The Maronite Voicesaintannmaronite.com/pdf/MaroniteVoice-July-August2014.pdf · August 2 - 3, 2014, Children’s Summer Camp, Our Lady of Mount Lebanon Cathedral, Los Angels, Calif

TheMaronite Voice

A Publication of the Maronite Eparchies in the USA

Volume X Issue No. VII July - August 2014

The Massabki Brothers, Patrons of the Family and of Society, and AllThose Who Struggle For Justice and Peace During The "Arab Spring"

Every community in the Middle East has stories abouttheir heroes, and we, Maronites, have plenty of ourown. On July 10, we celebrate the feast of the

Massabki Brothers, who, in fact, can be seen as patrons ofMaronite families and of society and especially of allpeople of good will who struggle throughout the MiddleEast for truth, peace, and justice, especially today. Thethree Massabki Brothers, Francis, Raphael, and AbdelMo'ti, were family-men, businessmen, devoted fathers,brothers, and faithful parish members who were martyredfor their faith in the violence of Damascus in 1860.

At that time, Muslim and Christian families alike had beenvictims of radical ideologies. In fact, the 1860s can becompared to the Syria of today with oppression andviolence from every side. These Maronite brothers, wellrespected in their day and over the years, long held withesteem by laity and clergy alike, are worthy patrons forwhat is called the "Arab Spring" sweeping the MiddleEast. They are also the great example of the witness ofChristian families who pray together, fast, worship andsincerely love. These families make a great difference insociety, ever if not noticed by the political leaders of theday.

Christians today are praying for their very survival incountries with Muslim majorities. It is sad to say this, butit is true. Radical Islamic warriors cannot tolerate anyonedifferent from themselves – neither Christian, Muslim norJewish. This is not true of the majority of Muslims, but itis true of those who are radical. Ironically, Christians werepart of the Middle East and the Arabic speaking worldalmost 700 years before the dawn of Islam. But to radicalfundamentalists, Christians and all others are looked uponwith suspicion.

Today the Massabki Brothers can help both the family andsociety. In their day, Christians were defended by theirfellow Muslim citizens of Damascus, and in particular bya former radical jihadist by the name of Emir Abdel Kaderwho lived in Damascus at that time. He and others foughtfor the innocent and defended the persecuted (see

Commander of the Faithful by John W. Kiser). The Massabki Brothers were not fortunate enough to benefit from hisprotection, but other Christians were. Eventually, the Massabki Brothers were killed before the altar, along with severalFranciscan friars, all of whom refused to deny their faith. Although their murder was thought to be their end, these martyrscontinue to live on in the hearts and minds of devout believers as patrons of all those who believe in what is true, noble andgood, and for that faith which pays the ultimate price. (Continues on page 20)

Schedule of Bishop Elias Zaidan

July 11 - 13, 2014Pastoral visit to St. Jude Church, Murray, Utah

July 18 - 20, 2014Pastoral Visit to St. Sharbel Church, Portland, Ore., and Ordination of MonkMark Anthony as a Deacon.

August 2 - 3, 2014,Children’s Summer Camp, Our Lady of Mount Lebanon Cathedral, Los Angels,Calif.

August 8 - 10, 2014Pastoral Visit, Our Lady of the Cedars Church, Akron, Ohio

August 13 - 15, 2014Our Lady of Lebanon Shrine, North Jackson, Ohio

August 16 - 18, 2014Pastoral Visit, Our Lady of Lebanon Church, Wheeling, W. Va.

August 23 - 24, 2014Pastoral Visit, Our Lady of the Rosary Mission, Carmichael, Calif.

August 31, 2014Annual Festival, Our Lady of Mount Lebanon Cathedral, Los Angeles, Calif.

August 6 - 7, 2014Hall Dedication, Our Lady of the Cedars Church, Houston, Tex.

September 9 - 19, 2014Bishops’ Conference, Rome, Italy. �

Schedule of Bishop Gregory Mansour

July 10, 2014Iftar with the Muslim community, Brooklyn, N.Y.

July 12 - 13, 2014Parish Visitation, Our Lady of Mercy Maronite Church, Worcester, Mass.

July 19 - 20, 2014Pastoral Visit, St. Sharbel Maronite Church, Newtown Square, Penn.

July 21 - 24, 2014Hosting Bishop Elias Sleiman on visits to brief area bishops on the Syriancrisis

July 27, 2014Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral, Brooklyn, N.Y.

August 2, 2014Pastoral Visit, Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Church, Easton, Penn.

August 3, 2014Parish Visitation, St. John Paul II Mission, Westchester, N.Y.

August 10, 2014Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral, Brooklyn, N.Y.

August 13 - 15, 2014National Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon, North Jackson, Ohio

August 16 - 21, 2014Family Visit in Michigan

August 24, 2014Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral, Brooklyn, N.Y.

August 26 - September 2, 2014Silent Retreat, Gloucester, Mass.

September 3, 2014Mass for the Maronite Community, Gloucester, Mass.

September 5 - 7, 2014Extraordinary Visit of the Relics of St. Anthony of Padua, Springfield, Mass.�

The Maronite Voice4611 Sadler Road

Glen Allen, VA 23060Phone: 804/270-7234 Fax: 804/273-9914

E-Mail: [email protected]://www.stmaron.org

http://www.usamaronite.org

The 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$25.00 per year. Advertising ratesare available upon request.

Publishers• Most Reverend Bishop Gregory

John Mansour• Most Reverend Elias Zaidan,

M.L.M.

Editor Msgr. George M. Sebaali

Editing and proofreading Mary Shaia

Printed in Richmond, Virginia.

Maronite Convention 2015

Saint Maron Maronite Church

Cleveland, Ohio

July 1 - 5, 2015

For more information contact the NAM office

at (914) 964-3070or visit www.Namnews.org

The Maronite Voice Volume X Issue No. VII Page 2 July - August 2014

Patriarch Rai celebrates the Divine Liturgy at St. Sharbel Church in Amman,Jordan.

