TheMaronite Voice

A Publication of the Maronite Eparchies in the USA

Volume IV Issue No. VII August 2008

The Holy Father Sends Blessing and Prayerful Support to ArchbishopFrancis M. Zayek

The following is a translation from French of a letter from His Eminence Leonardo Cardinal Sandri, Prefect of theCongregation for Eastern Churches, to Archbishop Francis M. Zayek to support him in this difficult time.

Congregation for Eastern ChurchesVia della Conciliazione, 3400120 Vatican City

Prot. N. 56/2002Your Excellency,

The news regarding the condition of your health which has reached this Office greatly saddened me and I want to tellyou how close I am to you in this time of suffering. My prayer ascends to the Lord that you may receive the support andcomfort which you need to face this trial. I bring to Him the work you have accomplished in the United States to establish theMaronite Church, but also your more discreet contribution and just as successful service to the Holy See when you workedat the Roman Rota.

The Holy Father Benedict XVI grants you his blessing to accompany you during this time of affliction. Also, beassured of his fervent prayer to help you face your sickness with determination and to sustain your soul in this spiritualcombat.

Your Excellency, with the assurance of my profound respect and esteem, I am sincerely yours. �

Leonardo Cardinal Sandri,Prefect

Antonio Maria Veglio,Archbishop Secretary

The Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. VII Page 2 August 2008

The Maronite Voice4611 Sadler Road

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E-Mail: gmsebaali@aol.comhttp://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$20.00 per year. Advertising ratesare available upon request.

Publishers• Most Reverend Bishop Robert

Joseph Shaheen • Most Reverend Bishop Gregory

John MansourEditor Msgr. George M. SebaaliConsultor Fr. Abdallah Zaidan,

M.L.M. Editing and proofreading Mary ShaiaAnne-Marie Condlin Michael Maynes

Printed in Richmond, Virginia.

Maronite Convention 2008

Our Lady of Mount LebanonCathedral

Los Angeles, Calif.

July 1-5, 2009

For More Information contact the NAM office

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

Schedule of Bishop Robert Shaheen

August 8-10, 2008

Family Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Lebanon National Shrine in North

Jackson, Ohio

August 9, 2008

Deacon Ordination at Our Lady of Lebanon National Shrine, North Jackon,

Ohio

August 14-15, 2008

Solemn Celebration of the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Mother,

North Jackson, Ohio

August 17, 2008

Memorial Liturgy, Danbury, Conn.

August 25-27, 2008

Presbyteral Council Meeting, St. Louis, Mo.

August 30, 2008

Meeting at Quincy College, Quincy, Ill.

September 19-21, 2008

Annual Meeting of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, Omaha, Nebr. �

The Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. VII Page 3 August 2008

Eparchial Appointment

On July 22, 2008, His Excellency Bishop GregoryMansour, Bishop of the Eparchy of Saint Maron ofBrooklyn, made the following eparchial appointments,

effective on October 1, 2008:

Fr. Kamil Al-Chouefati, from Administratorof Our Lady of Lebanon Church in Easton,Penn., to Administrator of St. Sharbel MaroniteMission in Raleigh, North Carolina. �

Fr. Paul Damien from Administrator of St.Sharbel Mission in Raleigh, North Carolina, toAdministrator of Our Lady of Lebanon Churchin Easton, Penn. �

Eparchial Condolences

Mr. L. Paul Kassouf, (grandfather ofReverend Jean Paul Kimes, Associate

Pastor of St. Sharbel Church inWarren, Michigan), of Birmingham,

Alabama, passed away on June 23,2008. He is survived by his wife,

Naomi, his daughters Beverly and herhusband Gerry Kimes, and Gayle and her husband, Mac

Thigpen; and his sons David and his wife Jean; and Gerardand his wife Nazha. He has ten grandchildren and seven greatgrandchildren. He was predeceased by his siblings and hisgrandson, Gerry. All of them are perpetual members of theOrder of Saint Sharbel.

At the request of Archbishop Francis Zayek, he wasmade Knight-Commander of the Knights of Saint Gregory byPope John Paul II, he was the former President of the Orderof Saint Sharbel, he funded a scholarship for NAM, and hehas been a member of the Eparchial Finance Council formany years, having served under Archbishop Zayek, BishopDoueihi and Bishop Mansour.

