OLML 90th Anniversary Book by Natalie Severdia-Abboud

Salute the Past, Embrace the Future Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon St. Peter Cathedral

90th Anniversary Celebration May 24â&#x20AC;&#x201C;26, 2013 Los Angeles, California

Salute the Past,

Embrace the Future

God,

Dedicated to…

our heartfelt gratitude for His abundant graces & unfaltering Providence

The Blessed Virgin Mary,

Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon,

our praises for her constant intercession and motherly care

All of our Saints,

our heavenly companions in this journey,

may their prayers be with us

Our religious leaders & fathers—

Popes, Patriarchs, Cardinals,

and Bishops— our appreciation for their guidance and support

The faithful clergy,

who dedicated their lives for the spiritual benefit

of the parishioners of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon–St. Peter Cathedral

The pioneers,

who had the vision to establish a Church, a home where they

lived their faith and cherished their heritage

The many devoted people

who have worked tirelessly along the years,

who impacted our history and preceded us to the next life

The countless parishioners

today who keep the torch of our faith

bright by their support and participation

The upcoming generations,

may you keep this legacy alive

and may you always treasure and share it with others

All the people,

To all,

benefactors and friends, may you always find a home

away from home in our community we raise our hearts and minds in prayer asking our Loving God

to shower upon you all His Graces & Blessings.

1923 2013

Early Founders of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon 1923â&#x20AC;&#x201C;1925

Pope Francis I March 2013

Bechara Boutros Cardinal Rai Patriarch of Antioch and All the East

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Leonardo Cardinal Sandri Prefect of the Congregation of the Eastern Churches

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Bishop Robert J. Shaheen The Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon St. Louis, Missouri

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Bishop Gregory Mansour The Eparchy of Saint Maron Brooklyn, NY

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Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon St. Peter Cathedral

May 24, 2013 Dear Parishioners and Friends,

Father Abdallah E. Zaidan, MLM Rector Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon St. Peter Cathedral Los Angeles

We come together to celebrate 90 years of the presence of our Maronite Church in Los Angeles. Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon has become home for many who frequented her to honor God and greet fellow members in a spirit of community. If we consider the Liturgical Services that have taken place, the number of baptized (2,189), the number of married couples (820), the joy of children receiving their First Communion (550) and sadly the number of people who have preceded us to the next life (969), we realize the importance and the vitality of our Cathedral parish. Along the 90 years, the parish has witnessed the dedication of many faithful priests who put their talents at the service of the community. Along the 90 years, this little parish in East Los Angeles has risen to become the Cathedral in a beautiful site on the Westside. Along the 90 years, thousands of people have contributed Time, Talent and Treasure as good stewards to upbuild the Church. Along the 90 years, this parish has branched out to create new communities. Along the 90 years, God was looking over the Church, the community and the buildings to provide her with the proper needs at the proper time. In the span of the 90 years, I have been privileged to serve as the first Rector for the last 19 years. It has been a blessing for me to meet many of you, to minister to all of you, and definitely to pray for all of you. I am forever grateful for your love and dedication, for your collaboration and assistance in various ways. Time is of essence in the life of individuals and communities. It is the measure of objective evaluation. It never stops; it keeps ticking and adding seconds, minutes, hours, days, months and years. In that perspective, every one of us is subject to the phenomena of time and space. We are born in a certain time and set city. We live today in Los Angeles and together we form the community of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon-St. Peter Cathedral. As the founders and forefathers have left us a great legacy, it is our turn to leave a brighter legacy for the future generations. Therefore, we come together to “salute the past and embrace the future.” We come together to renew our faith and our commitment to strive for greater things. We come together to join our heads, hearts and hands to bring our Cathedral to new heights. With God’s blessing, through the intercession of the Blessed Mother, every dream can become a reality in the near future. Finally, Father Elias and I would like to welcome our dear Bishop, Sayedna Robert Shaheen who graces us with his precense at this celebration. We are grateful for the presence of our brother priests, deacon, subdeacon and all of you distinguished guests, parishioners and friends. In a special way, we appreciate the hard work and sacrifices of Nina Bejany and Pia Eid and the committee that planned and supported this Convention. May God reward you abundantly. You are always in my prayers. Sincerely yours in Christ,

Father Abdallah E. Zaidan, mlm Rector

333 S. San Vicente Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90048 • Tel 310 275-6634 • Fax 310 858-0856

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Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon St. Peter Cathedral

May 24, 2013 Dear Parishioners, Friends and Guests, It is my greatest pleasure to greet each one of you as we celebrate the development and flourishing of a spiritual journey that began ninety years ago, the journey of the Maronite people in Los Angeles. I envy those of you who are blessed by having the memory of a mother, father or grandparent buried as a grain of wheat beneath the Altar of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon–St. Peter Cathedral in Los Angeles. As the faith of Saint Maron bloomed in the desert of Cyrrhus, the faith of the Founders gave life to our community in the desert of beautiful California. The city of “El pueblo de Nuestra Senora de Los Angeles,” was named in honor of the shrine of the Virgin Mary, Santa Maria Degli Angeli, Our Lady of the Angels on the plain below Assisi, Saint Francis’ native village in Italy. A City that embraced the Christian faith, and became a home for the Blessed Mother was destined to cradle the birth of a little flock who, since its beginnings, claimed a special devotion to the Mother of God. Therefore, our founders who used to pray, “O Mary, you are the pure one who has scented the world with the fragrance of Christ. You are the cloud which has scattered dew upon the universe” (Maronite Prayer), found themselves impelled to dedicate their Church-home to Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon. Remembering the founders and contemplating the journey of our community, as many tears as it involves, draws our attention to the gift of faith that transcends time, emotions, life, and death. Faith transforms our memory into a piece of eternity where we, our founders, and Saint Maron live in a mysterious trans-historical synchronization shaped by the presence of a living God; it is the perfume that lasts after the flower passes. Therefore, writing and contemplating history with the eyes of faith is not a mere narration of past events, but a sacred moment of reconnection with a legacy that holds in it the power to live on for eternity. Since we believe that history is not a collection of meaningless coincidences, we contemplate the past seeking inspiration for the future; despite the darkness that may, sometimes, seem to smother our hopes, it is a journey that finds its purpose through the gift of faith. As I congratulate all of you on this special day, I pray that we never lose the light of faith that ensures our growth and success.

Father Elias N. Sleiman, MLM Associate Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon St. Peter Cathedral Los Angeles

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Father Elias Sleiman, mlm Associate

333 S. San Vicente Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90048 • Tel 310 275-6634 • Fax 310 858-0856

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May 25, 2013 May 25, 2013 Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon – St. Peter Cathedral 333 So. San Vicente Blvd. LosOur Angeles, CAMt. 90048 Lady of Lebanon – St. Peter Cathedral 333 So. San Vicente Blvd. Dear Friends: Los Angeles, CA 90048

Antonio R. Villaraigosa Mayor City of Los Angeles

On Dear behalf of the City of Los Angeles, it is my pleasure to welcome Friends: members and guests attending the 90th Anniversary Salute the Past, Embrace the Future Our Ladyit of Peter On behalf of theEvent City hosted of LosbyAngeles, is Mt. myLebanon pleasure– St. to welcome Cathedral. members and guests attending the 90th Anniversary Salute the Past, Embrace the Future Event hosted by Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon – St. Peter LosCathedral. Angeles is a place defined by diversity and the Maronite community contributes to our City’s greatest strength. Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon – St. Peter work toby enrich the spiritual well-beingcommunity of our LosCathedral’s Angeles is continual a place defined diversity and the Maronite communities truly contributesis to ourinspirational. City’s greatest strength. Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon – St. Peter Cathedral’s continual work to enrich the spiritual well-being of our I commend Ouris Lady of Mt. Lebanon – St. Peter Cathedral for its communities truly inspirational. contributions toward cultivating the spiritual development of Angelenos. It is always an honor recognize likePeter yoursCathedral dedicated for to its I commend Our to Lady of Mt. organizations Lebanon – St. community outreach andcultivating promoting spiritual well-being of of Angelenos. our great It contributions toward thethe spiritual development City. is always an honor to recognize organizations like yours dedicated to community outreach and promoting the spiritual well-being of our great I extend City. my best wishes for a memorable celebration. Very truly yours, I extend my best wishes for a memorable celebration. Very truly yours,

ANTONIO R. VILLARAIGOSA Mayor ANTONIO R. VILLARAIGOSA Mayor

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May 24, 2013 Los Angeles, California Dear Parishioners and Guests, It is our greatest honor and pleasure to greet each one of you as members of the family of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon Maronite Catholic Cathedral as we celebrate its and our 90th Anniversary; knowing that those 90 years trace their roots back through 1600 years, to a holy monk named Maron, who left a precious legacy of which we are proud. Since their beginnings, the Maronites took the name of the Founder, and were called “Beit Maroun,” which bestowed on the Maronite Church a unique character and identity. In fact, the word “Beit” in Semitic languages, including the Syriac, the traditional language of the Marontie Rite, is not a technical term that defines theologically or philosophically the Church as it is the case for the word ‘Ecclesia” that means “community.” The word “Beit” means house and family. It is a simple word that portrays the Maronites as a family more than a structured religious entity. Accordingly, we believe that our celebration today is a jubilant family gathering whose faith is proclaimed, Maron is honored, and commitment to the Gospel is renewed. Like Maron, his followers have always believed and upheld the Christian Catholic Doctrine that is rooted in the Scriptures, and developed by the Holy Fathers and the Magisterium of the Church, maintaining a strong and stable union with the successor of Peter and the universal Church. Like Maron, the Maronites lived in the mountains, taking refuge in God (Psalm 57:1), gathering around their Patriarchs, bishops, monks and nuns incarnating what Maron taught by word and example, spending a considerable part of their days in prayer, and working hard to make a living. In fact, being a Maronite has always been a way of living as monks and nuns in the world. Thus, inspired by such a unique and precious legacy, we find ourselves reminded of God’s words to his people, “These commandments that I give you today are to be in your hearts. Impress them in your children. Talk about them when you sit at home…” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). Families are close to God’s heart, and because of that, we are called to be an inspiration to new generations to whom we will pass the torch, and on whom lies the responsibility of inventing their unique way of being “Beit Maroun” children. We would like to take this opportunity to welcome our Shepherd Bishop Robert Shaheen to our special celebration and thank him for blessing us with his presence. We thank Father Abdallah Zaidan and Father Elias Sleiman for putting their trust in us to co-chair this special event. You’ve always been an inspiration and true models of leadership and wisdom to all of us. A special expression of gratitude is extended to our extraordinary committee members who dedicated their time and energy for the success of our celebration. May this be a commemorative family event to celebrate our history, honor our founders, and look forward to our bright future.

Nina Bejany

Pia M. Eid

Co-Chair

Pia Eid & Nina Bejany Co-chairs 90th Anniversary Celebration

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Deacon Albert Constantine Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon St. Peter Cathedral Los Angeles

I have been privileged to be a parishioner of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon–St. Peter Cathedral since 1984. Through all of those years, the Cathedral has been my spiritual home and sanctuary. The fact that we are celebrating our 90th Anniversary is a testament to the Cathedral’s founding members’ vision and determination. God has truly blessed our community. I have been a witness to the Cathedral’s growth for almost 30 years and I am in awe of what has been accomplished during these many years. Our Bishops and Reverend Fathers have nourished and sustained us and that we are at this great milestone is due to their faith, perseverance, love and wisdom. In February 2009, I was Ordained a Subdeacon by His Excellency Bishop Robert Shaheen and His Excellency further honored me by ordaining me a Permanent Deacon in February 2013. These blessings are, in large part, due to everything I witnessed and everything I learned as a parishioner of the Cathedral. Our Bishops and Priests have been a shining example to us and I am forever grateful to them for all their accomplishments. As the Cathedral embarks on the next chapter of its history, I pray that we will have many more decades of growth and success. May the future generations that will call the Cathedral their home look back with pride on those who came before them and made all this possible. God bless our Cathedral and community, Deacon Albert Constantine

“I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.” — Matthew 16:11–20

Dear Parishioners,

Subdeacon Dib Tayar Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon St. Peter Cathedral Los Angeles

I would like to congratulate all of you on the 90th anniversary of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon Cathedral–St. Peter Cathedral. Under the guidance of Fr. Abdallah Zaidan assisted with Fr. Elias Sleiman these last 16 years, The Cathedral of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon has been Mother of multiple other churches and missions which are growing in the faith of God, helping our Maronite community to keep the light on, on our mother home’s traditions and prayers. Like a tree, it’s growing and extending its branches. Without forgetting all who have participated and work very hard to keep this Cathedral and make it better to be as it is and to how it looks now. Please join me on a little prayer and stand of gratitude for their achievements. May God bless you all, and keep our churches for many years so our kids will inherit and learn what our ancestors kept for us as a treasure for years to come. Subdeacon Dib Tayar

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The History of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon St. Peter Cathedral 1923–2013

“Wherever a Maronite settles, there he builds a church…”

and mountains, its slopes and terraces.” He ur early Lebanese/Syrian ancestors and was impressed by the number of churches, their fellow emigrants who came to America monasteries and convents which form a rohad a desire for independence. These are sary of many, many decades; recalling his people whose long history tells a story of impression, he wrote, “Where ever a Maronite cultural adaptation to foreign occupation settles, there he builds a church…” throughout history. Bishop Chedid continued; “This was The immigrant class of the Lebanese/ fully verified in the Maronite community Syrians in America was made up of mostly of Los Angeles; it was spring then, [ninety] rural people used to farming their own land years ago, a beautiful season in the city of in a country where factory work was virtually the Angels, which reminded a handful of non-existent and undesired. The freedom of Maronites of the equally beautiful spring in running one’s own business, even though Lebanon.” the hours worked were often twice what “But the beauty of Lebanon would have been required in an is intimately connected with the American factory job, was much church, and for the Maronites, Los more preferable to the Lebanese/ Angeles had to have a Maronite Syrian immigrant. church. Monsignor Joseph Daher, Thus, that was how our early from Bsharre, Lebanon, passing by Maronite immigrants settled in citin 1923, gathered a handful of 45 ies across America. Historically, the families and reminded them of Maronites had settled in California their heritage, religious, ethnic and even before the turn of the century national [roots]; and the decision and many gravitated towards the was made; a house on Warren and greater Los Angeles area. Los AngeBrooklyn Avenues was purchased les, California was a young city and and there Mass was said according offered many opportunities for the to the venerable tradition of the Paentrepreneurs to begin their own triarchate of Antioch: The Maronite businesses, not to mention CaliforRite. Until that time, the Maronites, nia’s mild climate, which was simiwho had begun to settle in Calilar to that of Lebanon. In 1973, for fornia even before the turn of the our Golden Jubilee, Bishop Chedid century, attended an Italian church quoted a well known French writer on North Broadway, [in downtown who wrote, “…while visiting Leba1924 letter from Mrs. Kona Ashkar Los Angeles], Saint Peter’s where a non, I admired the natural beauty requesting that Patriarch Hoayek appoint Melkite priest, Father Sawaya, took of this small country, saw its valleys Msgr. Daher as their permanent priest history of our church

care of their [spiritual] needs together with the Melkites, and the Orthodox of the city. To the memory of Father Sawaya and the help of the Italian San Pietro [Church], we are most grateful.” The parish of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon continued to grow under Monsignor Daher and by 1925; 95 families were registered in the parish. Monsignor Daher served the Maronites of the parish establishing the Altar Society, the Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon Society, and the Men’s Club, called the Maronite Welfare Society. Mike George was elected first president. In fact, one of the early documents from the archives of the Patriarchate in Bkerke is a letter from Mrs. Kona Ashkar, dated February 3, 1924, requesting from His Beatitude Patriarch Hoayek the appointment of Msgr. Daher as their permanent priest, and informing him of the establishment of the Men’s Club and the Society of Our Lady of Lebanon.

Translation of 1924 letter from Mrs. Kona Ashkar

Mrs. K. Ashkar

DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER Society of Our Lady of Lyban 247 SO. ALEXANDRIA AVE. LOS ANGELES, CALIF.

Your Beatitude Mar Elias Boutros Al-Hoayek Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, I take this opportunity to kiss your pure fingers petitioning, along with the men and the children, for a long life for you as you remain the cornerstone of the confession, you the holy Father. We have sent on our behalf this letter to brief you on the endeavors of your sons and daughters in the land of emigration who always long for their father and their elder your Beatitude Patriarch Elias that they may be included in your ever vigilant gaze. So, your Beatitude the Patriarch, yes, and even though we are far from you, our hearts are longing to kiss your pure fingers. Through your benevolent goodwill and blessings, which were answered, God has made it opportune for Father Youssef Daher to visit us and carry out a spiritual retreat in this city, the City of Angels. We have not seen in our days away from the motherland such zeal and goodness toward the sons and daughters of the Confession. After finishing with the retreat, the result of which was good, and through his efforts, we founded a sorority for ladies called Society of Our Lady of Lebanon, the purpose of which is to help the men’s fraternity which was also founded through his efforts, for the purpose of building a church and a school for the Maronite Confession, since we had neither a church nor a school. Work was progressing more rapidly than expected which was due to your blessings and fervent prayers for your sons and daughters, whether they were near or f ar, petitioning from your Beatitude your apostolic blessing in the name of Our Lady of Lebanon whose church you built over his residence. We are hereby embarking on the building of a church and a school by the name chosen by your Beatitude petitioning, from the depths of our hearts, for giving you long life that you may continue to be the pillar of the Maronite Confession and we hereby repeat the kissing of your pure fingers from your sons and daughters. Kona Ashkar President of the Society of Our Lady of Lebanon

Round Stamp reading: SOCIETE NOTRE DAME DE LIBAN–DES DAMES Feb. 3, 1924 Los Angeles

history of our church

1926 I

n 1926 Patriarch Elias Peter Hoayek assigned Reverend Paul Peter Meouchi as the new pastor in Los Angeles. He would spend eight full years in Los Angeles, and then become Archbishop of Tyre, then Patriarch, and head of the Maronite Church and Cardinal Reverend Paul Peter Meouchi of the Universal Church. The parish continued to grow as Maronites continued to emigrate from the Middle East and also move to Los Angeles, from colder climates back east and in the midwest, looking for better work opportunities. In 1926, there were over 80 families to care for. Father Meouchi became very popular with the parishioners and they found him not only friendly, but compassionate, spiritual and outgoing as well. Father Meouchi’s first baptism was Annie Nassar on February 16, 1926. The first couple to be married was Akel Abraham Hashim and Anna Mary Joseph on May 16, 1926. The first to make his holy communion was Albert Antonio Kuri, December 8, 1930, and the first funeral was for Antonio Nassar, on October 17, 1926. Father Meouchi was a leader and an astute planner for the future of the parish. With the parishioners, he began planning the construction of the church on the property where the parish had purchased a house at the corner of Warren and Brooklyn Avenues in Los Angeles. There was opposition from one group of parishioners to the location. They wanted another location. One of the proposed locations was in Orange County. In the 1920s, not everyone owned automobiles and public transportation was economical and accessible to the parishioners. Father Meouchi’s rationale was that the Los Angeles location was the most centrally located and would better serve the parish with its public transportation system. Although the church and hall had not been constructed yet, the parish was very active in celebrating major feast days and visiting dignitaries with celebrations held at rented facilities. As an example, a banquet was held on March 22, 1928 at the Elks Lodge in Los Angeles to honor Dr. Bayard Dodge, President of the American University

of Beirut. This is but one example, not to mention a yearly Mahrajan at area parks. As plans moved forward for construction of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon church, hall and rectory, the country experienced the worst depression known in the history of the United States, putting millions of people out of work. The Great Depression of 1929 affected the Maronite community as well, for those working for others were put out of work and those having their own businesses meant their products and services were no longer affordable to their clients. As the Frenchman said, “Wherever a Maronite settles, there he builds a church…” Was something like the Great Depression going to stop a Maronite from building his church? It certainly did not…against all odds they proceeded, with their wonderful priest to plan and raise funds for construction of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon church complex. Father Meouchi, in the later years of his pastorate, experienced the joy of supervising the building of a new church, church hall and rectory on the premises where the old house stood. On February 18, 1934, at 10:30am,

His Excellency, J. J. Cantwell, DD, Bishop of Los Angeles and San Diego, dedicated the church, hall and rectory. A Solemn Liturgy of thanksgiving was held in the new church with a banquet following in the hall.

