the maronite voicesaintannmaronite.com/pdf/maronitevoice-april2017.pdf · 2017. 5. 1. · the 350...

The 350 Martyrs of Saint Maron by Fr. Abdo Badwi, University of theHoly Spirit, Kaslik, Lebanon (USEK), Department of Sacred Art.

TheMaronite Voice

A Publication of the Maronite Eparchies in the USA

Volume XIV Issue No. IV April 2017

Witness

What qualified her to be the firstCatechism teacher at Our Lady ofLebanon (then Mission) in Flint,

Michigan? I suppose that Monsignor RonaldBechara, Pastor, saw in her a good wife, a goodmother, an active member of the Mission, aperson in whom people could trust, and a womanwho loved her Christian faith so much that shetook a risk to trust in the fledging Mission. Sheand her husband and six children were thereevery Sunday.

She was chosen by her high school class tocrown the Virgin Mary. She married right afterhigh school, had her first child a year later, andraised her six children to live with as much love,forgiveness and dignity as possible. When shesuffered from acute leukemia she questionedGod, but the answer she quickly found was tomake of her suffering something that could bearwitness to Christ for the sake of the many lovesin her life: husband, children, family, friends andChurch. In the toughest times she would seekGod and seek after the good of others. When itwas her time to say goodbye, she did so as awoman of faith, a witness.

She looked at the best in each person, eventhough she knew also the other side. She chose tobuild up each person even when she held enoughsecrets to tear them down. She was a witness towhat our Lord lived and died for, because shelived and died for the same.

My mother, described above, is like so manywomen and men in our parishes who today serveas catechists, volunteers, members of thewomen’s or men's groups, and who love theirChurch and witness to Christ. What qualifiesthem to serve is their common desire to loveGod, and to love those entrusted to them, and tolive a life worthy of the God who made us.

The Maronite Synod of Bishops, with Patriarch Bechara Peter Cardinal Rai as head, has declared this year from February 9,2017, Feast of Saint Maron, to March 2, 2018, Feast of Saint John Maron, as The Year of the Witness (Martyr). Our Patriarchhas done this to encourage us to reflect on those who lived their lives as witnesses to Christ, and then made the ultimatesacrifice, to die in defense of this faith. (Continues on page 24)

The Maronite Voice4611 Sadler Road

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

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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.

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Publishers• Most Reverend Bishop Gregory

John Mansour• Most Reverend A. Elias Zaidan,

M.L.M.

Editor Msgr. George M. Sebaali

Editing and proofreading Mary Shaia

Printed in Richmond, Virginia.

Maronite Convention 2017

Saint Rafka Maronite Mission

Greenville, South Carolina

June 29 - July 2, 2017

For more information contact the NAM office

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

Schedule of Bishop Elias Zaidan

March 31 - April 9, 2017Pastoral Visit to the Maronite Churches in the Greater Detroit Area: St. MaronChurch, Detroit; St. Sharbel Church, Clinton Township; and St. Rafka Church,Livonia, Mich.

April 10, 2017Blessing of Holy Oil, St. Raymond Cathedral, Saint Louis, Mo.

April 11 - 15, 2017Holy Week Mission Retreat, Our Lady of the Cedars Church, Houston, Tex.

April 16, 2017Easter Sunday, St. Raymond Cathedral, Saint Louis, Mo.

April 20 - 23, 2017NAM Regional Convention, St. Rafka Church, Denver, Colo.

April 24 - 26, 2017Presbyteral Council Meeting, St. Louis, Mo.

April 29 - 30, 2017Pastoral Visit to St. Theresa Church, Tulsa, Okla.

May 2, 2017Ordination of His Excellency Mark Rivituso, the New Auxiliary Bishop of St.Louis, Mo.

May 6 - 7, 2017Pastoral Visit to Our Lady of Lebanon Church, Flint, Mich.

May 9, 2017USCCB International Justice and Peace Committee Meetings, Washington, D.C.

May 11, 2017Confirmation Mass, Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, San Diego, Calif.

May 12 - 14, 2017Pastoral Visit to Our Lady of the Cedars Church, Houston, Tex. �

From left: Bishop Gregory Mansour, RayBedwick and Msgr. Peter Azar.

Washington, D.C.Raymond Bedwick Visits Seminary

by John Kury

Raymond G. Bedwick of

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania,recently visited Our Lady of

Lebanon Maronite Seminary inWashington, D.C. As a longtime andsignificant supporter of the Seminary,Raymond was pleased to see theSeminary and have dinner with theseminarians. Bishop Gregory Mansour,Bishop of the Eparchy of Saint Maron,and Seminary Rector Monsignor Peter F.Azar unveiled a plaque which now hangsin the Seminary's living room in honorof Raymond's generosity. In addition tomaking a number of special donations tothe Seminary over the past few years,Raymond is a Perpetual Member of theOrder of Saint Sharbel. �

The Maronite Voice Volume XIV Issue No. IV April 2017

Eparchial Condolences

Reverend Christopher (JamesEdgar) Henderson passed intoeternal life while at his

residence in Greer, S.C., on March13, 2017. Born to Louie and

Margaret (Peggy) Henderson onAugust 10, 1947, in Charlotte, N.C.,

Father Christopher received degrees in Classics, English,Theology, 18th Century Studies and Literature. He wasordained on January 29, 1994, by Archbishop Francis M.Zayek.

Father Christopher was appointed Assistant Pastor ofSaint Anthony of Padua Maronite Church in Cincinnati,Ohio, and served for two months. He was then appointed asAdministrator of Saint George Church in Uniontown, Penn.,in 1994 and became Pastor in 1995 and served until 1998. Hewas then appointed Pastor of Saint Theresa Church inBrockton, Mass. and served from 1998 until 2002.

Although Father Christopher took a three year leave ofabsence in 2002, and a medical retirement in 2005, he wasserving, when called upon, at Saint Rafka Parish inGreenville, S.C., at the request of Father Bartholomew Leon,Administrator.

Father Christopher left behind his brother, Tom, his

sisters, Peg and Trish, as well asmany nieces and nephews,relatives and friends. He waspreceded in death by his parents.Bishop Gregory Mansour had theopportunity to celebrate the DivineLiturgy with him at his residencetwo weeks prior to his death.

The Funeral Divine Liturgytook place on Saturday, March 18,2017, at St. Rafka Mission inGreenville. Father Christopher'sburial will be at a later date inCharlotte, North Carolina.

His Excellency Bishop Gregory Mansour, along with theclergy and faithful of the Eparchy of Saint Maron, extendtheir heartfelt sympathy and the promise of our prayers to Fr.Henderson's family and loved ones.

May the Lord God grant his servant Christopher eternalrest in His Kingdom and consolation to his family and lovedones. �


From left: Fr. Elias Sleiman, Fr. George Hobeika, Bishop Elias Zaidan andFr. Albert Constantine.

Los Angeles, CaliforniaFeast of Saint Maron

by Manal El-Khoury

Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon St. Peter Cathedralin Los Angeles, Calif., celebrated the FeastDay of St. Maron on Sunday, February 19,

2017. During the Divine Liturgy new members ofthe Order of Saint Sharbel were installed. Following the Liturgy, the celebration continuedwith a Luncheon at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel inBeverly Hills. Mr. and Mrs. Janah Risha, theEvent Chairpersons, working under the guidanceof Fr. Elias Sleiman, Rector, along with Fr. AlbertConstantine and with the support of all thecommittee members, planned a celebration toremember. Ms. Raquel Deriane and Mr. RonnyLazar, the Masters of Ceremonies, filled the roomwith laughter with their wit and humor. Abeautiful a capella rendition of the United StatesNational Anthem was sung by Lauren and EmilieRisha. Christen Ntanios sang the LebaneseNational Anthem. Highlights of the event includedthe musical talent of pianist Mr. George Alwan;and an amazing vocal performance by Ms. MayssaKaraa, a Lebanese-American Grammy-nominatedsinger, accompanied on piano by Mr. Elio-Antonio ElKallassi, a composer, orchestrator and pianist. The attendeeswere addressed in part by Mrs. Maya Ibrahim on behalf ofthe Honorable John Ibrahim, the Consul General of Lebanon,and His Excellency Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, Bishop of theEparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon. The Honorees were Mr.and Mrs. Richard Hollow for their active and dedicatedservice to the church and community for over forty years.

Fr. Albert Constantine, Associate Rector, wrote in hisletter published in the commemoration book, "Mr. Richardand Mrs. Jeanette Hollow exemplify our best traditions and,through their example, they inspire us to greater service anddeeper devotion. They clearly show us what true men andwomen of faith can do when they live lives pleasing to Godand devote their time, talent and treasure to the betterment ofour world."

The Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) wasanother Honoree. "The USEK is a Maronite Institution….andInitiative in the World of Education that was motivated bythe zeal and the love of devoted Monks which gave birth toa renowned University," said Fr. Elias Sleiman, Rector.This was the motivation behind this year's theme: "LoveTakes Up Where Knowledge Leaves Off" (St. ThomasAquinas, Summa Theologica).

In his letter, Fr. Constantine wrote, "That many of ourbishops and priests graduated from this great university isa testament to its enduring relevance and importance." BishopZaidan wrote, "USEK has embodied the mission ofknowledge for the ultimate good of forming people to loveGod and their fellow human beings." As part of theirrecognition, the honorees were also presented with the GazoD Moroun (Treasure of Maron) Trophy. This year, however,the trophy was redesigned using a 3D Modeling technologyby Mr. Habib Kharrat, who used the statue of St. Maron inthe Vatican as his inspiration. Mr. and Mrs. Hollow and theVery Reverend Father George Hobeika, Ph.D., of USEK also

addressed the crowd and expressed their gratitude to thecommunity for the recognition and support.