Mr. Kassouf has been a life-long member of Saint EliasMaronite Church in Birmingham, Alabama. The FuneralLiturgy took place at St. Elias Church in Birmingham on June25, 2008.

Condolences can be sent to Mrs. Naomi Kassouf at 254County Road 273, Cullman, AL 35057 or to Reverend JohnPaul Kimes, Saint Sharbel Church, 3160 Schoener Road,Warren, MI 48093.

His Excellency Bishop Gregory Mansour joins BishopRobert Shaheen and the clergy and faithful of the Eparchy ofSaint Maron of Brooklyn and of the Eparchy of Our Lady ofLebanon in extending heartfelt sympathy and the promise ofour prayers to Naomi, Father John Paul and all of the familyas well as to all the members of the Order of Saint Sharbel.May Almighty God grant his servant, Paul, eternal rest.�

New Bedford, Massachusetts Silver Anniversary

by Fr. Jack Morrison

On Sunday, June2 2 , 2 0 0 8 ,C h o r b i s h o p

Michael G. Thomas,Vicar General of theEparchy of SaintMaron of Brooklyn,celebrated a Liturgyof Thanksgiving atO u r L a d y o fPurgatory Church inhonor of his 25 th

A n n i v e r s a r y o fOrdination to thePriesthood. Amongthe concelebrants wasFr. Jack Morrison,Pastor of Our Lady ofPurgatory Church.During his homily,Chorbishop Michaelthanked his familyand the parishionersfor encouraging hisvocation and explained that the support the parishioners gavehim as he was growing up in the parish was essential in thedevelopment of his vocation. He also read selections fromessays that had been written by Catholic school students inNew Bedford as part of his homily to demonstrate theimportant role Catholic priests play in the everyday lives oftheir parishioners.

Following the Liturgy, family, friends, parishioners andresidents joined Chorbishop Thomas at The Cedars AssistedLiving Facility for a reception. During the reception awardswere given to children from the Catholic Schools in the Cityof New Bedford who had submitted the winning essays anddrawings in a contest sponsored by Our Lady of PurgatoryChurch and Cedars Assisted Living Facility. Catholic Schoolchildren in grades three through eight were asked to write anessay describing the qualities of a good priest and how a goodpriest has positively impacted their lives. Over 320 essayswere submitted. The winning essays were written by: JillianMcHenry of St. James-St. John School, Emma Vasquez ofHoly Family-Holy Name School and Amanda Raffa of St.Joseph-St. Therese School. The author of each winningessay received a $50 U.S. Savings Bond donated by TheCedars Assisted Living Facility. Children in Kindergartenthrough Grade 2 submitted over 170 drawings. Gabriella Diasand Jerome Castro of Holy Family-Holy Name did thewinning drawings. Both students will also receive a $50 USSavings Bond. The Cedars Assisted Living Facility is a 78unit assisted living facility on Old Westport Road in NorthDartmouth. The Cedars opened in 2004 and is affiliated withOur Lady of Purgatory Church and the Eparchy of SaintMaron. �

Chorbishop Michael Thomas and Fr.Jack Morrison assisted by DavidThomas, altar server.

The Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. VII Page 4 August 2008

THE ORDEROF

SAINT SHARBEL

Annual Members

i Mr. Joseph J. Hashem, Sr.i Mr. Thomas J. Hashem, Jr.

St. Ann Maronite Church,Scranton, Penn.

i Mr. Joseph M. HollisterBolivar, N.Y.

i Mrs. Widad RizkOur Lady of the Cedars Church,

Houston, Texasi Mrs. Marion CourySt. John Maron Church,

Anaheim, Calif.

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 write to

Eparchy of Saint Maron Order of Saint Sharbel

109 Remsen StreetBrooklyn, NY 11201

Or

Eparchy of Our Lady of LebanonOrder of Saint Sharbel

1021 South StreetSt. Louis, MO 63104

Chorbishop Joseph Abi-Nader Celebrates 60 th

Anniversary of Priesthood

by Patrick G. Abi-Nader

On Sunday, June 29, 2008, theFeast Day of Sts. Peter andPaul, Our Lady of Lebanon

Church in Miami, Florida, hosted acelebration for Chorbishop Joseph Abi-Nader’s 60 Anniversary of Priesthood.th

Chorbishop Abi-Nader celebratedthe Divine Liturgy. His ExcellencyGregory Mansour, Bishop of theEparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn,presided. Chorbishop Michael Thomas,Vicar General, and Father Elie Mikhael,Pastor, concelebrated. Deacon SimonAbi-Nader of New Hampshire assisted.