ather Meouchi was recalled to Lebanon following completion of the church. He was elected Maronite bishop of Tyre on April 29, 1934 and consecrated Bishop on December 8, 1934 at Bkerke, by Patriarch Anthony Peter Arida. Father Meouchi was loved and admired by his parishioners in Los Angeles. He stayed in contact with some of them by mail; mail between Lebanon and the US seemed to flow better in those days than now. When he found out that they had children serving in the armed forces of the United States he kept them in his prayers and Masses. While here he loved to go quail hunting with his parishioners, namely Rashid Nassar and Abraham Tomey. When Father Meouchi left for Tyre, Lebanon, the History continues on page 26

The old church 1930

history of our church

Banquet in honor of Dr. Bayard Dodge, Elks Club, Los Angeles March 29, 1928

About the Photos of Our Early Foundersâ&#x20AC;Ś he following photos preserve the images of our early founders from 1928 to 1937, and chronicle the early

history of our church

days of our church and its people as they struggled to build their Maronite church and community during the tough times as our country found itself in the midst of the worst economic downturn in Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history, The Great Depression. Millions of people were put out of work. Bread and

soup lines were established to feed the jobless and their families. Our people faired better than most since they worked for themselves providing goods and services. It was a great struggle for them to provide for their families and to also build a church, yet they accomplished all this. One canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help but notice that they continued to

have their banquets and gatherings as a community. They maintained their dignity and were elegantly dressed for the occasions. Our parents and grandparents should be admired for their dedication and fortitude to proceed in their plans of building a Maronite Church in Los Angeles under such difficult financial circumstances. history of our church

Detail photos of Banquet in honor of Dr. Bayard Dodge, March 1928 (full photo on pages 22 & 23)

1. Tom Nahra 2. Mansour Nahra

1. Phares Behannesey 2. Pearl Massad 3. Adolph Kuri 4. Blanche Kuri history of our church

1. Bob Fadel 2. Takla Fadel 3. Norman Fadel

1. Bob Fadel 2. Fakla Fadel 3. Norman Fadel 4. Fajib Zlaket 5. Edna Zlaket history of our church

Dedication of the Church February 18, 1934

history of our church

Most Reverend John J. Cantwell, Bishop of Los Angeles & San Diego, and Reverend Paul Meouchi. The Church was built on the site of the original house (corner of Warren & Brooklyn Avenues).

history of our church

Detail photos of the Dedication of the Church, February 1934 (full photo on pages 26 & 27) left top photo: 1. Boulos Kashouhe Joseph 2. Elias Ziady 3. John Morad 4. George Moshay 5. John Moshay 6. Rev. Meouchi 7. John “Hannah” Wackeen 8. Sleiman Karam 9. Saip George. left middle photo: 1. Boulos Kashouhe Joseph 2. Elias Ziady 3. John Morad left bottom photo: 1. George Moshay 2. John Moshay 3. Sleiman Moshay 4. Rev. Meouchi 5. John “Hannah” Wackeen 6. Edward Tabet 7. Richard Azar. right top photo: 1. Rev. Meouchi 2. Edward Tabet 3. Richard Azar. right bottom photo: 1. Edward Tabet 2. Richard Azar 3. Michael George Kahwaji. history of our church

Church Dedication Luncheon Brooklyn Avenue February 18, 1934

history of our church

Detail Photos of the Church Dedication Luncheon, February 1934 (full photo on pages 30 & 31) left top photo: 1. Dave Bonnesar 2. Fredrick Hakim 3. John “Hannah” Wackeen 4. Rev. Meouchi 5. Phares Behannesy 6. Mr. & Mrs. Antonio Kuri. left bottom photo: 1. Rev. Meouchi 2. Mr. & Mrs. Antonio Kuri. right top photo: 1. Edward Tabet 2. John Moshay. right bottom photo: 1. Mr. & Mrs. Shaia Tabet & Family 2. Jose Turbay 3. Aurora Turbay.

history of our church

Luncheon in honor of Reverend J.J. Cantwell Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles March 7, 1937

History Continued

from page 21â&#x20AC;Ś

church was vacant for a short time. Father Joseph Awad replaced Father Meouchi in 1935 and served the parish seven years. During his tenure, the community continued to grow. Father Awad was a fun priest and a favorite amongst the parishioners. There were many activities and

history of our church

outings he participated in. Our first Mahrajan was held in the early 1940s and became a main social event. One time, several families took him on a hunting trip where a local friendly farmer allowed hunting on his property. It was a beautiful location with shaded trees and a running stream. While the men hunted rabbits the women

prepared lunch. Father Awad didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get any rabbits that day but he did spot a white duck and shot it. What he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t realize was that the duck belonged to the farmer. One of the men quickly dug a hole and buried the duck. Then they invited the farmer to a Lebanese lunch. Father Awad was beloved and gracious with his guidance. He

was transferred to Waterville, Maine following his service to the community in Los Angeles. Father Awad was replaced in 1942 by Father Philip Najm, who served until 1944. During this period, the country and the world for that matter were under an uncertain

History continues on page 38 history of our church

history of our church

Detail Photos of the Luncheon in Honor of Reverend J.J. Cantwell, Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles, March 7, 1937 (full photo on pages 34 & 35) left bottom photo: 1. Bishop Cantwell 2. Fr. Joseph Awad left top photo: 1. Joseph Lebbous 2. Victoria Dib 3. Phares Behannesey 4. Tom Bonnesar. 3. Wadih Dib 4. Blanche Kuri 5. Edna Zlaket 6. Najib Zlaket 7. Richard Nassar 8. Nahel Tedros 9. Tom Tedros right top photo: 1. Shia Tabet 2. Mrs. Tabet 3. Carmen Mcsoud 10. Mike Moses 11. Annie Moses 12. Salim Karam 13. Mr. Tobias. 4. John Moshay 5. Virginia Tabet-Moshay 6. John “Hannah” Wackeen 7. Dave Bonnessar 8. Fredrick Hakim 9. Malaky Behannessey left middle photo (l): 1. Sleiman Karam. 10. Tom Nahra. left middle photo (r): 1. John “Hannah” Wakeen right bottom photo: 1. Terraf Simon 2. Ablan Simon 3. Amira Simon 2. Dave Bonnesar 3. George Hanna 4. Fredrick Hakeem 4. Tanios Simon 5. Sam Simon 6. Mansour Nahra 7. Mr. Tabet 8. Jim Alle. 5. Toufik Barham 6. John Hanna. history of our church

Dinner in honor of Mr. Saloum Mokarzel Elysian Park, Los Angeles May 30, 1937

History Continued

from page 35â&#x20AC;Ś

and tenuous time. World War II was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It was the most widespread war in history, with more than 100 million people serving in military units from over 30 different countries. Many of our families, local and overseas, were impacted by this war. These families had a direct connection as their children served in the military and their parents prayed for peace and their safekeeping. During the war, a local newspaper wrote about our church and a special Mass offered for Lebanese and Syrian boys serving in the US military (exerpt on right). During Father Najmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s period of service, three small boys decided to test his patience. The Tomey brothers and Joe Tedros climbed the ladder to the belfry where the church bell was located. They took turns dropping a toy parachute and watching it float to the steps below. When Father Najm found out, he scolded the boys for their dangerous adventure and turned them over to their parents where they received further punishment. These three boys would one day serve together during the Korean War years.

Father Awad served 1935 to 1942 history of our church

History continues on page 43

From Latin in Many Ways Maronites’ Mass Differs Syrians and Lebanese of Los Angeles Hear Own Language in Rite of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon

nown to most Catholics is the fact that there are several “rites” in the Catholi Church, one of which is the Maronite Rite. Not known to many Los Angeles Catholics is the existence of a parish in East Los Angeles called “Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon.” Its name points to the fondness the Maronites have in devotion to Christ’s mother. This Sunday the church will celebrate its feast day and Mass will be offered for the Syrian and Lebanese boys in the armed forces of the United States. Maronite Catholics are mostly from Lebanon and Syria. Their homeland is just north of Palestine along the Mediteranean. Mass is conducted in the manner established by St. Maron in the fifth century. Priests educated in Lebanon, go to distant lands to make it possible for people to hear Mass in their own tongue. Christ himself spoke Syrian, also called Aramaic. St. Maron, a Lebanese, returned to his homeland where he found the people in need of religious instruction. The Lebanese trace their ancestry to the Phoenicians. They were merchants, traders and colonizers in the centuries before Christ. The Phoenicians established trade routes throughout the Mediteranean, the East, and possibly around the Atlantic coast of Europe. When the Moslems overran Asia Minor, the Lebanese retreated into their mountains and held to their customs and their faith. The Maronites stood fast in their faith, came out of their mountains and showed the Crusaders the way. They fought and died with them.

The first Maronite priest in Los Angeles was a missionary named Father Daher. His successor was Father Paul Meouchi. He established the parish of “Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon” and built the church…

history of our church

Detail Photos of the Dinner in Honor of Saloum A. Mokarzel, publisher & editor of Al-Hoda, Police Recreational Center, Elysian Park, Los Angeles, May 30, 1937. (full photo on pages 38 & 39)

history of our church

top: 1. Tom Nahra 2. Mansour Nahra 3. Tarraf Simon 4. Richard Nassar 5. Phares Behannesey 6. Mr. Tobias 7. Rose Morad 8. John Morad 9. Boulos Joseph 10. Hasiba Joseph 11. Fred Tomey 12. Abraham Tomey 13. Marianna Tomey 14. Tommy Tomey 15. Alban Simon 16. Amira Simon 17. Fr. Joseph Awad 18. Fredrick Hakim 19. Mr. Hellow 20. Mrs. Elias Khouri. bottom: 1. Najib Zlaket 2. Tanios Simon.

Bottom: 1. Joseph S. Maroun 2. Annie. Tabet 3. Adele Nahra 4. Ablan Thomas 5. Risallah Coury 6. Jenny Thomas 7. Mrs. TAbet 8. Virginia Tabet 9. Dave Bonnesar 10. John “Hannah” Wackeen 11. Mrs. Behannessy 12. Tom Bonnesar 13. Mr. Antonio Kuri 14. Mrs. Antonio Kuri 15. Eufrosina Kuri.

Top: 1. Dave Bonnesar 2. John “Hannah” Wackeen 3. Sophia Nahra 4. Annie (Joseph) Tabet 5. Joseph S. Maroun 6. Noor Anton 7. Amenie Maroun 8. Mrs. John Joseph 9. Jim Alle 10. Joseph Andary 11. Badih Joseph 12. Elias Khouri

history of our church

Detail Photos of the Dinner in Honor of Saloum A. Mokarzel, publisher & editor of Al-Hoda, Police Recreational Center, Elysian Park, Los Angeles, May 30, 1937. (full photo on pages 38 & 39)

history of our church

top: 1. Dave Bonnesar 2. John â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hannahâ&#x20AC;? Wackeen 3. Sophia Nahra 4. Annie (Joseph) Tabet 5. Joseph S. Maroun 6. Amenie Maroun 7. Mrs. John Joseph 8. Sadie Joseph 9. Joseph Andary 10. Tom Bonnesar. bottom: 1. Noor Anton JOseph S. Maroun 3. Abdallah Anton 4. Mike Moses Sr. 5. Mrs. Ablan Thomas 6. Helena Moses 7. Mary Moses Anton 8. John Cora.

1950s

History Continued

from page 38…

ather Boutros Daou arrived from Lebanon in 1947, took over as Pastor and accomplished much for the parish. He founded The Maronite Review, a monthly magazine that tried to promote the culture of our people and the richness of our liturgy. There were many socials and get-togethers to bring the different age groups together. Around 1951, at one of the socials, two teenagers (a boy and a girl) were encouraged to play a game of ping pong. Neither of them knew the rules so they simply hit the ball back and forth. Other teens joined in and became apparent the youngsters needed a Father Daou served 1947 to 1955 meeting place to interact with each other. ALSAC invited some teens to attend a meeting. Impressed by one of the boys, Father Daou asked him for his name. “Jimmy,” he answered. Who would have guessed that years later Jimmy would become Judge of the Superior Court James Kaddo?

Father Daou formed other clubs, such as one for teenagers and another for an older group. He also formed a church choir (directed by Olga Karma) and an altar society. He promoted other events including banquets. On one occasion, around 1953, Danny Thomas served as master of ceremonies. Because the church lacked a parking lot, everyone had to park on the street. When Danny went back to retrieve his car, he found it had been vandalized and the tires were stolen. Danny said, “never again,” and true to his word he never returned to the old church. Years later he was the driving force in moving the church to its present location. It was in 1954 that the Ladies Guild was born with Victoria Dib as its first president. Another organization established during this era was the ALSAC (American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities). They used the church hall for some of its functions and get-togethers. It promoted interaction between the Lebanese and Syrian community. Several blocks east of the church, a Jewish community populated the area. The original Canter’s Deli was frequented by church members, as was the Jewish bakery across the street. Currie’s sold its ice cream cones for a nickel. The Friday night socials provided a gathering place for the youth. It usually ended up at a drive-in restaurant where a waitress on roller skates served you a burger and malt at your car. Whenever you attended a movie theater it included double features. The festivals were called Mahrajans, with many forms of entertainment including the belly dancing of Kanza Omar. At one of the Mahrajans, Harry Zackary was chairman of the car raffle. His wife Kouna won the car but he refused to allow her to accept it. He simply picked another raffle ticket. The ’50s era was depicted in later years with a television series called “Happy Days.” One of its stars was a parishioner of our comhistory of our church

marriage was Emil Hakim and Mabel Warrino on April 13, 1957. The first communicant was Diana Mary Rajme on May 27, 1962, and the first funeral was that of Thomas James Tomey on April 3, 1957. A number of various social activities started to become annual events. A fashion show was started in the 1950s that lasted for a number of years. Also in November 1957, the first of what became an annual tradition was established and was known as the “Annual Sahra.” Popular to the present day, the Sahra was held in the church hall, and the ladies of the parish community would make all of the food.

Father Chedid at Communion Celebration

1960s F

ather Chedid’s first years were dedicated to the establishment of good rapport with the parish and munity, Marion Ross, who played the matriarch of the local hierarchy. Many came with good will to aid Father family known as “Mrs. C.” It is a period long gone but not Chedid in his endeavor to establish a good group of men forgotten with beautiful memories of those that continue to and women on the parish level, including the Maronite be involved in daily parish life. A lot happened during this Welfare Society (already in existence since 1923), the Maperiod; the Korean War ended, marriages, births, and deaths ronite Guild, and the Altar Society. He felt a deep sense of of loved ones occurred in the community and changes in understanding and fatherly care from the clergy continued. Father Daou His Eminence the Cardinal, and his returned to Lebanon in 1955 and entire administrative staff. was succeeded for a short time by The first Patriarchal visit to Los Msgr. Thomas Aiken. He remained Angeles occurred from September 15 in charge until September 1, 1956 to 20, 1962. Paul Peter Meouchi, Paand was replaced by the priest that triarch of Antioch and all the Orient, had the longest tenure and seniority came back to his former parish. His of any clergy member in Los Angeles, Beatitude arrived at 2pm at Los AnFather John Chedid. geles International Airport along with Father Chedid had completed a delegation of clergy and was met by 10 years of higher studies at the unireligious and political officials. That versities in Rome and earned two evening, he was the guest of honor at degrees there. Patriarch Meouchi the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Danny sent Father Chedid to take care of Thomas. the parish that he himself had served On Sunday, September 16 at some 30 years before. Father Chedid 10:45am, the Pontifical Mass comwas assigned at the request of His menced at the St. Vibiana Cathedral Eminence, Cardinal James Francis in downtown Los Angeles. Over 2,000 McIntyre, Archbishop of Los Angethe first Maronite Patriarch to visit people filled the cathedral. At noon, les. Father Chedid’s first baptism was Los Angeles was Paul II Peter Meouchi, in 1962. He was Patriarch of Antioch His Beatitude had lunch our parish Joseph Richard Harb on September from 1955 until his death in 1975, hall, reminiscing with old friends for 9, 1956. The first couple he joined in and the first Maronite Cardinal.

history of our church

over three hours. At 6pm, a spectacular reception was held in his honor. Over 1,000 attendees were present and tickets were $12.50 per person. Danny Thomas was the master of ceremonies, and it was the greatest banquet our parish had ever sponsored. The next day, His Beatitude celebrated Mass at the church he had built 28 years earlier. He also made visits around the southland, attended dinner functions, and even went to Disneyland on the day before his departure. On Thursday, September 20, His Beatitude gave a final blessing to the Los Angeles community before departing on a plane to his next parish visit in San Antonio. All the while, the events continued and the fundraisers that raised money for a church building fund grew in number. Examples of activities in 1962 were a card party, a bowling league that met on Sundays after Mass, and the evolution of what was called the “Maronite Chatter Box.” The first issue was established toward the end of that year and was of great interest. In 1963, events such as the annual Fashion Show continued. The ladies of the Maronite Guild continued to sponsor this activity admirably. On May 5, 1963, our choir was invited by His Eminence the Cardinal Archbishop to sing during the Mary’s hour at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Songs included Aleck Salam and Elayeak Alwardu Ya Mariam. Father Chedid also recited the first decade of the Holy Rosary in front of 62,000 people. In 1964, the annual celebrations of the Feast of Saint Maron continued. Some of the annual events consisted of the Liturgy and a luncheon in the hall to follow. The other celebrations consisted of a larger scale event. For this particular year, Mass was held in our church presided by His Excellency John J. Ward, Auxiliary, followed by a banquet at the Statler Hilton Hotel, also honoring His Excellency. Many clergy attended including Monsignors Kenneth O’Brien, O’Callaghan, Aiken and Bardouil. The chairperson was Mrs. Joseph Moshay, President of the Guild and the Master of Ceremonies was Adolph Kuri. On a Sunday evening in October 1964, the Sahra was held at Saint Nicholas Hall. Muneera Karacond and Nahime Hatem were the ladies instrumental in coordinating the preparation

Reverend John Chedid’s 1966 letter to Cardinal McIntyre

of the food for this and many other events were. They continued running the kitchen for many years to follow.

rom May 1965 to August 1966, one single idea directed the parishioners’ activities: A new location for our church. In 1965, Father Chedid said, “The idea of a new location for a church more suitable for our needs was born in my mind, and from then on all my efforts were dedicated to this one goal.” This expression was the start of a dream that turned into a reality. In June 1965, Father Chedid made a formal overture to the Chancery Office for a new location. He called upon Danny Thomas, who rushed to see His Eminence (from a dentist’s chair) and reinforced the idea a couple days later. An audience with His Eminence our beloved Archbishop of Los Angeles occurred and he was asked if our community could purchase history of our church

St. Kevin’s for our future location. That church was located near the intersection of Beverly Boulevard and Normandie Avenue in the heart of the city, and became vacant in June 1966. His Eminence found the suggestion appropriate and he promised to take it in consideration. In the months to follow, His Eminence the Cardinal Archbishop, very sympathetic for our cause, invited Father Chedid to address the Board of Consultors (which in his words, was like addressing a joint session of Congress) with the hope of convincing them. The question was discussed in a very friendly atmosphere. The decision was that the parish at St. Kevin’s was very numerous and could not be dissolved; it would create dissension. It was then that His Eminence suggested St. Peter’s, on the borderline of Beverly Hills and West Hollywood. Later on, the parish learned that it was the idea of His Excellency Bishop Timothy Manning, Vicar General, a great man and a greater heart. After meeting and discussing the proposition with a group of 35 men from the parish, a unanimous decision was reached to accept the offer of His Eminence, who graciously approved. In the meantime, the new Maronite Exarch arrived and his approval was sought and received. Bishop Francis M. Zayek was being installed in Detroit, Michigan, and Father Chedid spoke to him about it while at his enthronement. The chancery office telephoned him directly and he accepted it. On August 2, 1966, the church moved to its new location, St. Peter’s, at San Vicente Boulevard and Burton Way, Los Angeles, a most unique spot. Father Chedid declared, “a beginning of a new era for the Maronites in Los Angeles. The name of James Francis Cardinal McIntyre

history of our church

will always be blessed by every Maronite in this land.” One month later, the parish of St. Peter was dissolved and its territory divided among the neighboring parishes. Some Masses in the Latin rite continued at the present location for the convenience of the people. Our blessed Patriarch Cardinal Meouchi wrote of his joy and contentment to His Eminence, thanking him for his gesture. The first infant to be baptized infant at our new church was Richard James Sarquiz on May 29, 1966, and the first couple to be married were Edward Charles and Victoria Diane Simon on June 4. The first communicants were Philippe Francois Hoyet, Anne Bressard and Edward Ghosn on May 14, 1967, and Selma Anne Karam was buried on August 19, 1966.

he new location lacked a social hall, very necessary for meetings, receptions, etc. It was determined to immediately organize a building fund committee for that purpose; the enthusiasm, joy and generosity of the parishioners was overwhelming. On February 5, 1967, His Eminence Cardinal McIntyre, presided at the St. Maron’s liturgy. He dined with a group of guests at the rectory following Mass. From March 22 to April 1, 1967, the first visit of His Excellency Bishop Francis M. Zayek, Maronite Apostolic Exarch-USA with his secretary, Father Lee Ganim was made. A banquet was held in honor of the Bishop at the Sportsman Lodge in North Hollywood. Over 400 guests attended and the master of ceremonies was Danny Thomas. Bishop John Ward from the chancery office was in attendance and an audience with His Eminence, the Cardinal took place. In September of 1968, after two years of

work and labor towards the building fund, and after having cleared the building permit with the City of Los Angeles, the groundbreaking for the new hall took place west of the church in the patio area. After the Sunday Mass, a procession led by Father Chedid to the grounds, where after the liturgical prayers, the groundbreaking took place amid enthusiasm and joy of all. On June 6, 1969, His Eminence, Cardinal McIntyre, bestowed upon us the unique honor of dedicating our new hall. At 4pm, fully dressed in his liturgical garments, preceded by a good number of priests, Knights, the Men of the Maronite Welfare Society, His Eminence proceeded to bless the new buildings in a very impressive ceremony. The choir, under Olga Karma’s direction, welcomed him with the hymn, To Bashlom Rohyo Sharero (Come in Peace, O Righteous Shepherd). Father Chedid, in a brief speech, thanked His Eminence and invited him to give an Apostolic Blessing that the Holy Father, through the Oriental Congregation, had forwarded to us. After the dedication ceremony, all adjourned to the Sportsman’s Lodge for a celebration banquet; it was most successful. Father Chedid welcomed and thanked His Eminence, thanked Mr. Harry Zachary, Chairman of the Building Fund Committee, expressed his gratitude to the people, to the Holy Father, the Patriarch and the Exarch. He announced that the building of the hall was accomplished and paid for in full. A most elaborate book program was prepared for the occasion. It was organized and supervised by Mrs. Josephine Moshay. His Eminence in his speech praised the Oriental rites and had meaningful words of praise for Father Chedid. In 1969, Father John Chedid was made Monsignor and named Honorary Chaplain to his Holiness. He was bestowed official of the Maronite Matrimonial Tribunal headquartered in Los Angeles.