Patriarch Rai prays in the Nativity Chapel in the Holy Land

Patriarch Bechara Peter Rai Makes A Pastoral Visit to the Holy Land

Following the Holy Father’ssurprise visit to Saint SaviourMonastery [Holy Land], it was

His Beatitude Beshara Peter CardinalRai, the first Lebanese religiousdignitary to visit the Holy Land sincethe creation of the State of Israel, whovisited on Tuesday, May 27, 2014,accompanied by his Vicar General,Archbishop Paul Sayah, and his pressspokesperson, Walid Ghayad. The historic visit was not withoutcontroversy, with several politicalfactions accusing the Patriarch ofvisiting “enemy” territory. Diplomaticrelations between Israel and Lebanonare all but dead, despite the armisticesigned in 1949. However, the MaroniteChurch has two administrative entitiesin the territory of the Holy Land: theEparchy of Haifa and the Holy Landtogether with the Patriarchal Exarchateof Jerusalem, Jordan and the PalestinianTerritories together count some 10,000faithful. His Beatitude, therefore, tookit upon himself to be among thosewelcoming the Holy Father and profitedfrom the occasion to continue his stayand make a broader pastoral visit in theHoly Land. The first stop on his visit was in Jordanon May 23 - 24, 2014. Micheline Baz,Lebanon’s Ambassador to Jordan; the

Jordanian Director of Protocol, NabilMassarouh; Bishop Paul Hajj, MaroniteBishop of the Holy Land; BishopYoussef Soueif, Maronite Bishop ofCyprus; Bishop George Chihane,Maronite Bishop of Egypt; Msgr. JihadNassif, Pastor of St. Sharbel Church,Amman, Jordan; Fr. Abdo Bou Kasam,Director of the Catholic Center forInformation in Lebanon; and a numberof Lebanese dignitaries in Jordanwelcomed the Patriarch at the airport.

In the afternoon, after a welcomingreception held at the LebaneseEmbassy, His Beatitude celebrated theDivine Liturgy at St. Sharbel MaroniteChurch to a standing-room-only church.

Following his visit to Jordan, HisBeatitude scheduled over a week tovisit his faithful in Jerusalem, Jaffa,Haifa and Nazareth, where he met withMahmmoud Abbas, President of thePalestinian Authority. The Maroniteswere not alone in rejoicing at thePatriarch’s arrival; many ChristianArabs joined them, including theCustody of the Holy Land. The warmwelcome that His Beatitude received atSaint Saviour as well as at the MaroniteEparchy in Jerusalem bore witness tothis. The enthusiasm was real, explains Fr.Feras, parish priest of Jerusalem.“Christians know him well because foryears he has preached on livebroadcasts on the Noursat TV networkin the Middle East.” Fr. Najib, theLebanese superior of the FlagellationMonastery, emphasizes that theLebanese Patriarch is “a national figureand a true Christian spiritual authority”in the Middle East. The Custos [Franciscans] did nothesitate to stress this role in hiswelcoming address. “The relationship


between the Maronites and the Franciscans are of long dateand go deep; your presence perpetuates it. But even beyondcontinuity, your visit enriches the message of the Holy Land.With your presence today we draw closer to our mission anddream of Christian unity.” His Beatitude appreciated these words when he took thefloor, speaking in Italian: “Our visit to the Custody of theHoly Land today is a Te Deum. We come to thank you foryour presence for the esteem that you have in the eyes of theChristians you support here.” With conviction, he added,“We resist. We have so many churches, so many Christians.We must never stop telling the world that this land bears themark of Christians. Blessed are you to be in this Land wherewe cannot easily set foot.” His Beatitude did not stop with the official remarks. He wentto the infirmary to meet the oldest Franciscans. With greattenderness, he blessed each friar, recited the Our Father withthem, and took time for a chat, also greeting infirmarypersonnel and posing for photos. This patriarchal visit was a sign of encouragement for theMaronites of the Holy Land, as well as for the manyLebanese who aspire to peace in the Middle East. As theLebanese journalist Bissane Al-Sheikh wrote in thepan-Arabic daily Al Hayat on May 23rd, “This visit opens achink in our spirits as well as in the wall againstnormalization with Israel that we have been building fordecades and strengthened with reinforced concrete. This wallhas distanced us from Palestine and its people even more thanthe wall of separation that Israel built. May His Beatitudeclaim for us who love Jerusalem the same privilege of beingable to visit that city that millions of us would love to see.” After stops in Bethlehem, Beit Sahour and Jerusalem, thePatriarch continued his stay until May 31st, visiting themajor Maronite centers in Israel: Akko, Jish, Nazareth,Issifya and Haifa. On May 28, he celebrated the liturgy at Capernaum as aguest of the Franciscans who protect the site. The celebrationwas broadcast live on Noursat TV, thanks to technicalassistance from the Franciscan Media Center. Earlier in the day he went to Kfar Biriim, whose populationwas displaced in 1948 and has not yet been able to return tothe land of their ancestors. He completed his pastoral visit in Haifa, where the largeMaronite community joined him in a grand procession in thelate afternoon of May 30 before he returned to Lebanon. �

The majority of this article was written by Emilie R. ofObethlehem.com and published in the June 2014 issue ofObBethlehem. com.

Austin, TexasCanonization Pilgrimage

by Msgr. Don Sawyer

Receiving word thatI won the rafflefrom the John Paul

II Life Center in Austin,Texas, was such anexhilarating surprise! Ireceived a call from myExecutive Assistant justas I had arrived in theHill country for a youthand adult retreat inFebruary. I could notthink too much of thetrip since I had Lent andHoly Week still ahead ofme.

The pilgrimage waswith Steve Ray, a knownauthor and speaker. Sixty-eight of us, who came from allover the States, arrived in Rome on Friday, April 25th, andwere taken immediately on tour of the city beginning withSanta Mary Major. Every day we had Mass at one of themajor churches in Rome, including St. Peter's, St. JohnLateran, St. Paul Outside the Walls, the Church of theMartyrs, and St. Lawrence. The entire group was able toattend a Papal audience and attempt to touch the Holy Father.We were particularly blessed to have Mass at St. John PaulII's tomb in St. Peter's. Our group was the envy of a crowdof over three hundred who had to be content to watch. We also visited the Forum, the Coliseum, the VaticanMuseum, and many restaurants. On Tuesday we rode thethree hours to Assisi and toured the old city and the manychurches. The feeling in Assisi is very special and peaceful. Not only are the surroundings peaceful and beautiful, butthere is a special feeling of holiness. It was all so wonderful.

The group that went, from all over the United States, wascomprised of many different professions. We had doctors,nurses, professors, a retired Texas Supreme Court Judge,several priests, lawyers, CEOs and others. However,everyone that I spoke to is involved in their parishes and insome sort of ministry. They all are very committed Catholicswho love God and the Church.

I was so pleasantly surprised to see so many priests andnuns in Rome. Many came from Poland (1500 buses), whichhas a great number of nuns and priests. I was surprised bythe number of young priests and nuns. The entire city ofRome feels very comfortable at a slower pace and full ofchurches and beautiful architecture. The entire trip was ablessing from the Lord for me since I was celebrating myfortieth anniversary of priestly service on April 27, the daythat Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II were canonizedas saints! It will not be an anniversary that I will soonforget.�


Boston, MassachusettsChurch Renovated

by Michael Bethoney

At Our Lady of the Cedars of Lebanon Church, JamaicaPlain, Mass., parishioners have been climbing thesame steps since the day the Church opened over forty

years ago. Like any other building, leaky roofs and crumblingarchitecture were just a few of the problems the parishionersfaced every weekend. But, thanks to the tireless work andguidance of our Pastor, Fr. Georges El-Khalli, our belovedChurch has received the renovations it so desperately needed.