Mr. and Mrs. Hollow also wrote a letter published in thecommemoration book. They expressed their sentiments onbeing part of the Maronite community and how much it hasmeant to them. "A special thank you for your guidance,encouragement and love that you have all given us and ourfamily throughout the years. We are so overwhelmed withgratitude that you felt us worthy of this wonderful honor thatyou have bestowed upon us," they wrote. "We are alsograteful and blessed to have such wonderful family andfriends who are sharing in this special occasion." Also inattendance of this special celebration were Mr. FadyChamoun, President of the USEK Foundation; Fr. HadyMahfouz, former President of USEK for nine years andcurrently serving as a member of the USEK Board ofTrustees and Chairman of its Institutional Planning andSustainability Committee; and Dr. Elias Ayoub, Chairman ofthe USEK Board of Trustees. It was a wonderful event andone that justly honored the legacy of St. Maron. �

Deadline for next month's issue of TheMaronite Voice is April 22, 2017.The Maronite Voice is the official newsletterof the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon andof the Eparchy of Saint Maron.

Send all news, pictures and personal correspondence to:The Maronite Voice 4611 Sadler Road

Glen Allen, Virginia 23060Phone: (804) 270-7234; Fax: (804) 273-9914;

Email: [email protected] Digital pictures must be in "JPG" format and in high

resolution (300dpi). The Maronite Voice is also availableonline, in PDF format, at www.stmaron.org. �


Sleepy Hollow, New YorkMYO/MYA Regional Retreat

by Gibran Mourani, MYO Member at Saint John Paul II

Hosting a Regional MYO/MYA Retreat is a remarkableaccomplishment for our parish, Saint John Paul II inSleep Hollow [West Chester], N.Y., as we reach our

ten-year anniversary as a mission. Although the church is notthe biggest in size, it managed to host over one hundred fiftypeople from eight MYO parishes, filling our hall to capacity.The event really opened my eyes to the diversity presentwithin the Maronite community in the Northeast. I thoughtmy brother and I were the furthest you could deviate from thetypical Middle Eastern mold (one of the kids actually thoughtI looked Italian!), but we were all joined under a commontheme: "Be Made Clean" (Mark 1:41).

The retreat day was planned and coordinated by SisterTherese Maria Touma of the Maronite Servants of Christ theLight. The idea of being "made clean" incorporated the giftsof the Mysteries of Reconciliation/Confession and theEucharist in the lives of young Christians. The day wascomposed of workshop presentations by our pastor Fr. DanyAbi-Akar, and Bishop Gregory Mansour. Icebreakers; smallgroup discussions; delicious meals; Adoration of the BlessedSacrament; Confession; and Divine Liturgy.

In small groups, we discussed the fears that hold us backfrom going to Confession, which led to the topic of the

distractions that we face today, diverting us from investingourselves fully in our faith. In his typical anecdotal fashion,Fr. Dany told a story about a guy who fell in love with a girlat a CD store. The guy was too afraid to ask her out, so hejust kept on buying CDs every day, just so he could see her.Unfortunately, the guy died unexpectedly. His mom wentthrough his stuff to find the pile of unopened CDs. When sheopened the CDs, each one had a message inside from the girlfrom the store, in which she asked him if he would like to goout with her. I liked this story because it showed theimportance of having a certain level of openness in order toask God for help, healing and forgiveness. Fr. Dany'smessage was clear: If we are too afraid to live and grow ourspirituality, we might miss all that God has to offer us in ourlives. Thus, going to confession is imperative towards takinginitiative in searching for a deeper spiritual life.

Bishop Gregory gave a talk about how Jesus revealshimself to us through the Eucharist. He put emphasis on howwe should be truly present in our participation in theEucharist. He said we should not be "lazy Christians" in ourreception of the Body and Blood of Christ, because everyMass brings us to the moment of Christ's Last Supper andCrucifixion. He, challenged us to be more active in our faithand in our parishes. During Adoration of the BlessedSacrament, we were given the opportunity to go to confession


It is vital that we sow the seeds of goodness in orderto cultivate justice, foster accord, and sustain

integration, without growing weary.

Pope Francis, March 21, 2017

and we were invited to come up to the Lenten devotionaldisplay (set up by the Sisters) to place a heart on a cross withthe names of our loved ones who needed prayers. Prayers,readings, worship songs focusing on the gift of "Being MadeClean" through God's mercy and forgiveness complementedthe reflective atmosphere.

Despite its being really cold outside, parishioners Mr. andMrs. Munir Barakat, generously donated an afternoonsurprise treat from an ice cream truck! After that, we attendedLiturgy, where the MYO/MYA from my parish served. TheGospel message of the Hemorrhaging Woman reallycapitalized on the retreat's theme. This woman had the utmostfaith in Jesus' healing power. It was she who had the courageto go to Jesus to be healed. This went back to the ideadiscussed earlier in the retreat, in which it is up to us to havethe faith and courage to seek and accept our MaroniteCatholic faith in our lives. After dinner, Sister Therese Mariaoffered another surprise to conclude our day together... dabkedancing!

Lenten Service Project As part of a service project during their March 11, 2017, regional retreat at St. John Paul II parish in Sleepy Hollow,the MYO/MYA participants donated much-needed items tothe local Community Food Pantry of Sleepy Hollow andTarrytown. The parish also presented a check for $150representing a $1 contribution on behalf of each personattending the retreat, as well as $50 received in cashdonations. The money and six boxes of canned tuna, sardines,dry beans and pasta were delivered by local MYA membersJude Bato, Antoine Hameed and Donna-Maria Mourani. �

Brooklyn, New YorkArabic Class

by Salma Vahdat

For several years Arabic Class has been in operation atOur Lady of Lebanon Cathedral in Brooklyn, N.Y., toteach our youngsters the classical language of our

forefathers. The children usually have an opportunity todemonstrate their Arabic prowess at the First HolyCommunion Liturgy when they each have turns reading theEpistle and/or the Intercessions.

We, American-born parishioners, have been so amazedat the ease with which the youngsters master the language

and are very proud of them for their accomplishment. However, over the past few years I began to wonder what

was wrong with us "older" members of the community andchastised myself, at least, for not making an overture to jointhe children. When, finally, a few of us began speaking aboutit amongst ourselves, we decided to ask if we, too, could havean adult class formed.

Leila Vogl, the wife of Subdeacon Norbert, graciouslyvolunteered to take us under her wing and prepare a class forseveral of us twice per month… that has now become everyweek! Some of us wanted only "conversation" and some, thewhole magillah…speaking, reading and writing!

It is true that this wonderful opportunity has come to uslate, and most of us are retired, but I must say it has been atrip! Aside from exercising our brains, we enjoy thecamaraderie and chuckle a lot speaking to each other inArabic. We even have taken to making phone calls to eachother speaking in Arabic. I think our parents andgrandparents are having a chuckle too, watching us fromabove…going full circle! �

Houston, TexasBreakfast With Abouna

by Dustin Jaoude

On Saturday morning, March 11, 2017, Our Lady of theCedars Maronite Church in Houston, Tex., gatheredfor a special event called "Breakfast with Abouna."

After the Divine Liturgy and while the children werehaving religious education instructions in the Pastoral Center, parishioners were invited to the Cedar Hall for this specialevent, a creative way for the parishioners to learn more aboutthe difficult questions regarding the Maronite faith and thehistory of the Catechism.

A Lebanese breakfast was served while Abouna [Father]Edward Hanna lead the discussion with a presentation aboutthe book of the "Catechism of the Catholic Church" (CCC).He referred to the most recent Catechism book as the secondbook of the Catholic Church after the Bible and explainedthat we should use it along with our Bibles to betterunderstand our Catholic faith.

Abouna Edward then asked ten questions and formedgroups to answer these questions with the use of the CCC.This was a great way to engage the parishioners to thinkabout these difficult questions, and to explore our faith evendeeper, while learning about the resources of the Church. �


Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, Ms. Rose Mary Asher and Msgr.Peter Karam.

Subdeacon AlChoufete with his family and Fr. RodolphWakim.

Cleveland, OhioSt. Maron Feast Day Celebration

by Deacon George Khoury

It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. Although Saint Maron Church in Cleveland, Ohio,celebrated the liturgical feast of St. Maron on February 9,

2017, the annual banquet attended by His Excellency BishopA. Elias Zaidan, Bishop of the Eparchy of Our Lady ofLebanon, was celebrated on Saturday, February 25 at LaVilla Banquet Center in Brookpark, Ohio. Nearly 600attendees enjoyed a variety of tasty Middle Easternappetizers.

Parishioners Marianne Dergham and Jeannie Farah werethe Masters of Ceremony. A beautiful rendition of theNational Anthem was sung a capella in harmony byStephanie Farah and her brother Stephen. Msgr. PeterKaram, Pastor, welcomed the attendees, and Associate Fr.Alexander Harb gave the invocation.

Youth from ages seven to eighteen and members of ourMaronite Christian Formation Program (MCFP), the YouthOrganization and the Young Adults Organization performeda dabke dance program choreographed and directed by futureseminarian Christopher Nahra.