1970s M

onsignor Chedid reflected, “The church, even though beautiful in architecture, warmth and location,” needed remodeling, particularly with the new changes in liturgy which were being implemented. In 1970 while on a trip to Europe, I contracted the job to an Italian firm, famous for carrara marble, from whom we imported the altar, tabernacle, crucifix and stained glass windows, so that by the end of 1972, the

remodeling work was completed. The whole plant, particularly the church edifice, reflects the beauty, though in a very humble manner, the splendor of what takes place in it—the Divine Liturgy with all of its divine richness. Again, the generosity of the parishioners surprised everyone: to all of them my neverdying gratitude.” During the early ’70s, Father Vincent Traynor would fill in for Mass for the times Monsignor Chedid traveled or when we needed an additional priest. Throughout 1972, ideas and details were beginning to be established for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of our parish. After confirming that Danny Thomas would available to serve as master of ceremonies, the date was set: May 4–6, 1973, in the month of Mary. Historical sketches of 50 years were being prepared in earnest at the beginning of that year. The archives of the Archdiocese as well as the old books of the Maronite Welfare Society were being reviewed. The dinner and festivities were held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills on Friday, May 4, 1973. His Eminence, Cardinal Timothy Manning was present, as well as our Most Reverend Bishop, Francis M. Zayek, first Bishop of the St. Maron Diocese of Detroit. A solemn Liturgy of Thanksgiving was offered at our church on May 6, where the children crowned the Blessed Mother Queen of May, hoping that she, in turn, has crowned our fathers in the eternal mansions. The organizations, activities and special occasions continued to increase in the parish of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon–St. Peter Church. The Guild Ladies Club Fashion Show was held on October 18, 1976 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, with members of the parish as the models, and the Annual Christmas Boutique, organized by Maxine Shalhoub made its first appearance that year. On November 7, 1976, a silver jubilee celebration at the Sportsman’s Lodge honored Monsignor Chedid for his 25 years of priesthood. The final payment on the mortgage had been made, so a paperwork burning ceremony took place in front of the attendees. In October 1977, Monsignor Chedid organized a trip to Italy for the canonization of Father Charbel Maklouf. Parishioners from our community witnessed this tremendous event. In 1978, the first Cedars Club of Men and Women was established and Joanne Kahwaji was its first president. Its purpose was to support the church through fundraising history of our church

and create goodwill and camaraderie amongst its members. That same year, Jim Tomey and Paula Mockary became the first teachers of the Catechism classes that prepared the students for the Sacrament of First Holy Communion. They taught for three years and established a program that grew in future years. On November 12, 1978, Monsignor John Chedid was ordained a Chorbishop of the Maronite Church, becoming one of the highest-ranking officials in the Maronite Diocese of the United States.

1980s

s a new decade commenced, the roles and responsibilities continued amongst the community. In 1980, Joseph Petro and Marguerite Mockary took over the Catechism classes and continued in that capacity for the next four years. On September 1, 1980, the St. Sharbel Club was established comprising of the youth and young adults of the church. Gwen Moussa became its first president. On October 28, 1980, Chorbishop John Chedid was elevated to Auxiliary Bishop by Bishop Francis M. Zayek of the Diocese of St. Maron. Also, Father Ronald N. Beshara served our community starting in 1980 as Bishop Chedid’s first full-time assistant. In 1981, Reverend Georges El-Khalli was appointed the assistant to Bishop Chedid. That same year, His Beatitude Patriarch Antonios Khoreiche visited our church community and marked the second Patriarchial visit to Los Angeles. In 1982, St. John Maron branched out of our Cathedral parish to accommodate the people living in Orange County. At first, it was served by priests from our Cathedral till the day they received their full-time priest, Father Peter Karam. Father Tony Bakh has led St. John Maron since 1989, and it has grown stronger through the years. In 1982, our church took on the challenging task of hosting the annual National Apostolate of Maronites convention. It was held on July 21–25, 1982 at the Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles; Maxine Shalhoub was the general chairperson. It was an eventful five days filled with of spiritual and social activities. The Maronite Guild was in full representation to volunteer in the subcommittees. Our parish and city shined in the popularity and lasting

history of our church

memories of the convention that Maronites throughout the United States took pride in. It was probably the church’s most satisfying activity to that point and definitely the most successful NAM convention of its time. Our community would eventually host another national convention in 2009. For her efforts, Maxine was bestowed the honor of being the parish’s first recipient of NAM’s Silver Massabki award in 1982. In 1983, the Maronite League, a combination of the Maronite Guild and Cedars Club and all its members was formed, with Gene George as the first president. The League is still active today, supporting our community with various fundraising events. Their original objectives were “To encourage and cultivate spiritual and social activities among members of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon–St. Peter’s Church, and to participate in raising funds for any need or purpose as shall arise for Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon–St. Peter’s Church.” In 1984, Therese Atallah and Samia Thomas took the lead in teaching the first communicants. Father Joseph J. Shaheen became the assistant to Bishop Chedid in 1986. The annual fashion show and luncheon continued to be a rousing success. On October 12, 1986, the tradition continued at the Sheraton Universal Hotel. The Annual Sahra continued to be popular and the church hall was filled to capacity. In 1987, the Pope visited the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and our local leader, Archbishop Roger Mahony. Many Maronites carrying Lebanese flags waited at the designated parade route and showed their love for Pope John Paul II. Mass was held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 16, 1987 in front of over 100,000 people and the next day at Dodger Stadium in front of 63,000. Bishop Chedid participated in the Papal Masses. The church activities continued to flourish and the St. Maron’s Feast Day celebrations have become as the years have gone by. In 1988, under the leadership of Bishop Chedid and Assistant Pastor Louis Baz, the event was held at the Sportman’s Lodge on February 7. In July of that year, our community was graced and honored to have His Eminence Cardinal Nasrallah Peter Sfeir amongst us. He visited our community for a few days and a reception was held in our church hall. It was the first of two visits he made to our community. Later that year, a renaissance of spiritual and social

growth occurred with the St. Sharbel Club. This was a continuation of the success of previous years adding to the increasing popularity and enthusiasm of its members. The Maronite League was getting stronger by the year as well with many fund-raising activities and events. Father Kevin Beaton joined our community as assistant pastor in 1989 and served our parish for a few years. On September 17, a “Fiesta Fashion Show” was held at the Sportman’s Lodge with fashion comments provided by none other than the fashion icon of that time, Mr. Blackwell. The Annual Sahra was still going strong, and so was the mezza and dinner chairperson, Nahime Hattem. When the music started up for the evening, she was the first one on the dance floor, belly dancing and getting the entertainment portion of that and many other parties underway. The well-attended and popular Fashion Shows continued to be major events.

1990s O

n October 7, 1990, the fashion show was held at the Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, and the theme of that day was “Hollywood Nostalgia and Fashions of Today.” In 1991, The St. Sharbel Club’s annual Valentine’s Day dance and Halloween Party reached hall capacity limits and they grew in popularity from each previous year. On February 6, 1991, our community lost a popular and devoted star of our parish, when Danny Thomas passed away. He was always there for the parish whenever he was called upon. It was a big loss for our church, and he was

a dear friend of Bishop Chedid. On a happier note, two of our parishioners received a great honor for their public service. The Municipal Court of the Los Angeles Judicial District inducted the Honorable James A. Kaddo and the Honorable Ernest Williams as Judges of the Superior Court. It was a big honor, not only for our church community, but also for all the Maronites throughout the United States. The St. Maron’s Feast Day events continued to be a spectacular occasion. The luncheon locations have shifted to Downtown Los Angeles hotels during this period and on February 7, 1992, the celebration was held at the Bonaventure Hotel. Father Jack Morrison served as assistant pastor to our community from 1992–1993 and Father Louis Baz started his second tenure at our parish from 1993–1995. 1994 was one of the biggest years for our church and parish community. On May 1, 1994, Father Louis Baz and advisor Tommy Tedros co-founded the Maronite Youth Organization and George Alwan served as its first president. The MYO is still strong currently and active on the parish and national levels. On June 23, 1994, the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles was established and Bishop Chedid was appointed as its first Bishop. The establishment of the new Eparchy required a Cathedral Church for the Bishop, thus, Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon–St. Peter was selected for this great honor. To assist Bishop Chedid at the cathedral, Father Abdallah Zaidan, MLM, was appointed as the Rector, and Chorbishop Gregory Mansour was appointed as Protosyncellus/Chancellor of the new Eparchy. The Enthronement of Bishop Chedid was held at St. Charles Borromeo Church in North Hollywood. Their Church was able to accommodate the many Maronites, Catholics and delegates from different denominations

history of our church

as they witnessed this historic event. A grand banquet was held in honor of His Excellency Bishop John Chedid at the Hilton Universal Hotel in Universal City. To coincide with this event, the International Maronite Congress was being held at the same hotel from June 23 to 26, 1994. Maronites from throughout the world attended these meetings with a keen interest in their results. They determined ways to strengthen Maronite tradition and values, encouraged a worldwide effort for international support for Christians and Maronites, and defined the role and mission of the laity in a church and society that would change socially, economically, politically and geographically as we moved into the 21st century. Our community worked on both the Eparchial festivities and Maronite Congress, and it was a proud time to reflect on our Maronite roots and rich customs. As the year progressed, our parish continued to flourish and expansion began. On September 1, 1994, Father Abdallah Zaidan started his first day of service as Rector. After a successful NAM convention in San Antonio, Texas, Father Zaidan packed up and headed even further west to sunny California. He was handed a parish that spread from the San Gabriel Mountains to the Pacific. In 1995, Father Gregory Mansour was elevated to the rank of Chorbishop and was ordained by Bishop Chedid in January 1996. On January 6, 1996, an unfortunate set of circumstances impacted our cathedral. The church was purposely set on fire and suf-

history of our church

fered extensive damages. It was subsequently remodeled and refurbished (the chancery building that overlooks the parking lot on the west side of the property was built later). The fire didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t damage our spirit, in fact, it united us even more in our place of worship, and that spirit continues to be unwavering. After remodeling, the church looked more beautiful than ever before. Our community has shown its creativity and imagination with the various fundraising themes as time progresses. One such event was held in 1997 with the Monte Carlo Night celebration. It took place at the exquisite Olympic Collection in West Los Angeles and this was a first-class and formal evening. The cathedral has sponsored many of these Monte Carlo nights in the past with great interest and everlasting memories. When Father Zaidan arrived in 1994, one of his top priorities was to communicate with the parishioners who lived away from the church. Hence, in 1997, the quarterly publication, Outreach, was launched as a religious, social, cultural and educational newsletter geared to the community at large. Through its pages, the history of the last decade and a half have been documented. The original Outreach staff worked hard to get it off the ground: Director, Father Zaidan; Editor, Dr. Michel Kahwaji, Co-editor, Fred Nahra; Editor, Noelle Kahwaji-Karaki; and Graphic Designers, Fady Garabet, Rima Kaddo and Charlie Maroun. Many contributors to the success of the Outreach invested many nights to its publication. The major contributors are: Tommy Tedros (In and Around our Parish); Marlene Wilson and Tom Tomey (In and Around the Vatican); Father Elias (MYO), Najib Nasr, Tom Tomey and Madeleine Yates (religious stories), Dr. Patrick Shallita and Dr. Joseph Kahwaji (Health Matters); Adriana Kahwaji (movie reviews); Noelle Kahwaji-Karaki (literature), Mirella Koury and the School Staff (Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Corner), Antoine Souma and Amira Matar (Financial Services); Lucy Lazar, Ibrahim Kahwaji and Joseph Mouallem (Arabic Corner); and Fred Nahra (Spotlight). In addition, Outreach is a forum for all parishioners to write about any topic of interest.

une of 1998 marked the fourth anniversary of the Eparchy. During this period the Chancery was built. In February of 1998, the Diamond Jubilee yearlong celebration began at the Feast of St. Maron and culminated in October with a Mass and grand banquet which Maxine Shalhoub chaired. The elegant banquet was held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on October 10, 1998. Speakers for this event included the Consul General of Lebanon Gibran Soufan, Cardinal Roger Mahony, and Bishop John Chedid who wanted to touch on all who dedicated themselves during this 75-year period, “from Monsignor Daher, to Cardinal Meouchi, to Father Awad, to Father Najm, to Father Doau to Monsignor Aiken, to myself, to Father Baz, Father Zaidan, Chorbishop Mansour and other saintly priests dedicated in every way to the success of the cathedral.” During this year the Children’s Summer Camp was established as an annual tradition. This has been one of the greatest achievements of what is known as the renaissance era, the period in which the children’s and youth groups came into full fruition. The yearlong festivities conculded with the celebration of St. Maron’s Feast day with over 900 people attending. 1999 was a good year for Father Zaidan and for the Maronites of the Inland Empire. Under Father Zaidan’s supervision, the Saint Jude Maronite Mission started in March 1998 in San Dimas, California was now a reality. This year the first directory was also published.

2000s

On January 21, 2001, the Cathedral parish and the Eparchy of Our Lady of Los Angeles gathered to honor, appreciate and simply say thank you for Bishop Chedid’s many years of service. Bishop Shaheen was ordained and enthroned in St. Louis by His Beatitude Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir on February 15, 2001. On February 23–26, 2001, His Eminence Cardinal Nasrallah Peter Sfeir and Bishop Shaheen graced us with their presence. It was a weekend full of events that culminated with Sunday’s Pontifical Liturgy and banquet. Our Patriarch, the Cardinal of Los Angeles His Eminence Roger Mahony and various bishops and priests from around the world concelebrated. There were over 1,025 in attendance at the luncheon in the Wilshire Grand Hotel. The first-ever kids’ fashion show was held in 2001, to defray the cost of the summer camp. Also that year, the Maronite League sponsored A Taste of Lebanon Heritage Night chaired by Eman Kahwaji, and the annual Village Brunch was held and chaired by Joanne Kahwaji. Summer camp that year was titled “Jesus Loves Me” and was a great success with the help of Father Ghassan Mattar and Father Ihab Chamoun. Thanks to Father Elias, the camp has grown to be one of the most enjoyable events and continues to grow each year.

he second millennium brought some fear and anxiety to what the future was to hold due to “Tertio Millenio Adveniente” or the “zero effect.” Regardless of the fearful hype of the new millennium, the year 2000 brought everything but fear. The NAM Convention was held in Washington, DC, July 5–9, 2000. As in every year at NAM, our local community was represented in great numbers. After six and a half fruitful years as Eparch, on December 5, 2000, in accord with Church law which requires a bishop submit his resignation at the age of 75, His Holiness Pope John Paul II accepted Bishop Chedid’s resignation and appointed Bishop-Elect Robert Shaheen, to succeed Bishop Chedid as the second Eparchial Bishop.

In June of 2001, Father Abdallah Zaidan led the diocesan delegation to attend the canonization of Rafka. Many parishioners joined and enjoyed their time. Towards the end of June, Chorbishop Gregory Mansour left for St. Louis to serve as Vicar General of the Eparchy and Rector of St. Raymond’s Cathedral. Also, at that time, Father Zaidan history of our church

passed the pastoral responsibility of St. Jude to Father George Bou Mousallem (Father Samuel Madel) who became their first full-time pastor. On September 11, 2001, we lost three voices of our extended Cathedral community on the day of the terrorist attack on America. On this dark day we lost Boutros Gerges El Hachem, Waleed Joseph Iskandar and Jude Joseph Moussa. Pope John Paul II, Cardinal Roger Mahony and Bishop Shaheen all sent letters of condolences to President George Bush. That year we also said goodbye to a pillar of our church, Nahime Hatem at the age of 99 (one month short of 100). On a happy note, on October 15, Father Elias Sleiman joined our parish as Associate Rector. Father Elias was born in Bekarzala (Akkar) in 1972, and ordained a priest on March 15, 1998. The Children’s School expanded with a continually increasing number of teachers and students joining. On June 2002, Saints Peter and Paul Mission was established to reach out to the people living in the San Fernando Valley. Father Pierre Albalaa was its first pastor. On September 18, 2002, six parishioners from Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon joined Father Zaidan to participate in the celebration of Chorbishop Mansour’s 20th anniversary in the priesthood, held in St. Louis. In the summer of 2003, Father Zaidan and Father Sharbel Maroun of Minneapolis led over 48 parishioners from Los Angeles and Minnesota on a pilgrimage to Spain and Portugal. Georgette

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Kahwaji and Rita Sayegh reported on their visit to Toledo, Cordoba, Our Lady of Fatima Shrine, Coimbra, Santiago de Compostella, Caruna, the home of our own Vickie Bascoy, Valladolid and then to Madrid. The church picnics that have taken place over the years grew to the extent that the American Lebanese Cultural Festival was born in 2003 and became an annual tradition full of spiritual and social activities. The first festival was held on September 7 in Griffith Park with over 3,000 in attendance. What a great big event, but then we must remember that Father Zaidan was a Texan at one time and as he put it best, “Everything in Texas is big.” On March 2, 2004, on the Feast of St. John Maron, Chorbishop Gregory Mansour was ordained in Lebanon as the third Bishop of the Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn, New York. Archbishop Francis Zayek and Bishop Robert Shaheen were his sponsors. In May, the highlight of 2004 was Our Lady Mt. Lebanon’s pilgrimage to Rome for the Canonization of St. Nimtullah Al Hardini. Father Zaidan led the Los Angeles group and stayed at the Crown Plaza Hotel. Joanne Kahwaji reported on the two-day excursion to Our Lady of Loretto; Dennis Hollow reported on the groups visit to the Vatican Garden; and Saada Abboud reported on the Mass presided by Pope John Paul II. Patriarch Sfeir celebrated the Canonization by giving a special Mass. They also visited St. Rita in Cascia, and St. Francis of Assisi. The pilgrimage ended with a Mass celebrated by Father Zaidan, Father Sharbel Maroun and Monsignor Richard Saad of Birmingham, Alabama, in the St. Mary of Angels