In his sermon, Chorbishop Abi-Nader reflected on how the life andmission of St. Paul the Apostle hashelped guide his own life as a priest.He recognized Their ExcellenciesBishop Gregory Mansour and RobertShaheen, Bishop of the Eparchy of OurLady of Lebanon, as our very ownapostles. He argued that each one ofus has the ability to be an apostle ofChrist, pointing out that “Christ did notgo to the Universities and places ofhigher learning to find his apostles, …He went after ordinary fishermen.”

Following Chorbishop Abi-Nader’ssermon, Bishop Mansour thanked himfor his role in the Maronite Church inAmerica, and for paving the way for allof today’s Maronite bishops and priests.

A reception followed the Liturgy. Joseph Abi-Nader was born in the

U.S., in 1921, but was raised inAbdelly, Batroun, Lebanon. Hecompleted his secondary studies at St.Maron Seminary in Ghazir, Lebanon.He earned a degree in Theology at St.Joseph University of Beirut, Lebanon,and was ordained a priest on June 28,1948. He was appointed Pastor of St.Joseph’s Church in Atlanta, Georgia, in1957. He was appointed ViceChancellor (1967) and Chancellor(1972) of the Exarchate of St. Maron-USA. In 1969 he was appointedHonorary Chaplain (Monsignor) by HisHoliness Pope Paul VI. In 1973 hereceived the Knighthood of the Orderof the Cedars of Lebanon. ArchbishopF ra n c i s Z a ye k o rd a in ed h imChorbishop in 1975. In 1978, Abi-Nader founded, and through 1986served as the editor for THECHALLENGE, the national Maronitenewspaper and the forerunner to TheMaronite Voice. Prior to THECHALLENGE, Abi-Nader edited TheMaronite Diocesan Newsletter.

After thirty-eight years of service tothe Maronite Church, Chorbishop Abi-Nader retired in 1986 due to healthreasons. He presently resides inLighthouse Point, Florida, where he hasbeen assisting at Saint Paul the ApostleRoman Catholic Church. �

Left to right: Fr. Elie Mikhael, Bishop Gregory Mansour, Chorbishop JosephAbi-Nader and Chorbishop Michael Thomas.

The Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. VII Page 5 August 2008

Newtown Square, Penn.,An Interview With Pastor and

Parishioners

by Lillian Shahade

On July 7- 8, 2008, Tele-Lumiere/Noursat came to St.Sharbel Church in Newtown Square, Penn., viaProfessor Fr. Joseph Mouannes and his video crew.

The visit and interviews brought an awareness ofLebanon’s only Arabic Christian Television station to thepeople in the U.S. and also brought a little of the people’slives in the U.S. back to Lebanon via Tele-Lumiere.

Tele-Lumiere/Noursat can be safely compared to the U.S.Mother Angelica’s EWTN (Eternal Word TelevisionNetwork). Both are continually airing Christian programsand the Divine Liturgies.

Fr. Paul Mouawad made arrangements for the visit andalso for Fr. Joseph Mouannes and his crew to restcomfortably at “The Hermitage” of St. Sharbel in NewtownSquare.

On Monday afternoon Fr. Mouannes interviewed Fr. Paulwhile seated in front of the statue of St. Sharbel, and spokeabout St. Sharbel Church’s past and its future growth. SinceFr. Paul arrived at St. Sharbel, the church has grown and newprograms have been initiated. Fr. Mouannes also intervieweda few of the parishioners about their roles in the church andwhat the church means to them.

The following evening around forty parishioners joinedtogether with Fr. Mouannes. They spoke briefly of whenthey came to America, or when their parents arrived, whatthey do for the church and what the church means to them.After the interviews, refreshments were served and everyonesat around and talked for a few hours longer. St. Sharbelparishioners come from Lebanon, Iraq, Poland, Ireland,Palestine, Jordan, Italy, Syria and Armenia as well as fromwithin the United States. All have found their way to St.Sharbel to form a family of faith and love.