Mr. Samir Farah, President of NAM and also aparishioner of St. Maron, presented the Silver MassabkiAward to Alya and Karim Essey for their many years ofgenerosity of time and volunteerism to Saint Maron Church.

Bishop Zaidan recognized four new members of theOrder of Saint Sharbel at the banquet. Thet were presentedwith their medals and inducted on Sunday during Liturgy.

The highlight of the evening was the surpriseannouncement by Msgr. Peter Karam of the efforts of BishopZaidan, in communication with the Holy Father, PopeFrancis, to confer the highest degree in the Knighthood of St.Gregory on Ms. Rosemary Asher. This honor is for deeds,merits and generosity by recipients to the benefit of the HolySee, the Catholic Church, or their respective communities andorganizations. The presentation of this medal took placeduring Sunday's Liturgy. �

Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaSubdiaconate Ordination

by Therezia AlChoufete

On Sunday, January 8, 2017, parishioner Bahige DibAlchoufete was ordained to the Minor Orders ofCantor, Lector, and Subdeacon at Our Lady of Victory

Maronite Catholic Church (OLOV) in Pittsburgh, Penn. Chorbishop John D. Faris led the ceremony. Fr. RodolphWakim was Bahige's sponsor. Family, friends andparishioners, along with out-of-state guests, attended thecelebration. The event was followed by a family-stylereception, and lunch was prepared and served by theparishioners. It was a great event highlighting service andunity within the OLOV community. �

Fairlawn, Ohio.Eightieth Anniversary

by Msgr. William Bonczewski

Amemorable day in the Parish of Our Lady of theCedars of Mt. Lebanon was February 5, 2017, whenHis Excellency Bishop A. Elias Zaidan came to

Fairlawn [Akron], Ohio, to lead the celebrations of the Feastof St. Maron and the 80th Anniversary of the Parish.

Parishioners of all ages and friends of the Parish filled theChurch to overflowing. The prayerful spirit and the joy of theoccasion was fully alive. The Parish youth, Altar Servers,


Children of the parish chant the hymn Salatooke Ma'Ana toBishop Zaidan.

choir members, clergy, and the faithful all participated so well. Following Holy Communion, the children in thepre-school class approached Bishop Zaidan and chanted thehymn Salatooke Ma'Ana with a special intention to OurBlessed Mother for more vocations to the Priesthood andReligious Life for our Eparchy.

After this presentation members of the Parish clubs andYouth took turns to express a pledge to do what they could tohelp increase the Catholic faith of our community and to helpour Maronite traditions to flourish.

A reception took place in the Parish Hall. Parishionersprovided a grand buffet including many Lebanese favorites.The menu, the service and the arrangement of the Hall wereall well done and very appropriate for the two-partcelebration. The Antonine Sisters chanted the invocationprayer. A documentary about the past and present life of the Parish was shown. Bishop Zaidan concluded the program byoffering words of congratulations and encouragement.

Our lives are filled with great blessings and so many ofthe blessings in our lives seem to come from our life of faithand from our beautiful spiritual home, our Church under thetitle and patronage of Our Blessed Mother. I cannot imaginewhat kind of life story each of us here in Akron would havewithout this Parish of Our Lady of the Cedars of Mt.Lebanon.

I pray that the many generations to come will enjoy thesame blessings in their lives as we all have had until now.Thank you, God, for our parish from the past, in this presenttime and for all the future. �

Clinton Township, MichiganPerformance at the DIA

by Melody DeBan

On Saturday, January 21, 2017, the Saint Sharbel DabkeTroupe and Belly Dance Group performed at theDetroit Institute of Arts (DIA) as the entertainment for

the Arabic portion in the International Coffee and TeaFestival. Over 10,000 people attended at this event. The SaintSharbel Dabke Troupe and Belly Dance Group wereoverjoyed to participate in this amazing and culturallyfascinating festival; we had never been to anything like itbefore. There were dispalys of different cultures: Chinese,

Japanese, Indian, Arabic and more, each interesting, unique,and taught us new things.

We cannot thank the staff of The International Coffeeand Tea Festival and the DIA enough for giving us theopportunity to perform in front of such an amazing audience,surrounded by breathtaking art, inside of a beautiful museum.

Also a huge thank you to Chorbishop Alfred Badawi andeveryone that came to support us during our performance.

Youth Lecture

by Steven El Aile

Twenty-five members of the St. Sharbel Maronite YouthOrganization (MYO) in Clinton Township, Mich., attendeda lecture about how to bring God into daily life. Steven ElAile, a longtime member of St. Sharbel Parish, discussed thedaily distractions that prevent us from focusing on God andbringing Him into our lives. He reminded the youths thatwith the greatest commandment, Jesus instructed us to loveone another. It is this love that we must bring into oureveryday lives and share with everyone around us. �


The Eparchy of Saint Maron andThe Eparchy of Our Lady of

Lebanon Need You!

by Marise Frangie

Each one of us is fashioned in a unique way to carryGod's plan of salvation in the world. Our calling, gifts,talents and abilities are all gift from God, gifts for us to

use to build His kingdom and bring others closer to Him. AsOur Lord says, "Without cost you have received; without costyou are to give." Giving back by using our gifts and time isa great way to be grateful to God for His goodness. TheEparchy needs you! Your parish needs you to help build aculture of life and a civilization of love!! We are looking forpeople who can volunteer as a Respect Life coordinator forhis/her parish. We need you to actively engage people in yourparish about Respect Life/Family Life issues and to reach outto various ministries to raise awareness that fosters RespectLife action in the community. Your responsibilities as aRespect Life coordinator are not different from theresponsibilities of every baptized Maronite Catholic called tobe an active participant in the building of his/her Church:

• Develop or maintain a solid, consistent prayer life andfrequent the Sacraments. Stay close to Christ, or if it is notpossible to do His work. The Sacraments and prayer giveyou the graces you need.

• Be familiar with the Church teachings on life issues foundin Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and theUSCCB Plan for Pro-Life Activities.

• Develop a relationship with your pastor; learn about hisintentions for the parish.

• Act in accord with Christ's will in obedience to yourpastor, the Bishop, and the Church.

• At all times speak the Truth in Charity.

• Know yourself, your strengths and weaknesses … pray forhumility and courage to have the knowledge and thecourage you need…Christ has called you to this work, andHe will equip you to do it if you allow Him to do so.

• Know your parish…you are a leader…know the strengthsand weaknesses of your parish in order that you may seethe unique gift that your parish is and call upon others whohave a unique gift to offer…you are both a servant and aleader!

The duties of the Parish Respect Life Coordinator include butare not limited to:

• Serve as a liaison between the local diocesan Respect LifeOffice, the Office of Family and Sanctity of Life for theEparchy of Saint Maron, and the parish.

• Educate and inform the parish on Respect Life issues under

the guidance of the local diocesan and eparchial Offices.

• Receive and act upon Respect Life newsletters, bulletininserts, intercessions, flyers, alerts, educational andpastoral information from the diocesan and eparchialOffices.

• Support your pastor in making Respect Life activity visibleand viable at the parish level.

Saint Francis of Assisi said, "Keep a clear eye toward life'send. Do not forget your purpose and destiny as God'screature. What you are in his sight is what you are andnothing more. Remember that when you leave this earth, youcan take nothing that you have received...but only what youhave given: a full heart enriched by honest service, love,sacrifice, and courage." Will you give your time and talentsto help in the salvation of souls? The Office of Family andSanctity of Life is in need of your assistance to help othersrealize how precious they are in God's sight. Please, if youcan dedicate some of your time to help in building a cultureof life and a civilization of Love, contact:

• For the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon, MonsignorWill iam Bonczewski at 330-666-3598 [email protected], 507 SouthCleveland Massillon Road, Fairlawn, OH 44333

• For the Eparchy of Saint Maron, Marise Frangie at 914-393-8907 or [email protected], Office ofFamily and Sanctity of Life, 109 Remsen Street, Brooklyn,NY 11201. �

Denver, ColoradoTwenty-Four Hours with the Lord

by Mike Dunn

On March 17 - 18, 2017, St. Rafka Maronite CatholicChurch, Lakewood [Denver], Colo., celebratedtwenty-four hours of praise, worship, and adoration

with the Lord. This has become an annual tradition at St.Rafka.


The event began at three o’clock on Friday afternoonwith the Divine Mercy Chaplet and the Exposition of theBlessed Sacrament. The afternoon was an opportunity forpersonal quiet time with Our Lord as several people came infor a period of time.

At 6:30 p.m., the Blessed Sacrament was reposed and wecelebrated our Lenten Friday service of Divine Liturgy,Stations of the Cross, and the Benediction of the Cross.Eucharistic Adoration resumed afterwards, and many peoplealternated between time in prayer and time in the Parish Hallenjoying a simple potluck Lenten dinner.

Adoration continued all through the night and intoSaturday with more than ten people present at a time beforeOur Lord. The faithful included St. Rafka parishioners,friends from neighboring Roman Catholic parishes, and theEucharistic Apostles of Divine Mercy group hosted at St.Rafka Church. Most of the time was spent in silent prayerand reflection that was interspersed with sacred music ormeditative readings. One parishioner commented on what ablessing it was: "We so rarely have time to sit quietly withOur Lord."