Basilica. The trip included a visit to Lebanon as well. In December of that year the Cathedral hosted a “Welcome Home” banquet honoring Bishop Gregory Mansour and Bishop Robert Shaheen. Father Zaidan presented to his “Brother” Greg a miter-shaped plaque. In April we were informed that ‘the Holy Father, John Paul II died in peace. On April 19, 2005 Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected the 265th pope, taking the name Benedict XVI. In May 2005, the first Parish Council was elected and Paul Buzad was its president. The annual St. Maron’s Feast Day celebration, where we take pride in our Maronite identity, continued. In 2006, it was celebrated by over 750 people in the presence of the Los Angeles Mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa. The Life Acheivement Award was given to Anthony Vincent Zehenni and Marcel Ghanem, host of LBC’S “Kalam Al Nass” (the Talk of the People), who was also the keynote speaker. From May 25 to June 2, Father Zaidan led parishioners on yet another pilgrimage, this time to France. They visited Lisieux, the home of St. Vincent de Paul, and Lourdes, where the Blessed Mother appeared to Bernadette in 1858, as well as other sites. Father Zaidan then flew to Rome and received a blessing from Pope Benedict XVI. On October 1, Bishop Chedid celebrated a Mass during which he was recognized for his 50 years of service. Father Zaidan thanked Sayedna for “laying down your life for all of us. You trusted in God’s Grace as your motto shows in

your coat of arms, ‘My Grace is enough for you.’” Bishop Mansour wrote to Sayedna, “This letter is simply a word of thanks from a grateful heart. Thank you for your fruitful ministry.” In February 2007, on the eve of St. Maron’s Feast Day, the parish celebrated 20 years of Father Zaidan’s life of service in the priesthood. Along with with the celebration, John Nisser was honored too. Attending the celebration were Bishop Shaheen, Bishop Emeritus John Chedid, Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles Vical General Faouzi Elia and other clergy. Father Sleiman, who arranged this

event, gave Father Zaidan the biggest surprise when his mother Yvette and his sister Reina entered the hall during the celebration. To say he was shocked is an understatement. Father Elias had succeeded with a secret well-kept! In the summer of 2007 the sixthannual Children’s Summer Camp was held in Big Bear, California with 119 children attending. Father Sleiman directed the camp with the theme of “Rejoice in the Lord Always.” In July The Maronite Youth Organization (MYO) flew to St. Louis, Missouri, to learn about their Maronite faith. Also that summer the Lebanese Cultural Festival was held, where over 4000 people attended and were entertained by the children and MYO Dabke Troops, and singer Joseph Attieh from Lebanon. In August, the Maronite Young Adults (MYA), which was reestablished in 2006, rolled out the red history of our church

carpet for a night of fun and dancing Hollywood-style. The Beshely Society at their 89th Anniversary honored their own Dr. Charles Elachi, the head of JPL in Pasadena. The Maronite League invited the Notre Dame University Choir from Lebanon to entertain on Heritage Night. It was an honor to have them perform for a crowd celebrating their heritage. There were many events and activities that made the year 2008 so memorable. The MYO continues to gain members and interest as the annual retreat was held in January. The annual Saint Maron’s Feast Day celebration in February continued to honor those deserving individuals that contributed to society living the Maronite way. The “Lifetime Achievement Award” recipients have been part of a recent tradition incorporated into the day’s program. That year’s honorees were Dr. Zouheir Elias and Robert Atallah. The CCD retreat in February, was a day-long event full of prayer, religious teachings and fun activities for the children and their parents.

Some additional events in 2008 that have become repeat functions throughout the years were the Family and Friends Talent Show, Heritage Night and Traditional Village Brunch. The Children’s Summer Camp held in late June tripled in size that year. The Feast of the Assumption and the Manaeesh ala sajj traditional Lebanese dinner was a highlight of the summer. The festival that year had over 5,000 attendees and our parishioners have shined in their volunteerism. The MYA continued sponsoring their themed parties with a Parisian evening. The Sahra continued to be a sold out event, and the Christmas

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Boutique continued to be popular. Along with the traditional activities that occurred during the year 2009, the cathedral honored Councilman Dennis Zine of the City of Los Angeles, and George and Anthony Raluy at the St. Maron’s event. Once again, the community took on the task to host one of the most successful NAM Conventions to date. It was held July 1–5 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Century City. After two years of intense preparation, over 1,200 attendees took to heart the theme that was “Follow the Stars to the City of Angels.” Dignitaries such as Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches at the Vatican, Bishops Shaheen and Mansour, along with Bishops George Abi Younes of Mexico, Joseph El-Khoury of Canada and Edgar Madi of Brazil joined in. Mr. Carlos Slim, Ambassador Gilbert Chagoury, and Secretary of Transportation Ray Lahood were present. The religious concert given by Joumana Mdawar was truly inspirational. The general chairpersons who coordinated those five wonderful days were Dr. Elias and Mrs. Mireille Ayoub. At the conclusion of this gathering, Tommy Tedros became NAM President and the first parishioner of Our Lady of Mt.

Lebanon–St. Peter in this capacity. NAM in Los Angeles shattered attendance records where Maronite national pride was evident and the local Cathedral community shined in their efforts.

2010s I

n February 2010, Dr. Elias Ayoub was the recipient of the “Lifetime Achievement Award for Civic Services” during the St. Maron celebration. In May 2010, many of our parishioners traveled on a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land with Father Zaidan. Families that typically spend their summers in Lebanon met with Father Zaidan to spend an entire day visiting the different regions and enjoying lunch together. Also included was a private audience with His Eminence Cardinal Nasrallah Peter Sfeir in this joyous “Los Angeles Day in Lebanon.” The Family Night event was so popular in January 2011 that a second one took place later that year. We welcomed back Cardinal Sandri, who participated in the receptions and events leading up to the Saint Maron’s Feast Day Celebration in February when we honored His Excellency Ambassador Chagoury. On the weekend of May 14, 2011, the parish community celebrated Father Zaidan’s 25th anniversary in the priesthood. It was a beautiful weekend of celebration. Joumana Mdawar graced the evening with her angelic voice and great music. Bishops Shaheen and Mansour concelebrated the

Liturgy. Current Parish Council President Dr. Elias Ayoub spoke of Father Zaidan’s value to our local community and all Maronites everywhere. A reception followed the Mass in the cathedral hall. Father Zaidan was very appreciative of all those who attended this happy occasion and to all his fellow priests. As Father Zaidan said, “I have lived through various experiences: some were joyful; some were challenging and difficult; some were glorious and some were humbling. One constant was in all my life was the hand of God. He carried me through and strengthened me along the way. God outdoes us in generosity. I am thankful for all that God has given me and I surrender myself to God’s providence.” Father Sleiman was the Retreat Master for a spiritual and beautiful retreat in Santa Barbara for the adults in May 2011. The summer camp in June was at capacity with more than 150 youth and teens having a great time. The festival in September continued to draw huge numbers and on October 14–17, 2011, our community was honored with the fifth Patriarchal visit in our history as His Beatitude Bechara Peter Rai graced our cathedral and local community for four eventful days. Many events and receptions were held in his honor where political and religious dignitaries welcomed His Beatitude to the City of Angels. The MYO and MYA had their traditional fall parties and our cathedral hosted the National MYA workshop at the end of October, under the auspices of Father Sleiman, director of the Young

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Adults for the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon. Saint Maron’s Feast Day in 2012 was a memorable day just like all the previous ones. Each year, the bar is raised on the magnitude of this event and it fosters Maronite pride in us all in terms of heritage, culture, tradition and unity. This year’s honorees were our own Maxine Shalhoub and His Excellency Ziad Baroud, former minister of Interior in Lebanon. The MYO retreat theme for this year was “The Importance of Boundaries.” The lessons and experiences our youth went through during these meaningful days will benefit them and us as the future leaders of our cathedral. On March 21, Bishop John Chedid, our pastor and shepherd of the local community for so many years, passed away in Lebanon at the age of 88. He truly showßed us how to be a “father of all,” a leader. He became the man so many of us would turn to when choosing a role model or mentor. He never turned us away, and he never failed us. May he sleep in the peace of the Lord. Father Abdallah Zaidan represented the community and the Eparchy at the Funeral Service in Lebanon. Also, on April 29, we gathered to commemorate his passing with a 40thday Mass with Bishop Robert

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Shaheen and Cardinal Roger Mahony in attendance. On May 18, 2012, the Maronite League sponsored a special celebration honoring certain individuals for their support and dedication over the years. This was the first event of its kind and will hopefully be a tradition to remember our past and embrace the present. The Feast of the Assumption and traditional Lebanese dinner once again filled up the hall. The community outdid themselves with their efforts on another successful festival that September— our 10th annual—that continues to be held at Woodley Park in Van Nuys. The 55th Annual Sahra was held on November 10, and still is a widely popular and sold-out event. The preparations for the 90th anniversary of the cathedral were underway in the later part of 2012 going into 2013. Chairpersons Nina Bejany and Pia Challita-Eid started to coordinate the committees to ensure another successful event in the long history of our cathedral. On February 17, 2013, the latest in a long-lasting tradition of St. Maron’s Feast Day celebrations was held at the Century Plaza Hotel with Dr. Charles Elachi and George Ayoub as honorees. Parish daily life continued, such as the monthly Maronite League and Parish Council meetings. The MYO is still growing, CCD classes are well attended and the choir is still the envy of both Eparchies. At the time of publishing, Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon– St. Peter has had over 2,189 baptisms, 820 marriages, 550 first communions, and sadly 969 deaths. So much is happening on a continual basis; we are proud, as clergy and laity, to be part of this growth. In commemorating 90 years of growth, admiration and pride in our Maronite church, we look forward to celebrating our centennial with the same dedication, spirit and effort that our predecessors set as the standard. We rely on the intercession of our Mother, the Blessed Mary, Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon and St. Peter to ask our loving God to bless, protect and accompany our community in its earthly journey towards the heavenly kingdom.

His Beatitude

Elias Peter Hoayek Patriarch of Antioch and All the East

lias Hoayek was born in Helta, North Lebanon in the year 1843. He studied at the Seminary College of St. John Maroun in North Lebanon. He later went to the Jesuit seminary of Ghazir in 1859, where he studied French, Arabic, Syriac, Latin and Greek, as well as philosophy. In 1866 he went to Rome to study theology. In 1870 he was ordained and returned to Lebanon. Upon his return he taught theology at his old school the Seminary of St. John Maroun. He was appointed secretary and moved to the patriarchal residence in 1872 where he was consecrated Bishop and Patriarchal Vicar on December 14, 1889. On January 6, 1899 he was elected Patriarch. Hoayek adopted the middle name Peter (Bolous) to signify him being the successor to St. Peter first Bishop of Antioch. Patriarch Hoayek’s residence was simple, consisting of three rooms: a bedroom/office, a reception room and a chapel. He was known to particularly revere the readings of

the confessions of St. Augustine, the Eternal Maxims and the Imitation of Christ. On October 27, 1919 he presented the assembly of the Peace Congress in Paris with his memorandum. This proposal was accepted and approved by General Clemenceau in a statement issued on November 10, 1919. The French General Gouraud announced a declaration by France of the recognition of the Great Lebanon on September 1, 1920. This was the first time Lebanon had these boundaries and was called the The State of Greater Lebanon. Famous sayings of Hoayek: “Both national feeling and religion make it an obligation for you to respect and love everybody whatever may be his belief. Reason leads you to fraternize with the person you live with under the same sky and on the same land.” and “God wants us to love our country.” He died on December 24, 1931.

“…Reason leads you to fraternize with the person you live with under the same sky and on the same land.”

maronite patriarchs

His Beatitude

Antoun Peter Arida Patriarch of Antioch and All the East

e was known as Selim Ben Abdel Ahad Arida, and was born in Becharré on August 2, 1863. He studied the Arab and Syriac languages at a school in his region, and in 1879, at the school of St. Jean-Maroun at Kfar-Hay where he spent five years. He was sent to St. Sulpice School in France where he spent six years (1884–1890) and continued his studies in Theology. He was ordained priest by Bishop Mostel, superior of Bishops of the Curia on September 28, 1890. He returned to Lebanon where Patriarch Youhanna El Hajj appointed him his secretary, advocate of the marriage sacrament and examiner of priests. Pope Pius X elected him prelate of the church with the title of Monsignor on July 31, 1905 before being elected Archbishop of Tripoli, which was consecrated by Patriarch Elias Hoayek in Bkerké on June 18, 1908. The Assembly of Bishops convened at Bkerke to elect him as a successor on April 30, 1932 after the death of Patriarch Elias Hoayek.

Patriarch Arida built a See at Dimane, where a dignified church was erected with the assistance of his brother Rashid Arida. He purchased a house in Marseille for the representative of the church and reopened the seminary of St. Maron in Ghazir. He founded and supervised another seminary in Ain-Warka and presented it to the Convent of Mar Abda-Harharaya. Arida opposed the Alexandria Protocol on October 7, 1944, and asked for its rectification; he sustained the Lebanese independence in 1943. At the age of 85 years, the Holy See appointed an apostolic committee to assist him, composed of the Bishops: Paul Meouchi, Abdallah Khoury (which continued after his death by Bishops Ghnatios Ziadé) and Boutros Dib. His last words before his death on Ascension Thursday, May 19, 1955 at Bkerké were “God protect Lebanon.”

“God protect Lebanon.”

maronite patriarchs

His Eminence

Paul Peter Cardinal Meouchi Patriarch of Antioch and All the East

aul Meouchi was born in Jezzine, Lebanon on April 1, 1894. His parents were Assad and Magdalena Meouchi. As a seminarian he studied at the College de la Sagesse. In 1909 he was sent to continue his studies in Rome at the College of the Propaganda and at the Pontifical Gregorian University. He was ordained priest in Rome on December 7, 1917 by Bishop Namatala Karam. He then served as secretary of the Maronite bishops of Saida and of Tyre. After having attended a visitation of the bishop of Tyre in the United States in 1920¸ he was assigned as pastor of the parish of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Father Paul Meouchi was then assigned as the new pastor in Los Angeles by Patriarch Elias Peter Hoayek in 1926. He served as pastor of the parish Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon until 1934 when he returned to Lebanon. He was elected Maronite bishop of Tyre in 1934 and consecrated bishop on December 8, 1934 at Bkerké by Patriarch Anthony Peter Arida. Paul Peter Meouchi was elected patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites on May 25, 1955. He attended the Second Vatican Council, 1962–1965, where he took a stand to defend the rights of Patriarchs to discourage the emigration of Christians from the Middle East.

On February 22, 1965 he was created Cardinal by Pope Paul VI, being the first Maronite to become cardinal. Patriarch Meouchi visited the US in 1962, when he dedicated the Maronite Seminary in Washington DC, and visited parishes throughout the country. His visit to the parish of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon in Los Angeles, September 15–20, 1962, was of special significance, as he was pastor of the community for many years. With much work and much love, Father John Chedid and parishioners prepared for his visit. From a political point of view, his actions as Patriarch of the Maronite were intended to promote the reconciliation among all the Lebanese, both Christians and Muslims. He was a supporter of the Arab nationalism, thus standing in opposition to the pro-USA former president of Lebanon Camille Chamoun. During his patriarchate, new dioceses were established in the lands of expansions. Therefore, the Eparchy in Brazil was created first in 1962. Then in 1966, he created the Exarchate of St. Maron in Detroit for all the USA with Bishop Francis Zayek as the first shepherd. Also, the Eparchy of St. Maron was established in 1973. He died on January 11, 1975 in the Maronite Catholic Patriarchate in Bkerké, Lebanon, where he was buried.

maronite patriarchs

His Eminence

Antonios Peter Cardinal Khoreich Patriarch of Antioch and All the East

ntonios Khoreich was born in Ain-Ebel in the south of Lebanon in 1907. He had his primary studies at a school in the village and was sent to Rome to continue his philosophical and theological studies at the age of 13. At the age of 16, due to an illness, returned to Lebanon, and continued his theological studies at the University of St. Joseph in Beirut. Bishop Choukrallah Khoury ordained him priest at the Cathedral of Tyr on April 11, 1930 where he began his priesthood life by teaching. He was appointed director of the Maronite seminary in Beirut La Sagesse. On April 28, 1950, he was elected Titular bishop by the Synod of the Maronite Bishops and was ordained on October 15, 1950. On November 25, 1957 he was appointed Archbishop of Saida, Lebanon. In 1962 he accompanied Patriarch Paul Peter Meouchi on his pastoral trip to the United States of America. As a bishop, he participated in the sessions of Vatican II from 1962 to 1965. He was a member of member of the commission in charge of the statute of the clergy and the Christian people during the length of his council. At the end of the council, he became member of the Roman Curia for the Congregation of Saints and remained a member until his Patriarchate. In 1973, he became member of the new commission to revise the oriental canon law and president of the legal commission of the APECL. Finally he became Patriarchal

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Curator and Vicar General on April 11, 1974 with Bishop Nasrallah Sfeir while maintaining at the same time his position as Archbishop of Saida. He was elected Patriarch on February 3, 1975. He was invested in his function as a Patriarch on Sunday 9th February, the day of the feast of St Maroun and confirmed by the Vatican on February 15, 1975. He made official and pastoral visits to Rome and Paris. He visited the United States in 1981 and attended the Synod of Bishops, which is held in Rome every three years. During his Patriarchate the blessed Charbel Makhlouf was declared Saint of the Universal church in an imposing ceremony at the Basilica of St. Peter on October 9, 1977. During his Patriarchate Sister Rafka, a Lebanese nun of Hamlaya, was also declared blessed at the Basilica St. Peter on November 17, 1985. He was the second Lebanese Patriarch to become Cardinal during the consistory of February 2, 1983 by His Holiness Pope John Paul II. During his patriarchal period, the first worldwide Maronite Convention was held in Mexico in 1979 and the second in New York in 1980. He submitted his resignation as Patriarch to the Holy Father on November 17, 1985 at the age of 78 years. He passed away on August 19, 1994.

His Eminence

Nasrallah Peter Cardinal Sfeir Patriarch of Antioch and All the East

is Beatitude and Eminence Nasrallah Boutros Cardinal Sfeir is the patriarch of Lebanon’s largest Christian body, the Maronite Church, an Eastern Catholic Church in communion with the Holy See. He was elected Patriarch of Antioch and all the East for the Maronites on April 27, 1986, after the resignation of Cardinal Anthony Peter Khoraish. Patriarch Sfeir was born on May 15, 1920 in Rayfoun, Lebanon. He was educated at Mar Abda School in Harharaya where he completed his primary and complementary studies, and Ghazir where he completed his secondary studies at St. Maron seminary. He graduated in philosophy and theology in 1950 at Saint Joseph’s University in Beirut. He was ordained to the priesthood in the same year on May 7. From 1951 to 1955 he served as priest to the parish of Rayfoun. In 1956, he was appointed the secretary of the Maronite Patriarchate, based in Bkerké. In the same year, he became the professor of translation in literature and philosophy at the Frères Maristes (Marist Brothers) School in Jounieh. In June of 1961, he was appointed the titular bishop of Tarsus and Patriarchal vicar. He was elected the 76th Patriarch of the Maronite Church by the Synod of Maronite Bishops, on April 27, 1986. Sfeir was made a Cardinal Bishop by Pope John Paul II in the consistory of November 26, 1994. Sfeir is fluent in many languages: Syriac, Aramaic, French, Italian, Latin, and English, as well as his native Arabic, being proficient in both classical and Lebanese dialects. Serving as the Vicar for two previous patriarchs pre-

pared Sfeir for the role in both the ecclesiastical and civil spheres. He became a strong voice for reason and sanity in the latter years of the Lebanese Civil War, which raged from 1975 to 1990. He has often spoken out against social and political injustices, and for the poor and disenfranchised. His writings and sermons set out his vision of how Lebanon can achieve a free and prosperous future based on freedom and human rights. His Beatitude is the head of our Maronite Church, a community of more than 1,500,000 adherents in Lebanon, and millions around the world. During his reign, many new eparchies were established and new bishops were ordained. He has visited most of the dioceses. His patriarchate has established the Secretariat of the Maronite Church following the historical Patriarchal Synod 2003–2005. The works of liturgical reform bore fruit in 1992 with the publication of a new Maronite Missal. The New Qurbono represents an attempt to return to the original form of the Antiochene Liturgy. Its Service of the Word is far more enriched than previous Missals, and it features six Anaphora [Eucharistic Prayers]. At the present time, liturgical reform is continuing at an accelerated pace. His Beatitude wrote many books: The sources of the Gospel, 1975. Personalities that Disappeared 1961–1974, two volumes. Sunday Sermons: spiritual reflections and stand of national positions, several volumes 1988. He resigned from his responsibilities as Patriarch in March 2011.

maronite patriarchs

His Eminence

Bechara Boutros Cardinal Rai

Patriarch of Antioch and All the East

n March 15, 2011, the Synod of the Maronite Bishops, held in Bkerke, Lebanon, elected His Excellency Bishop Bechara Rai, Bishop of the Eparchy of Jbeil, Lebanon, as the 77th Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East. Patriarch Rai replaced Patriarch Nasrallah Peter Cardinal Sfeir, who had retired earlier that year at the age of 91 after 25 years as Patriarch. The son of Youssef and Taminee Rai, he was born in Hemlaya (the town of St. Rafka) on February 25, 1940. He pursued his complementary and secondary studies at the Collège Notre Dame at Jamhour. He took his monastic vows with the Maronite Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Maronite Order) on August 31, 1962; he was ordained a priest on September 3, 1967 and was consecrated Bishop on July 12, 1986. From 1986 to 1990 he served as a Patriarchal Vicar at Bkerke, and in 1990 he was appointed Archbishop of Jbeil. Patriarch Rai founded Notre Dame University in Louaizé and was its president from 1978 to 1984. From 1982 to 1986 he presided over the Court of Appeal of the Maronite Tribunal. His Holiness Pope John Paul II named him as the Coordinator of the Synod for Lebanon (1990–1995). He chaired the Episcopal Commission for the Affairs of

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the Family (1997) and that of Communications since 2009. Patriarch Rai holds degrees in philosophy and theology, and a doctorate in canon and civil law from the University of St. John Lateran (the Rota Tribunal in Rome). He taught canon law and theology at St. Joseph University in Beirut (USJ), Holy Spirit University in Kaslik (USEK), and the Sagesse University. Patriarch Beshara Rai is the first Maronite Patriarch to come from a religious order in more than 200 years. The last in date was Patriarch Toubia el-Khazen (1756–1766), who also was a monk of the Mariamite Order. Patriarch Rai was enthroned on March 25, 2011. Since then, Patriarch Rai has made pastoral visits to the various Maronite dioceses in Lebanon and in the countries of expansion. He has visited the US twice, in October 2011 and in May 2012. On November 24, 2011, he was created Cardinal Bishop by Pope Benedict XVI and participated in the Conclave from March 12–13, 2013 that resulted in the election of Pope Francis. He serves as a board member in Congregations and Councils at the Vatican.