Fr. El-Khalli first went to work on the Church's roof andsupport beams, replacing the heating and cooling systems,and sealing off all leaky areas. With this complete, he insistedon continuing to renovate the church further in order to makeit more safe and amenable for the Maronite liturgical use.Ceramic tiles made to imitate the look of rocks and thenatural textures of the parish campus were used for thevestibule floor. Four handsome wood-and-glass insulateddoors were positioned at the entrances, and a new cement padwas poured at the outside main entrance to cover an existingthree inch gap, making for much easier accessibility to thechurch. The cold concrete support pillars located inside thechurch are now hiding behind beautiful wooden coverings,providing a much warmer feeling for the Church.

For parishioners accompanied by little ones, the CryRoom received a complete makeover, including its ownheating and cooling systems. All walls, lights, ceiling anddoors have been replaced, and new speakers were installed.

The church's ancient sound system is finally upgraded tocurrent 2014 technology including wireless microphones. Additionally, two new side altars have replaced the existingstone niches. A new skylight was installed, along with anelaborate tabernacle in the shape of a host placed upon achalice-like supporting table. The icon of the Holy Mother atthe rear of the church altar has been adorned to include twofine-looking pillars and an arch-like cross member presentinga strikingly attractive appearance. Old carpeting was rippedup to make way for new carpet.

All electric wiring was updated, tripling the number of

light fixtures. To be more energy-efficient, all lighting hasbeen replaced with LED technology. The entire ceiling hasbeen insulated, sheet rocked, and plastered giving the entirechurch a new radiant look. A cedar tree replica is adhered tothe ceiling above the center aisle to accentuate our heritageand spirituality. The entire sanctuary floor, including the stairtreads and risers leading to the altar, are now covered with abright white stone stronger than both marble and granite. Thesame stone was used to cover the warped wood and stainedconcrete under the stained glass windows on both the northand south walls leading up to the altar. The uneven andbulky pulpits were replaced with new wooden lecterns toallow for more space.

Since Fr. Georges came to Our Lady of the CedarsChurch, he has aspired to bring new and old generations backto the church with a renewed fervor. Fr. Georges has beenquite successful in that he has a unique spirit ofteam-building and rallying support for the church. He haseven written a new book, Whispering Treasures (A CustomPublishing House), a fascinating analysis of our elaboratestained glass windows which are now covered with insulatedglass to protect them from the inclement weather. Heselflessly donated all of the profits of his book to repair thesewindows.

Many thanks from the bottom of our hearts go out to ourPastor, Fr. Georges El-Khalli, for his dedication,steadfastness and devotion in undertaking this monumentaltask. Hopefully, with the renovations completed, many, ifnot all of us, will share in a renewed faith. A big “Thankyou” to Fr. Georges from the parishioners of Our Lady of theCedars of Lebanon Church. �

Western New YorkLebanese Festival

at St. John Maron

Church in Williamsville, N.Y.

Are you looking for an opportunity to experience a"treasure chest" of traditional Lebanese culture,customs, cuisine, and music? We are happy to

announce that the ever-popular 16th Annual LebaneseFestival of Western New York will be held on the grounds ofSt. John Maron Maronite Church in Williamsville, N.Y., on:

Friday, July 25, 2014: 5:00 to 11:00 p.m.Saturday, July 26, 2014: 2:00 to 11:00 p.m. Sunday, July 27, 2014: noon to 8:00 p.m.

The Lebanese Festival continues to share its heritage withthe Western New York community in an enjoyable andunique way, by offering authentic food, music andentertainment, an exclusive gift shop, games for children,raffles, and bounce houses. For more information regardingthe Festival, please call (716) 634-0669, contact by email [email protected], or visit our website atwww.stjohnmaron.com. Admission is $1.00 - children under12 free. �


From left: Chorbishop Joseph F. Kaddo, Evan MichaelMassoud and Rochelle Kieron.

(First row): Deacon William George, Nicholas Luchansky,Abigayle George, Maria Joseph and Chorbishop MichaelKail. (Second row): Gregory Thomas, Karlina Estephan andFabio Ghossain. Missing from the picture are JonathanGhossain and Gianna Venerosa.

Fall River, Massachusetts

Faith of the Mountain Award

On Sunday, May 25, 2014, Chorbishop Joseph F.Kaddo, Pastor of St. Anthony of the Desert Church,Fall River, Mass., and NAM delegate Rochelle Kieron

announced that the parish's recipient of the "Faith of theMountain Award" was Evan Michael Massoud.

Evan joined the parish choir when only nine years old.He continued to be a committed choir member and musician,coming home every weekend from college to be part of theMass. Ten years later, Evan became the choir director andactively supports the activities of his church. A coffee hourin honor of Evan followed the Divine Liturgy. �

Youngstown, Ohio Graduating Seniors

by Amelia M. Yazbek

On Sunday, June 1, 2014, the Maronite ChristianFormation (MCF) Program of St. Maron Church,Youngstown, Ohio, honored its graduating seniors.

The eight graduates are: Fabio Ghossain, Karlina Estephan,Abigayle George, Jonathan Ghossain, Maria Z. Joseph,Nicholas Luchansky, Gregory Thomas, and GiannaVenerosa. Congratulations and God’s blessings to our theMCF graduates and all the other young people from theparish who graduated this year.

Snow in JuneMany of us throughout the country have suffered a long hardwinter, and many do not have faith in the weatherman. Wehad many record-breaking temperatures and windy, cold,snowy days in Youngstown, Ohio. Chorbishop MichaelKail, our pastor, was one such person who had no faith thatwinter was going to leave us or that we would have any goodweather to speak about. He kept warning us that we weregoing to build a snowman on Sunday, June 1. It was goingto be the parish snowman. This sounded like more thancelebrating Christmas in July. On Sunday, June 1, we had agorgeous, warm, sunny day, but we did not want Chorbishopto feel he was deprived, so we had two large blowupsnowmen: one outside the church doors and another floor-to-ceiling one in the vestibule. On the steps leading to the altarwere small (10") Mr. & Mrs. Snowmen. They were set upwithout Chorbishop Kail's knowledge. After Liturgy, whenChorbishop Kail was doing the announcements, he was givena floppy snowman from one of our students. While he wasspeaking, a beautifully decorated snowman cake, which wasdiscreetly held over his head by our Deacon, was thenpresented to him. We all sang Frosty the Snowman and allhad a fun time, especially Chorbishop Kail. �


From left: Fr. Milad Yaghi, Elias Georges, Myrna Georges,Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, and Fr. Pierre El Khoury. From Left: Andrew Samaan, Tina Khamis, Anthony

Chemaly, Michelle Mezher, Mark Ghastine and HannahChemaly.

