State ofTexas. In addition to regular practicesessions held by our team the St.George Dragons, the MCC hostsmonthly meetings for The Holy NameSociety, the Ladies Altar Society, andthe Parish Council. The Sunday coffeefellowship after Liturgy is now held inthe dinning hall of the MCC. The 2005 First Holy Communion of St. George Maronite Church in San Antonio,Texas, with their instructors, Mr. and Mrs. David Saliba and Fr. John Al-Nahal,Pastor.by Robert BeatheThe very busy month of May beganwith Brittany Chandler, TravisDaly, Cristina Flores, NicholasJersin, Anthony Kuri, Katy Kuri, TheoMoawad, Keith Recio, Kyle Recio,Brendan Reid, Nicholas Sirhan andNatalie Tabet receiving their First HolyCommunion at St. George MaroniteChurch in San Antonio, Texas. Thesefirst communicants began theirpreparation together under the directionof David and Gloria Saliba who havebeen conducting these classes foralmost thirty years.“Thisyear was a little more specialthanmost,”said Mrs. Saliba,“becausenot so long ago we had a young girlnamed Gina Karam in our first HolyCommunion class, and this year Davidand I taught her daughter Britany.”Who knows, maybe the Salibas will beinstructing a third generation very soon.After Liturgy, the parish gathered in theelegant surroundings of the GrandBallroom of the St. George MaroniteCenter for the annual Mother/DaughterBrunch. It is no secret that one of themajor reasons for the great success ofSt. George is the hard work and tirelessdedication of the ladies of the parish.From the very beginning the ladieswere always there helping thecommunity with their bake sales,raffles, Lebanese Luncheons, sandwichmaking for bingos and any other parishproject given to them by the pastor.While we can never begin to repaythem for all their labor and love, themen of St. George each year show theirappreciation and admiration by hostingthe Mother/Daughter brunch. Preparedby our own banquet hall chef JoshPaprocki and assisted by the men of theHoly Name Society, the ladies weretreated to one of the finest buffets inTexas.Fine food and beverage, however,were not the only items on the programthat afternoon as the diners were treatedto a stage show hosted and coordinatedby the director of the Cultural ArtsProgram, Mrs. Deborah MeryFernandez. Special thanks goes toErnest Karam and TimO’Connorof theHoly Name Society for their hard workas this year’s event coordinators.There was no cause for any anxietyabout those extra pounds gained at theLife and Dignity of theHuman PersonTh e Catholic Churchproclaims that human life issacred and that the dignity ofthe human person is the foundationof a moral vision for society. Ourbelief in the sanctity of human lifeand the inherent dignity of thehuman person is the foundation ofall the principles of our socialteaching.In our society, human life is underdirect attack from abortion andassisted suicide. The value ofhuman life is being threatened byincreasing use of the death penalty.We believe that every person isprecious, that people are moreimportant than things and that themeasure of every institution iswhether it threatens or enhancesthe life and dignity of the humanperson. The Maronite Voice Volume 1 Issue No. 7 Page 8 July 2005

The National Conference of Catechetical Leadership (NCCL)A Summary of Some Current Issues In Catechesisby Fr. Georges Y. El-Khalli, Ph.D.Director of Religious EducationEparchy of Saint Maron of BrooklynOur Eparchy is a member of theNational Conference ofCatechetical Leadership(NCCL), which is closely connectedwith the United States Conference ofCatholic Bishops (USCCB). Reputabletheologians, authors and publishers ofcatechetical literature along withcatechetical leaders, diocesan directors,parish coordinators and catechistsattend this conference. It is heldannually in a different city and alwaystakes place the second week afterEaster. It provides answers andsolutions to rising catecheticalchallenges in the United States. Thisyear’s conference took place inLouisville, Kentucky April 10-14,2005. Topics of presentation, breakoutsessions and roundtable discussions runthe whole gamut encompassing allcatechetical levels from Grade Schoolthrough Adult Faith Formation.Although the NCCL offered a numberof interesting topics, only the dailykeynote presentations and mostpertinent talks are summarized here.These topics were chosen among manybecause they dealt with currentchallenges facing Catechesis in theUnited States and provided immediatesolutions for them.Bishop Robert Morneau, one of thekeynote speakers, gave an inspirationaltalk entitled Personal Leadership:Spiritual Cornerstone. For BishopMorneau, “spiritualityis an elusiveconcept, yet there is nothing moreprecious and important than ourrelationship with God and how thatrelationship impacts on every otheraspect of our life. As spiritual leaderswe are challenged to be competent andprofessional, to operate out of a deeperspiritual sense: our life in Jesus and inHisSpirit.”The goal of the presentationwastoofferanawarenessoftheconnectionbetween spirituality and leadership, acommitment to foster personal ongoingdevelopment and a deeper sense of thenature and function of spirituality.Leadership and Mission was a topicaddressed by Peter Steinfels. Thispresentation concentrated on renewal ofcatechetical leadership. Catechesistoday must operate totally differentlyfrom that of a generation ago, whenfamilies, neighborhoods, and theculture at large tended to communicateandreinforcethesamevalues.TodayCatholicsconfront an unprecedented array ofcontending beliefs and ways of life,even within the Church. Steinfelsfurther claims that “leadership inCatechetics is increasingly entrusted tolay people and post-Vatican IICatholics.”This raises concerns aboutour preparedness, our programs and ourpriorities. The presentation provided anunderstanding of the new challengesconfronting Catholicism in the UnitedStates. Steinfels