The closing rites began on Saturday afternoon andincluded the Service of Readings, the Chaplet of DivineMercy, the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Praise andWorship, and concluded with the Benediction of the BlessedSacrament. �

Wilkes-Barre, PennsylvaniaCharitable Drive

During the month of February, The Altar &RosarySociety of St. Anthony/St. George Maronite Parish inWilkes-Barre, Penn., ran a St. Maron’s Food Drive for

the needy, This event was chaired by Mrs. Georgette Austinand Mrs. Cynthia Daywood Collins. The Sisters of Mercywere very grateful for the non-perishable goods and monetarydonations. �

Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaAward Presentation

On Saturday, February 18, 2017, parishioners andfriends of Our Lady of Victory Maronite Church inCarnegie [Pittsburgh], Penn., gathered at the Le Mont

Restaurant for the 10th Annual Hafli in Honor of SaintMaron.

During the event, Father Rodolph Wakim, Pastor,presented the Family of the Year Award to Peter and TheresaHabib for the many years of support and dedication to OurLady of Victory Church. This award was the third timegiven to a family of OLOV and was the highlight of theHafli.

Light Is Life

On Sunday,F eb r u a r y12, 2017,

following theDivine Liturgy, Father RodolphWakim, Pastor ofOur Lady ofVictory Church,presented SharbelSadaka with the“Light is Life”Medal programawarded by ourMaronite Church

Father Wakim worked closely with Sharbel on thisemblem, as his Priest and Counselor. Sharbel, a proudMaronite and an Eagle Scout candidate was proud to receivethis award. May God protect Sharbel and keep him close toJesus, who is the Light of our lives.

Thank you Fr. Rodolph for being a good role model andteacher to our youth. �


Schedule of Bishop Gregory Mansour

April 1, 2017Visit to St. Sharbel Church for the Children and YouthProgram, Somerset, N.J.

April 2, 2017Visit to Our Lady Star of the East Parish, Pleasantville,N.J.

April 5, 2017Presbyteral Council Meetings and Chrism Mass,Brooklyn, N.Y.

April 6, 2017Eparchial Financial Council Meetings, The Chancery,Brooklyn, N.Y.

April 9, 2017Hosanna Sunday Service, Our Lady of LebanonCathedral, Brooklyn, N.Y., and Evening Service atManhattan Mission, Manhattan, N.Y.

April 11, 2017Diocese of Brooklyn Chrism Mass, Brooklyn, N.Y.

April 12, 2017Rite of the Lamp, St. Theresa Church, Brockton, Mass.

April 13, 2017Washing of the Feet, St. Maron Church, Torrington,Conn.

April 14 - 16, 2017Great Friday of the Crucifixion, Holy Saturday andEaster Sunday Services, Our Lady of LebanonCathedral, Brooklyn, N.Y.

April 21, 2017Hosting Bethlehem University Board of Trustees, TheChancery, Brooklyn, N.Y.

April 23, 2017Feast of St. George, Providence, Rhode Island

April 24, 2017Welcome to Archbishop of Pakistan Speaking onReligious Freedom

April 29 - 30, 2017Pastoral Visit to St. George Church, Uniontown, Penn.

May 7, 2017Feast of Our Lady of Lebanon, Our Lady of LebanonCathedral, Brooklyn, N.Y.

May 8 - 9, 2017Seminary Visit and Catholic Relief Services Meetings,Washington, D.C.

May 13, 2017Ordination to Diaconate of Brian Dunn, Fall River,Mass.

May 20, 2017Ordination to Diaconate of Peter Frangie, Our Lady ofLebanon Cathedral, Brooklyn, N.Y. �


The Year of Witness and MartyrsPastoral Letter of His Beatitude Patriarch Bechara Peter Rai

Bechara Peter Cardinal Rai, throughthe Grace of God, Patriarch of Antiochand All the East and Cardinal of theUniversal Church

To their Excellencies the Bishops,Priests, Monks, Nuns and all theFaithful, the Sons and Daughters of ourMaronite Church.

Peace and Apostolic Blessing,

Introduction

The Holy Synod of our Church,held between June 10 and June18, 2015, decided to declare the

year 2017 "The Year of Witness andMartyrs of the Maronite Church."

We have decided, along with theCouncil of Their Excellencies theBishops, at the meeting on Wednesday,January 4, 2017, to start the Year ofWitness and Martyrs on the Feast dayof our Father, Saint Maron on February9, 2017, and end it on March 2, 2018,the Feast day of our Father, the FirstMaronite Patriarch, Saint John Maron.

The purpose of this "year" is: First, tocelebrate our well-known martyrs,particularly the three hundred and fiftymonks, followers of Saint Maron whowere martyred 1500 years ago(517-2017); our Church celebrates themon July 31. Also to be celebrated are thePatriarch Daniel Hadchiti who wasmartyred 734 years ago (1283-2017);the Patriarch Gabriel Hjoula who wasmartyred 650 years ago (1367-2017);and the Blessed Martyrs, the MassabkiBrothers, who were martyred alongwith a large number of Maronites in1860; our Church celebrates their feaston July 10th.

Second, the purpose is to create a listwith the names of the sons anddaughters of our Church who had shedtheir blood for the sake of their faith inJesus Christ, the archetypal Martyr.They are unidentified and theirmartyrdom goes back to different erasof history when our Church hasendured the harshest persecutions,similar to the ones during the rule of the

Mamluks and the Ottomans, the eventsof 1840 and 1860, the famine duringWorld War I and the last Lebanese war.

We cover in this letter four topics:

• Reasons to Celebrate the Year ofWitness and Martyrs;

• The concept of Witness andMartyrdom in the Holy Scripturesand the Catechism of the Church;

• The Maronite Church as the Churchof Witnesses and Martyrs;

• Instructions to celebrate the Year of

Witness and Martyrs.

Reasons to Celebrate theYear of Witness and

Martyrs

This initiative falls under theestablished framework of loyalty to theecclesiastical, apostolic and theologicaltraditions of the Church and forms areply to the call which His Holiness thelate Pope John Paul II addressed tolocal churches, in his Apostolic Lettertitled, "At the Beginning of the ThirdMillennium," issued on November 10,1994: "The local Churches should doeverything possible to ensure that the

memory of those who have sufferedmartyrdom should be safeguarded,gathering the necessary documentation.This gesture cannot fail to have anecumenical character and expression.Perhaps the most convincing form ofecumenism is the ecumenism of thesaints and of the martyrs. Thecommunio sanctorum speaks louderthan the things which divide us. Themartyrologium of the first centuries wasthe basis of the veneration of the Saints.By proclaiming and venerating theholiness of her sons and daughters, theChurch gave supreme honor to Godhimself; in the martyrs she veneratedChrist, who was at the origin of theirmartyrdom and of their holiness. TheChurch of the first millennium wasborn of the blood of the martyrs. At theend of the second millennium, theChurch has once again become aChurch of martyrs. The persecutions ofbelievers - priests, Religious and laity -has caused a great sowing ofmartyrdom in different parts of theworld. The witness to Christ borne evento the shedding of blood has become acommon inheritance of all theChristians. This witness must not beforgotten" (No.37).

As we comply with this invitation,identified during the Synod of Bishopsfor Lebanon in Rome during October1995, we are honoring the legacy of thesons and daughters of our MaroniteChurch. We are especially honoring themartyrs, whom we look at as anexample to faithfully follow the Bibleand to believe in Jesus Christ as we livein our modern world at the beginning ofthe third millennium. Thus, our Churchsustains its historical memory andremains by virtue of its vocationthroughout history, a witness to the lastdrop of its blood to the divine teacher,Christ, who assured the church pastorsas well as he did to his disciples. "Butyou will be my witness...and to the endsof the earth" (Acts 1:8).

If we go back to our history, we findthat it was filled with the spirituality ofmonasticism and witness, which are theintegrated dimensions of our Maronitespirituality, the spirituality that SaintMaron has created and the one that hisdisciples and his people have lived after


his death. In both cases, it shows thedepth and roots of the Christian life infollowing Jesus Christ. Our Maronitechurches and monasteries are the livingexamples of this great Christian legacy.Our patron saints are among the greatmartyrs and hermits: Stephen, Takla,Cyprian and Justina, Sarkis andBakhos, Nohra, Mama, Abda, CharbelRihawi, Shalita, Saba, Antonios,Doumit, Simon the Stylite, Bichai,Marina, and many others of the brightand angelic faces that had an impactand still does on our history, ourexistence and our Christian journey inLebanon, in the Middle East andthroughout the world in the countries ofour diaspora, expansion and settlement.

In our liturgical calendar, many daysare offered for remembrance of thoseheroes and memorial services aredevoted to them, especially on Fridays;the celebrant saves precise days forthem, ordered in terms of number andimportance right after the main feasts.The liturgical rituals commemorate themartyrs and hermits on specific daysand mention them after the name ofJesus, our Lord, the Virgin Mary,Mother of God, and the Apostles, as isthe case for the rite of Good Friday, therites of Crowning, Baptism and othersacred rites. It is also the case for thedaily prayers and the Anaphorae of theDivine Liturgy.

The commemoration of those martyrswho loved Christ and bore witness tohim by their death is a duty for us aswell, so we can follow their examplesin living our faith, sanctifying our lifeand strengthening our ability to forgive.It is also an invitation to deepen ourunderstanding of the religious virtuesand to be in constant readiness to live alife of loving service to one another,and also to spread peace.