May procession at St. Sharbel Maronite Church.

Houston, TexasSilver Massabki Award

Our Lady of the Cedars Maronite Church in Houston,Texas, is blessed to have members who unselfishlygive of their time, talent, and treasure for the good of

the parish. These members have given their time to help withparish functions, have used their talents to aid the parish ineverything from singing in the choir to designing the parishbuildings and have used their treasure to financially supportthe parish. Though it is nearly impossible to recognize eachof them individually, the National Apostolate of Maronites(NAM) allows parishes to recognize individuals or marriedcouples who have unselfishly served their parish with theSilver Massabki Award. This year, Bishop A. Elias Zaidanpresented the Award to Elias and Myrna Georges on Sunday,May 25, 2014.

Subdeacon OrdinationOn Sunday, May 25, 2014, His Excellency Bishop A. EliasZaidan, Bishop of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon,ordained Dr. George Carram and Dr. Michel Mawad to theorder of Subdeacon at Our Lady of the Cedars MaroniteChurch in Houston, Texas. A reception was held in theSocial Hall following the ordination ceremony. �

Cincinnati, OhioAnnual Mahrajan

by Linda Conour

On Sunday, June 1, 2014, the Parish of St. Anthony ofPadua in Cincinnati, Ohio, held its annual summerMahrajan from noon - 8:00 pm. The Parish was

blessed with beautiful weather as large crowds turned out tosample the homemade Lebanese cuisine and pastries, watchthe MYO perform traditional Middle Eastern dances, see theFashion Show, play games, and listen to music.

Co-Chairmen Kam Misleh and John George workedtirelessly for months to orchestrate the successful event and

encourage the entire Parish to work together as a team inorder to make the festival possible.

Many thanks go out to all the parishioners who workedall day at the various booths and for those who came tosupport the annual mahrajan. It was quite a success! �

Warren, MichiganMay Procession

The Blessed Mother Mary was honored during the Monthof May by the parishioners and friends of St. SharbelMaronite Church in Warren, Mich. Chorbishop Alfred

Badawi, Pastor, prayed the Rosary in a different home eachnight. The month of May was concluded with the celebrationof the Divine Liturgy on May 30, 2014. A statue of OurLady of Fatima was carried by the men of the parish as allprocessed outdoors while praying the rosary and singingMarian hymns. Following the Benediction, a potluck dinnerwith Lebanese saj was enjoyed in the Social Hall. �


Then-Father, now Monsignor, Maroun Asmar watches then-Pope, now Saint JohnPaul II bless Msgr. Asmar’s son, Paul.

Priest Grateful for Ways New Saints Supported Eastern Rites as Popes

by Chris Donahue, Associate EditorThe Catholic Spirit

Several days before Pope Franciscanonized two of his predecessors,John XXIII and John Paul II,

April 27, 2014, Msgr. Maroun P.Asmar said he would be just as happycelebrating the historic occasion athome as if he were among the faithfulin St. Peter’s Square.

Msgr. Asmar, pastor emeritus of St.Sharbel Maronite Catholic Church,Somerset, N.J., said during theirrespective papacies, both helpedinvigorate and foster the faith of thosewho practice Catholicism and itsvarious rites. They include the Syro-Antiochene rite, which Msgr. Asmarbegan practicing while growing up inLebanon.

A cabinet maker who served threeyears in the Lebanese Army, Msgr.Asmar moved from Lebanon to thePark Slope section of Brooklyn, N.Y.,in 1956, after marrying Genevieve, anAmerican woman of Lebanese decent. The couple raised two sons, Peter andPaul, who has Down Syndrome, and adaughter, Mary. During his nearly 30-year career with the New York TransitAuthority, he served a six-year term aspresident of its Subway-SurfaceSupervisors Association.

Regarding St. John XXIII, whoconvened the Second Vatican Council(1962-65), Msgr. Asmar said it resultedin documents such as the “Decree onthe Catholic Churches of the EasternRite,” which supported the pope’s goalto “open the windows and let the freshair” into the Church.

The decree included the SacredCouncil’s declaration that “theChurches of the East, as much as thoseof the West, have a full right and are induty bound to rule themselves, each inaccordance with its own establisheddisciplines, since all these arepraiseworthy by reason of theirvenerable antiquity, more harmoniouswith the character of their faithful andmore suited to the promotion of thegood of souls.”

The document also stated, “Allmembers of the Eastern Rite shouldknow and be convinced that they canand should always preserve theirlegitimate liturgical rite and their

established way of life, and that thesemay not be altered except to obtain forthemselves an organic improvement...”

Msgr. Asmar, who now serves as ahospital chaplain, said for those whominister and worship in the Eastern rite,“That means a lot.”

“In Vatican II, he [Pope JohnXXIII] said to all the Eastern churches,“Don’t copy from any other rite. Goback to your roots, You have beautifulroots.”

Msgr. Asmar also appreciatedchanges brought by Vatican II, such asthe priest facing the worshipers,because it allowed them to “participatein the liturgy, let them see the actions ofthe priest.”

He noted, too, that the Mass couldbe celebrated in the native language ofthe worshipers. The liturgical languageof the Maronite Church is Syriac(Christian Aramaic). Msgr. Asmaradded, “When we repeat Jesus’ wordsat the Last Supper, it is mandatory touse the Aramaic language. John XXIIIencouraged that with Vatican II.”

Gracious Gifts

Msgr. Asmar’s fondness and respect forSt. John Paul II was strengthened by anencounter with the Pope and hispastoral concern for Lebanon.

On March 22, 1981, then-Deacon

Asmar was invested in the papal orderof the Knights of St. Sylvester forsending “a shipload of medicine andclothes in my name to war refugees inLebanon.” For his efforts, he receiveda certificate and a medal from [Pope]John Paul II.

On July 18, 1993, then-FatherAsmar concelebrated Mass with PopeJohn Paul II at Castel Gandolfo, thePope’s summer residence. The eventoccurred twenty-two days after Msgr.Asmar was ordained to the priesthoodat the age of 62.

After concelebrating Mass, in anaudience of about thirty people,including Msgr. Asmar’s son, Paul, thePope gave a blessing and presentedrosary beads to each person.

“At the time there was a war goingon in Lebanon,” Msgr. Asmar said. “Iasked him [the Pope], ‘Could you helpus? Could you pray for peace?” “‘Youwill have peace in Lebanon,”’ he said. “He shook my hand and I kissed hisring.”