shared a few solutionsto the social environment in whichCatechetics must operate, and hecontends that catechetical leadership isin great need of being reshaped andstrengthened.Dialogue has, for the longest time, beennon-existent both in the Church and inCatechism. Sisters Adeline Fehrbachand Amina Bejo, SCN, gave a veryimpressive talk about the importance ofdialogue. The presentation, in dialogueform, provided a deeper sense of theScriptural Call to Dialogue. The majorpoints could be summarized as follows:(a) the importance of openness; (b) thereadines to face one’s fears; (c) theability to allow love to overcomeone’sfears; and (d) the wilingnes to “bestretched beyondone’scomfort zone.”In their presentation, the nunsemphasized the importance ofremaining committed to the process ofestablishing this dialogue, because theybelieve that “the benefits of dialogueare nothing les than revelation itself.”Renewing the Spiritual Dimensionsof the Educational Process was one ofthe best attended presentations.Catherine Carota’sdoctoral researchaddressed vocation renewal. She statedthat enlivening the spiritual dimensionsof the educational process is centeredon our desire to fulfill“ThePromise toBecome.”We are called for renewalthat involves the process of becomingREAL: Remembering, Examining,Awakening, and Living.In order for this renewal to takeshape we must verify the componentsof renewal, explore the specificchallenges that threaten the spiritualnature of our work, and identifypractices for sustaining the spiritualnature of the educational process.The USCCB was widely represented atthe Conference and offered severalinteresting topics along with many newpublications, most notably:1). The National Directory forCatechesis (NDC), which came outon May 1, 2005. This eye-openingdocument is nicely revised andcould be a great guide, not only toevery catechist but also to everyCatholic in America.2). Catholic Social Teaching: thispresentation provided a clearunderstanding of FaithfulCitizenship within the context ofour responsibility as Catholics. Itshed light on the potential we havethrough advocacy on local, stateand national levels if we were towork toward social justice. Anothergreat publication by the USCCBabout Church social teaching is anew Compendium of the SocialDoctrine of the Church, 2005. Thisnew and impressive publicationcontains the entire social teachingof the Church from its inceptionuntil today based on PapalApostolic Letters and Encyclicals.3). Multiple talks and presentationsa b o u t C e r t i f i c a t i o n a n dAccreditation were well detailed.The USCCB Commission onCertification and Accreditation(CCA) is reaching out through theNCCL to encourage Dioceses,Schools and Colleges around thecountry to have their institutionsaccredited and their catechistscertified. The USCCB is promotingsuch programs to Dioceses aroundthe United States as a greateducational service and is helpingthem become as professional andefficient as possible.(Continues on Page 20)The Maronite Voice Volume 1 Issue No. 7 Page 9 July 2005

First Holy Communion in The Maronite Eparchies In the U.S.A.St. John the Baptist, New Castle, Penn.St. Anthony/St. George, Wilkes-BarreMichael Yeropoli and David Cuscino received theirFirst Holy Communion on April 24, 2005 at St. Johnthe Baptist Maronite Church in New Castle, Penn.The First Holy Communion was under the direction of Mrs.Lori Doran (CCD Coordinator) and Mrs. Adriana Jimm,Instructor. St. John Maron in Williamsville, N.Y.Joseph Tucker, Jr., Alexandra Cuddy, Hunter McGrane,Rebecca Wienstock, Olivia Richards, Kurtis Sod, MariaKhoudary, Taylor Eichler and Alexander Kane receivedtheir First Holy Communion on May 1, 2005 at St.Anthony/St.George in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. St. Anthony in Lawrence, Mass.Kevin Pickering, Tracy Nasr, Betty Mansour, PeterJowdy, Amelia Evans, Rachel Mansour, AnthonyKhoury, Emily Badawy, Cory Badawy, SemaanMahfoud, Andrea Khoury, Marco Gangarossa, CynthiaMazraani, Elias Miller, Elyssa Utz, Cory Michael, RaquelMansour and John Shelby received their First Holy Euchariston Trinity Sunday, May 22, 2005 at St. John Maron Churchin Williamsville, N.Y. David Abou-Ezzi, Hanna Ameen, Marie Theresa Assaf,Christopher Azzi, Cathleen Bouraphael, Quinn Burke,John Cerratani, Daniel Chahraban, Alexander Collins,Roberto Gorbea, Tony Harb, Julia Hassan, Tony Khouri,Jason Korbani, Dani Matni, Kaleigh Maroon, ChristianMerheb, Josette Nammour, Nicholas Pappas, Emma Poirier,Sara Poirier, Samar Ramy, Madelyn Ryan, Regina Salmons,Nicholas Shepherd, Judy Slaybe, Marisa Thompson,Katherine Veilleux and Timothy Walsh received their FirstHoly Communion on May 22, 2005 at St. Anthony MaroniteChurch in Lawrence, Mass. The Maronite Voice Volume 1 Issue No. 7 Page 10 July 2005

First Holy Communion in The Maronite Eparchies In the U.S.A.St. Maron in Minneapolis, Minn.St. Sharbel in Portland, Ore.Joey Farah, Emanuel ElKhoury, Josephine Gates, BobbyAwaijane and Steven Khoury received their First HolyCommunion on May 1, 2005 at St. Maron Church inMinneapolis, Minnesota. St. Anthony in Danbury, Conn.Addison Markwell, Theresa Redmond, Daniel Nassif,Julia Deek, Janelle Scott, Daniel Toma and DeenaBoutros received their First Holy Communion onDivine Mercy Sunday, April 3, 2005 at St. Sharbel Church inPortland, Oregon. St. George in Uniontown, Penn.Elizabeth Asmar, Alissa Assad, Ricky Jowdy, RyanKraft, Joshua Langdon, Jordan Nolan, David Stuart,Charbel Touma and Madalyn Touma received theirFirst Holy Communion on May 1, 2005 at St. AnthonyChurch in Danbury, Conn. Eric Gabriel, Taylor Kuykendall, Maria Pollick, NathanRomesburg, Natalie Sleighter and Emily Yarishreceived their First Holy Communion on May 1, 2005at St. George Maronite Church in Uniontown, Penn.The Maronite Voice Volume 1 Issue No. 7 Page 11 July 2005