Witness and Martyrdom inthe Holy Scriptures and theCatechism of the Catholic

Church We must remind you of the teachings ofthe Holy Scriptures and the Catechismof the Catholic Church about witnessand martyrdom. The witness recordedin the Holy Scriptures is completed bythe martyrdom. The Martyr is the onewho has proven his/her faith in Christby his/her actions, words and

behaviors, then crowned it with thewitness of blood. Not every witness isa martyr, but every martyr is a witness.The Greek terms "martyrion" and"martyria," mean "martyr" and"witness" and infer the possibility ofthe witness of blood. When the LordJesus Christ appointed his disciples tobe witnesses to His teaching and HisResurrection, it exposed for them thepossibility that they may be persecuteduntil death: "Behold, I am sending youlike sheep in the midst of wolves; so beshrewd as serpents and simple as doves.But beware of people, for they willhand you over to courts and scourgeyou in their synagogues... And you willbe hated by all because of my name....And do not be afraid of those who killthe body but cannot kill the soul; rather,be afraid of the one who can destroyboth soul and body in hell" (Matthew10: 16, 17, 22, 28). Hence they areconfirming to God and to Christ thetestimony of "the Great Love," as Godattests in the Gospel, "No one hasgreater love than this, to lay down one'slife for one's friends" (John 15:13).

The Letter to the Hebrews speaks aboutthe witnesses to the martyrs of faith inthe Old Testament. They have enduredpain and death, for the sake of theirloyalty to the divine promises (cf.Chapter 11). The Second Book ofMaccabees refers to observed loyalty tothe divine law by the martyrs. (cf.Chapter 6 - 7). In the Book ofRevelation, we find the word"witnesses," which John the Apostleused for those who have beenslaughtered because of the witness theybore to the word of God "I sawunderneath the altar the souls of thosewho had been slaughtered because ofthe witness they bore to the word ofGod" (Revelation 6:9).

In The Catechism of the CatholicChurch, "martyrdom is the ultimatewitness to the truth of the faith,signifying bearing witness unto death.The martyr bears witness to Christ whodied and rose and to whom he is unitedby charity. The martyr, in tribute to thetruth of the Christian faith and belief,endures death as an act of fortitude, asdid Saint Ignatius of Antioch whilesaying to his people: "Let me becomethe food of the beasts, through whom itwill be given me to reach God,"(Compendium of the Catechism of theCatholic Church, 2473). The Church

deemed that through baptism we bearwitness to the truth of faith, as SaintJohn Chrysostom said, "Do not besurprised if the witness to the faith isconsidered Baptism. Just like thebaptized people are washed with water,so are the martyrs with their blood." Inthe Maronite prayer, on Friday eveningof the Season of the Glorious Epiphanyof the Lord, we pray: "Jesus Christ ourLord, at your divine baptism in thewaters of the Jordan River you beganthe journey of mortification andsuffering, till witness and baptism ofblood, thus your martyr heroes werebaptized by shedding their blood." "TheChurch has painstakingly collected therecords of those who persevered to theend in witnessing to their faith. Theseare the Acts of the Martyrs. They formthe archives of truth written in letters ofblood" (Catechism of the CatholicChurch, 2474).

The Church also teaches that "the dutyof Christians to partake in the life of theChurch impels them to act as witnessesof the Gospel and of the obligations thatflow from it. This witness is atransmission of the faith in words anddeeds. Witness is an act of justice thatestablishes the truth or makes it known"(Catechism of the Catholic Church,2472). "For all Christians, whereverthey live, are bound to show forth, bythe example of their lives and by thewitness of the word, the new man puton at baptism and that power of theHoly Spirit by which they have beenstrengthened at confirmation" (VaticanII Decree Ad Gentes on the MissionActivity of the Church, 11).

The Church took the theology ofwitness and martyrdom from themystery of Christ, in His Incarnation,Death, and Resurrection. He is the rolemodel of the witness to the truth andmartyr by the sacrifice of his blood(John 12:15). For to witness to Christ isdemonstrated by following his examplein loving one another, imitating Himand dying for His name. Thus, thewitness took three principle values:

A.The value of personal faith toverbally profess that Jesus Christ isthe Lord. (Acts 2:36 and Romans10:9) and profess that He is the oneand only faithful witness (Revelation1:5); to be His disciple, steady in ourlove for Him and follow himunreservedly.


B.The value of socio-religious love thatcommits to serve the Gospel (Acts6:2-3) and serve the church (2Corinthians 8:3). In return, GodHimself who knows the human heart,testifies and expresses Hissatisfaction (Acts 15:8).

C.The value of missionary hopeinitiated by the enthusiasm of thebaptized men and women toannounce the good news of theGospel. (Matthew 24:14) and followthe mission of evangelization like theApostles. (Acts 1:8) Also, tocontinue their witness that God, theHoly Trinity is close to every personand is inviting us to the feast of joy(Matthew 22:1).

The Witness in Christianity is someonein love with Christ; loves him in everyperson, even the enemy. He/sheproclaims the presence of "Christyesterday, today and forever" (Hebrews13:8); he/she witnesses to his message(Acts 1:22) and his resurrection (1Corinthians 15:5).

The martyr is an imitator of Jesus whofollowed His example and has beenfilled with the power of the Holy Spiritand the grace of the Father. Thus, themartyr, through shedding his/her blood,is able to proclaim the good news of theGospel. He declares through his/herChristian faith a belief in God theFather, the Son and the Holy Spirit.Through his/her membership within theChurch, he/she makes evident his/herconnection to the divine virtues and theCatechism of the Church, and he/shefaces, armed with the tools of peace andmercy, the sword of the persecutor,who tortures him/her and kills him/herin many different ways.

Martyrdom is an act that the martyraccepts to demonstrate his/her devotionto his/her faith in Christ and his/herlove of Him freely, honestly andjoyfully. With the willingness tocompletely imitate Jesus and to be partof His plan of redemption, he evokesthe Word of God deep inside himself:"If they persecuted me, they will alsopersecute you" (John 15:20). Christianmartyrdom is not a desire for death,rather it is confirmation of faith inChrist until death (cf. Matthew 10:32).

We learn, in our Antiochian heritage,about the theology of witness and

martyrdom in the spirituality of SaintIgnatius of Antioch, who consideredthat the shedding of blood in witness tofaith is a special invitation from God tothe Church. It is also a divine choiceand a Eucharistic living. Saint Ignatiuswrote to the Romans: "Allow me tobecome food for the wild beasts,through whose instrumentality it will begranted me to attain to God. I am thewheat of God, and let me be ground bythe teeth of the wild beasts that I maybe found to be the pure bread of Christ... Entreat Christ for me, that by theseinstruments I may be found a sacrificeto God (Letter of Ignatius to theRomans 4:1). He considered martyrdoman opportunity for greater witness toChrist. He wrote, "Only request on mybehalf both inward and outwardstrength that I may not only speak buttruly will, and I may not merely becalled a Christian, but really be foundto be one, and be then deemed faithful,when I shall no longer appear to theworld (Letter to the Romans 3:1). Andto the Church in Smyrna he wrote: "Thewitness of blood shows Christ's lifewithin us, and witness to theResurrection and victory over deathfrom now on" (Letter to the Smyrnians3).

In the Process of Causes forBeatification and Canonization, theChurch presented the rules ofcategorizing the martyrs in thedocument of "Sanctorum Mater,"issued by The Congregation for TheCauses of Saints on May 17, 2007. Itstates that the basic rule of sacrificingone's life for Christ is the best pathtoward sainthood. And it considers thatthe proof of martyrdom be exempt fromperforming a miracle. For it conductsthorough inquiry "on the life, themartyrdom and the reputation ofmartyrdom and intercessory power"(Article 31, par. 2). It gives credence tothe reputation of martyrdom which isvoiced by the faithful that the allegedservant of God, man or woman that willbe canonized, has endured death forhis/her faith and for a virtue associatedto faith. Martyrdom should bespontaneous and not artificiallyproduced. For this reason the Churchasks all faithful, whether man orwoman, to be ready to die for their faithin Christ, but not to seek death. It islikewise necessary, directly orindirectly but always in a morallycertain way, to ascertain the hatred of

the faith of the persecutor who coercesand intimidates the believer to deny thefaith, disregarding socio-politicalreasons or any other similar reasons.This is the point that Pope BenedictXVI pointed to in a letter to theCongregation for the Causes of Saintsissued in 2006.

As an example, Saint MaximillianKolbe voluntarily chose death soanother may live in the face of religiouspersecution. He volunteered to die in1941at the death camp of Auschwitz inPoland, in place of a father who wasdetained with him. He was not declaredas a martyr saint in the Church.However, Pope Francis declared FatherJacques Hamel a martyr who wasmurdered at Saint Stephen, in thediocese of Rouen on July 26, 2016.Pope Francis asked the Bishop of theDiocese of Rouen to begin animmediate inquiry into his beatificationfor his having been sacrificed for hisfaith and refusal to denounce hisChristian belief in God and JesusChrist.

The Maronite Church is theChurch of Witnesses and

Martyrs

Since its inception at the end of theseventeenth century by the firstPatriarch Saint John Maron andafterwards, the Maronite Churchexperienced constant growth andembraced the spirituality that SaintMaron and his disciples had founded inthe mountain of Cyr. The Church seeksto live the Gospel without compromisethrough a life of asceticism,anchoritism, prayer and preaching. Thisspirituality has been discerned as acomplete life that gathered theanchoritic life and the message in theframework of witness to Christ.