His Eminence

Leonardo Cardinal Sandri

Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches

is Eminence Cardinal Leonardo Sandri was born on November 18, 1943 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was ordained a priest there on December 2, 1967 and received his education at the Metropolitan Seminary of Buenos Aires and the Theological Faculty, Buenos Aires where he was awarded a licentiate in theology. He continued his studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome where he received a doctorate in canon law and completed his training at the elite Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy where he studied diplomacy. He began his diplomatic service for the Holy See in 1974. He first served in Madagascar. After Madagascar he served at the secretariat of state from 1977–89, and then at the nunciature in Washington DC from 1989–91, until Pope John Paul II recalled him in 1991 to serve as Assessor (assistant of the sostituto) for the General Affairs of the Secretariat of State. He was appointed Titular Archbishop of Aemona and Apostolic Nuncio to Venezuela on July 22, 1997 and consecrated as archbishop on October 11 of the same year. He became Apostolic Nuncio to Mexico in March 2000 and was appointed to the Secretariat of State in September 2000. At the Secretariat his duties include organizing the activities of the Roman Curia and appointments to curial offices, maintaining papal documents, keeping the papal seal and Fisherman’s Ring, handling the concerns

of embassies to the Holy See, coordinating activities of the Holy See’s nuncios, and publishing official communications. On the evening of April 2, 2005, it fell to Archbishop Sandri to tell the world, “We all feel like orphans this evening,” as he made public the news of Pope John Paul II’s death. On June 9, 2007 Pope Benedict XVI named Archbishop Sandri as Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches replacing Cardinal Ignace Daoud, who resigned for reasons of age. Archbishop Sandri was created and proclaimed CardinalDeacon of Santi Biagio e Carlo ai Catinari, and full Prefect during the consistory of November 24, 2007. It is Cardinal Sandri’s job as Prefect to maintain good relations with the 22 million Eastern Catholics who are in full communion with the Holy See. Cardinal Sandri in addition to his duties as Prefect is a member of various offices of the Curia. He is currently a member of the Congregation for Doctrine of the Faith, the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, the Congregation for Bishops, the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, the Pontifical Commission for the Vatican City Sate, and the Special Council for the Middle East of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops.

religious leaders

His Excellency

Bishop John Chedid

ohn Chedid was born in Edde, Leba non, on July 4, 1923. He was the second born of five children, three boys and two girls. From his early childhood, he felt a calling to the priesthood. This was not unusual in his family since five of his cousins are either priests or nuns. His parents supported his decision to become a priest and sent him to the Seminary of St. Maron in Ghazir, Lebanon, and then to the Seminary at St. Joseph University in Beirut. In 1946 he was sent to Rome, Italy, to further his education, and there he earned a degree in philosophy, a licentiate in theology, and a doctorate in canon law. He was ordained a priest on December 21, 1950. In September 1, 1956, upon the request of Patriarch Paul Meouchi, he was sent to Los Angeles to be the new pastor of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon parish on Brooklyn Avenue in East Los Angeles. The Maronite community at that time was under the direct jurisdiction of the archdiocese of Los Angeles. Because of the ever growing congregation at Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon, Father Chedid and some of the members

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of the Parish agreed that a new location was necessary. A request was made to Cardinal James Francis McIntyre and on August 2, 1966, with the help of his Eminence, St Peter’s Church was purchased. The new Church was christened Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon–St. Peter’s. In June 1969 the hall next to the church was completed. Having had experience in the field of canon law, Bishop Chedid also served on the Marriage Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Moreover, he served as a representative of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to the Inter-Episcopal ministry to serve at confirmations for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, as a hospital chaplain for Cedar-Sinai Medical Center, and as a confessor and advisor for numerous priests. Bishop Chedid has served in a variety of ministries for other Catholic Churches in the United States and abroad. In 1967, Bishop Chedid was appointed a Diocesan Consultor. He organized the priest’s Senate for the Maronite Diocese and was elected President for two consecutive terms. In 1969, he was appointed Honorary Chaplain by his Holiness. He was the officialis of the Maronite Matrimonial Tribunal headquartered in Los Angeles. On November 12, 1979, he was ordained a ChorBishop. On October 28, 1980, Pope John Paul II appointed him an auxiliary Bishop to Bishop Francis M. Zayek of the Diocese of St. Maron. Bishop Chedid was ordained by his Beatitude Patriarch Anthony Khoraiche in Bkerke, Lebanon in a very impressive ceremony on January 25, 1981. On March 1, 1994, Pope John Paul II created and appointed Bishop Chedid the first Bishop of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los

Angeles, and there Bishop Chedid remained until his mandatory retirement in December 2000. Over the years, Bishop Chedid put his education, experience, and wisdom to work helping the Maronite people in the United States. He spoke many languages, among them Arabic, French, Italian, English, Spanish, and Aramaic. During his service at Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon, he performed 439 marriages, 1080 baptisms and sadly 473 funerals. He tried to connect with all of the parishioners; he visited the sick regularly and, in some instances, visited daily. He frequently enjoyed dining with parish families. He especially liked one familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kibbeh because it tasted like his motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. He always took the time to listen and offer guidance to those who drifted from the Church in order to bring them back. He was very supportive and counseled those who wanted to convert to the Maronite faith, making sure that it was the right decision. Bishop Chedid was very punctual, to a point that you could set your clock by him. Mass started

on time, and his breakfast, lunch, and dinner were the same time each day. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday after his afternoon nap, he would put on his gardening uniform on and work around the church. If you didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know him, you would think he was one of the homeless hanging around. Bishop Chedid was a humble man. He never judged anyone and was very compassionate when hearing confessions. Bishop Chedid was also a great financial manager and administrator. Every decision he made was for the benefit of his church. He did not spend money unless it was necessary, but he was a very generous person. He would help the needy and the less fortunate, especially during his trips to Lebanon. Bishop Chedid never forgot his roots and enjoyed going back to Lebanon every year. His favorite times were sitting on his front porch with the village elders and telling jokes. He enjoyed his walks in the fields; for these reasons and others, he decided to move back and spend his final years there. When his health started to decline, he was welcomed by the Sisters of the Holy Cross until he passed on away March 21, 2012. May his memory be eternal.

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Archbishop Francis Zayek, STD, JCD

rchbishop Francis Zayek was born on October 18, 1920 in Manzanillo, Cuba. He attended St. Francis Xavier Oriental Seminary in Beirut, Lebanon and in 1939 entered the University of the Propagation of the Faith in Rome. On March 17, 1946, he was ordained to the priesthood in the Chapel of Propagation of the Faith. He obtained a doctorate in Sacred Theology in 1947, and another in Canon Law in 1951. In 1951, Archbishop Zayek’s mission called him to Cairo, Egypt, as rector of the Maronite Cathedral of the Holy Family. He was also appointed the Oriental Secretary to the Apostolic Internunciature and a judge in the Maronite and Latin United Tribunals. In 1956, Pope Pius XII recalled him to Rome and appointed him Promoter of Justice in the Sacred Roman Rota. In 1958, he became a professor of Oriental Canon Law at the Pontifical Institute of St. Anselm in Rome. On March 25, 1960, he was elevated to the rank of Monsignor. From 1960 through 1962, he was a professor in Oriental Canon Law at Lateran University in Rome. On May 31, 1962, Pope John XXIII appointed him as an Auxiliary Bishop to Cardinal James de Barros Camera, Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, for all the Maronites of Brazil. On August 5, 1962, he was consecrated Maronite Bishop at the Patriarchal Residence in Deman, Lebanon by the Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, His Beatitude Paul Peter Meouchi.

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On December 19, 1962, Archbishop Zayek began his ministry in Rio de Janeiro, founded the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lebanon in Såo Paulo, and prepared the way for a future Maronite diocese. Archbishop Zayek attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council held 1962–1965 in Rome. In 1964, Archbishop Zayek came to the US and ordained the first Americanborn priest, now Bishop Robert Shaheen, who was educated at Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Seminary, in Washington DC. On March 9, 1966, Archbishop Zayek was appointed first Maronite Apostolic Exarch for the Maronite Community in the United States. On June 11, 1966, he was installed in Detroit, Michigan. In 1968, he was also made Knight Commander with Star of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher. Archbishop Zayek was appointed as first Bishop of the newly created Diocese of St. Maron-USA on November 29, 1971, and on June 4, 1972, was installed in Detroit, Michigan. In June 1978, the see of the diocese was transferred by the Holy Father to Brooklyn, New York, with the Church of Our Lady of Lebanon becoming a cathedral. On December 22, 1982, Pope John Paul II, granted the title of Archbishop ad personam. Archbishop Zayek speaks seven languages, Arabic, French, English, Latin, Italian, Spanish, and Portugese. He also reads Greek and Syriac. With his many gifts, he has truly been an apostle preaching to Maronites throughout the world.

Bishop Robert Joseph Shaheen, DD

ishop Robert Joseph Shaheen is the shepherd of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon. He was born June 3, 1937 in Danbury, Connecticut to loving parents Albert and Aileen Shaheen. His parents were the first to instill in him the way of the Maronites and teach him of his Lebanese heritage. He was the eldest of four boys; he and his brothers Richard, William and John grew up in a household that did not forget its roots. He attended grade school in Danbury, Connecticut, and in 1955 he chose to enter into a Latin rite seminary called St. Thomas in Bloomfield, Connecticut, due to the lack of a Maronite seminary at that time. This marked a turning point in the life of our future bishop as it was his first step towards a religious life. Then, in 1958, he transferred to the Eastern Catholic Seminary of St. Basil, and also attended classes at St. Anselm College. In 1961, he enrolled in the first class of four Maronite seminarians at Our Lady of Lebanon Seminary in Washington DC, and attended classes at the Catholic University of America. He was ordained subdeacon by Archbishop Anthony Khoraiche on October 2, 1962 during the pastoral visit of Patriarch Paul Peter Meouchi. On June 7, 1963 he was ordained deacon. Bishop Shaheen was ordained a priest on May 2, 1964 by Bishop Francis Zayek at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington DC, at the occasion of the First Maronite Convention of NAM in the US. He became Associate Pastor at St. Anthony Church in Danbury, Connecticut in 1964, and Administrator of St. Anthony Church in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1966. He purchased six acres of land to build a new church. He was then assigned to St. Raymond Church in 1967 in St. Louis, Missouri where he began to unite the Maronite faithful. St. Raymond had been devoid of a residing Maronite priest

for over 20 years. Under his direction the parish grew from a few faithful to over 350 active families. His time at St. Raymond was marked by several achievements for the Maronites in the United States. He began celebrating Maronite Liturgies on a regular basis. He developed newsletters, bulletins, fliers, and conducted a census of Maronites in the greater St. Louis area in an effort to bring the Maronite faithful together. He developed the property by building a new hall and rectory. He hosted the NAM Convention several times since 1970. On March 31, 1986, Bishop Shaheen was ordained a Chorbishop by Archbishop Zayek. He purchased additional property and buildings for future development as a Maronite retirement and cultural center in 1991. Today, this site hosts the Eparchial Pastoral Center and the Maronite Heritage Institute. He organized several fundraisers to expand and build a new church. On December 5, 2000 he was appointed second Bishop of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles by the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II. On February 15, 2001 he was ordained and enthroned as second Bishop of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon in St. Louis, Missouri by His Eminence Nasrallah Peter Cardinal Sfeir. Bishop Shaheen has been involved in key moments of our Maronite Church. Now we have two Eparchies in the US, churches and missions in almost every state, and each year we continue to come together for the NAM Convention. Even though we are far from our motherland of Lebanon and the Middle East, we are never truly disconnected from her. We are able to practice our faith, speak our language and pass it on to each successive generation. Bishop Shaheen has led the way for those in his flock and for future generations.

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Bishop Stephen Hector Youssef Doueihi, STD

ishop Stephen Hector Youssef Doueihi was born to Youssef and Hassiba Zakhia Doueihi on June 25, 1927 in Zgharta, north Lebanon. His early education was in Lebanon, and he later attended the Patriarchal Seminary of St. Maron at Ghazir, in Kesrwan, Lebanon from 1941 through 1945; the Major Seminary at the Pontifical University of St. Joseph in Beirut, Lebanon from 1946 through 1949; and the Collegio de Propaganda Fide in Rome from 1952 through 1956. Fr. Doueihi was ordained a priest for the Patriarchal Eparchy of Zgharta on August 14, 1955. After ordination, Fr. Doueihi returned to Rome to earn a doctorate in Sacred Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University, which he received in 1959. While in Rome, Fr. Doueihi did additional work in Eastern Studies at the Pontifical Oriental Institute. Upon his return to Lebanon from Rome, he was appointed pastor of the parish of Zgharta which he served from 1959 to 1969. In October of 1969, Fr. Doueihi was sent to Mexico where he was assigned as pastor of the Maronite parish of Our Lady of Bethlehem in Puebla. In 1972, Fr. Doueihi was incardinated in the Diocese of St. Maron-USA and began his pastoral ministry to the Maronites in the US under the guidance of Bishop (later Archbishop) Francis Mansour Zayek. In August of 1973, Fr. Doueihi was assigned by Bishop Zayek as pastor to the Maronite faithful in Peoria, Illinois, and later, he was assigned as Administrator of St. George Church in Wilkes-Barre,

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PA. In 1977, Fr. Doueihi was appointed Vice Rector of Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Seminary in Washington DC, and assistant pastor at the parish of Our Lady of Lebanon in the same city. In 1978, Fr. Doueihi was named to the Diocesan Liturgical Commission, and was appointed Director of the Office of Liturgy. In 1979 he was named pastor of Our Lady of Lebanon parish in Washington DC. In 1983 Fr. Doueihi was elevated to the rank of Periodeut with the title of Monsignor. In 1987, Msgr. Doueihi was transferred to pastor of St. George Church in San Antonio, Texas, where he served until 1989. He was then named rector of Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral in Brooklyn, NY, where he assumed his duties on December 9, 1989, and immediately after was ordained as Chorbishop. The same year, he was appointed by Patriarch Nasrallah Peter Sfeir as a member of the Patriarchal Liturgical Commission. On November 23, 1996 the Holy See announced that His Holiness, Pope John Paul II had appointed the Reverend Chorbishop Hector Youssef Doueihi as the second Bishop of the Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn. He was enthroned as the second Bishop of the Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn on February 5, 1997 at Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral in Brooklyn, NY. Bishop Doueihi is well known as a teacher and is fluent in seven languages: Arabic, English, French, Italian, Spanish, Syriac and Latin. He retired April 2004.

Bishop Gregory John Mansour, DD, STL

ishop Gregory Mansour is the shepherd of the Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn. Bishop Mansour was born November 11, 1955, in Flint, Michigan, and is the eldest of six children of George and Gloria (Farhat) Mansour. His ancestors trace their heritage from Ehden, Tibneen, and Damour in Lebanon, from Nazareth in Palestine (now Israel), and from Damascus, Syria. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Health Education from Western Michigan University in 1977. He entered Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Seminary in Washington DC later that year, and in 1981 received a degree in Theological Studies (STB) from Catholic University of America. On September 18, 1982 he was ordained to the priesthood. After studying at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, Italy, he completed his degree in Spiritual Theology in 1983. Also in 1983, Bishop Mansour became pastor of St. George’s Church in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. In 1994, a second Maronite Eparchy, Our Lady of Lebanon, was established in the US. Bishop John Chedid asked him to serve as Vicar General, Chancellor, and Fiscal Officer of the new Eparchy located in Los Angeles, California. During his time serving the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon, Bishop Mansour attended UCLA between 1998 and 2001,

as a graduate student in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, with special emphasis on Islamic Studies. During his stay in Los Angeles, he endeared himself to the parishioners of the Cathedral by assisting at the various church services. With the installation of Bishop Robert Shaheen, the See of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon relocated to St. Louis, Missouri. At the request of Bishop Shaheen, in March of 2001, Bishop Mansour relocated to St. Louis, remaining in his post as Vicar General and assuming an additional role as rector of St. Raymond’s Cathedral. He also taught Spiritual Theology at KenrickGlennon Seminary between 2002 and 2003. On January 10, 2004, Pope John Paul II named him Bishop of the Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn. Bishop Gregory was ordained in Lebanon by Patriarch Nasrallah Peter Cardinal Sfeir on March 2, 2004, and was enthroned Bishop of the Eparchy of St. Maron on April 27, 2004. He currently serves on three committees of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops: Pro Life, Catechesis, and Catholic-Oriental Orthodox Dialogue. He serves as the Secretary for Christian Arab and Middle Eastern Churches Together (CAMECT). He is also a member of the Maronite Synod of Bishops that meets every year in Lebanon.