Fr. Mouannes, Secretary for the Commission of

Communications, was accompanied by two crewmen whovideographed the entire event.

Tele-Lumiere, its name means “TV of the Light” wasstarted in 1991 by a group of committed lay people. Tele-Lumiere’s mission is solely ecumenical. It relies on donationsso as to avoid any commercial activity to preserve itsmissionary purpose. You can become a member of (FTL)Friends of Tele-Lumiere by donating your time or money.Remember with your help you are spreading the Word ofGod.

For more information on the history of Tele-Lumiere/Noursat, how to receive the channel, or how todonate to keep it going, visit the website:www.telelumiere.com/eng/index.html. �

San Antonio, Texas Baccalaureate Liturgy

by Robert Beathe

The Parish of St. George Maronite Catholic Church inSan Antonio, Texas, held a Baccalaureate Mass on June1, 2008, to honor all its graduates. During the Liturgy,

Father Ghassan Mattar called the group to the altar and gavethem a special blessing. Following the Liturgy, a smallreception was held in the Maronite Community Center. Thehigh school graduates were Cristina Herrera, Joshua Kearns,Tara Obeid, Rachelle Palasota, Chelsea Perez, and AlanaReid. The college graduates were James Andry, DevinHaase, Myrtle Karam, Mark Joseph Mery, Ross MichaelMery, Teryn Mery, Michael Niemeyer, Cory Palasota,Stephanie Taylor, and Michael White. Graduate degreeswere awarded to Subdeacon Raymond Casillas, MatthewKaram, and Samantha Karam.

In addition, St. George Scholarships were presented tohigh school graduates Cristina Herrera, Tara Obeid, andRachelle Palasota. The goals of the St. George ScholarshipProgram are to honor its high school seniors at theirgraduation ceremony, to encourage and emphasize the valueof higher education, to promote church and parishinvolvement, and to develop a strong nucleus of futureleaders for the growth of the church. The scholarships arenamed for George and Constance Casseb, Michael and JamesRizik, Paul Mery, Sr., and Tony and Judy Karam. �

Left to right: Fr. Paul Mouawad, Pastor and Fr. JosephMouannes.

The Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. VII Page 6 August 2008

San Francisco, CaliforniaPartnership For Lebanon Program

by George Akiki

On Sunday, July 20, 2008, Our Lady of LebanonMaronite Church in Milbrae (San Francisco), Calif.,welcomed the new interns in the Partnership For

Lebanon program who are staying in the San Francisco Bayarea for six months. The interns felt the warmth of theMaronite community in participating in the Divine Liturgy,right after the Ladies’ Guild Organization of the parish had aMloukhieh lunch for the Sunday reception.

The Partnership for Lebanon was established by U.S.business leaders in September 2006 to assist in thereconstruction efforts in Lebanon and to help the people ofLebanon find the path to long-term stability and economicgrowth.

The Partnership is working with businesses in the UnitedStates, Lebanon and across the globe to forge public-privatepartnerships designed to expand the reach of education andworkforce training, create jobs and build Lebanon'stechnology infrastructure. For more information about thePartnership, email info@partnershipforlebanon.org. �

New Bedford, MassachusettsAnnual Homecoming Mahrajan

Our Lady of Purgatory Maronite Church in NewBedford, Mass., will hold its Annual HomecomingMahrajan on Saturday, September 6, 2008, from noon

to 8 p.m. at the Horseneck Holy Ghost Grounds inDartmouth, Mass. The Mahrajan will feature Lebanese food,music and dance. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 forchildren twelve years old and under. For tickets or moreinformation, please e-mail mahrajan2008@yahoo.com or call617-803-4087. All proceeds will benefit Our Lady ofPurgatory Maronite Catholic Church. �

St. Anthony’s Youth take a Trip toLynchburg, Va.

by M. Francine Maynes

On July 18-20, eight members from St. Anthony’sYouth group in Glen Allen (Richmond), Va., attendedthe Richmond Diocesan Youth Convention at