The Maronite hermit is known forliving in the open air, on mountain tops,standing for long hours, and remainingawake in contemplative silence. Thehermit is also known for living inpoverty, self-denial, and working andinvesting in the field. However, themessage was carried by emigration inorder to spread the word, preach to thepagans, inspire them to believe inChrist and turn their temples intochurches and monasteries. Also, bybuilding monasteries to serve as the


centers which spread Christian life,education, and knowledge.

This Maronite spirituality is thespirituality of the Cross that is based ontwo dimensions: the vertical dimensionis the line of the relationship with God,through asceticism, worship, andprayer, the line that connects earth andheaven; and the horizontal line, whichis the line of the message ofevangelization, a line that connects usto one another. Following Saint Maronand his disciples, this is how theMaronites lived their life and became"the Community of the Cross in theChurch of Humanity."

The disciples of Saint Maron came firstto the mountains of Jbeil, Batroun, andJebbeh where they preached, baptizedand spread their spirituality. WhenPatriarch John Maron, the firstPatriarch of Antioch was elected, heestablished the Maronite Patriarchate ofsui juris Church in communion with theUniversal Catholic Church. During andafter that time, Maronites followed thespiritual fundamentals of the foundingfathers, carrying the cross, followingJesus Christ and witnessing to Him. So,from the tops of the mountains, or inthe deep valley, they lived in the openair a life of eternal prayer, ready tomeet God through prayer, vigils,fasting, and mortification. Theyendured the harshest tortures andpersecutions for their faith, freedom,and their independence. The price theypaid was of the blood of thousands ofmartyrs throughout the ages andcenturies.

They did not ask this world for power,and they did not build an empire. Theydid not come to Mount Lebanon asrefugees or invaders, but they came ashermits carrying a message engraved bythe ascetic testimony and readiness formartyrdom to defend their faith andfreedom. Their martyrs were notcrowned as a result of greed for wealthand power, but as a result of theirpeaceful message of love, reconciliationand respect of one another. Their namewas associated with Mount Lebanon,and they turned it into a monastery ofprayer and praise to God. They namedthe highest peak of Mount Lebanon"Qarno D'Sawhde" which means the"peak of martyrs" as a role model forevery spiritual height, and they namedthe biggest valley in Mount Lebanon

"Qadisha Valley" which means "Valleyof Saints." They endured all kinds oftorture and death, to the point where thesaying about martyrs of faith in theletter to the Hebrews applied to them:"Some were tortured and would notaccept deliverance, to obtain a betterresurrection. Others endured mockery,scourging, even chains, andimprisonment. They were stoned,sawed in two, put to death at sword'spoint; they went about in skins of sheepor goats, needy, afflicted, tormented.The world was not worthy of them.They wandered about in deserts and onmountains, in caves, and in crevices inthe earth" (Hebrews 11: 35-38).

None of the Maronites' properties weresaved from damages or destruction,rather, they were ravaged, theirpossessions destroyed, their churchestorn down, and they themselvesdisplaced to the mountains and valleys.In spite of this, they did not give up,and they did not renounce their faith inChrist; rather they strengthened theirclose relationship with Him to the pointthat they identified themselves withHim. Their martyrdom emulated thecharacteristics of Mary. They saw theHoly Virgin Mary as the example,guide, and patron to their families, theirchurches and their monasteries, whichwere the residences of their Patriarchs.They took the martyrs as patrons to thechurches of their parishes andmonasteries.

Celebrating the Year ofWitness and Martyrs

We call upon all the sons and daughtersof our Maronite Church in Lebanon, thePatriarchal domain and the countries ofexpansion to celebrate the Year ofWitness and Martyrs, by participatingin the activities organized by theMaronite eparchies, parishes, religiousorders, monasteries, ladies' societies,pastoral groups, church organizations,schools, universities, cultural centers,intellectuals, historians, artists, familiesand channels of communication andmedia.

Also, we ask them to work together togather information about the martyrs ofour Church throughout differentgenerations and pay homage to theknown, unknown and forgottenmartyrs. We have asked some

historians of our Church to work onclarifying history, in particular thehistory of the martyrs from thebeginning of our Church until today,especially the 350 martyrs of SaintMaron's disciples, Patriarch DanielHadchiti, as well as Patriarch GabrielHjoula. We appreciate the efforts thatwill be made in order to achieve suchwork. It is a long term work, and it willtake years to accomplish it. We alsodecided at the Maronite PatriarchalSynod to leave the pending issues openfor scientific research. Hence, historianswill work on putting together thehistorical events and explaining them inthe light of the Church's journeytowards ecumenism and unity.

Among the most important initiativesthat will be undertaken, in order tocelebrate the Year of Witness andMartyrs, we suggest the following:

• To organize a campaign that aims toraise awareness about witness andmartyrdom in our Church.

• To offer spiritual retreats, meditationand symposiums that emphasize therole of witness and martyrs in ourdaily life.

• To plan festivals, processions, andpilgrimages to sacred places, tochurches and to the martyr'smonasteries.

• To initiate scientific and historicalresearch, particularly in theuniversities, that focus on the historyof witness and martyrs in ourChurch. To enrich the MaroniteSynaxarion of the Saints, the bookthat commemorates Saints for everyday throughout the year.

• To ensure that Universities andColleges organize a series ofconferences that cover the issue ofthe Christian martyrs in the varioustimes of persecutions.

• To engage the faculties ofengineering and fine art to discoverthe historical features in our Church,in terms of the architecture of thechurches, the drawing of icons,music, etc.

• To build a collaboration between thePatriarchal Liturgical Committee andthe faculties of religious, theological


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,

visit www.orderstsharbel.org

or write to:

Eparchy of Saint Maron 109 Remsen Street

Brooklyn, NY 11201

or

Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon1021 South 10th StreetSt. Louis, MO 63104

and liturgical studies, in order to createprayers, novenas, hymns andprocessions for the martyrs of ourChurch. As well, work on addingcelebrations of witness and martyrdomto the liturgical year calendar.

• To collaborate with the media tospread knowledge about the martyrsand their role in the journey of theChurch, its prosperity and growth.

There are major feasts that helpincorporate these initiatives in theliturgical calendar. They are as follows:February 9, Feast of Saint Maron;March 2, Feast of Saint John Maron;April 1, the memory of martyrdom ofPatriarch Gabriel Hjoula; May 22,memory of martyrdom of PatriarchDaniel Hadchiti and the hundreds ofmartyrs in the Jebbeh and its suburbs(in 1283); July 10, the Feast of theBlessed Massabki Brothers and thememory of the martyrs in MountLebanon, Zahle and Damascus (in1860); July 31, the Feast of the ThreeHundred Fifty Martyrs, Disciples ofSaint Maron (in 517); September 14,the Feast of the Exaltation of the HolyCross, and, others.

It is necessary, this year, to coordinateactivities and initiatives for ceremonies.For this reason we designated aPatriarchal Committee chaired by HisExcellency Bishop Mounir Khairallah.It has the following members: AbbotAntoine Khalife OLM; FatherRaymond Bassil as treasurer; FatherJoseph Moukarzel OLM; Father AbdoAntoun OMM; Father Sarkis TaberOMA; Father Maroun MoubarakMLM; Sister Martha Bassil LMO;Sister Leila Saliba the Antonin nun; Dr.Marie Khoury; Dr. Samir Khoury; Dr.Ray Jabber Hachem; Dr. AntoineHakim; Dr. Elias Kattar; and Dr.Christian El Helou. This committee willbe responsible for planning andsupervising the intended events and forputting together a directory for thispurpose.

Conclusion

The Year of Witness and Martyrs is aspecial occasion to renew our Christiancommitment to witness to Jesus and tobe prepared to fulfill it even to thewitness of blood, so that hatred can beconquered by love, war by peace,enmity by fraternity, and injustice by

justice. It is a year that removes fearfrom our hearts while we are witnessingnowadays torture and persecution ofChristians. We have also witnessedkilling, destruction, displacement andexpulsion in many different parts of theworld, and especially in the MiddleEast. Pope Francis describes this realityin his homily marking the Feast of SaintStephen, the martyr. He said: "Today,the liturgy involves us in celebratingthe martyrdom of Saint Stephen, theFirst Martyr, inviting us to reflect onthe witness that he gave us with hissacrifice. It is precisely the gloriouswitness of Christian martyrdom,suffered for love of Christ, themartyrdom which continues to bepresent in the history of the Church,from Stephen up to our time. Jesusforewarns the disciples of the rejectionand persecution they will encounter:"You will be hated by all for my name'ssake" (Matthew 10: 22). But why doesthe world persecute Christians? Theworld hates Christians for the samereason that they hated Jesus: because hebrought the light of God, and the worldprefers darkness so as to hide its evilworks. Today, too, in order to bearwitness to light and to truth, the Churchexperiences, in different places, harshpersecution up to the supreme sacrificeof martyrdom. How many of ourbrothers and sisters in faith endureabuse and violence and are hatedbecause of Jesus! I shall tell yousomething: today's martyrs are morenumerous with respect to those of thefirst centuries" (Angelus Dec. 26,2016).