First Holy Communion in The Maronite Eparchies In the U.S.A.St. Joseph in Atlanta, Ga.St. Sharbel in Newtown Square, Penn.Joseph Salameh, Stephanie Elkareh, Addison Maalouf,Jessica Murad and Frederic Moussa received their FirstHoly Communion on May 1, 2005 at St. Joseph MaroniteChurch in Atlanta, Ga. St. Anthony in Glen Allen, Va.Julian Naaman, David Stilwel, Nicole Olejniczak, EmilyCarr, Anna Jaoudi, George Dakwar, Mina Alsaigh,Maryam Alsaigh and Margarita Bassil received their FirstHoly Communion on May 1, 2005 at St. Sharbel MaroniteChurch in Newtown Square, Penn. St. Anthony of the Desert in Fall River,Mass.Kayla Aaron, Hiba Abou-Chabke, Madison Beasley,Daniel Cole, Alexandria Edwards, Maya El-Jor,Connor Gray, Rana, Waleed and Ziad Haboush,Caitlin Joseph, Melissa Kouri, Christopher Maynes, MatthewMeadows, Saree Porter, John Saad, Christopher Seifke andMaria Shaia received their First Holy Communion on May 8,2005 at St. Anthony Maronite Church in Glen Allen(Richmond), Va. Ryan Carney, Chenwa El-Khoury, Nicholas Faris,Meredith Forcier, Hayley Galib, Miranda Howayeck,Julia Karam, Jenna Massoud, Ava Rose Saurette andMadison Mary Zenni received their First Communion onMay 1, 2005 at St. Anthony of the Desert Maronite Churchin Fall River, Mass. The First Holy Communion Class wasprepared by Stacie Hallal Moussa, Teacher, and RoubaKaram, Assistant. The Maronite Voice Volume 1 Issue No. 7 Page 12 July 2005

Somerset, N.J.Annual Festival At St. SharbelChurchOur Lady Star of the EastA Mission on the Moveby Mary Asmar SmithThe Maronite Mission in Pleasantville, New Jersey,celebrated their first Divine Liturgy in December of2002. Since then they have come a long way. At thattime His Excellency Bishop Stephen Hector Doueihiappointed Father Maroun Asmar as Mission Administrator.Father Asmar celebrates liturgy for them at St.Peter’sChurchin Pleasantville, N.J., every other weekend.They originally started with fewer than thirty families inthe areas of Pleasantville and Atlantic City. They now haveover fifty families and hope to purchase their first churchbefore reaching their third anniversary.On their first anniversary, His Excellency BishopDoueihi celebrated Divine Liturgy at St.Peter’s Church. In2004, His Excellency Bishop Gregory Mansour visited themission and celebrated liturgy commemorating their secondanniversary. They published a journal on this occasion, andsome Maronite churches provided support by purchasing ads.Many local politicians attended, including the Mayor ofby Mary Asmar SmithAtlantic City, who presented Bishop Gregory with a Key tothe City.The annual festival at Saint Sharbel Church has evolved In the dictionary the word“mision”is defined as“Aninto a huge success and a classic festival. At a parish inner calling to pursue an activity or perform a service; awhere the mood is always upbeat and the spirit of the vocation.” The Maronite community in Pleasantvile isneighbors is the same, one would expect exciting activities. continually working hard toward the purchase of their ownThose who attended St.Sharbel’sthree-day festival were not church. They have answered the“innercaling”they heareddisappointed. The entire neighborhood and visitors from to establish a Maronite church in Pleasantville, N.J., andneighboring states and churches joined in the celebration. The expressed gratitude for the encouragement and supportstreets were blocked off, music was in the air provided by received from Bishops Doueihi and Mansour. Father AsmarHisham Barakat and his orchestra. The Dabke Group of St. continues to volunteer his services on a bi-weekly basis soSharbel’schurch had an outstanding performance on both their goal can be achieved earlier.Saturday and Sunday.Though the mission is still in its early stages, they haveEvery June the Festival takes place on the grounds of St. already established a chapter of the MYO. Twenty of theirSharbel Church. This year it was held June 24-26. The members will be attending the NAM convention in Sanalready festive and cultural area comes even more alive Diego.during this time with wholesome fun including Lebanese and The Maronite Mission in Pleasantville sets a solidAmerican food, Lebanese cultural displays, and booths for example and should encourage others to work towardsgames such as basketball and darts.establishing more Maronite Churches in the U.S. “It is notThe feast gets very crowded, but it is fun to shop for enough to discover Christ–You must bring Him toothers,”authentic Lebanese artifacts, religious souvenirs and novelty as Pope John Paul II said. t-shirts. Those in attendance were delighted to get a littledeeper into the Lebanese culture and the Maronite Rite.During the weekend, liturgy was held on Saturday evening Available From St. Maron Publicationsand twice on Sunday, and the church was filled to capacity.The food was prepared, donated and served by The Most Reverend Robert Shaheen, Bishop of theparishioners. Besides the eating, drinking, games and music Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon and Gregorya significant secondary attraction was the opportunity to meet Mansour, Bishop of the Eparchy of Saint Maron ofold friends. To provide for this, there were large tents for Brooklyn, have authorized Saint Maron Publications tofolks to sit down and talk about family and old times while reprint the three volumes of The Prayer of the Faithful inworking away at their favorite foods and drinks.English.Father Maroun Asmar, Pastor, thanked his church The Prayer of the Faithful will be available toward thecouncil, parishioners and friends for working so hard to make end of July of 2005. To order your copy (ies) please write to:this event bigger and beter each year. He said, “The Best isSaint Maron PublicationsYet toCome.”The three-day festival concluded with nearly4611 Sadler Roadtwo thousand parishioners and friends surprising FatherGlen Allen, Virginia 23060Maroun with a cake commemorating his 12 th anniversary of For further information, call (804) 762-4301. For apriesthood. complete listing of publications carried by Saint MaronPublications, please visit www.stmaron.org. The Maronite Voice Volume 1 Issue No. 7 Page 13 July 2005