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Father Abdallah E. Zaidan, MLM

ather Abdallah Zaidan was born in Ksseibe, Lebanon, on March 10, 1963 to Elias and Yvette Zaidan. There were eight children in his home and he was the youngest of his two brothers and five sisters. His father and mother brought prayer to this abundant home as they gathered their family each night to say the rosary. Once he heard God’s call, Father Zaidan joined the Congregation of Maronite Lebanese Missionaries whose mission is serving the Maronite Church through the observance of the evangelical counsels: chastity, poverty and obedience, spreading the Good News of the gospel and taking care of the spiritual education of the Maronite people. He began his Kreimist life as a student at the College des Apotres where he excelled in his studies. He entered the Novitiate on September 25, 1980, pronounced his temporary vows on September 26, 1981, and his perpetual vows on September 26, 1984. He was ordained subdeacon on March 25, 1985 and deacon on October 5, 1985. After obtaining his Master’s degree in Theology from the University of the Holy Spirit in Kslik, Deacon Abdallah Zaidan was ordained priest on July 20, 1986 by His Beatitude Nasrallah Peter Sfeir. His first assignment was assistant rector of Minor Seminary of the Congregation of Maronite Lebanese Missionaries. During this period, he pursued his studies and obtained another Master’s degree in Philosophy. Father Abdallah then came to the US in September of 1988 when His Excellency Archbishop Francis Zayek appointed him as assistant rector of Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral in Brooklyn, New York. Simultaneously, he attended St. John University where he earned his third Master’s degree, this time in Education. In January

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1990, Father Zaidan became the pastor of St. George Maronite Church in San Antonio, Texas and contributed to the establishment of Maronite missions in Dallas and Houston. In 1994, Bishop Chedid called Father Zaidan to be the rector of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon–St. Peter Cathedral. In 1996, he started the current Children’s Sunday School program with over 100 children taking part each year. He also launched the Outreach quarterly parish newsletter. In 1998, he began the Census Committee and the Children’s Annual Summer Camp. He also founded St. Jude Maronite Mission in San Dimas in 1998, and in 2002 he established Saints Peter and Paul Maronite Mission in Woodland Hills with Father Pierre Albalaa. The Liturgical Committee was started in 2001 and in 2003 he began the American Lebanese Cultural Festival. Father Zaidan revived the Maronite Youth Organization and created the Maronite Young Adults. He has also organized pilgrimages to several holy sites in Europe, Israel and Lebanon. At the diocesan level, Father Zaidan is a member of the Board of Pastors, the Board of Personnel, the Board of Noursat, a Tele-Lumiere International board member and on the Diocesan Sexual Abuse board. He is part of the College of Consultors, and coordinator of the Eparchial Marriage Tribunal. He is also a member of the Presbyteral Council and the Protopresbyter for the southwest and northwest regions of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles. In 2001, he as Vicar for Clergy and also became Supervisor of the Diocesan Stewardship Office. In addition, he also serves as the local Superior for his brother priests in the Congregation of Maronite Lebanese Missionaries.

Father Elias Sleiman, MLM

ather Elias Sleiman was born on July 2, 1972 in Bekarzala, Lebanon. His parents are Nadim and Alice Sleiman. He has a sister named Diana and a brother named Joseph. Father Sleiman attended the Sisters of Charity Elementary School and the public High School in Hasroun, Lebanon. In 1986 he began his college studies at the College des Apostres in Jounieh, Lebanon. As an undergraduate he attended the University of the Holy Spirit in Kaslik, Lebanon. Father Sleiman joined the Congregation of MLM and pronounced his vows on September 26, 1990. He was ordained priest on March 15, 1998 by Bishop Chucrallah Harb at the Basilica of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa, Lebanon. After his ordination, he was appointed as Director

of Cadmous High School in Tyre, Lebanon. In 2000, he was assigned to St. Joseph Church in Yutz, France as associate priest, where he pursued theological studies at the University of Strasburg. He was then assigned as associate rector of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon–St. Peter Cathedral in 2001, collaborating with Father Abdallah Zaidan who was assisting Father Sarkis Sharbel, director of the Minor Seminary that Father Sleiman joined in October 1986. He has since gained his Master’s degree in Theology at Loyola Marymount University. Since 2002, Father Sleiman has been director of the Children’s Summer Camp of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon–St. Peter Cathedral. In 2010, he became the diocesan MYA Spiritual Director, in addition to his work with the MYO, MYA and Choir of the Cathedral.

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Deacon Elias Azouz

eacon Elias Azouz was a wonderful and blessed man. He was born in Egypt, married his wife Josephine and had six children. In Egypt the deacon was a very hard-working and wonderful husband and father. He was also very active in his church and was made a deacon in the Maronite Church in Egypt. When he and his family relocated to the US, he came to the Maronite Church in Los Angeles and became a parishioner. As he came to know Bishop Chedid and told him that he was a deacon in Egypt, the bishop asked him to be his deacon. From then on Deacon Azouz made sure to be at the Bishop’s side every Sunday, no matter what. He and his wife would take the bus from North Hollywood to get to the church on Sundays, to help the Bishop and serve the Maronite people at Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon–St. Peter’s Church in Los Angeles (before it became a cathedral). Deacon Azouz also used to visit the homes of people

Deacon Albert Constantine

eacon Albert Constantine is an economist by education and training and the controller for Cedarlane Natural Foods. Prior to his current position, he was a banking executive working in the Commercial Business Banking Group at Bank of America, covering the Greater Los Angeles area. Before that, he served in both the Business Banking and Investment Banking Groups at Wells

who would ask him to come and pray the rosary with them, and a group of people for the Virgin Mary during the month of May. His prayers and ways of worship were admirable, inspirational, and a blessing to witness and be a part of. The deacon was crushed when he had to give up his position at the Cathedral for medical reasons. He tried to continue his month of May praying of the rosary, but that became difficult as well. The deacon was a blessed and wonderful man who has been missed very much by many. He passed away and left his wife, children, and grandchildren behind. His wife later passed away as well. His children and grandchildren are all very good people and practice their faith as their father taught them. Deacon Elias Azouz is now with God and in his rightful place with the Lord. We ask him to pray for us, all the people of the Maronite rite, and people of all faiths.

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Fargo Bank and Wells Fargo Investments serving the Greater Los Angeles area. His professional working life began in his family’s wrought iron manufacturing business in Los Angeles, which he managed for fifteen years. He is currently enrolled at St. John’s Seminary where he is pursuing a degree in Theology.

Deacon Edward John Corey

eacon Edward John Corey started his mission in Flint, Michigan in 1972 when the Maronite Community decided to start a mission. Edward went door-to-door seeking donations to fund the building of a beautiful church that was consecrated in 1976. A few years later, in Orange County, California another small group of people from the Maronite Community got together and decided to start a mission. Fr. George El Khalli was the first priest sent to Orange County by the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon, and Edward was there to help him in every step of the way. Several years went by and Edward loved seeing that the Maronite Congregation was growing bigger and united. He studied for the diaconate and eventually was ordained by Bishop John Chedid as subdeacon and later as deacon to serve in Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon–St. Peter Cathedral and the church in Orange County. For years Edward served Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon and would not miss a mass or a special occasion. From there he went on to help Fr. George Bou Mousallem in San Dimas where another Maronite Mission had started.

Sadly, in 2005, Deacon Edward suffered a stroke that caused the loss of his short-term memory and affected his eyesight, hearing and use of his legs. He lived five years in a disabled condition but still got around on a wheelchair because he did not want to miss the Sunday Masses or praying his rosary. In 2010, on Memorial Day, he had another stroke, but this time, because his body was severely weakened, he lost his battle and it was fatal. Deacon Edward Corey was very loving and compassionate to all human beings. He was loved and admired by everyone around him. He had integrity, was devoted to his family and he loved Lebanon and the USA. Edward was not short of virtues, values or sacrifices for the well being of others. He was highly educated and gifted with many qualities. He dedicated his life to serve God, and as a man he had character. He was impressionable, charismatic, witty, knowledgeable, humorous, and extremely caring and attentive to others. He was generous in his love and attention and humble in many ways. May he rest in peace with the Lord that he loved so much.

Subdeacon Dib Tayar

ubdeacon Dib Tayar was born in Beirut, Lebanon on April 13, 1957 to Boutros and Mona Tayar. He is from Bsous in Mt. Lebanon. He has four brothers and one sister. He was baptized when he was born at the American University Hospital due to his critical condition when he was born. Subdeacon Tayar started kindergarten at Sainte Famille Jemayze, then continued elementary school at Notre Dame Furn El Chebbak with the Christian brothers where he took most of his sacraments: first communion and confirmation. After finishing secondary school at Mont La Salle in Ain Saadeh, subdeacon Tayar started his career in accounting which he finished at College of Sacre Coeur at Jemayze with a diploma of High Technician in Account-

ing. In 1984 he received his Certified Public Accountant license in Lebanon. He moved to Los Angeles during the war on April 25, 1985. He owned a Liquor store in Malibu from 1992 until 2002. In 2002, he joined Saints Peter and Paul Mission, helped abouna Pierre Albalaa with the altar servers and Masses, served with abouna Jean Yammine, and took over the publication of the bulletin. In February 2007, he was ordained as a subdeacon in the Maronite Church. Subdeacon Tayar assists the clergy of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon–St. Peter Cathedral during Masses and events. He also works as a customer service associate at Fry’s Electronics in Canoga Park, California. religious leaders

The Clergy of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon–St. Peter Cathedral

1923

Rev. Msgr. Joseph Daher Born 1888, Lebanon Ordained to the Priesthood 1914, Lebanon 1923–1926: Pastor, OLML, Los Angeles, CA

1936

Rev. Joseph E. Awad Born 1899, Broumana, Lebanon Ordained to the Priesthood, 1922 1936–1942: Pastor, OLML, Los Angeles, CA Died November 8, 1955, Boston, MA

1942

Rev. Philip N. Najm Born on January 1, 1904, in Vaiselberg, Maine 1942–1944: Pastor, OLML, Los Angeles, CA

1947

Rev. Peter Daou Born 1915, Lebanon 1947–1955: Pastor, OLML, Los Angeles, CA

1955

Rev. Thomas Aiken Latin Priest 1955–1956: Pastor, OLML, Los Angeles, CA

1956

Bishop John Chedid Born in 1923, Edde, Lebanon 1956–2000: OLML, Los Angeles, CA

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1980

Rev. Msgr. Ronald Nasry Beshara Born 1945, Lawrence, MA Ordained to the Priesthood May 29, 1971, by Archbishop Francis M. Zayek, Fall River, MA Elevated to Monsignor, 1978 1980–1981: Asst. Pastor, OLML, Los Angeles, CA Died September 5, 2011, Florida

1981

Rev. Georges Y. El Khalli Born September 2, 1954 Chbanieh, Metn, Lebanon Ordained to the Priesthood May 30, 1981, by Archbishop Francis M. Zayek St. Louis, Missouri 1981–1986: Asst. Pastor, OLML, Los Angeles, CA 1982–1985: Administrator, Maronite Community of Orange County, CA 1990–1991: Asst. Rector, Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral, Brooklyn, NY 1991–1996: Pastor, St. Joseph Church, Atlanta, GA 1996–2010: Pastor, St. John Maron Church, Williamsville (Buffalo), NY 2010–Present: Pastor, Our Lady of the Cedars of Lebanon Church, Jamaica Plain (Boston), MA

1985

Rev. Joseph John Shaheen Born January 1, 1932, Utica, NY Ordained to the Priesthood, Latin Rite, February 21, 1959, by the Auxiliary Bishop of Syracuse, NY, St. Louis of Gonzaga Church, Utica, NY 1985–1986: Asst. Pastor, OLML, Los Angeles, CA 1985–1986: Administrator, Maronite Community of Orange County, CA

1986 & 1993

Rev. Msgr. Louis Baz Born June 15, 1948, Ghazir, Lebanon Ordained to the Priesthood October 4, 1981, by Patriarch Antonios Khoraiche St. Maron Church, Youngstown, Ohio Elevated to Periodeut October 24, 1999 1985–1985: Administrator, Maronite Community of Orange County, CA 1986–1987: Asst. Pastor, OLML, Los Angeles, CA 1993–1994: Asst. Pastor, OLML, Los Angeles, CA

1987

Rev. Kevin Joseph Beaton Born September 24, 1950, Moorhead, Minneapolis Ordained to the Priesthood, June 13, 1987, by Archbishop Francis M. Zayek at Our Lady of Lebanon National Shrine, North Jackson, Ohio. Joined the Third Order of St. Francis, April 21, 1996 1986–1988: Administrator, Maronite Community of Orange County, CA 1987–1992: Asst. Pastor, OLML, Los Angeles, CA

1992

Rev. John A. Morrison Born May 20, 1950 Bradford, Pennsylvania. Ordained to the Priesthood August 8, 1992, by Archbishop Francis M. Zayek at St. Maron Church, Torrington, Conn. 1992–1993: Asst. Pastor, OLML, Los Angeles, CA

The Clergy of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon–St. Peter Cathedral

1994

2001

1997

Rev. Samuel Madel

Rev. Abdallah E. Zaidan Born March 10, 1963, Ksseibe, Lebanon 1994–Present: Rector, OLML–St. Peter Cathedral, Los Angeles, CA

Rev. Pierre T. Bassil Born February 20, 1967, Lebanon Ordained to the Priesthood June 6, 1998 by Bishop John Chedid, Lebanon 1997–1998: Asst. Rector, OLML–St. Peter Cathedral, Los Angeles, CA

1999

Rev. Ghassan A. Mattar Born December 1, 1964, Lailake, Mt. Lebanon, Lebanon Joined Maronite Lebanese Missionaries (MLM) & pronounced his vows September 26, 1990 Ordained to the Priesthood July 21, 1996 by Bishop Chukrallah Harb, Our Lady of Lebanon Shrine, Harissa, Lebanon 1997–1998: Asst. Pastor, Our Lady of the Cedars Church, Houston, TX 1999: Asst. Rector, OLML–St. Peter Cathedral, Los Angeles, CA 1999–2006: Pastor, St. Joseph Mission, Phoenix, AZ 2006: Present Pastor, St. George Church, San Antonio, TX

Rev. Ihab Chamoun Born October 20, 1969 Joined Maronite Lebanese Missionaries (MLM) & pronouced his vows September 26, 1987 Ordained to the Priesthood July 21, 1996. 1999–2000: Asst. Rector, OLML–St. Peter Cathedral, Los Angeles, CA

Rev. Elias Sleiman Born July 2, 1972, Bekarzala, Lebanon 2001–Present: Associate Rector, OLML–St. Peter Cathedral, Los Angeles, CA (aka Georges Bou Mousallem) Born August 28, 1965, Terbol, Lebanon to Tanios & Madel Bou Mousallem Joined Maronite Lebanese Missionaries (MLM) & pronounced his vows September 26, 1985 Ordained to the Priesthood May 26, 1991 by Bishop George Iskandar 1997–2001: Administrator, St. Anthony the Great Mission, El Paso, TX 2001–2002: Assistant, OLML–St. Peter Cathedral, Los Angeles, CA

2002

Rev. Pierre Albalaa Born August 14, 1960 Joined Maronite Lebanese Missionaries (MLM) Congregation & pronounced his vows Sept 26, 1990 Ordained to the Priesthood July 22, 1995 2002–2008: Administrator, Saints Peter & Paul Mission, San Fernando Valley, CA

2007

Rev. Jean M. Yammine Born August 1, 1970 Joined Maronite Lebanese Missionaries (MLM) & pronounced his vows October 30, 1994 Ordained to the Priesthood July 2, 2000 Oct. 2007–May 2008: Assistant, OLML–St. Peter Cathedral, Los Angeles, CA

Rev. Jean M. Yammine (Continued) 2008–2010: Administrator, Saints Peter & Paul Mission, San Fernando Valley, CA November 2010–March 2011: Administrator, Our Lady of Lebanon Church, Norman, Oklahoma

2011

Rev. Andre Estephan Born July 26, 1966 Joined Maronite Lebanese Missionaries (MLM) & pronounced his vows Sept. 26, 1984 Ordained to the Priesthood August 5, 1990 1993: Administrator, Our Lady of Lebanon, Lewisville, TX 1999–2011: Asst. Pastor, Our Lady of the Cedars Church, Houston, TX 2011–2012: Priest in Residence, OLML–St. Peter Cathedral, Los Angeles, CA 2001–2009: Administrator, St. Jude Mission, West Covina, CA 2010–Present: Pastor, St. Jude Church, West Covina, CA

Fr. Elie Andraous Born August 27, 1964, Damour, Lebanon Joined Maronite Lebanese Missionaries (MLM) September 26, 2001 Ordained to the Priesthood July 1, 2007 January–September 2011: Assistant, OLML–St. Peter Cathedral, Los Angeles, CA

religious leaders

Archbishop John Joseph Cantwell

rchbishop Cantwell was born December 1, 1874 in Limerick, Ireland. He was educated at the Jesuit Crescent College, Limerick and St. Patrick’s College, Thurles. He was ordained priest for the Archdiocese of San Francisco on June 18, 1899, and was initially assigned as curate of Berkeley’s St. Joseph the Worker parish. Father Cantwell established the Newman Club at the University of California, Berkeley, served as first chaplain. In 1906, San Francisco Archbishop Patrick W. Riordan appointed Cantwell his secretary, and he moved from Berkeley to the Archbishop’s residence at 1000 Fulton Street. In August 1908, Riordan sent Cantwell (now his Archdiocesan vicar general) to Rome, to inquire of Pope Pius X as to Riordan’s successor. In 1912, Fathers Cantwell and Michael D. Connolly accompanied Bishop Edward J. Hanna from Rochester, New York to San Francisco where after Riordan’s death in 1914, Cantwell served as Vicar General to Archbishop Hanna from 1915 to 1917. Pope Benedict XV appointed John J. Cantwell Bishop

archbishops of los angeles

of Monterey–Los Angeles in September 1917, two years after the death of Bishop Thomas Conaty, and Cantwell was formally ordained that December. Two divisions of the Monterey–Los Angeles diocese occurred during Archbishop Cantwell’s 30-year term. In June 1922 it was split to become the Diocese of Monterey–Fresno and the Diocese of Los Angeles–San Diego. The latter diocese was split again in July 1936 to create the Diocese of San Diego and the present-day Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Thus, he became the first Archbishop of Los Angeles. On October 30, 1947, Archbishop Cantwell passed away to the next life. The funeral of Archbishop Cantwell at the Cathedral of Saint Vibiana was attended by members of the motion picture and aircraft industries. Archbishop Cantwell was noted for being particularly sensitive to the needs of non-English speaking Catholics in the archdiocese, and he created 50 Hispanic parishes and missions. During his time, the Archdiocese grew rapidly.

Cardinal James Francis McIntyre

ames Francis McIntyre was born on June 25, 1886, New York, NY. He was the son of James Francis McIntyre and Mary Pelley. His baptismal name was James Francis Louis. He studied at Cathedral College, New York; and at Saint Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, Yonkers, New York. Cardinal McIntyre was ordained on May 21, 1921 in New York, by Patrick Joseph Hayes, Archbishop of New York. His pastoral ministry in the Archdiocese of New York was 1921–1923. He was the vice-chancellor of the Archdiocese of New York 1923–1934; chancellor, 1934–1944. He was appointed Privy Chamberlain of His Holiness on December 27, 1934 and Domestic Prelate of His Holiness, November 12, 1936. He was elected titular bishop of Cirene and appointed auxiliary of New York on November 16, 1940. He was consecrated on January 8, 1941, St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, by Francis Joseph Spellman, Archbishop of New York, assisted by Stephen Joseph Donahue, titular Bishop of Medea and auxiliary of New York, and by John Francis O’Hara, CSC, titular Bishop of Milasa and delegate of the Military Vicar of the United States Armed Forces. His Episcopal motto was Miserere mei Deus, “Have Mercy on

Me.” He was appointed Vicar General of the Archdiocese of New York on January 27, 1945. Cardinal McIntyre was then promoted to titular Archbishop of Palto and appointed coadjutor of New York on July 20, 1946. He was transferred to Metropolitan see of Los Angeles on February 7, 1948. Created cardinal priest in the consistory of January 12, 1953, he received the red hat and the title of S. Anastasia on January 15, 1953. He was a Papal legate to the National Marian Congress, Lagos, Nigeria on December 8, 1954. He also participated in the conclave of 1958, which elected Pope John XXIII. Cardinal McIntyre was Papal Legate to the Patrician Year, Armagh, Ireland on March 17, 1960. He attended the Second Vatican Council 1962–1965 and participated in the conclave of 1963, which elected Pope Paul VI. He resigned the pastoral government of the archdiocese on January 21, 1970. He lost the right to participate in the conclave by being older than 80 years on January 1, 1971. Following his retirement, he served as a parish priest at St. Basil’s church, in downtown Los Angeles, where he only celebrated the Tridentine Mass. Cardinal James McIntyre passed away on July 16, 1979 in St. Vincent Medical Center, Los Angeles.

archbishops of los angeles

Cardinal Timothy Manning

imothy Manning was born on November 15, 1909, in Ballingeary, diocese of Cork, Ireland, to Cornelius Manning and Margaret Cronin. He attended Mungret College in Limerick, Ireland; St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park, CA; and Pontifical Gregorian University, in Rome. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 16, 1934 in Los Angeles, pastoral ministry in the archdiocese of Los Angeles, 1936–1938 and 1946– 1967. He became privy Chamberlain of His Holiness on April 15, 1943; Secretary to John Joseph Cantwell, Archbishop of Los Angeles, 1938–1946; domestic Prelate of His Holiness on November 17, 1945; and Chancellor of the archdiocese of Los Angeles on March 19, 1946. He was elected titular Bishop of Lesvi and appointed auxiliary of Los Angeles on August 3, 1946. He was consecrated on October 15, 1946 in Los Angeles by Joseph Thomas McGucken, titular Bishop of Sanavo, auxiliary of Los Angeles, assisted by James Edward Walsh, MM, titular Bishop of Sata, and by Thomas Arthur Connolly, titular Bishop of Sila and auxiliary of Los Angeles. He was appointed vicar general of the archdiocese of Los Angeles on November 29, 1955. He attended the Second Vatican Council, 1962–1965. He transferred to the diocese of Fresno, October 16, 1967. He was promoted to titular archbishop of Carpi and appointed coadjutor of Los Angeles, with right of succession on May 26, 1969. He succeeded to the see of Los Angeles on January 21, 1970. Bishop Manning was created cardinal priest in the consistory of March 5, 1973; he received the red biretta and the title of S. Lucia a Piazza d’Armi on March 5, 1973. He attended the IV Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of

archbishops of los angeles

Bishops in Vatican City, September 30–October 29, 1977. He participated in the conclave of August 25–26, 1978, which elected Pope John Paul I, and in the conclave of October 14–16, 1978, which elected Pope John Paul II. He attended the First Plenary Assembly of the Sacred College of Cardinals in Vatican City, November 5–9, 1979. He was special papal envoy to the celebration of third centennial of St. Oliver Plunkett’s martyrdom, in Drogheda, Ireland, on July 5, 1981. He attended the Sixth Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in Vatican City, September 29–October 28, 1983. Cardinal Manning resigned the pastoral government of archdiocese on July 12, 1985. After his retirement, he resided at Holy Family parish, South Pasadena. During his tenure, he managed to celebrate Mass on every altar of his archdiocese. A lifelong heavy smoker, Cardinal Manning died of lung cancer which had spread to his chest and spine, on Friday, June 23, 1989, at the Norris Cancer Hospital of USC, Los Angeles. His funeral Mass took place at the Cathedral of St. Vibiana, presided by his successor, Archbishop Roger Mahony of Los Angeles. In attendance were Cardinals John O’Connor, James Hickey and Edmund C. Szoka, together with 30 Protestant, Eastern Orthodox, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu leaders from the Los Angeles interfaith circles, which the late cardinal had helped to create; 1100 people attended. His body was buried at Calvary Cemetery, in east Los Angeles. Unlike those of Cardinal James Francis McIntyre, the remains of Cardinal Manning were not transferred to the new Our Lady of Los Angeles cathedral mausoleum. According to his request, he wanted to be buried in a simple grave for priests.