Four years later, Msgr. Asmar wasinspired by Pope John Paul II’s visit toLebanon, where he led a prayer meetingwith youth and signed a post-synodalapostolic exhortation, “A New Hope forLebanon,” in the Basilica of Our Ladyof Lebanon in Harissa.

Continues on page 20


From left: Sr. Therese Maria, Mother Marla Marie and Natalie Salameh at theMaronite Seminary in Washington, D.C.

When Jesus Knocks, Be Not Afraid! Let Him In!

by Natalie Salameh

Ithought it would be nice for me toshare my personal conversion andvocation story with you. Since

joining the Maronite Servants of Christthe Light in January 2014, I have beenasked by many people, “So what is agirl from Sydney, Australia, doing inDartmouth, Massachusetts? You’re along way from home.”

This is true. I am a long way fromhome (and my Aussie accent gives meaway every time), but Jesus’ SacredHeart is the real home, and myfollowing testimony will tell you why.

I originally discerned religious lifewhen I was in high school and was justfourteen years old. I used to dream ofthe day that I would enter the convent.My discernment continued and atsixteen, I asked a community of nuns inSydney to accept me as a postulant. Myrequest was turned down because I wastoo young, but at the time it was a hugeblow that was hard for me to accept.However, God had other plans becausehe tends to write straight with crookedlines!

To be honest, I lost interest inpursuing a vocation to consecratedreligious life. I immersed myself in mystudies, and I found to my surprise thatI loved academia, and gradually cameto be consumed by it. I went on toUniversity where I studied Economicsand Political Science, with hopes of oneday having a political career. Thoughtsof a religious vocation were long gone,or so I thought.

After my studies, I got an excellentjob with our third tier of Government inAustralia, Local Government in theIndustrial Relations Unit. I spent sixyears working my way up the ranks. Ifound that the more and more Iprogressed at work, the less happy Ibecame. Indeed, if I could sum up myfeelings back then, I would say that Ifelt empty and very much alone.

I had a gaping void in my heart,which I was filling with all kinds ofworldly distractions, such as niceclothes and dining out. I even boughtmy very own home, hoping that thismight solve the problem! I oftenwonder what God was thinking whenhe was allowing me to pursue theseearthly objects. I often picture Him

shaking His head at me in disapproval.But no, he was waiting for the righttime to tap me, his daughter, on theshoulder with the utmost mercy andcompassion, and remind me that onlyHe can fill the void in my life. And thisis precisely what Our Lord did.

I recall vividly back in January2013, kneeling down in prayer andimploring the intercession of St. Rita ofCassia, the patroness of impossiblecases, petitioning her to take away myfeelings of emptiness and loneliness. Iremember telling her that I felt guiltyasking for something more, when I hadso much already, but I said to her thatsomething was missing, and I didn’tquite know what. I asked God throughher intercession to send me what wasmissing. So what was missing? It wasJesus.

Shortly after that, I had some verypowerful stirring of the heart towardsOur Lord Jesus. I had always gone toMass every Sunday, but I found myselfconstantly preoccupied by Him. All ofthe sudden He was there in everythought, in every word, in every prayer;He was there in everything andeveryone I encountered. These feelingsof longing for God, of longing to be

near Him, close to Him, beside Him,surrounded by Him cannot befabricated, no matter how hard you try.This was God’s call. He was beckoningme to come, to leave all for His sake.At the time these feelings stirred, I wasleft utterly confused, not reallyknowing what was happening to me.

When Mother Marla Marie and Sr.Therese Maria were on mission inSydney back in February 2013, Iremember hearing them speak at one ofour youth group meetings at my parishof St. Charbel’s about how theydiscerned their call to religious life.After they had finished speaking,something penetrated deep within meand struck a chord, perhaps because Iwas experiencing something similar.

I knew that Mother Marla Marieand Sr. Therese Maria were speakingagain on the Voice of Charity RadioStation. So I tuned in to hear and myold feelings of wanting to enterconsecrated religious life stirred againwith renewed fervor. I came to realizethat the Holy Spirit was gently leadingme towards the Maronite Servants, byplanting a seed of yearning in my heart.

(continues on page 19)


If the Lord is Calling You, The Church Needs You!

“Called to Holiness”What Does It Mean to Be Called to Holiness by God, as a Priest?

by Fr. Gary George C.Ss.R.

Many times during my travels Iam asked this question, oftenfollowed by another — What

made you want to be a priest? Typicallyit is with an incredulous curiosity ofhow do you do it, and why would youchoose to? For them, and often echoedb y p op u la r s e n t i men t , t h e"unreasonable and unachievable"expectations holiness demands are notrealistic in today‘s contemporary wayof life. The idea many cling to is thatholiness and priesthood are abouthaving to give up; a notion that keepsmost men and their families from

listening to the voice of the Lord andresponding to the call of holiness. I must confess, I am always slightlyconfused by questions attempting todiscern my motives for priesthood — asif it were something I chose or wanted. It is not so much the question, but themanner in which it is presented, that tome shows an incomplete understandingof holiness and priesthood. In the gospels we read about ordinarymen going about the business of theirdaily lives when they encounter astranger who makes a request in theform of an invitation: "Come after me and I will make youfishers of men" (Mark 1:17). I believe this invitation was made toeveryone, yet it was only for those whoresponded by stopping what they weredoing, putting down their nets andfollowing, that their lives were foreverchanged. They went from beingordinary, often, sinful men, tobecoming disciples; and in Luke'sGospel 6:13 the stranger chose twelve,whom he named apostles. "Come afterme and I will make you fishers of men"was an unusual invitation from astranger, who had the power totransform ordinary men intoextraordinary apostles. It's not as though they chose to be, orwanted to be, apostles but that Hecalled them and they were willing tolisten and follow; "It is not you whochose me but I who chose you." It's notthat man chooses or wants to be apriest, but man’s responding to a call. In their willingness to put aside anddrop their nets, they were willing to notonly let go of the tangible material butalso their doubts and fears, in order toembrace what seemed illogical so theycould encounter Divine Truth, theLiving God, their Creator, their Lordand Master. This stranger was theirMessiah, Jesus the Christ. They went

from darkness to light; from ordinarysinners to extraordinary saints. Theywere elevated from the old way ofbeing simple peasants to a new andeverlasting way of royal nobleness. What did these men lose or give up aslogic would have you believe? Was itnot paradoxical that by giving up theytruly received more? God's call toholiness is not about having to changeor give up, but rather making ourthoughts His thoughts. In the Acts of the Apostles we read ofSt. Paul's conversion. Paul believed hewas right in persecuting and putting todeath those who did not followconventional thinking and beliefs. Jesus appears to him saying, "Saul,Saul, why are you persecuting me?" -an invitation for Saul to leave his wayof thinking. "Come after me and I willmake you," was an invitation totransform his destructive thoughts intothe way of God. Paul's responseallowed Jesus to transform themurdering Saul into the Great SaintPaul whose "way of thinking" becamethat of God’s to bring Life, not death,into the world. There is another question being askedin different forms: "Do we really stillneed priests? Is God still calling men toholiness in the priesthood? Is it reallyrelevant in today's culture and society?" I'd like to end this article with abeautiful story which had a tremendousimpact on me and which will sum up ina simple way the answer to thesequestions. One day I received a call from abrilliant young college student who wasgoing to have open heart surgery andwho asked if I would come to be withhim. My answer, of course, was yes,but what came next was one of the mostunusual and challenging requests evermade in all my years as a priest. Yousee, I've known this young man and hisfamily for many years. He was the

If the Lordis CallingYou, The

ChurchNeedsYou!