A Priest Remembered ....Msgr. John Naffahby Vera MaaloufWhen Msgr. John Naffah restedin the Lord on September 17,1999, he left behind a deeplyrooted foundation for Our Lady ofLebanon Church in Chicago, Illinois.Under his guidance and dedication, thefirst church structure for the Maronitesin Chicago was acquired on MidwayPark in the city in 1958. That wasfollowed by many years of virtuousservice to the parish community. Msgr.Naffah was an avid reader and had amind full of knowledge. During hisretirement years at the church, I oftenstopped by his open rectory door afterMass on Sunday to chat and get someinsight into one subject or another. Hewas always gracious and happy toconverse, and who could forget his lovefor cooking and sharing his dishes withthose of us who helped prepare meals inthe kitchen at Our Lady of Lebanon inHillside?More significant, however, is thegreater legacy Msgr. Naffah left behind,a living legacy which will have aneverlasting presence in the lives of themany young men who seek to serve inthe vineyard of the Lord. A few yearsbefore his passing, Msgr. Naffahestablished a substantial educationalfund with the Catholic Near EastWelfare Association (CNEWA), aPapal agency for humanitarian andpastoral support. Established by PopePius XI in 1926, CNEWA was foundedto help the impoverished people of theNear East. The primary purpose ofMsgr. Nafah’s fund, as prescribed inthe by-laws, “Shalbe to providefinancial assistance to train worthycandidates for the priesthood and toprovide continuing education to priestsespecially candidates and priests ofLebanese nationality ordescent.”Withthis, Msgr. Naffah set forth his long lifecommitment and strong belief that wemust help those who are called upon toserve the Lord to do so.In reading some of the letters thatwere sent to Msgr. Naffah during hislife time from the seminarians hehelped in Lebanon, one can see theeffect he had on these young men. Iwould like to share with you a few ofthose letters (The letters weregraciously shared with me by Mr.Piere Nafah, Msgr. Nafah’s brotherwho spoke to me about thisendowment). How wonderful it is thathe was able to witness the fruits of hisgenerosity and wisdom before hedeparted our world. Brother BoulosHaboush wrote to him on November1996 saying:“Iwant to thank you Fr.John for all the love and prayers youhold for me and for helping in mytheological education and foreverything else, I want to share myhappiness with you and let you knowthat I have successfully completed mythird year of religious studies, and Iwant to assure you that your financialassistance is not being wasted.”Brother Charles Khachan wrote to himaround Christmas of 1998 saying:“MayGod bless you and reward you for yourgenerous help on my journey to thepriesthood.” Brother Michel AbouTacca wrote to him in June of 1995:“Fr.John, I would like to let you knowthat I am a very lucky person, my wishhas come true when I got to meet youlast year upon your visit to Holy SpiritUniversity in Kaslik, I was so honoredto get to know you, and I thank youfrom my heart for your care andassistance to me in all aspects, financialand spiritual, I ask the Lord JesusChrist to grant you strength and healthso you may remain a shining light to allofus.”There are several more beautifuland heartwarming letters that I wastouched to read. They all tell of thegreat legacy one leaves behind. Msgr.Naffah was aware of the lack ofvocations in our church and he went outand did something about it.In the Catholic Melkite rite, a hymnis chanted repeatedly at the conclusionof aburial service, “Let hismemory beeternal.”I have no doubt that in thehearts and minds of those young menwhom Msgr. Naffah has helped put onthe path of Christ, his memory will forever be eternal. If the Lordis CallingYou, theChurchNeedsYou!If you feel that you have a vocationto the priesthood or religious life,please contact your Pastor or writeto:Fr. 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 Victory Church1000 Lindsay RoadCarnegie, PA 15106The Maronite Voice Volume 1 Issue No. 7 Page 14 July 2005

Minneapolis, Minn.Golden Wedding AnniversaryChurch in Lawrence, Mass. The evening Liturgy wasfollowed by a dinner reception with standing room only inthe church hall. A spread of fine Lebanese cuisine wasprepared and served by the parish. May God grant him manyyears! Bishop Mansour Visits With Youthof St. Anthony Maronite Churchin Danbury, Conn.APapal Blessing was presented to Mr. and MrsRaymond and Sally Haik on the occasion of theirGolden Wedding Anniversary. Raymond and Sally,who were married on the altar of Saint Maron MaroniteChurch in Minneapolis, Minn., fifty years ago, have been agreat part of this parish.The church of Saint Maron has been presenting PapalBlessings to all parishioners who have been celebrating theirsilver or golden anniversaries. We wishGod’sblessings uponall married couples. Msgr. Azar Celebrates SilverAnniversaryBishop Gregory Mansour and Msgr. Peter Fahed Azarled the clergy and laity in the celebration of Msgr.Peter Fahed Azar's 25 th Anniversary of Ordination tothe Priesthood on June 20, 2005 at St. Anthony MaroniteDuring Bishop Gregory Mansour's pastoral visit he met withthe youth of the parish. To the far right is Nancy Michael,behind her is Ferris Nasser who work with the MYO.During Bishop Gregory Mansour pastoral visit to St.Anthony Maronite Church in Danbury, Conn., June 25–26,2005, he met with the youth of the parish to talkto them about their faith.The hour of faith sharing was priceless, as each personshared about themselves, how they felt about their MaroniteFaith, and the relationship with their Lord and Savior. Eventhe youngest were