In the Year of Witness and Martyrs welift up our thoughts and our minds toMary our Mother, the Queen ofMartyrs. We ask that this year be aperiod of hope and perseverance, tocomplete the work of salvation thatJesus Christ has started and completed,a work that Saint Paul describes as, "inmy flesh I am filling up what is lackingin the afflictions of Christ on behalf ofhis body, which is the Church"(Colossians 1:24). May this year be anincentive to follow in the footsteps ofour witnesses and martyrs, to collecttheir heritage, a year to discover theforgotten martyrs and the unknown, sothey can all intercede for us and be anexample for us to follow Christ andwitness to his love, in giving,sacr i f i c ing , fo rg iveness andreconciliation. �

From our See in Bkerke on February 9,2017, Feast of Saint Maron.

+ Bechara Peter Cardinal RaiPatriarch of Antioch and All the East


If the Lord is Calling You, The Church Needs You

Are We a Bridge-Builder? by Fr. Tony Massad

Once upon a time two brothersshared adjoining farms. For overforty years they worked side by

side, sharing equipment and helpingeach other out whenever needed. Thenone day a rift developed. It began witha small misunderstanding and it grewinto a major difference, and finally itexploded into an exchange of bitterwords followed by months of angrysilence.

One day the elder brother, Pete,was out in his fields when a truckpulled up. Out jumped a man whoapproached Pete carrying a carpenter'stoolbox. "I'm looking for a few days’work," he said. "Perhaps you wouldhave a few small jobs I could do foryou?"

"Well, yes, I do," said Pete. "Seethat creek down there? It's the borderbetween my brother's farm and mine.My brother keeps it nice and deep to

stop me from setting one foot on hisbeloved farm. Well I'll oblige him. Iwant you to take that timber over thereby the barn and build me a new fence,a real tall one, so I don't have to lookover at my stinkin' brother and his farmno more."

The carpenter was glad to have thework, "No problem sir. I understand.Just point me to your post-hole diggerand I'll get the job done." Thecarpenter set about working.Meanwhile Farmer Pete drove intotown to the cattle auction. When hereturned at sunset he was shocked tosee what the carpenter had done.

There was no fence. Instead thecarpenter had built a bridge andwalking across it was Pete's youngerbrother. He held out his hand and spoketo his brother. "Pete, after all I've doneto you these past few weeks I can'tbelieve you'd still reach out to me.You're right. It's time to bury thehatchet."

The two brothers met at the middleof the bridge and embraced. Theyturned to see the carpenter hoist histoolbox on his shoulder. "No, wait!Stay a few days. I've a lot of otherprojects for you," said farmer Pete. "I'dlove to stay on," the carpenter said, "butI have more bridges to build." (AuthorUnknown).

In the story, we see two brotherswho have a problem with each other,and rather than finding a way to solvethe issue, they decided to hurt eachother. In doing so they grow apart andas they do they begin to changethemselves. Not only is it enough tostop talking to each other, they want todo things and put up obstacles that willfurther divide them and erase the ideaof each other's existence! Have we everfelt this way about another? Are we ina situation in which we are living thisway right now? Where do we findourselves in this story? If we can'tanswer “the carpenter,” the one whobuilds the bridge, then we mustre-evaluate our lives if we say we are aChristian.

To be a Christian is to be abridge-maker. We build bridges in ourlives, first the bridge between ourselvesand God, because He gives us the grace

to do the work. We build our bridgewith the Lord to give us the strength tofight the good fight, to honor our Lordand respect the dignity and mercy Hebestows upon us, because we are madein His image and likeness, and fromthis poin t we can becomebridge-builders for those in the world.

This is not a new idea or teaching. Pope Francis, and many popes beforehim, have elaborated on this point. This all comes from Our Lord Jesus,who, when challenged by a doctor ofthe law as to which is the greatestCommandment, replies, "'Thou shaltlove the Lord thy God with thy wholeheart, and with thy whole soul, and withthy whole mind. This is the greatestand the first commandment. And thesecond is like it, 'Thou shalt love thyneighbor as thyself.' On these twocommandments depend the whole Lawand the Prophets'" Mt 22:37-40.

We may ask, who is my neighbor? In the Gospel of Luke, chapter 10, Jesuswas asked this question and respondedwith the parable of the Good Samaritan. In our story above, we see that thecarpenter saw Pete, the older brother, ashis neighbor. After listening to thereason why Pete wanted to build thefence, the carpenter chose to buildsomething that would heal and promoteforgiveness and reconciliation with theyounger brother, rather than to createmore of a divide. Where do we fit inthis story? Would we have the wisdomand grace to build the bridge or wouldbe a fence?

Our Lord has called us to followHim, to be like Him, and as we arefinishing the season of Great Lent, wewill be moving to the holy Season ofthe Glorious Resurrection. There is nobetter time than now to evaluate ourlives and our promise and look deepinto our hearts and ask: Who is theLord calling me to be? If we answer adisciple who bears his name, aChristian, then like the carpenter, weare called to be a bridge-builder, onewho works for the glory of God,honoring the dignity of everyone wemeet by building bridges to bring themtogether rather than fences to keep themapart. �

If the Lordis Calling

You, 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 30307Or

Our Lady of Lebanon Seminary7164 Alaska Ave. NWWashington, DC 20012


What is Divine Mercy?by

Dr. Anne Borik

Divine Mercy is simply a gift from God and is themanifestation of His love for each and every one of us.We believe that the devotion itself comes directly

from Jesus through apparitions received by a young Polishnun named Faustina Kowalska. According to documentsfound in her diary, Jesus said, "Now is the time of mercy andI want to give especially great graces to the human race."This brings to mind a Scripture verse in Romans when St.Paul writes, “Where sin increased, grace abounded all themore.”

How do we tap into this Divine Mercy? There are fivecomponents to the devotion and I would like to suggest asimple way to remember them. Think of CHIN- F. (The chinis on the face that is how to remember the ‘F'.)

‘C' is for CHAPLET: The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is asimple prayer that we believe was given to us through theapparitions of Our Lord received by Sr. Faustina in the 1930sin Poland. According to Faustina's diary, Jesus said, "Whenthis Chaplet is said by the bedside of a dying person,unfathomable mercy envelops the soul, and the very depthsof My tender mercy is moved.”

The Chaplet can be prayed on ordinary rosary beads. Beginby praying the Our Father, a Hail Mary and reciting theApostles Creed

Large bead: "Eternal Father, I offer you the body, blood,soul and divinity of your dearly beloved son, our LordJesus Christ in atonement for our sins and those of thewhole world."

(10) Small beads: "For the sake of His sorrowful passion,have mercy on us and on the whole world."

At the completion of all five decades, the ending prayer ofthe Chaplet is: "Holy God, Holy Mighty One, HolyImmortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world”prayed three times

‘H' is for HOUR of MERCY: At the three o'clock hour,

Jesus died on the cross for us. It is considered the hour ofGreat Mercy between 3-4pm. During this hour, Jesus asks usto pray the Stations of the Cross. If you are unable to do that,then at least for a brief moment, think about and immerseyourself in the thought of His Passion.

‘I' is for IMAGE: What image? The Image of Divine Mercy. Jesus told Sr. Faustina to have this image painted with thesignature at the bottom that says, Jesus, I TRUST in you. Hesaid, " By means of this Image, I shall grant many graces."

‘N' is for NOVENA: The Novena to Divine Mercy is anine-day prayer novena where Jesus asks that a differentgroup of people be entrusted to him each day.

Day One: Today bring to Me all mankind, especially

sinners.

Day Two: Today bring to Me the souls of priests andreligious.

Day Three: Today bring to Me all devout and faithful souls.

Day Four: Today bring to Me those who do not believe andthose who do not yet know Me.

Day Five: Today bring to Me the souls of those who haveseparated themselves from My church.

Day Six: Today bring to Me the meek and humble soulsand souls of little children.

Day Seven: Today bring to Me the souls who venerate andglorify My mercy.

Day Eight: Today bring to Me the souls who are detained inpurgatory.

Day Nine: Today bring to Me souls who have becomelukewarm.

(Continues on page 22)


Minneapolis, Minnesota

Order of Saint Gregory

Duane and Elizabeth Nassar, life-long members of St.Maron Maronite Catholic Church in Minneapolis,Minn., and great supporters of the Order of Saint

Sharbel, NAM and the Maronite eparchies in the U.S.,received the Papal Order of St. Gregory the Great, one of thehighest papal honors bestowed to laity in the CatholicChurch. The award was presented to them during DivineLiturgy on January 7, 2017, by Bishop Zaidan, Bishop of theEparchy of Our Lady of Leba.n on.

Miracles of Jesus

Saint Maron Maronite Church, Minneapolis, Minn., isre-enacting the miracles of Jesus each Sunday during theSeason of Great Lent. Pictured above is the multiplication ofloaves and fish. Other plays given by grades preschoolthrough high school are Raising of Lazarus, Descent of theHoly Spirit, and Hosanna - entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. ThePassion Play is being postponed until summer and will beenacted by MYA and MYO.

A Churchill ScholarAnthony Tabet, son of Claude and Maroun Tabet and seniorat the University of Minnesota’s College of Science andEngineering and the University’s Honor Program, has beennamed a Churchill Scholar. He is one of only fifteen seniorsselected from top colleges and research universities in the country this year. He will attend the 2017 - 2018 academicyear at Churchill College of the University of Cambridgenear London, England. There Anthony will pursue andcomplete an M.Phil in Chemistry. He will conduct researchon supramolecular hydrogels, which have potentialapplications in cancer treatment.