Lynchburg College in Lynchburg, Va. The theme of thisyear’s convention was “Ignite Your Faith.” The youth spentthe weekend attending prayer services, workshop sessions, abanquet and a dance. The workshop sessions covered severalinteresting topics ranging from “How to talk to Non-Catholics About Our Faith” to “Lessons Learned From TheOld Testament.” The best session of the Convention was“The True Colors of Discipleship,” developed by CathyGeorge, St. Anthony’s Religious Education Director, andpresented by Michael Maynes, MYO Director. Anothergroup from St. Anthony’s youth attended the EparchialAnnual Youth Conference in St. Louis, Missouri, held overthe same weekend. �

Annual Festival in Roanoke, Va.

by Joan Bugbee

The tenth annual Lebanese Festival held May 30-June 1at St. Elias Maronite Catholic Church in Roanoke,Virginia, was a resounding success, attracting

thousands of visitors who enjoyed three days of deliciousLebanese food, live Lebanese music, folk dances and gamesand for children.

Renee Turk headed a special “Kid’s Day” program forarea school children. It brought in the biggest crowds ever,acquainting the youngsters with Lebanese culture, includinga special Lebanese meal and a chance to watch traditionalLebanese dances.

For the second year, the local CBS-affiliate, WDBJ7,sponsored the St. Elias event. Live music was provided by aLebanese band from Ohio, “Al Layali,” while the youth of theparish, including young children, performed the Lebanesefolk dances.

Father Claude Franklin, Pastor of St. Elias, attributed theevent’s success to the untiring efforts of parishioners whobegan working on the festival in early spring. “It waswonderful to see how everyone pitched in and shared theirtime and talents to make the festival a success,” he said,adding that St. Elias has a tradition of being a big, warm-hearted family, and the festival was truly a family-centeredevent. Mandy Tolano chaired the festival, assisted by Samand Dawn Silek. Mary Ann Assaid handled logistics of foodpreparation, assisted by many parishioners. �

Members of the Partnership For Lebanon program with Fr.John Al-Nahal, Pastor, and a few parishioners.

The Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. VII Page 7 August 2008

Columbus, Ohio Mission Celebrates Graduations

and Anniversary

by Adele Knieser Busch

The Mission Family of Our Lady of Lebanon inColumbus, Ohio, celebrated several events in June. OnJune 5, 2008, the Divine Liturgy was offered for the

intentions of two graduates from the Mission: GeorgeGhanem and Victoria Fortuna. George is the son of Victorand Alise Ghanem of Dublin, Ohio. He graduated withhonors from Dublin-Coffman High School where he letteredin Men’s Varisty Volleyball and& Basketball. George hasalso been a lector and altar server for Our Lady of LebanonMission. He will continue his education at the Ohio StateUniversity in September.

Victoria Fortuna is the daughter of Frank and JanetYeropoli of New Castle, Penn. She received her Masters ofArchitecture Degree from the Ohio State University. Victoriaarrived in Columbus in 2005 to pursue her graduate studiesand became a Mission parishioner during her stay inColumbus. Victoria has accepted a position with EcklesArchitecture and Engineering in her hometown of NewCastle, Penn. She and her family are lifelong Maronites andlifelong parishioners at St. John the Baptist Maronite Parishin New Castle.

On June 29, the parishioners celebrated the tenthanniversary of Fr. Pierre Bassils’s ordination to thepriesthood. Fr. Pierre has been the Mission’s Administratorfor the past six years. The mission family is grateful for Fr.Bassil’s leadership, hard work and dedication to the Missionin Columbus. In addition to his duties as MissionAdministrator, Fr. Bassil is also the full-time Pastor of St.

Ignatius Maronite Church in Dayton. The parish family inDayton and the Mission Family in Columbus wish their Fr.Pierre many more happy and fruitful years in the priesthoodof Jesus Christ. �

Flint, MichiganReturn of the Mid-East Festival

by Nadia Zerka

From 1976 until 1995, Our Lady of Lebanon MaroniteCatholic Church in Flint, Mich., hosted a festival everyJuly on the church grounds for the local community.

The legendary festival offered a taste of food, fun and culturefor all to enjoy. With the help of the church founders andestablished parishioners, a new generation was excited tobring the festival back to the community for all to experienceonce again or for the first time.

On July 11 and 12, the festival returned and was a great

success. During this two-day event, church tours anddisplays showcased the rich history and tradition of theMaronite Catholic faith. Additional activities includedcooking demonstrations, traditional dancing, a live Arabicband on both nights, kids’ activities and of course, lots ofhomemade Middle Eastern food. Over two thousand peoplefrom the local community and beyond enjoyed the festivalthat weekend.