If you feel that you have a vocationto the Priesthood or religious life,please contact your Pastor or writeto:

Fr. Gary George, DirectorEparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon

Office of Vocations1021 South 10th StreetSt. Louis, MO 63104

OrFr. Dominique Hanna, Director

Eparchy of Saint MaronOffice of Vocations

c/o St. Joseph Church502 Seminole Ave. NE

Atlanta, GA 30307

OrOur Lady of Lebanon Seminary

7164 Alaska Ave. NWWashington, DC 20012


THE ORDER OF

SAINT SHARBEL

Perpetual Members

i Assaad Sayah

Our Lady of the Cedars Church,Jamaica Plain, Mass.

Annual Members

i Lucille A. Minutoli-Noel iJoanne Carter i Karen Carter

i Maroun Abouzeid i Elizabeth Eblan

Our Lady of the Cedars Church,Jamaica Plain, Mass.

******

The Order of Saint Sharbel is anorganization of lay people andclergy who have pledged theirspiritual strength and financial

support for Our Lady of LebanonSeminary and the retired Maroniteclergy of the Maronite Eparchies in

the USA.

*****

For more information about theOrder ask your Pastor, or visit

www.orderstsharbel.org.

youngest of seven siblings and blessedwith great intelligence. His parents hadabundant wealth, and he was able totravel the world with nonchalance. Hewas surrounded with nothing but love,protection and was totally doted on byfamily and friends. So his request thatno one else was to know and only Iwould be there for him came as a greatsurprise and, as a priest, under the seal,a heavy burden to honor. This young man's father would havehad the best hospital, the best room andthe best doctors in the world. Hismother was a woman of faith andwould have literally had the entireworld praying for him. He would'vehad a room overflowing with friendsand family. Yet he chose otherwise andonly later did I find out the reason, notfrom him but from his mother. The day before he was to go intosurgery all I could do was to calleveryone and ask them to unite with mein prayer for a special intention askingthem to not ask questions but trust me.I knew how devastated the familywould have been if anything happenedto him, and the hurt and anger at me fornot saying anything would have beenoverwhelming. They would never havebeen able to understand why he chosethat decision and why I stayed silent. The day he was to go into surgery thedoctor informed him that they found asolution and he would not need thesurgery. Relieved and overjoyed, hecalled his mother to inform her of whathappened. Her response to the newswas one of great sorrow, not joy. Sheasked him why he told no one as hewould have been all alone in his time ofneed. He answered that he told oneperson — a priest, to which she askedwhy? She later called me with verymixed emotions but relayed the reason: "Father, he would have had everythingthe world had to offer, but that was notwhat he wanted. He said to me, "Icalled Father because that is why Godmade him; that is his job… to be Jesusto people when they need him themost." You see, Father, as hard as itwas for me, I realized that in the hourof my son's greatest need it was not tothe world he turned for help but to apriest who is the true Persona Christi(person of Christ)."

On May 11, 2014, we celebrated WorldDay for Vocations and we were askedto say a special prayer for men torespond to the voice of the Lord so thatthrough them the world may continueto find Jesus.

I pray that each person will answer thecall to holiness by listening, trustingand acting on a Word that brings life tothose you meet. May the Holy Spiritcontinue to guide and direct ourthoughts so that we may willingly"come and see" what the Lord has instore for each one of us. �

About the Author

Fr. Gary George C.Ss.R.National Youth Director Vocation Director for the Eparchy ofOur Lady of Lebanon

Deadline for thenext issue of TheMaronite Voice isAugust 25, 2014.

The Maronite Voice is the officialNewsletter of the Eparchy of Our Ladyof Lebanon and of the Eparchy of SaintMaron of Brooklyn.

Send all changes of address, news,pictures and personal correspondenceto:

The Maronite Voice 4611 Sadler Road

Glen Allen, Virginia 23060Phone: (804) 270-7234; Fax: (804)

273-9914Email: [email protected]

Pictures must be original. Digitalpictures must be in “JPG” format and inhigh resolution. The Maronite Voice isalso available online, in PDF format, atwww.stmaron.org. �


First Holy Communion in the Maronite Eparchies in the U.S.A.

Miami, Florida

Natalia Daher, Christopher Kilzi, Jonathan Gustine, JackDigasbarro, Lucas Finocchiaro, Lea Haddad, MiaTabet, Joseph Jude Sabga, Sanad Fanous, Vivian

Garcia, Angelina Vargas, Sarah Karam, Jose AlejandroNocua, John Paul Younes, Tatiana Kathryn Aoun, MarcFrancis, Joseph Charlie Wehbe, Nathaly Marie Dominguez,Paulina Almada, Alejandra Almada, Michael Hage, GeorgeHage and Lucas Chahine received their First HolyCommunion on May 18, 2014, at Our Lady of LebanonMaronite Church in Miami, Fla. �

Springfield, Massachusetts

Joseph Harfouche, Derek Semanie, Zakary Thomas andJulia Preston received their First Holy Communion onJune 1, 2014 at St. Anthony Maronite Church in

Springfield, Mass. �

New Bedford, Massachusetts

Eden, Jed, and Amalia Dupre, Matthew Rego and KeiraMcLaughlin received their First Holy Communion onMay 4, 2014, at Our Lady of Purgatory Maronite

Church in New Bedford, Mass. �

Brooklyn, New York

Joya Achkar, Thomas Aflak, Elias Chawki, Lara Courgi,Christelle Diab, Rami Hailoo, Ronnie Hailoo, LucaPfitzer, Mikayla Sahadi, Antonio Saliba, Selena Saliba

and Antonis Vrahimis received their First Holy Communionon May 11, 2014, at Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral inBrooklyn, N.Y. At the conclusion of the Divine LiturgyDaisy Diamontopolus, the eldest member of the Cathedralcommunity, crowned the Blessed Mother. �



Youngstown, Ohio

Joselyn Bishara, Elena Chahine, Maria Chahine, AnissaEssad, Anthony Essad, Jade Ishac, Nicholas Judy, VivianNohra, Christopher Simon, Zaynah Tringhese and Elani

Zidian received their First Holy Communion on May 18,2014, at St. Maron Maronite Church, Youngstown, Ohio. �

West Covina, California

Sophia Albasha, Charbel Antoun, James Antoun, AlbertChammas, Rita Chammas, Lyla Chikhani NataliaGhanem, Tanios Ghaoui, Laya Ghosn, Roger Karam,

Jr., Lea Kassir, John Khalaf, Tatiana Khoury, Nicole MarinaMadi, Adriana Mansour, Elie Christian Raad Jr., and PascaleTaby received their First Holy Communion on May 3, 2014,at St. Jude Maronite Mission in West Covina, Calif. �

Detroit, Michigan

Mark Saigh and Nicholas Saigh received their FirstHoly Communion on June 1, 2014, at St. MaronMaronite Church, Detroit, Mich. �

Cincinnati, Ohio

Joseph Driggers and Gianna Kanno received their FirstHoly Communion on May 11, 2014, at St. Anthony ofPadua Maronite Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. �



Lawrence, Massachusetts

Christien Abimoussa, John Abimoussa, LunaAbimoussa, Rana Abi-Rached, Mitchel Alghoul,Patrick Archambault, Angelina Azzi, Chris

Bousleiman, Carlene Driscoll, Paige Frias, Logan Gabriel,Tagan Kalil, Camryn Khoury, Mason Lanoue, MichaelMerheb, Mario Rahi, Paul Sadek, David Sader, KristineSader, Trinity Sfeir, Maria Wazen and Elena Zaarourreceived their First Holy Communion on May 4, 2014, at St.Anthony Maronite Church in Lawrence, Mass. �

Glen Allen, Virginia

Riley Cassidy, Joseph Chaoul, Julia Marie Fabiato, SarahFlammia, Ann Margaret Gibrall, Jad Kakish, LaithKakish, Ashley Maust, Ava Nadder, Raneem Basir,

Hannah Roberts, Anna Grace Shaia, Nicholas Shaia, LeeanneSiefke, Natalie Yago and Anna Yesbeck received their FirstHoly Communion on May 11, 2014, at St. Anthony MaroniteChurch in Glen Allen, Va. �

Orlando, Florida

Pablo Reyes, James Boutros, Adrian Park Pagan, JulianoBouzas, Jean Pierre Saad, David Rickert, StefanoBouzas, Stephen Lizyness, Louis Farris, Ryan Saba,

Joseph Daniel, Christian Rickert, Ava Jebailey, Petra Sweiss,Valerie Safie, Annie Cobty, Layla Park Pagan, StephanieYounis and Nadine Saba received their First HolyCommunion on May 3, 2014, at St. Jude Maronite Church inOrlando, Fla. �

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Peter Nehme, Patrick Nehme, Gabrielle Camarata andMarvin Kiderchah received their First Holy Communionon May 4, 2014, at Heart of Jesus Church in Fort

Lauderdale, Fla. �



San Diego, California

Skyler Abou-Jaoude, Hanadi AlSaigh, Rita AlSaigh, ZaidAlSaigh, Ammar Deno, Maya Deno, Michel Frangieh,Hindy Hindy, Christina Karam, Sahar Kasir, James

Khoury, Jake Koussa, Rashad Koussa, Joseph Saker, SaritaSaker, Christina Saliba and Karam Yousif received their FirstHoly Communion on May 4, 2014, at St. Ephrem MaroniteChurch in San Diego, Calif. �

Akron, Ohio

Freddie Nemr, Joseph Nemer, Michelle Jaoude andJoseph Abou-Elias received their First HolyCommunion on May 4, 2014, at Our Lady of the Cedars

of Mt. Lebanon Maronite Church, Fairlawn [Akron], Ohio.�

Portland, Oregon

Cecilia Ann Allam, Lauren Anne Markwell, Peter NasriMassaad, Rita Maria Zogbi and Taresa Maria Massaadreceived their First Holy Communion on April 27,

2014, at St. Sharbel Maronite Church in Portland, Ore. �

Cleveland, Ohio

Naya Antoun, Alyssa Sweis, Juliana Afram, HannaHartman, Katelyn Moussa, Katie Diab, Maria Naim,Patrick Harb, Samuel Chalhoub, Kameren Hassrouni,

Michael Afram, Rabih Abboud and Naji Habre received theirFirst Holy Communion on May 4, 2014, at St. Maron Churchin Cleveland, Ohio. �



Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Joelle Najm, Samira Akkari, Savanah Church, TaslineDiab, Gracy Zeinoun, Patricia Mowad, AmalKouyoumdji, Jeffrey Jabbour and Karm Mazahreh

received their First Holy Communion on May 18, 2014, at St.Maron Maronite Church in Philadelphia, Penn. �

Tequesta, Florida

Jezzi Rizk, Matthias Rizk, Roma Rizk, Ian Najem andMark Azzi received their First Holy Communion on May18, 2014 at Mary, Mother of the Light Maronite Mission

in Tequesta, Fla. �

Williamsville, New York

Charbel Al Mekhtifi, April Kabalan, Ethan Miller,Sienna Maalouf, Sophia Khangi, Perla Sakr, ChloeArmstrong, Maria Atallah, Julia Yax, Dominic Shady

and Patrick Sakr received their First Holy Eucharist on May4, 2014, at St. John Maron Church, Williamsville, N.Y. �

Scranton, Pennsylvania

Alyssa Marie Bestrycki and Logan Edward Hetskoreceived their First Holy Communion on May 4, 2014,at St. Ann Maronite Church in Scranton, Penn. �



Roanoke, Virginia

Mary Miller, Kim Doan and Christina Ellis receivedtheir First Holy Communion on May 4, 2014, at St.Elias Maronite Church in Roanoke, Va. �

Cranston, Rhode Island

Alexander Faraj, Christian Faraj, George Habchi, SadieMartiesian, Sharbel Mikhail, Ronald Mourad, RoccoSavastano and Cassidy Youssef received their First

Holy Communion on May 4, 2014, at St. George MaroniteChurch in Cranston, R.I. �

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania

Benjamin Fenster, Naythan Wielgopolski, HowardShiner, Julia Lewis and Theresa Khoudary receivedtheir First Holy Communion on May 4, 2014, at St.