He spent the summer of 2016 as an Amgen Fellow atStanford University, in research leading to the 3D printing oftissue. The honor is valued around $60,000. As recipient,. �

Lawrence, Massachusetts MYO at a Regional Catholic Youth

Conference

by St. Anthony's MYO

"He who began a good work in you will carry it on tocompletion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Phil 1:6)was the theme of the 2nd Annual Merrimack

Valley Catholic Youth Conference under the title "Work InProgress. God is Not Done With Me Yet." St. AnthonyMaronite Youth Organization in Lawrence, Mass., wasblessed to be invited to the conference, which broughttogether more than three hundred teens from differentCatholic parishes across the region. Twenty-one MYOmembers along with their advisors attended this year'sconference and partook in the day's events. The day startedwith large group games/icebreakers, contests and skits. Afterthe welcoming address and some Praise and Worship, theyouth enjoyed a heartfelt keynote address delivered byCatholic singer/songwriter Liz Cotrupi-Phunder. The rest ofthe day was composed of different workshops for the teens,ongoing Eucharistic Adoration throughout the day, and theopportunity for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Afterdinner, the teens gathered together for a prayer service, which


was followed by the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.The conference concluded with a Vigil Mass celebrated bythe Most Reverend Robert Hennessey, Vicar General,Regional Bishop-Merrimack Region of the Archdiocese ofBoston. What an incredible event this was for our teens toexperience the Lord as members of His one, catholic, andapostolic church.

MYO OutingOn Saturday, February 25, 2017, the MYO at St. AnthonyChurch in Lawrence, Mass., gathered for their monthlyget-together and outing. Fifteen MYO members cametogether for a faith formation session centered around theGospel passage of the Temptation of Jesus. This discussionwas led by Father Elie Mikhael, Pastor, and Subdeacon JimDemers as an introduction to the Great Lenten Journey.Following this fruitful discussion, the MYO enjoyed Mexicanfood prepared by their advisors before departing to nearbyLaserCraze. The MYO experienced some friendlycompetition during a Laser Tag battle followed by time in thearcade where a lot of prizes were won! St. Anthony's MYOis blessed with more than twenty-five active MYO membersthat gather once a month for faith formation and an outing.The MYO also rotate different weekends to volunteer withthe Knights of Mary, the parish's children organization. �

Utica, New YorkBlessing of Married Couples

by Chorbishop John D. Faris

Anew tradition began at Saint Louis Gonzaga Church inUtica, N.Y., on Sunday, February 26, 2017, the Feastof Cana Sunday. At the Divine Liturgy, Chorbishop

John D. Faris, Pastor, blessed all the couples of the parishwho had significant wedding anniversaries. This coupleswere delighted to be a part of a celebration of family! Organized by Deacon Peter Hobaica, Chair of the Family

Life Committee, the celebration continued with a weddingcake for everyone in the Church Hall. �

San Francisco, CaliforniaRetreat and Pastoral Visit

by Sue Massoud Bou Harb and Elie Antoun

Our Lady of Lebanon Church Ladies Guild in Milbrae[San Francisco], Calif., held its annual retreat onSaturday, March 18, 2017. Father Gary George led

those in attendance on a spiritual journey of self awareness tohelp break down the barriers that keep us from being our bestselves and come in the way of our relationship with God. Ina 'hands-on' exercise, participants traced their hands on apiece of paper. On the left hand, feelings that hold us backfrom being close to God, such as hurt, anger, envy, jealousyor hate were juxtaposed against things we do to keep us closeto God such as prayer, giving, forgiveness and loving on theright hand. Father Gary explained when our two hands cometogether in prayer and forgiveness, God's light shines in us sowe can be a true reflection of his love. We wrapped up theday in a prayer of healing with the Blessed Sacrament and ameditation rosary.

On Sunday, March 19, Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, Bishopof the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon, celebrated theDivine Liturgy for the Feast of Saint Joseph. Father GaryGeorge and Father Fadi Chidiac concelebrated. During theLiturgy, Bishop Zaidan announced the formal appointment ofFather Gary George as Our Lady of Lebanon's new Pastor. In addition, Father Fadi Chidiac will become AssociatePastor to support Father Gary's commitment to hisresponsibilities as the National Director of the MaroniteYouth. The Ladies Guild cooked and shared a homemademeal, and a memorable weekend was had by all. �


From left: Msgr. David George, Fr. Jack Morrison andSubdeacon Pierre Azzi.

What is Divine Mercy

Continued from page 18

‘F' is for FEAST Day: The Feast day is the Sunday afterEaster, referred to as Divine Mercy Sunday. Jesus said, "Onthat day, the very depths of MY tender mercy are opened. Ipour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls whoapproach the fount of My mercy on that day."

In conclusion, the devotion to Divine Mercy includes prayingthe Chaplet, remembering the three o'clock hour of Mercy,reflecting on the Image of Mercy, praying the Novena, andattending Mass on Divine Mercy Sunday, which is theSunday after Easter. But for whatever reason, if you can'tremember all that, remember the ABCs. The message ofMercy is as simple as the ABC's…

A: Ask for mercyB: Be mercifulC: Completely Trust. �

Tequesta, FloridaWelcome Back

On Sunday, March 19, 2017, the parishioners of Mary,Mother of the Light Mission (MMOL) in Tequesta[Palm Beach], Fla., welcomed Fr. Jack Morrison for

his first Liturgy. Msgr. David George, who was substitutingfor Fr. Jack, told the congregation that it was appropriate onthe Sunday of the Prodigal Son that the prodigal pastor hadreturned. Fr. Jack thanked all of the parishioners, not only ofMMOL, but also so many throughout the Eparchy whoprayed for his recovery. He said: "I believe in miracles everytime I look in the mirror." Fr. Jack had been in the hospitalrecovering from a major illness since Christmas. �

San Diego, CaliforniaSilver Massabki Award

Graced with the presence of Bishop A. Elias Zaidan,Bishop of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon, as apart of the celebrations for the Feasts of Sts. Ephrem

and Maron, St. Ephrem Church in San Diego, Calif., had thedistinct pleasure to present this year's Silver MassabkiAward to Mr. George and Mrs. Mima Habchi on January 28,2017. Their unwavering and total dedication to the parishover the years has proven them more than worthy of thisrecognition. Our parish's heartfelt thanks go out to Georgeand Mima for all they have done and continue to do for theparish. Presenting them with the award, along with BishopZaidan and Rev. Toufic Nasr, is the Eparchy of Our Lady ofLebanon - NAM Southwest Regional Vice-President, Mrs.Ellen Saad. �

Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral in Brooklyn, N.Y., willpresent a seminar about the Creighton Model System andNaProTECHNOLOGY on Tuesday, May 30, 2017, from 7- 9 p.m. This seminar will shed light on the great work beingdone in building a culture of life in women's healthcare usingthe Creighton Model FertilityCareTM System andNaProTECHNOLOGY. It will provide lay people, medicalprofessionals, clergy and religious with information andresources useful to help couples struggling with infertility(and contemplating in vitro fertilization (IVF)), couples whowant effective natural birth regulation, and women strugglingwith various gynecologic issues such as repetitivemiscarriage, PMS, PCOS, endometriosis, postpartumdepression, premenopause, etc. Bishop Gregory Mansourwill lead the seminar in opening prayer and Dr. PaulCarpentier, CFCMC, Director of the Long Island GiannaCenter at Good Samaritan Hospital will be the keynotespeaker. To register and for more information, contact MariseFrangie, CFCP,FCEI at 914-393-8907 or email:[email protected]


Appeal from Caritas Lebanon

Christians in Lebanon are suffering! If you are able

to relieve some of the suffering, please contact

Fr. Elias Abi Sarkis, Director8315 South 107th East Ave.

Tulsa, OK 74133Ph: 918-872-7400

or visit Caritas Lebanon at http://www.caritas.org.lb. Checks may be made payable to Caritas Lebanon.

Thank you for your consideration. �

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

Witness

Continued from page 1

Although my mother did not die because she was persecuted, as so many martyrs have over the years and sadly even today,she lived her life as a witness. In this way she is like you andme. Our Patriarch asks us to reflect on the witness of martyrsof the past and present, to learn from them, and to bearwitness to what they bear witness to, that the love of God hasno bounds.

Please read the Patriarch's pastoral letter in this issue of TheMaronite Voice (page 12) or at www.stmaron.org. May thisyear allow us to do all we can to bear a faithful and crediblewitness to Christ. What qualifies us to teach, or witness, orserve his Church is the same love for God and love for othersthat motivated my mother and each of you. May we give Himglory and praise now and forever. �

+ Gregory J. MansourEparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn

Dartmouth, Massachusetts Day of Recollection

by Sr. Natalie Sayde Salameh

On Saturday, March 18, 2017, the Maronite Servants ofChrist the Light hosted a Day of Recollection at theMother of Light Convent in Dartmouth, Mass., for

ladies from the Daughters of Mary of Our Lady of theCedars, Boston, Mass. The theme of the day was "WelcomeBeloved Daughters to the Father's Embrace," and was basedon the Gospel of the Prodigal Son.

Mother Marla Marie challenged and encouraged theladies to rest on the Father's merciful heart, to experience His

embrace of mercy, and to allow God to draw them close toHis tender and compassionate heart. The day includedpresentations, quiet reflection, faith sharing, prayerfulcommunion before the Holy Mysteries, and an abundance ofsisterly fellowship, support and laughter. Call the Sisters at508/996-1753 to plan a similar day for your parish group. �


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