Cardinal Roger Mahony

ardinal Mahony was the first native Angeleno to serve as Archbishop of Los Angeles, having been born February 27, 1936, in Hollywood. The son of Victor and Loretta Mahony, he has twin brother and an older brother. As a child he was raised in the San Fernando Valley. He attended St. Charles Borromeo school in North Hollywood and entered Los Angeles College at 14, the junior seminary of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Cardinal Mahony was ordained to the priesthood on May 1, 1962, by the Bishop Aloysius Joseph Willinger, Bishop of Monterrey-Fresno. He graduated from The Catholic University of America in 1964 with a master’s degree in Social Work. He was named Monsignor in February 1967. He was appointed titular Bishop of Tamascani and Auxiliary Bishop of Fresno January 7, 1975. That same year, Cardinal Mahony was appointed the first chair of the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board by Governor Jerry Brown. Cardinal Mahony was appointed Bishop of Stockton on February 15, 1980, and Archbishop of Los Angeles on July 16, 1985, by Pope John Paul II. He was installed as the fourth Archbishop of Los Angeles on September 5, 1985. Pope John Paul II elevated him to cardinal on June 28, 1991, making him the third Archbishop of Los Angeles to become a cardinal. In 1986, to better minister to the five million Catholics in the archdiocese, Cardinal Mahony created the five pastoral regions (Our Lady of the Angels, San Pedro, Santa Bar-

bara, San Fernando and San Gabriel). In 1995, he announced plans to build the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels to replace the earthquake-damaged St. Vibiana’s Cathedral. In September 2002 he dedicated the Cathedral. Cardinal Mahony serves on a number of committees of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, including Liturgy, Pro-Life Activities, and Migration & Refugees. He was a member of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace (1984–1989) and the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants (1986–1991); he is presently on the Pontifical Council for Social Communications (1989), the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See (2000), and the Congregation for Eastern Churches (2009). As a member of the College of Cardinals, on April 18–19, 2005, Cardinal Mahony participated in the Papal Conclave that was convened following the death of Pope John Paul II on April 2, 2005, that resulted in the election of Pope Benedict XVI. On February 27, 2011, Cardinal Mahony reached his mandatory retirement age and was succeeded as Archbishop of Los Angeles by Archbishop José H. Gómez. As a member of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Mahony also participated in the conclave that elected Pope Francis on March 12–13, 2013. Cardinal Mahony has been a friend of our Maronite Church, visiting at various occasions.

archbishops of los angeles

Archbishop José H. Gomez

he Most Rev. José H. Gomez was born on December 26, 1951, in Monterrey, Mexico, the son of Dr. José H. Gomez and Esperanza Velasco, both deceased. He has three older sisters and one younger sister. He was ordained a priest of the Opus Dei Prelature on August 15, 1978, by the late Cardinal Franz König, Archbishop Emeritus of Vienna, at the Shrine of Torreciudad, Spain. After earning an accounting degree and his BA in Philosophy in 1975, he completed his BA in Theology in 1978, the year he was ordained a priest, at the University of Navarre, Rome Campus. He then began working on a doctorate in Theology at its Main Campus in Pamplona, Spain, receiving his doctorate in 1980. He became Archbishop of Los Angeles on March 1, 2011. Prior to his appointment as Coadjutor Archbishop of Los Angeles on April 6, 2010, he had served as Archbishop of San Antonio since February 15, 2005, and previously, as auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Denver, since his ordination on March 26, 2001. Before being appointed as an auxiliary Bishop, he had primarily ministered to lay people. From 1987 to 2000, he served as a priest in residence at Our Lady of Grace parish in the Archdiocese of San Antonio and also in Katy, Texas, at the then Diocese of Galveston-Houston. While auxiliary Bishop of Denver, he served as rector of the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception for two years. He was then named Moderator of the Curia and assigned as pastor of Mother of God parish. Archbishop Gomez is a respected national leader among Hispanic priests in the US. Since 1991 he has been involved with the National Association of Hispanic Priests (ANSH), an organization which seeks to strengthen fraternity among the Hispanic priests in the US. He was named

archbishops of los angeles

President in 1995 and Executive Director from 1999–2001. He currently serves as their Episcopal Moderator. Throughout the years, he has also been engaged at the National level, in several initiatives and organizations that serve the Hispanic community. Archbishop Gomez is an enthusiastic supporter of vocations to the priesthood and religious life, and constantly encourages all Catholics to witness their faith in their daily lives. Recently, he became a member of the Advisory Board of the National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors. In the last few years he has appeared a number of times in different lists of influential Hispanics in the country. In 2007, he brought together Latino leaders and Bishops for the creation of the Catholic Association of Latino Leaders (CALL). The Association’s purpose is to impact the national dialogue and to contribute to the mission of the Church, by identifying initiatives important to the Catholic community and supporting them in accordance with the Bishops’ directives. On July 25, 2008 he was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as a consultant to the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, and on May 8, 2010 he was named member of the Special Council for America of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops. During 2008 and 2009 Archbishop Gomez served as the first chairman of the new Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church of the USCCB, which was created to respond to the numerous and urgent needs of Church and society today, within the context of increasingly diverse cultures and races in our country. His Episcopal motto is taken from a scriptural passage of the Letter to the Hebrews: “Let us go forth with confidence to the Throne of Grace” (Heb. 4:16).

Honorary Consul Wadih Dib

adih Naoum Dib was born in Lebanon on December 5, 1904. He graduated from St. Joseph University in Beirut, where he earned a law degree. He worked in various departments of the Ministry of Justice in Lebanon. Wadih met Victoria Behannesy while she was vacationing in Lebanon and fell in love. It was his courtship for her hand that brought him to Los Angeles, and he never left. He moved to the US in 1935. Wadih married Victoria and they had three children: Antoine, Wadih Jr., and Virginia. During World War II, he was appointed Superintendent in the Army Air Force Supply Depot in Maywood, California. From 1955 to 1984, Wadih became Honorary Consul General of Lebanon for California and 12 other states. He was the second person to hold the post of Honorary Consul General in Los Angeles. Wadih was well respected, and many who knew him remember his generosity and willingness to help a friend in need. He was known for his personal approach in business matters. He was available to meet with people personally, and paperwork was always expedited. He made lifelong friendships and earned respect from the many people who passed through his office. Wadih loved his family, his work, and his commu-

nity, and was respected by all of his colleagues. He and his wife entertained often and their guests included high-ranking American and Lebanese government officials, consuls general, politicians and other influential people. In 1955 to 1956 he was featured in Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Who of California. He was given this distinct honor by being chosen over 1,000 other leading California men and women for his achievements. Wadih valued his community and held memberships in various organizations. He was president of the Association of Consul Corp., president of the Lebanese-Syrian American Society of Greater Los Angeles. He was an honorary charter member of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. He also had memberships in the US-Arab Chamber of Commerce for Western States, the World Traders Association of Los Angeles, the International Club of Greater Los Angeles, and the Knights of Columbus, Los Angeles Chapter. He was decorated many times by the Lebanese government, receiving the Gold Medal of Honor and Silver Medal of Honor, among other prestigious titles. He was proud of every one. On August 17, 1987, Wadih Dib passed away and was mourned by many. He was survived by his children.

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“Success has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It’s what you do for others.”

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Danny Thomas Maronite Parishioner of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon Cathedral in Los Angeles

ne of nine children born to immigrant parents, Danny Thomas entered the world during a blizzard in Deerfield, Michigan, on January 6, 1912 to Charles and Margaret Jacobs. He was of Lebanese descent. He first performed under his Anglicized birth name, Amos Jacobs, before settling on the stage name, Danny Thomas, which were the first names of two of his brothers. He began to help support the family at age 10 by selling newspapers, and at 11 he became a candy maker in a burlesque theater, a job he held for seven years. Danny saved enough from jobs as a bus boy, punch-press operator’s assistant, and a lumber yard watchman to buy a couple of suits and several pairs of shoes so he could go to Detroit to look for a job in show business. One of his first jobs in Detroit was that of a singer on a radio show called “The Happy Hour Club.” On the same program was a pretty, dark-haired Italian girl named Rose Marie Mantell. Danny escorted her home on the streetcar for three years before he proposed. When Rose Marie was about to Danny & Rose Marie Thomas with children (left to right): daughter, give birth to their first child, Margaret (later Marlo; Son, Tony; daughter, Terre. Marlo), the Thomases were leading a precarious life with Danny trying to establish himself as an entertainer. He was torn between his dedication to his work and his responsibility to his wife and their new baby. Desperate, Danny sought relief in prayer. He knelt before the statue of St. Jude, the patron saint of the hopeless, and begged for a sign: should he or should he not remain in show business? Impulsively, Danny promised to erect a shrine to St. Jude if the saint would show Danny his way in life. In less than a year, Danny was earning $500 a week at the 5100 Club in Chicago, and Abe Lastfogel, head of the William Morris Agency, took over as his personal manager. Danny went on to become one of the best-loved entertainers of his time, starring in shows in New York and Chicago, Hollywood movies and in the television series “Make Room for Daddy,” (ABC-TV), which evolved into one of the most successful and honored family comedy shows in television history. “Make Room for Daddy” was a show which revolved around the absentee-father dilemmas of a traveling singer-comic “Danny Williams.”

The title was suggested by Danny Thomas’ real-life wife, Rose-Marie, who during Danny’s frequent tours, allowed their children to sleep with her. Upon her husband’s return, the children would have to empty dresser drawers and leave the master bed to, quite literally, “make room for Daddy.” Danny Thomas began his show biz career in 1932 as a singer at a Detroit radio station; he began performing as an MC-comedian in nightclubs in 1938 and gradually gained popularity and national recognition over the next decade. He debuted onscreen in 1947, going on to a brief film career in corny lead roles or comic supporting parts. He was much more successful on TV, starring in the long-running sitcom Make Room for Daddy (later re-named The Danny Thomas Show); he also starred in a number of specials and made guest appearances on variety shows. In the late ’50s Thomas began producing for TV, forming a partnership with Sheldon Leonard and later Aaron Spelling; he produced such series as The Andy Griffith Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Gomer Pyle, and The Mod Squad. He also starred in several failed TV shows including The Danny Thomas Hour and Make Room for Granddaddy. Known as a generous philanthropist, Thomas founded the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1962. The hospital has treated thousands of children for childhood cancers. In 1996, two of its researchers won the Nobel Prize for medicine for their research on the immune system of children. He was one of the original owners of the Miami Dolphins along with Joe Robbie although he sold his share soon after purchase. His children are also performers, the most famous being his daughter Marlo, who is married to Phil Donahue. His son Tony Thomas is a television producer, and his other daughter, Terre Thomas, is a former actress. Danny Thomas authored Make Room for Danny, with Bill Davidson (New York: Putnam, 1990). Danny died on February 6, 1991 of a heart attack at age 77. He had completed filming a commercial for St. Jude’s Hospital a few days before his death, and this final commercial aired as a tribute to him. Danny and his wife (who died in 2000) are interred in a crypt in a mausoleum on the grounds of the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. He was a posthumous recipient of the 2004 Bob Hope Humanitarian Award. God and the church meant a lot to Danny Thomas. He lived his faith and was a good Maronite Catholic and parishioner of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon. He used to attend Mass on a regular basis and supported our church in various ways. The stained glass window of St. Jude in our church is donated by him in gratitude for the favors granted to him by God through the intercession of the Saint.

Awards & Nominations 1955 Emmy Award:

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

1955 Emmy Nomination:

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series

1956 Emmy Nomination:

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

1958 Emmy Nomination:

Best Continuing Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, Dramatic or Comedy Series

1959 Emmy Nomination:

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

1970 Emmy Nomination: Outstanding Drama Series

1991 Emmy Nomination:

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series

Television Series 1950–52 All Star Revue 1953–57 Make Room For Daddy 1957–64 Danny Thomas Show 1964–68 Danny Thomas Specials 1967–68 Danny Thomas Hour 1970 Make Room For Granddaddy 1976–77 The Practice 1980–81 I’m a Big Girl Now 1986 One Big Family

Films 1946 1947 1948 1951 1952 1988

The Unfinished Dance The Big City Call Me Mister I’ll See You In My Dreams Jazz Singer Side By Side (for TV)

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Ambassador Gilbert Chagoury

mbassador Gilbert Chagoury was born in Nigeria, to Lebanese parents, Ramez and Alice Chagoury, on January 8, 1946. The eldest of eight children, his childhood was an idyllic blend of a loving and nurturing home combined with a sense of freedom and fearlessness that many children feel growing up in Africa. He left Nigeria to attend the Collège des Frères in Lebanon. Always gravitating towards business, and his childhood memories, Ambassador Chagoury soon returned to Nigeria. He joined a Nigerian company and quickly moved up the corporate ladder to become, at 17, the company’s youngest ever executive of sales. It was in 1967, during one of his many visits to Lebanon, that The Ambassador was to meet his lifelong partner and admitted soulmate, Rose-Marie Chamchoum. She was the daughter of a prominent Lebanese family whose business empire stretched across Niger and Benin, and they both hailed from Miziara, a village in north Lebanon. The Ambassador and his wife have four children: Ramez, Gilbert-Antoine, Christopher and Anne-Marie. Their children studied in Paris, and both Gilbert-Antoine and Christopher earned graduate degrees in the US. Mr. and Mrs. Chagoury have been blessed with five grandchildren and are looking forward to many more.

A Compassionate Business Man In 1971 Ambassador Chagoury set the foundation for an industrial empire that would span across West Africa. Following the development of Grands Moulins du Bénin Flour Mills in Cotonou with his father-in-law Nabih Chamchoum, Mr. Chagoury built Ideal Flour Mills in Kaduna, northern Nigeria. The mills began full operation in 1978 and were the first of many he was to develop in Nigeria, on his way to building the Chagoury Group, one of Nigeria’s

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premiere conglomerates, with interests in manufacturing, construction, industry, hotels and high technology. Ensuring from the outset that the Group harnesses the talents of Nigerian workers and professionals, Ambassador Gilbert Chagoury has attracted the loyalty of his personnel, many of whom have been with the Group since its inception. Today, the Chagoury Group is a leading Nigerian employer, with a workforce numbering tens of thousands.

A Dedicated Public Servant Ambassador Chagoury’s Catholic upbringing taught him that helping others and giving back is the central duty of all Christians. Motivated by the needs of the Caribbean country of Saint Lucia and its sensitive ecosystem, in 1995, he accepted his appointment as Ambassador, Permanent Delegate of Saint Lucia to UNESCO. From that post, he worked long and hard to ensure Saint Lucia’s full and active representation at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. Among his many accomplishments was the registering of the Saint Lucia Pitons as a UNESCO World Heritage site. During his tenure Saint Lucia was elected to the Executive Board of UNESCO with the highest Caribbean and Latin American votes ever. While serving his duties at UNESCO, Ambassador Chagoury was also appointed as Permanent Representative of St. Lucia to UNOG Geneva, and personal representative of the Prime Minister to the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie. Since 2004, he has also been Ambassador of St. Lucia to the Holy See. In addition to serving as Ambassador for St. Lucia, Mr. Chagoury has also helped Benin, a small West African country. In 1996, he was appointed economic adviser to the President of Benin, Mathieu Kérékou. In 2006, H.E.

Yayi Boni became President and, impressed with Mr. Chagoury’s tenure under his predecessor, he appointed Mr. Chagoury as his economic adviser. Ambassador Chagoury believes strongly that with good leadership and governance, Africa’s economic development is assured. Already, his economic policies have started to improve the lives of countless Beninese.

A Generous Philanthropist Ambassador Chagoury believes in helping the less fortunate, supporting the Church, and promoting the Arts. Ambassador Chagoury and his wife contribute to many charities. Perhaps their favorite is St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee founded by Danny Thomas. St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance. No child is ever denied treatment because of the family’s inability to pay. It is the foremost internationally recognized institution for its pioneering research of childhood cancer, and the Chagourys are proud to be supporters of its mission. Being a devoted Maronite, Ambassador Chagoury was one of the principal donors for the renovation of the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome and he was the biggest donor to help renovate and restore the Church of Notre Dame du Liban in Paris. He is a constant supporter of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon Cathedral in Los Angeles. Ambassador Chagoury has also been a generous donor to the Louvre Museum. He donated a famous 16th century six-part tapestry, representing the sea divinities, which was commissioned for Colbert de Seignelay, then Secretary of State for the Navy, thus ensuring that this national treasure did not leave France. In September 2000, to honor his generosity, the Louvre dedicated the “Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury Gallery” to display the tapestries. In 2002, Gilbert made another significant contribution to the Louvre, an exquisite pair of pink-ground Sèvres vases that formerly graced the Palais Bourbon under the reign of Louis XVI. On February 22, 2007, Ambassador Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury received the Gold Medal of Honor by the Ministry of Culture and Communication Paris for helping to restore the Richelieu Aisle at the Louvre. In 2008, Ambassador Gilbert and Rose-Marie, helped break ground on the Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine at the Lebanese American University. It has partnered with Harvard Medical International to help it achieve its vision of creating a state-of-the-art academic

medical institution. In 2008 Ambassador Gilbert and RoseMarie Chagoury became the principal donors to LAU to support the establishment of a School of Nursing. The School will be named the Alice Ramez Chagoury School of Nursing, in honor of The Ambassador’s mother. It will be LAU’s first nursing school and will be part of the new medical school. While Ambassador Chagoury has given much to Lebanon, he has not forgotten his village, Miziara. In addition to donating substantial funds towards infrastructure development, he rebuilt the main square to give the youth a new place to congregate. It was renamed the Ramez Chagoury Square in honor of his father. To promote educational development in the village, he has created a scholarship foundation.