Anthony/St. George Maronite Church in Wilkes-Barre,Penn.�

Denver, Colorado

Jaden Michael Aweida, Marc Anthony Mahanna, GabrielleMarie Cohlmia, and Andrew Ibrahim Dagher receivedtheir First Holy Communion on May 4, 2014, at St. Rafka

Maronite Church in Denver, Colo. �



Houston, Texas

Kris Bayeh, Zayne Nemri, Christopher Salha, ElissaMehri, Giancarlo Chelala, Mia Boujaoude, SamanthaMaakaroun, Sabrina Nader, Marie-Reine Khouri, Joy

Stephan, Serena Azzi, Ryan Moubarak, Joseph Jabbour,Ralph Fady, Emma Harb, Jonnie Francis, Ramsey Chalita,Fayez Droubi, Hannah Chalita, Michael Dally, AngelinaRassi, Theresa Estephan, Rita Elakkari, Jasmine Haoulia,Nicholas Nemri and Ryan El Hajj received their first HolyCommunion on May 17, 2014, at Our Lady of the CedarsMaronite Church in Houston, Texas. �

Uniontown, Pennsylvania

Darren Dunn, Aidan Barton, William Barton, MagdalenWilliams, Owen Reed, Elizabeth A. Georgiana andAndrew Fike received their First Holy Communion on

April 19, 2014, at St. George Maronite Church in Uniontown,Penn. �

Torrington, Connecticut

Anthony Samele, Connor Fuller, Jake Nader, MadisonNader, Annabel Fuller, Nicole Encalada, Ivy Altman,India Altman, Emily Ullom, Joshua Ulloa, Matthew

Lopez, Emily Tacuri, Kevin Chimbo, Macy Abou Arrage andBlake Leifert-Griffin received their First Holy Communionon May 4, 2014, at St. Maron Maronite Church in Torrington,Conn. �

Newtown Square, Pennsylvania

Andrew Obeid, Andrew Polus, Jessica Farhat, AlvinPolus, Lauren Ward, Lilly Obeid, Steven Sleiman, and Aoun Earafej received their First Holy

Communion on May 11, 2014, at St. Sharbel MaroniteChurch in Newtown Square, Penn. �



Utica, New York

Aryiana Swift, Audrianna Jones, Jason Angotti, DanielO'Donnell, Olivia Sheehan, Eve Miller and GraceBarkett received their First Holy Communion on April

27, 2014, at St. Louis Gonzaga Maronite Church in Utica,N.Y. �

Saint Louis, Missouri

Mary Catherine Slinkard, Munir Abu-Nader, SavannahSuleiman, Grant Gamma and Kristy Sholy receivedtheir First Holy Communion on May 4, 2014, at St.

Raymond Maronite Cathedral in Saint Louis, Mo. �

Boston, Massachusetts

Antonio Angelo, George Maroun, April Ibrahim, AndreaN. Naoum, Sam Berkachi, Emile Elie Abouzeid,Christo El-Hachem and Anthony El-Doueihy received

their First Holy Communion on May 18, 2014, at Our Ladyof the Cedars Maronite Church in Jamaica Plain [Boston],Mass. �

When Jesus Knocks

Continued from page 9

The Holy Spirit gave me the courage to email Mother MarlaMarie only two short days later and explain to her what I wasexperiencing. I met her and Sr. Therese Maria at my parishon the eve of their departure to the U.S. I recall speaking toMother Marla Marie that evening and finding peace at last.

I visited the Maronite Servants in May, to get a glimpseof religious life and to see the Maronite Servants in action.Not only did I find my true calling and vocation, I found myhome. The rest is history.

A vocation, whether it is to the married state or religiouslife, is fundamentally a gift from God. In the words of St.Gianna Beretta Molla, “Our concern then should be to knowthe will of God. We should enter onto the path that God willsfor us, not by “forcing the door,” but when God wills and asGod wills…”

My message is to all the young women who are searchingfor goodness, happiness, truth and beauty. I was searching forit too, but I was looking in the wrong place. The world can’tgive you lasting joy, but that’s the first place we all look forit. Stop looking for it there because you won’t find it there!“Whom else have I in the heavens? None besides youdelights me on earth” (Psalm 73: 25).

For those interested in discerning religious life with theMaronite Servants of Christ the Light, please contact MotherMarla Marie at [email protected]. �


Fr. Raymond blesses a little girl at the Pentecost Liturgy atSt. Sharbel Church.

Newtown Square, PennsylvaniaPriest First Anniversary

by Lillian Shahade

On June 8, 2014, Fr. Raymond Khallouf not onlycelebrated the Feast of Pentecost, but also celebratedthe First Anniversary of his priestly ordination. The

parishioners had a cake welcoming him as their newadministrator and recognizing his anniversary to the holypriesthood.

Fr. Raymond's first Liturgy at St. Sharbel MaroniteChurch in Newtown Square, Penn., was on June 1, and heimmediately engaged with most of the parishioners at thepicnic held in honor of him and that of Fr. Miled Jreig. Fr.Raymond was assigned to St. Sharbel as Parochial Vicar withfull administrative duties. Fr. Raymond held meetings andquickly set about organizing various committees for theupcoming Annual Festival that will be held on August 23 and24, 2014. �

Priest Grateful


In a speech, the Pope described the document as an“invitation to all Lebanese to begin with confidence a newpage in their history. It is the contribution of the universalChurch to the greater unity of the Catholic Church inLebanon, to the overcoming of divisions between thedifferent Churches and to the development of the country, inwhich all Lebanese are called to take part.”

The Pope’s message was universal because it could applyto all countries, Msgr. Asmar said, adding St. John Paul IIcontinued to be an inspiration in the final years of his lifebecause of the challenges he faced from declining health.

“Every one of us has a mission - when God gave us thegift we should not put that to sleep. We use it as much as wecan,” Msgr. Asmar said. “He [John Paul II] felt he had a giftto give and he didn’t want to give it up; maybe that is why heheld on.” �

The Massabki Brothers


The so called "Arab Spring" does not have to be marked byoppression or sectarian violence. Many Christian and Muslimfamilies have been hard at work in the streets, in their homes,and in quiet political efforts to bring about change for thegood. They did this once before by working together duringthe Arab Renaissance of the late 1800s, and they do it againtoday. This is why the special help of people like AbdelKader, the grace of the intercession and good example of theMassabki Brothers and the prayer and good deeds of therighteous and the just are very important. May the prayer ofthe Blessed Massabki Brothers and all the saints be with us.�

+Bishop Gregory J. MansourEparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn

The Maronite VoiceSt. Anthony’s Maronite Catholic Church4611 Sadler RoadGlen Allen, Virginia 23060-6108

NON-PROFIT ORG.

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

PERMIT NO. 1370

GLEN ALLEN, VIRGINIA


Documents

The Maronite Voicesaintannmaronite.com/pdf/MaroniteVoice-July-August2014.pdf · August 2 - 3, 2014, Children’s Summer Camp, Our Lady of Mount Lebanon Cathedral, Los Angels, Calif