Besides meeting financial goals, the festival helped thechurch meet another goal: a sense of community. The churchwas able to come together as one and work to make thefestival the success it was. This was an opportunity toshowcase what a generous and fun filled heritage we share,and the local community welcomed it back with open arms.�

George Ghanem and his father.

The Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. VII Page 8 August 2008

St. Louis, MissouriMaronite Youth Annual

Conference

by Carmen Dailey

Tthe Maronite Youth Organization (MYO) held itsannual Youth Convention in St. Louis, Missouri, July16-20, 2008. For six days, over 300 youth came

together to worship, attend thought-provoking workshops andsocialize while considering this year’s theme: Be Not Afraid.Convention planners did an excellent job of presentinginteresting and relevant topics for the youth. Workshops,movies and speakers encouraged the participants to findstrength in God and in our Maronite church communities.The annual Reconciliation service offered participants achance to have confession with one of the priests, which isalways a moving and special event. Bishops Shaheen andMansour were present at the convention as well; the youthwere happy to have so much time to talk with the Bishops.

Luke Yesbeck, from St. Anthony Church in Glen Allen,Va., enjoyed the convention, saying, “The convention wasnice because MYO planned some workshops but also gave ussome free time to play cards, play sports, or just talk." AddedChristina Craig, also from St. Anthony’s, “St. Louis wasamazing! I felt like I belonged. The people there were sonice and welcoming and all the priests there had greatspeeches. The friends that I made, I will be friends with fora really long time.”

Other convention highlights included a visit from JerryOlsafsky, former NFL football player, a trip to a nearby waterpark, and of course, the annual hafli. The week was a niceblend of spirituality and excitement. Hopefully, the lessonslearned at this year’s convention will last just as long as thenew friendships made. �

Order of St. Sharbel 2009 Retreat

How does a January weekend in warm, sunny Floridasound? Join us for a Spiritual and Social Retreatsponsored by The Order of St. Sharbel on January 16

– 18, 2009, at the Marriott Hotel, 1001 OkeechobeeBoulevard, West Palm Beach, Florida 33401. More detailswill follow as plans are finalized. You do not have to be amember of the Order of St. Sharbel to attend this retreat. Formore information, contact any of the following: BeverlyMike-Nard, President, OSS, 330-757-8867 or 330-509-5437,BJMikeNard@aol.com; Anthony Budway, Immediate Past-President, OSS, 401-231-4057, budway99@cox.net;Bernadette Shalhoub, Vice President, OSS, 561-967-9536,BBShalhoub@aol.com; Wanda Elkourie, Vice President,OSS, 205-987-7567, welkourie@charter.net. �

Left to right: Luke Yesbeck, Chantal Ghoussoub, CarmenDailey, Alexa Shulleeta and Christina Craig of St. AnthonyChurch in Glen Allen, Va.

Schedule of Bishop Gregory Mansour

August 8-10 and 15, 2008

Our Lady of Lebanon National Shrine 43 Annualrd

Pilgrimage, North Jackson, Ohio.

August 17, 2008

Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral, Brooklyn, N.Y.

August 21-30, 2008

Silent Retreat

August 31, 2008

Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral, Brooklyn, N.Y.

September 4, 2008

Muslim Community Iftar, Brooklyn, N.Y.

September 6, 2008

Our Lady of Lebanon Seminary, Washington, D.C.

September 7, 2008

Visit to Our Lady of Lebanon Church, Washington,

D.C.

September 8, 2008

USCCB Pro-life meeting, Washington, D.C.

September 9, 2008

Stewardship Committee meeting, Brooklyn, N.Y.

September 14, 2008

Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral, Brooklyn, N.Y.

September 16, 2008

Capital Campaign Committee meeting, Brooklyn,

N.Y.