able to put into words how God touchedtheir lives and helped them face the pressures of day-to-daylife. For some their faith was challenged and deepenedthrough serious accidents within the family and for othersthrough situations in need of prayer.Bishop Mansour expressed to the parish the need to thinkand plan for the needs of the children. He encouragedparishioners to go ahead with the plans for increasing theamount of space and places to carry on the ministry ofeducating the children in a tangible visible way. Scholarship Award At St. John theBaptist Church in New Castle,Penn.On June 19, 2005, Fr. Kevin Beaton. Pastor of St. Johnthe Baptist Maronite Church in New Castle, Penn.,gave the annual Scholarship Awards to Danielle Randand Lara Kanaan based on the recommendation of theSunday School teachers along with their participation anddedication to the church throughout the years. The Maronite Voice Volume 1 Issue No. 7 Page 15 July 2005

On Being AMother“Life in God’sFast Lane,SpiritualityofA Mother”By Theresa BrothertonReviewed byDenise Trumbach TurnellAs a daughter of St. Raymond’s anger and frustration in everyday life and sayCathedral in St. Louis, Mo., Theresa “IThank You,God”for the small things. SayBrotherton is known to many if not all. you are sorry because tomorrow is a new day,She comes to us with an abundance ofexperience as“teacher,”“nurse,”“referee,”“chaufeur,”“chef,”“psychic,”but most ofall she comes to us as a mother. Theresaembraces her Sunday school children as herown children; she tackles each Religionproject as a linebacker; and she administersdecisions like a judge and juryor….should Isay, as a mother. Through her perseveranceand steadfast work with the parish youth, shehas forged her maternal love, hopes, dreamsand instincts into building a stronger parish.a new beginning with infinite opportunities.How amazing is it that we always findthat the one person we so harshly judge tendsto be the mother we end up worshiping, notonly for her strength but also for her love anddevotion. These mothers give meaning tomotherhood. They are the light that guidesthose too blind to see the gift of God: thechildren. Theresa writes about the womanwith the spike hair and red nails. I guess at aglance she should be in a bar. Yet, she tookthe time to talk to her and found a courageousHer dedication, relentless pursuit of lady who needed to dress to play her role thatperfection and her uncanny intuition makeher an invaluable asset to all who meet heralong the way and most of all, to us at St.life had handed her. So too should we all takethe time to learn about someone whom weconsider a misfit or an eccentric, or justRaymond’s who rely on people like her to someone from another culture. People are themake us flourish. Therefore it is only fittingthat she should publish a book titled,“Lifeinworld, the world for which Christ died.As Theresa says a prayer for all mothers,God’sFast Lane, Spirituality of aMother”. I join her in celebrating the mothersRegardless of the chapter anyone choosesto read first, one will find it hard to resist anoutburst of laughter, or for the reserved, Ichallenge you to stifle your urge to chuckle.everywhere. Remember, they are mothers;they are human; they are children of God; andthey were given the greatest job of al…being a mother. It is twenty-four/seven, threeMothers are bound to laugh or get teary-eyed hundred sixty-five days a year, and it isbecause they can all relate in one way or infinite. I am proud that Theresa has writtenanother. Husbands will shake their heads this book. I am proud to call her a sister androoting inTim’scorner. “I’ve been there,” daughter of St. Raymond's, and I am proud tothey’l say witha smile curling at the corners call her my friend. You are an inspiration toof their mouths. Funny how we all laugh after all mothers out there. God Bless You.all that seemed so serious then.Theresa's book embodies the essence of The book may be purchased from St.being a mother, of being human, of being a Raymond Maronite Cathedral in St. Louis,child of God regardless of our age. we are. Mo., at a cost of $10 each. Proceeds benefitWe can all share her anxiety caused by a tinynew- born baby. We all certainly understandthe Faith and HeritageChildren’sProgram.For purchase information call 314-621-0056that when mothers have a plan, they execute or email abounasaba@yahoo.com. In theit even if it means they are the only ones whocan decipher the intent. Which parent actuallysubject box, type in the title of the book. Thiswill expedite the response received. can breathe when their child is on the losingteam? Parents all appreciate the Mercy Rule.How many times have you in your childhoodor your own children or grandchildren havetried to rescue a pet or smuggle a stray intothe house? How many times has your faithbeen tested and you find solace in a prayer; oryou marvel at the simple things your childrenneed you for. This is being a mother.It is almost inconceivable to read onlyone chapter in this book. It is light-hearted,endearing, hilarious, and down- right honest.I am sure that some child somewhere is aboutto utter a phrase the parents hoped they'dsoon forget. Theresa says, "Smile and saynothing.”It is a good lesson. We love;therefore, we accept. We teach in the hopethat we don't have to be embarrassed again bya child's humiliating but funny outburst. Theydo know how to use those phrases well, don'tthey? So too we should forget the hurt andThe Maronite Voice Volume 1 Issue No. 7 Page 16 July 2005