September 23, 2008

Presbyteral Council Meeting, Brooklyn, N.Y. �

The Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. VII Page 9 August 2008

New Castle, Pennsylvania2008 Graduates Honored

by Marcia Rudley

St. John the Baptist in New Castle, Penn., honored the2008 high school graduates on Sunday, June 15, 2008with a special Divine Liturgy. They processed in with

the priest and took their places in the front pews. Gifts fromthe Scholarship committee were awarded after the homily toall the graduates for their support and dedication to theirreligious studies and to their church throughout the previousyears. �

Uniontown, Pennsylvania

Patriarchs Honored

by Joanne John

In conjunction with Father’s Day, The Altar and RosarySociety of St. George Church in Uniontown, Penn.,recognized four patriarchs of the parish at a spaghetti

dinner held in their honor, in the Church Hall. They wereeach presented with a gift of appreciation and a certificate ofhonor as a symbol of the Society’s gratitude and respect fortheir long and faithful devotion and continued dedication tothe parish. Pianist Elias D. Nahhas, a member of the parish’syouth group, provided the entertainment.

Mr. Michael John of the parish Archives Committeeinterviewed each honoree as they spoke of their early days inthe church, telling of their first recollections of parish life, thefirst pastor they may remember and their early years as parishyouth. They also spoke of the hardships of their parentswhen they came to this country and of their deep devotion tothe their faith. �

Detroit, MichiganChaplains’ Recognition

by Michael Michael

The Knights of Columbus chapter, Msgr. Michael AbdooCouncil 8231, recognizes its chaplains, ChorbishopMichael Kail, Father Armando El-Khoury, and Father

John Paul Kimes for their dedication to St. Sharbel, St.Maron and St. Rafka churches in the greater Detroit,Michigan area. While supporting the Knights of Columbus,these three chaplains also serve the Maronite community withlove and zeal.

With the help of these chaplains, the Council has beenable to do many things for the seminarians. Last year theydonated $2,500 to Our Lady of Lebanon Seminary inWashington, D.C., and they hope to do the same this year.Also, they will hold their 5 Clergy Appreciation Night toth

support our seminarians. Bishop Robert Shaheen, Bishop ofthe Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon, is the council’sHonorary Chaplain. �

Left to right: Victor Michael Piccione, JohnKearns, Monica Hanna, Fr. Kevin Beaton, CaitlynDoran, Anthony Cuscino and John Beshero.

George Elias, Sr., Joseph Faris, Jacob Sisson and Elias Rafail,along with Devona Unice, President of the Altar & RosarySociety.

Fr. Armando El-Khoury receives an awardfrom Grand Knight Edward O’Brien.

The Maronite Voice Volume IV Issue No. VII Page 10 August 2008

First Holy Communion In The Maronite Eparchies In The U.S.A.

St. Sharbel Church, Peoria, Illinois

Sarkis Doueihi, Lamia Doueihi, Mia Khattar, CelineKhoury, Rachelle Khoury and Sharbel Khoury receivedtheir First Holy Communion on Sunday, May 4, 2008,

at St. Sharbel Church in Peoria, Illinois. Also pictured fromleft to right: Deacon Jim Siedleki, Fr. Bechara Awada,Chorbishop Faouzi Elia and Deacon George Geagea. �

St. John Maron Church Buffalo, N.Y.

Brandon Khoury, Gabriela Zinaty, Chloe Jowdy, SydneyShady, Claudette Mahfoud, Tyler Damian, AnthonyHayek, Doumit Mahfoud, Dylan Utz, Joseph Nasr,

S am an th a K h ou ry, V ic tor ia K h ou ry, D o m in icKhoury,Michael Harris and Joseph Mansour celebrated theirFirst Holy Eucharist on Sunday, May 18, 2008, at St. JohnMaron Church in Williamsville (Buffalo), N.Y. �

Our Lady of the Cedars Church,Akron, Ohio

Jason Lababidi, Adelle Tannous, Elias Najim, GeorgeMourad, Paul Nemer, Joseph Shamata, Sophia Lababidi,Ghadi Sabbagh, Jacob Binkley and Maya Elias received

their First Holy Communion on Sunday, May 18, 2008 at OurLady of the Cedars Church in Akron, Ohio. Deacon BobFoster, Father Toufic Nasr, Maria Maroon and Sub-DeaconTom Maroon are also pictured. �

Our Lady of Victory Church Carnegie, Penn.

Tamara Alchoufete, Zaccharia Bredefeld, KristenMarkabawi, Gabriel Newman, Nadine Sadaka, andSharbel Sadaka received their First Holy Communion

on Sunday, May 4, 2008, at Our Lady of Victory Church inCarnegie (Pittsburgh), Penn. �