Lebanese Feeling Uncertain After Electionsby Doreen Abi RaadBeirut, LebanonAll the emotion and hopeexpressed by the Lebaneseduring the“CedarRevolution”when one million people marched toMartyr’s Square March 14, 2005,demanding freedom, independence andsovereignty for Lebanon, has fizzledsomewhat as a result of theParliamentary elections.While newspaper headlinesproclaim a victory for the anti-Syrianopposition, many Lebanese feel letdown by the entire election process.The elections, which were spreadout over four consecutive Sundaysbeginning May 29 inLebanon’sfourseparate voting districts, were playedout on an unleveled playing field: the2000 election law.The Lebanese Parliament, aftercontinued stalling, failed to form a newelection law, and instead hastilyadopted the Syrian-orchestrated law,formed in 2000. This outragedMaronite Patriarch Nasrallah PeterCardinal Sfeir, who had repeatedlycalled for small electoral districts,which would have allowed for morefair Christian representation. ThePatriarch called for an emergencymeeting of the Maronite Council ofBishops after the law was adopted, justprior to the start of the elections.In their statement, the Bishopswarned: “Persisting in caryinglegislative elections according to thisunjust law will have disastrousconsequences.”An editorial in Annaharnewspaper, following the Bishop’sstatement, clearly described thesituation: “The alarm was sounded.That’swhy Bkerke (the PatriarchalSeat) explicitly defended the threatenednational unity and the coexistence thatis the main pillar of Lebanon. TheLebanese youth are disgusted of themaneuvers and manipulations that aretaking place on the political scene.They are disappointed with the politicalcommunity that unfortunately did nottranslate the message of March 14 th intoactions. And more specifically they aredisappointed when they see that thesame people who contributed to thedestruction and bankruptcy of Lebanonare planning to return to the samepositions.”Despite the unfair election law, thevoting went ahead as scheduled. Thefirst round in Beirut May 29 wascharacterized by apathy and low voterturnout – 28 percent overal and aslowas ten percent in some Christian areas.In a statement following theirmonthly meeting a few days later, theMaronite Bishops, citing the weak voterturnout said,“Thecause is perhaps theelectoral law which does not treat thecitizens equally according to theirdenominations.”Addressing the increased infightingamong opposition members, thebishops said, “Thechaos within theranks that we are witnessing indicates adisregard for national principles, lack ofdiscernment in choices and a reverse ofroles. All that has caused this big losswhich is reigning over these ranks,especialy the Christian one.”In the second round of elections inLebanon’ssouthern region June 5,which is predominantly Shiite, voterparticipation ranged from a high of 60percent, to lows of less than 10 percentin some areas. In the predominantlyChristian village of Ain Ebel, forexample, it was reported that only threeout of 420 registered voters had casttheir ballots. Hezbullah and its allieswon all twenty-three seats in this Shiiteheartland.The third round of elections inMount Lebanon was, by contrast, a racerun in a truly democratic spirit. Peoplewere enthusiastic to vote and felt thatthey could pick and choose from the listof candidates. [General] Michel Aounhad the surprise victory. In an editorialthe next day, the Daily Star newspapersaid that the outcome “was anexpression of their (the Lebanesepeople’s)ambitions for radical changein their country. The people viewedAoun’soften blunt radicalism as awelcome alternative to theaccommodating approach of theopposition. By voting for Aoun, theywere signaling that they want a leaderwith the courage and strength to cleanup the mes that is Lebanese politics.”The final round of the elections inthe North was to be the most decisive–a battle between Aoun and Saad Hariri,son of Rafik Hariri, whoseassassination February 14, 2005, shookLebanon and the world. Hariri set upshop in the North in the days leading upto the election, reportedly spending $35million in the process. He won thecontest, amid allegations of votebuying.Representatives from the EuropeanUnion Elections Observation Mission–who had observed the elections–in apress conference marking the end of theelection, stated that“the elections werewell-managed and took place in agenerally peacefulmanner.” However,the chief observer alluded to the unfairelectorate law and expresed “seriousconcern”over incidents of vote-buying.“Itis now vital (for the new parliament)to address the fundamentalshortcomings of the electoral system,”the Mission said.Most Lebanese now have a“waitand see” atitude toward their newParliament. People are hoping that theformation of a new electoral law will beone of the first orders of business.Although many Lebanese aredisappointed and deflated in contrast toempowerment they felt March 14, thememory of their uprising foreverremains. They will never forget thattheir silence was broken and their voicewas heard.When asked for his opinion of theelections by the BBC, Patriarch Sfeirresponded with a question: “Do youthink that all parties are represented inParliament?” He then answered: “Thisisquestionable,”adding that only halfthe Parliament was comprised of newdeputies. Patriarch Sfeir also suggestedthat the Qournet Shehwan Gathering,the Christian opposition group, shouldexpand to include members from otherreligious sects.(Continues on Page 20)The Maronite Voice Volume 1 Issue No. 7 Page 17 July 2005

A ReunionofFaith, Hope,andLove42 ndAnnualMaroniteConventionSponsoredby NAMHosted bySt. EphremChurchJuly 20-24,2005San Diego,CaliforniaSabine Naber, Public RelationsChairperson for the NAM Conventioninterviewed Fr. Nabil Mouannes, Ph.D.The following is an expression of hisviews and hopes regarding the 42 ndAnnual Maronite Convention.What does it mean to you for SaintEphrem Church to be hosting the 42 ndA n n ual National MaroniteConvention, and what does it mean to thecommunity of Saint Ephrem Church?Hosting the National Maronite Convention isa blessing from God. We are very grateful toHim for showering us with many graces andsupport, and for leading us on the right path.Hosting the 42 nd Annual Convention meansmeeting bishops and priests from all over theUnited States and the Americas, to share inthe joy, to feel the unity and to contribute tothe responsibility of being part of the familyof Bet Maroon. Hosting the Convention willbe an important step in preparing for thefuture of our church. Attending from outsidethe United States are Bishop George Abi-Younes from Mexico and Bishop JosephKhoury from Canada, who will join us in thisbeautiful event with a united spirit.We feel for the first time, as acommunity, that we can give back to thehosts of previous National MaroniteConventions. We will be waiting with openarms for our brothers and sisters in faith, tocelebrate our roots and traditions and toexperience the joy of uniting all thecongregations of the Maronite parishes andall the expectations of the attendees, youngand old.What do you hope and expect to accomplishduring the Convention?First of all, we hope and we seek to givepraise to Mariam Mother of Life and wethank our bishops, our priests and ourcommunities for attending and consecratingtheir hearts and lives to Mariam Mother ofLife. We are also very appreciative to NAMfor sponsoring this great event for forty-twoyears. The Convention will allow us to havean open forum for our brothers and sistersfrom other eparchies of North and SouthAmerica to explore and learn about theMaronite Church and its history andtraditions. Moreover, we hope that theConvention will give our youth a chance toknow more about their roots through theexhibits, educational talks and just bymingling with each other from similarbackgrounds.What, in your opinion, are the Conventionatendees’ reasons for coming to this event?From my own personal experience, the veryfirst convention I attended, in Boston in 1992,had a big impact on my future as a priest. Itwas a reaffirming sign for me of God’scalling that I should move to America. It wastouching for me to see Maronites from allover the United States gathered to celebratetheir faith and traditions freely. That left inmy heart, a good impression and an immensefeeling about the U.S.For convention attendees, it is awesometo come together with their fellow Maronites,to make new friends, pray together, dancetogether, share the traditions of our family,keep the flame of our ancestry burning andlearn about the history and customs of a newcity in the U.S.A. By learning about theculture and historic past of San Diego, andcombining that with their own traditions andvalues, convention attendees will grow richerwith knowledge and information, and willdiscover how rooted we are in America. TheNational Maronite Convention is a hugelearning experience for all.Why did you choose Mariam Mother of Lifefor the Convention theme?For the Maronite Church, Mariam holds avery special place in our traditions, history,liturgy, Eucharistic prayers, and nationalidentity. She is especially important for thefuture survival of our Church. In San Diegoour parish started as a small mission withvery little resources, and this year we are avital community hosting the 42 nd AnnualMaronite Convention, sponsored by NAM.We feel the protection of Mariam Mother ofLife in every step we take and we have beenblessed over the years with her graces andprayers, and we want to share these witheveryone visiting our church and shrine, nowand in the future.Mariam is the Mother of Life because shegave us the Prince of Life, our Lord JesusChrist. Every day, in the world, babies arebeing killed in their mothers’ wombs, kiledbecause of injustice, poverty, and because ofauthoritative and military powers and more.In addition, Christian life in the EuropeanChurch is threatened. For all of thesereasons we need Mariam Mother of Life’sprayers, intercessions and protection, and thatis why we chose this important theme for ourConvention: Mariam Mother of Life, Underher Protection. The Maronite Voice Volume 1 Issue No. 7 Page 18 July 2005

Maronite Outreach“Dedicated to the Preservation of Christianity in Lebanon”Testimony of a Personal Journey“My involvement in Church went from two to four times a year, tomeeting regularly to work and do the small things that must be done...For the first time in my life ... I began to feel what it must have beenlike for early Christians and for our ancestors, to meet, to grow, todevelop a brotherhood, to serve one’s community and one’s country,to help the poor, to think about others ... to love, to care ... to hope, tobe a Christian, and to feel an immense joy that could only come fromthe richnes of the Faith.”by Dotty HageLike many of our young people, Idrifted away from the church onlyto come back for Christmas andEaster. When I did attend church, I wasonly following the formalities ofSunday Mass: doing the Sign of theCross, standing, sitting, standing again,only to sit back down, giving the signof peace to whomever was sitting nextto me, and taking communion withoutany understanding of what it means.However, after a while, I felt thatthese perceived formalities and my lackof understanding of our faith were nolonger acceptable to me. I would eitherhave to actively search for the greatestgift of all, that of our Faith, or chooseto remain in the dark. Even as I madeprogress regarding our Faith, I still feltthat it was incomplete for two reasons:the gospels of St. Matthew and St. Paul.According to St. Matthew, Jesus said“As you did it to one of the least ofthese my brethren, you did it for me”.St. Paul said that“faith without works isempty.”One Sunday, as I made the Sign ofthe Cross and stood while others stood,and sat while others sat, a young doctorwent up to the front of the church andspoke about the tremendous need of theChristians in Lebanon and then spokeabout a group called the MaroniteOutreach. My initial response was fullof skepticism. However, the doctorsounded very genuine, and my curiosityled me to attend one of the meetings.We met at church and I quicklyrealized the dedication and sincerity ofthe Maronite Outreach. After someintroductions, we engaged in a brainstormingsession about how best todevelop a grass-roots movement thatwould lead to an organized effort tohelp preserve Christianity in Lebanon.Bingo! Coordination, efficiency,transparency, and well thought-outpractical approaches to problemsplaguing our community emerged asprerequisites for our efforts andsubsequently became fundamentalaspects of the philosophy of theMaronite Outreach. Needless to say,my perception of Church has changedforever after joining the MaroniteOutreach. My involvement in Churchwent from two to four times a year, tomeeting regularly to work and do thesmall things that must be done toachieve our goals. For the first time inmy life, I began to experience the thingsI had only read about. I began to feelwhat it must have been like for earlyChristians and for our ancestors, tomeet, to grow, to develop abrotherhood, to serveone’s communityandone’scountry, to help the poor, tothink about others, to be confident, tobe a problem-solver, to love, to care, tobe efficient, to be transparent, to behonest, to hope, to be a Christian, andto feel an immense joy that could onlycome from the richness of our Faith.Consequently, given the success ofthe working model and dedication ofthe Maronite Outreach members, thishumble but ambitious grass-roots effortwas elevated to an eparchialorganization with the support of HisExcellency Bishop Robert Shaheen andHis Excellency Bishop GregoryMansour. The impact of thehumanitarian projects of the MaroniteOutreach, now with chapters in sevenparishes, has already been felt on theground in Lebanon. Over 120 childrenhave received scholarships, over sixtyothers have been sponsored byindividuals or families in the U.S.A.,and six destroyed churches havereceived assistance to be rebuilt.Imagine what can be accomplished ifall parishes in the United States hadestablished Maronite Outreach chaptersthat worked in a coordinated mannerfor the sake of our community and ourpeople! This is the spirit of theMaronite Outreach and the power of agrass-roots movement that believes inthe mystery of our Church and ourFaith. This is the power of workingwithin our Church for the glory of God.My dear brothers and sisters, youare cordially invited to attend ourpresentation at the upcoming MaroniteConvention in San Diego on Saturday,July 23, 2005. For more information,please visit our website atwww.maroniteoutreach.org or callthe chairman, Dr. Anthony El-Khoueiryat (213) 458-0580. The Maronite Voice Volume 1 Issue No. 7 Page 19 July 2005

The Maronite VoiceSt. Anthony’s Maronite Catholic Church4611 Sadler RoadGlen Allen, Virginia 23060-6108NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE PAIDPERMIT NO. 1370GLEN ALLEN, VIRGINIAThe NationalConference ofCatecheticalLeadership (NCCL)(Continued from Page 9)Trendy Issues that were commonly andcontinually discussed on theCatechetical agenda were as follows:Ministry of Catholic Youths and YoungAdults; Family Spirituality; the Impactof Prayer on the Upbringing ofChildren; Adult Faith Formation;Empowerment of Catechists and theirSpirituality, and many others.On a personal note, the certificationof catechists in our Eparchy has been agoal toward which I have been striving.Bishop Gregory Mansour fully supportsthe idea and suggested that allcatechists of the Eparchy shouldconsider being certified. I am workingon a certification program with a teamof Pastors and lay people in theEparchy. Further, I am also working thedetails of Certification with Jean MarieWeber, who is the Director of theUSCCB Commission on Certificationand Accreditation. The CertificationProgram of our Eparchy will bepublicized as soon as it becomesavailable.Although we Maronites lack themembers, structure and ubiquity of theLatin Catholics in this country, ourproblems seem to be quite similar. Ifwe learn from their experiences, applysome of their methods, and adopt someof their selected solutions, we may beable to solve quite a few of our owncatechetical problems.For questions or comments pleasewrite the Office of Religious Educationat St. John Maron Church, 2040 WehrleDr., Williamsville, NY 14221 or call(716) 634-0669. Lebanese FeelingUncertain AfterElections(Continued from Page 17)Said Bishop Mounjed El-Hachem of theEparchy of Deir El-Ahmar regardingthe outcome of the elections: “Thepopulation is not really happy, but wehave to wait. The main thing wewanted was for Lebanon to be a realdemocracy, in an area (the Middle East)in which there is no democracy.Unfortunately, it is not yet a truedemocracy.”On June 29, 2005 the newLebanese Parliament, with its sixty newmembers, once again elected NabihBerri, as House Speaker, a post he hasheld since 1992. Of the 128 membersof Parliament, ninety voted for Berri;thirty-six had submitted blank papersfor their vote, a move led by Christians,in defiance. Berri, long known as aSyrian ally, had forged a strongelectoral alliance with Hizbullah in theSouth. He is head of the Shiite AmalMovement. Mighty Miracles in St.Louis, Mo.By Deacon Lou PetersSt. Raymond Cathedral in St. Louis,Missouri, concluded a successfulsummer Bible Camp in June. Thetheme of the week-long session was“MightyMiracles”focusing on thegreat miracles of Jesus in the Gospels.Mrs. Theresa Brotherton coordinatedthe camp which included forty fivechildren, eighteen teenage helpers andfifteen adults. Fr. Andre Mhanna,Pastor, worked daily with each groupof children explaining the Gospel storyto the children and helping in theoverall catechesis of the parishchildren. The daily routine not onlyincluded religious instruction, but roleplaying,prayer, food and play.The week concluded with a Liturgycelebrated by Bishop Robert Shaheenfollowed by skits performed by thechildren for parents and parishioners. The Maronite Voice Volume 1 Issue No. 7 Page 20 July 2005