A Rewarded Man In 1985 St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital bestowed on him its highest honor, the Founder’s Award. In 1988 it honored his wife as Woman of the Year, and in 1990, Ambassador Chagoury was named Man of Year. In 1990, the Vatican awarded Mr. Chagoury the Order of St. Gregory the Great, rank of Commander. In October 1998, Pope John Paul II honored Gilbert and his family with a private audience. In 2009, Ambassador Gilbert received the Grand Cross of the Order of St. Gregory the Great, whilst his brother, Ambassador Ronald Chagoury became a Commander of the same order. In January 2011, Ambassador Chagoury’s granddaughter Elena was baptized at St. Peter’s Basilica. While there, the Ambassador and Rose-Marie were granted a private audience with Pope Benedict XVI. In May 2000, Ambassador Chagoury was honored by the French Government and awarded the Commander at the Order of Arts et des Lettres. In 2001, he was awarded the Ordre National du Bénin with the rank of Commander by the President of Bénin. In 2005, acknowledging his service to Chad in particular, and Africa in general, the President of the Republic of Chad honored Ambassador Chagoury with the Ordre National du Tchad at the rank of Commander. Also in 2005, he was awarded the distinction of Commander of the Order of the National Cedar by the Lebanese President. Ambassador Gilbert Chagoury continues his mission to make the world a better place. He remains a dedicated philanthropist and public servant, and strives always to be close to his family. tributes

Judge Ernest George Williams

hat makes a great Man? What truly is “greatness?” Everyone has a slightly different view or definition as to what “greatness” really is. Some attribute greatness to accumulating wealth or fame, but does money or fame make someone great? Many of us would agree that money or fame does not make you great. Love is what makes us great! Being loved by many, makes us great! From this standpoint, Ernest George Williams is a great man. Loved by many, successful and happy in all aspects of life—that is truly “greatness.” That was truly Ernest. A successful attorney and judge, wonderful husband, father, grandfather, friend and being at peace with God, Ernest achieved greatness. Ernest George Williams was born in Waterville, Maine, in 1925, to George Williams and Mamie Nasr, immigrants from Jezzine, Lebanon, who arrived in the US at the turn of the century. In the ninth grade, Ernest won second place in an oratorical competition for the State of Maine. This set the stage for a remarkable professional career. Ernest realized Waterville, Maine would offer little opportunity beyond factory work, so at just 15 years old, he hitchhiked to Los Angeles to join his older brother James. Ernest attended Hollywood High School and supported himself with a variety of odd jobs, such as setting up pins in a bowling alley, operating a hot-dog cart outside Paramount Studios, and parking cars. Throughout school, Ernest continued to participate in public speaking and debate events in high school and graduated in 1942. Following graduation, Ernest joined the US Army and served during World War II, 1943–1946, where he was posted in New York City and Los Angeles. Upon completion of his service, Ernest attended LA City College, followed by Loyola Law School where he graduated in 1953. Shortly thereafter he became a member of the California State Bar and was admitted to practice before the US Supreme Court.

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Judge Williams (along with his brother James) formed the law firm of Williams & Williams and specialized in personal injury, civil litigation, and commercial law while handling precedent setting cases. He was certified by the California Trial Lawyers Association as a specialist in personal injury and general civil trial law in 1980 and served as a judicial arbitrator for the LA Superior Court and the American Arbitration Association. He was a member of the California Judges Association, the American Bar Association, and LA County Bar Association. He practiced privately for more than 30 years before being appointed by Governor George Deukmejian in 1985 to serve as a judge on the LA County Superior Court. Even after his retirement in 1998, he continued to hear cases by assignment. Beyond his impressive professional career, Judge Williams was an active member of his community. He served Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon–St. Peter Cathedral and his fellow Maronite parishioners faithfully, as president of the Maronite Welfare Society. He was a founding member of the Arab-American Bar Association, and an active board member for the American Arabic Educational Foundation, a group dedicated to awarding scholarships. Judge Williams married Joan Marie Mosellie in June, 1964. They were married 44 years before he passed away in 2008. They have three children, George, Charles, and Michael and three grandchildren, Isabella, Ernest, and Andrew. Ernest Williams, a successful Maronite Catholic, was known as a kind and sweet man, always quick to assist on the one hand and to guide with the other. Judge Williams lived by a motto he came across during his long journey to California as a teenager when he stopped at a doughnut shop just outside of Chicago and saw a wall inscription that read, “As you wander on in life, brother, whatever may be your goal, keep your eye on the doughnut and not upon the hole.”

Judge James A. Kaddo

udge James A. Kaddo was born in Zgharta, Lebanon and emigrated to the US in 1950 to join his family who had left Lebanon some four years before him. His name is really Jamal Kaddo Moawad but, as with many Lebanese immigrants, the name lost something in the translation. Judge Kaddo began his college education at the University of California and graduated from UC Berkeley in 1956 with a BA degree in Political Science/International Relations. As a reward for his educational achievements he was immediately drafted into the US Army; being from Zgharta it was decided he was perfectly suited for warfare. He served two years on active duty in the US Army and four years on inactive duty. He was honorably discharged in 1958. Judge Kaddo returned to Los Angeles in 1958 and entered the USC School of Law. In 1959 he took a leave of absence from his studies and returned to Lebanon to marry his wife and start a family. He returned from Lebanon and resumed his law studies, receiving his Juris Doctor degree from USC in 1963. Upon graduation, Judge Kaddo immediately began the practice of law, at first with partners and later at his own law firm, until 27 years later when he was appointed as a judge by Governor George Deukmejian in December 1990. As a lawyer, Judge Kaddo distinguished himself as a trial and business lawyer and specialized in real estate developments and investments. He is, however, just as proud of his active involvement in the American Lebanese Community, socially and politically. He was a founder, president or board member of practically every Lebanese and Arab American organization both locally and nationally. We was president of the William Neima Republican Club, president of the World Lebanese Cultural Union, founder and president and of the LA Chapter of the ADC, president and founding member of the Arab American Law-

yers Association of Southern California, founding member of the Lebanese American Foundation, and presently, he is Chairman of the Board, Honorary Founding Member of LA-Beirut Sister City Committees and LA Cedars Rotary Club. His latest achievement and pride is the recent purchase of an attractive building on Wilshire Boulevard to house a Lebanese Community Center, “The House of Lebanon.” Prior to that acquisition he was proud to have contributed and assisted in the purchase of our present Cathedral, Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon–St. Peter Cathedral, with the late great Danny Thomas, and our beloved Bishop John Chedid. Except for his college years at Berkeley and his service in the US Army, Judge Kaddo has lived in Los Angeles, California. He has been married since 1959 to Souad, and has four daughters, Emily, Muna, Nadia and Rima. Most gratifying of all, he has five grandchildren. Since his appointment Judge Kaddo has successfully run and been elected to the LA Superior Court on several occasions, and will be due for re-election in 2017. He presently sits in the capacity in the civil division of that court in the Northwest District, in Van Nuys, California. His considerable accomplishments are recognized by receiving many honor awards, just to name a few: • The Highest Presidential Award of Lebanon bestowed

upon him by the president of Lebanon, Emile Lahoud • The Ellis Island Medal of Honor award bestowed upon citizens who maintained their identities while becoming integral parts of the American way of life. • Man of the Year Award from Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon–St. Peter Cathedral, Los Angeles • Man of the Year Award from the American-Lebanese Medical Association • Judge James A. Kaddo Award, created and named after him by the Arab-American Lawyer Association. tributes

Parish Pastoral Council

n May of 2005, Father Abdallah Zaidan, under the auspices of Bishop Robert Shaheen of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon, established the first Pastoral Council of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon Cathedral. The first Pastoral Council served from May 2005 to early 2010. The first president was Dr. Paul Buzad, the first vice-president was Maxine Shalhoub and the first secretary was Tommy Tedros. The board members were Maroun Atallah, Dede Chaghouri, Terri Jowdy, Joanne Kahwaji, Rony Lazar and Joseph Petro. The current Pastoral Council started their term in early 2010. The president is Dr. Elias Ayoub, the vice-president is Joseph Petro and the secretary is Doris Joukhadar. The board members are Robert Atallah, Nina Bejany, Amine Klaeb, Paul Sawan, Joanne Sawaya and James Tomey.

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1. The purpose of the Pastoral Council is to be concerned with the pastoral life of the cathedral. Areas of pastoral life include (but are not limited to): Liturgical Life i.e. music; maintenance of the cathedral; liturgical members (readers, servers, cantors, choir and ushers). Religious Education of children, young persons and adults. Pastoral Care for the sick, elderly and handicapped. Preparation of Parties involved in the reception of the sacraments of Baptism, First Holy Communion and Marriage. Pastoral Care of immigrants and economically disadvantaged persons. 2. It is the competency of the Pastoral Council to advise and cooperate with the pastor in the pastoral care of the parish. As such, the Pastoral Council serves as a permanent structure for constructive dialogue among the clergy and laity. 3. The Pastoral Council provides leadership, counsel, resources, encouragement and assistance to the apostolic and spiritual development of all parishioners. 4. The Pastoral Council serves as a coordinating body for parish organizations and activities. It may, after consultation with the Pastor, suggest standing and ad hoc committees. The Pastor would determine their role. 5. The Pastoral Council works to develop consensus among its membership and the parish in general. To this end, it is advisable that they arrive at a consensus on issues presented for their consideration rather than â&#x20AC;&#x153;votingâ&#x20AC;? on those issues. This will help to engage council members in a constructive dialogue and usually presents the pastor with a more complete and prepared course of action. 6. All members of the Pastoral Council must maintain the confidentiality of the deliberations of the council, especially with respect to privacy and personal reputations.

The Maronite League

he Maronite League was formed in 1983 to assist the church and our priests in and around Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon Cathedral. The club consists of adult ladies and gentlemen of the parish who meet the first Tuesday of every month. We have a lovely dinner, usually prepared by the ladies, which is then followed by the business meeting. The members of the League are here to assist the priests in whatever way possible which includes funds earned from the activities held throughout the year, this helps to apply against the annual expenses. We invite you to join the Maronite League and be a part of this fine organization. Various activities throughout the year are presented for the Parish to participate in. They have sponsored the following throughout the years:

Village Brunch Usually held in the Spring, inviting the parish to enjoy a delicious luncheon following the Mass. Heritage Night In May, an evening of Lebanese food and music are presented and enjoyed by many. Monte Carlo Night On this occasion, you will feel like you are in Las Vegas. There is gambling with professional dealers, food, drink and prizes. Always guaranteed a fun evening. Bake sales The ladies bake the Lebanese pastries to be sold on Palm Sunday and at the Christmas Boutique.

Christmas Boutique Held the first weekend of December, the League presents a boutique featuring various vendors with their merchandise and parishioners with their donations. A luncheon is served on Saturday of that weekend. International Dinner Dance In September typically and is an evening of fine food and music. Talent Show There is so much talent among the people of this parish that occasionally the League calls upon these parishioners to show us what they can do. We are very fortunate to have so many talented individuals amongst our parishioners.

Past presidents of the League Gene George was the first president and was followed by (in alphabetical order) Saada Abboud, Badiha Alwan, Pierre Alwan, Patrick Challilta, Jeannette Hollow, Theresa Jowdy, Joanne Kahwaji, Michel Kahwaji, Yvette Mockary, Gwen Mousa, Paul Sawan, Rita Sayegh, Maxine Shalhoub and Joe Tedros. The current president is Victoria Bascoy. church organizations

The Cathedral Choir

“Who Sings Prays Twice” — St. Augustine

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very Church is enriched by the talents of its parishioners, and our services are definitely enhanced by the singing of our Choir members. Since the early stages of our Church, the Choir has been in existence. Members have come and gone along the years but the Choir remains a constant element of our Church life. The Choir of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon Cathedral consists of members of the parish who donate their time and talent to the musical enrichment of the liturgy. The choir sings at the main Maronite Rite Mass each Sunday morning, and they do a tremendous job under the guidance of Father Elias Sleiman. Adult singers, from a wide variety of backgrounds and nationalities are able to experience singing an eclectic range of traditional hymns from various Maronite liturgical selections every week. In addition, the choir has sings at special services such as weddings and funerals. Our choir has participated in musical productions in the cathedral hall and in choir concerts throughout the community. The Cathedral Liturgical Choir is comprised of many members that have held to the mission of singing of the Divine Liturgy. The rehearsals are typically on Thursday evenings and their talents have translated in many ways. The solo performances at Mass are exceptional, but the solos at Saint Maron’s Feast Day celebrations, the annual talent show in the hall and other church events are done wonderfully as well. Never does a Sunday Mass pass without somebody in the congregation turning around to look toward the choir in admiration of a hymn sung beautifully. We have had many choir directors, organists and even a violinist that accompanied the choir over the years. Some of the past choir directors include Olga Karma, Maroun Atallah, Nina Bejany and the current director, George Ashkar. Our organists have included Joanne Kahwaji, Therese Atallah and Fadi Garabet, Anna Howard Dickan, Mary Thomas, and Tony Mikahel. The violinist for many years was Elias Thomas. We are fortunate for them and many others that have given their talents in order to enrich us all during liturgy.

Maronite Young Adults

he Apostolate of the Maronite Young Adults in Los Angeles (MYA-LA) is open to all young adult members of the Maronite Church, ages 18 to 35. Meetings are held at our cathedral and there are many registered members. The mission of the MYA is to unite the young adults, support and guide them in their path to personal and spiritual growth, help them expand their knowledge and support their educational and cultural development, encourage fellowship through social and recreational events, and serve the community through evangelization and philanthropic activities. The MYA strives to fulfill its mission through the work, support and dedication of every one of its members, as it depends on them to mold and shape the organization and to make it grow and prosper. By engaging in open discussions, lectures and forums about issues pertaining to young adults, the MYA members build more knowledge and enrich both their personal and spiritual growth. The MYA also encourages its members to celebrate and promote their heritage and traditions, and expand their cultural development. All young adults are encouraged to engage in its social and recreational events and activities and to develop meaningful relationships with one another as one community. Each member of the MYA represents the core values of the organization, and it is our duty as Christians to help spread the word and love of God. Although the Apostolate was established in 2005, the cathedral has had several young adult startup organizations intermittently over the recent years. One group was established in the summer of 2001, but really got off the

ground in November 2001. Father Zaidan stated, â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are a lot of members of our congregation who are too young to feel comfortable in the Maronite League and too old for the MYO. I think it is very important to give this group a sense of belonging.â&#x20AC;? The MYA was resurrected in February 2006, in order to unite those within the age guidelines established in the National MYA. Members 18 to 35 met on the last Friday of each month and became involved in a number of events such as sponsoring breakfasts following Mass, and Christmas or Easter season spiritual retreats held at St. Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Seminary in Santa Barbara. There were also themed parties in the cathedral hall and a mentor day that involved members of the MYO. The National MYA retreat was held in Los Angeles for the first time in October 2011, and over 125 young adults from around the country participated in this weekend of spiritual renewal and social goodwill. Another MYA local chapter was established in 2011 whose main purpose was to draw that same target demographic age grouping. The objective was to draw members of the congregation socially, at first, through outings and parties such as a Christmas party in December 2011, a karaoke party in March 2012, and a Halloween party in 2012. There have been many variations of the MYA over the years, and we are appreciative of those young adults that have participated and showed an interest as these members went on to represent our future generation of Maronites.

A spiritual, cultural and social organization, which strives to foster unity among the Young Adults of the Maronite Church.

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Children’s Program (ccd)

n 1978, Chorbishop John Chedid launched the program of teaching children the basic of faith in preparation for First Communion. Paula Mockary and James Tomey were the first teachers for three years. Marguerite Mockary and Joseph Petro carried on for the next four years. Afterwards, Teresa Atallah took charge of preparing the children for First Communion. She was assisted later on by Samia Thomas who remained in that position until 1996. In 1996, Father Abdallah Zaidan felt the need to extend the program to other children. A group of five ladies, Nouhad Ayoub, Dede Chagouri, Mireille Hillal, Suzie Mansour and Mirella Koury, were coordinating the education of the children. The classes were given twice per month on Saturday mornings. The enrollment kept growing year after year. The program took a giant step in 2001, and started to develop into a Sunday School. Father Zaidan appointed

Pia Eid to become the director of the Children’s Program. Classrooms were provided for the teachers and children. Over a dozen highly motivated members of our community got together to map out a program for teaching two main courses, one being the Maronite Catholic history and faith, and the second is the Arabic Language that connects us to our Lebanese Maronite Heritage. The children were divided by ages and grades into different levels and were assigned one teacher and an assistant for each of the two courses. Classes were conducted on Sunday mornings starting at 9am. In 2002, a special new class, the Choir Class, was introduced into the CCD program. Led by an exception-

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ally talented and dedicated core member of our Community, Nina Bejany, the Choir class became a very popular and loved class by our children and their parents. This class blended all aspects of the CCD objectives, installing the Maronite Christian faith and Lebanese heritage in our children in a pleasurable, joyful and attractive atmosphere. A major impact of the Choir class on our community was made evident as the CCD children started serving the Sunday Mass at a frequency of over four times per year. On those days, they had the opportunity to directly participate and interact hands-on with the overall community of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon. In addition to singing the hymns and serving the Mass, they read both Arabic and English readings, they wrote and presented the intercessions, and they partook in the offering and altar serving. This has provided the children a complete understanding of the Liturgy and greatly motivated them as they experienced the positive impact of their CCD education. The children’s Dabke group was initiated in 2003. It provided the social fun aspect of the Children’s program promoting bonding of the children with each other and with their Lebanese traditions. Dabke became a form of entertainment that the children provided at the major events of the Parish, including Family Night and the Annual Summer Festival. In the summer of 2005, Father Zaidan appointed Jessica Nasr to become the director of the Children’s Program. She served and administered the CCD program

for two years with the overwhelming contribution of so many volunteers. The Year End Party was an event that the children anticipated. This brilliantly coordinated activity was dedicated to all the mothers in the church hall. The party included amazing talent show, a dazzling Dabke performance by our Children’s Program Dabke Group, and an amusing fashion show. Another year, it was dedicated to the fathers. In 2007, Pia Eid resumed the role of Director. Over the years, the program gradually grew in many aspects, maturing the subjects and material being taught, increasing the number of dedicated volunteer teachers, and most important, engaging a growing number of children. Starting with 40 students and 12 teachers in 2000, the school grew to over 120 students and 21 faculty members in 2010. More classrooms were needed to accommodate the growth. Students were divided into eight different levels, occupying the offices on the second and third floors of the Chancery building which were converted to classrooms. Even the dinette area of the third floor was used as a classroom to accommodate the growth. In 2010, a retreat was introduced first time offsite at Mount St. Mary’s College. The venue provided an exceptional, serene and panoramic site to engage the children in a spiritual discussion and one-on-one interaction with our priests, Father Abdallah Zaidan and Father Elias Sleiman. This has become a very popular CCD event of the year which children look forward to attending. Father Abdallah Zaidan appointed Chadia Saade to assume the role of Director in September 2010. In that year, the interactive Smart Boards were introduced in each classroom to enhance children’s learning and make it as fun and interesting as possible. To improve Arabic education, the

children started using new Arabic books. In parallel, the CCD teachers actively worked with the children to increase their knowledge of the Arabic language by exposing them to common Lebanese vocabulary and engaging them in conversation. In spring 2011, the Easter Celebration, the Open House and the Graduation Ceremony for eighth graders were newly initiated events. The Dabke children continued to perform twice a year, at the Family Night and the Talent Show. The Talent Show has been the CCD end of the year venue where children showcase their talents and the CCD yearbook is distributed to families. Communication between parents and the CCD faculty has been facilitated in many ways. Parents meetings provided a forum to set up goals and get feedback from parents. In addition to that, updates and announcements are sent via email to the families. More recently in 2013, the CCD faculty initiated the distribution of a seasonal newsletter, which

includes special messages from Father Abdallah Zaidan and Father Elias Sleiman, and all CCD upcoming news. Walking through the main Parish Hall and the corridors of the Chancery building on Sunday morning is a sight not to miss. The bubbling excitement of students, teachers and parents, the vivid discussions flowing in the air, the big smiles on everyone’s face, are true testaments of the wonderful impact the CCD program has on the families. Vision, care, love, perseverance, dedication and commitment are few of the many qualities that the volunteering faculty of the CCD program of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon Cathedral has proven over the years. These were, and still are, well endowed in guiding and inspiring our children as they grow into our next generation of parishioners. church organizations

Children’s Summer Camp

very year has brought with it new and unique experiences, the memories of which forever resonant in the minds and hearts of the camp attendees. Attending the Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon–Saint Peter Cathedral Children’s Summer Camp offers campers and counselors alike the opportunity to not only renew their faith in Jesus Christ, but to discover and understand our Maronite heritage. Our history, culture, and ancestry play a central role in many of the activities organized for our youth who are present. Lebanese themed nights afforded the next generation of our parish the opportunity to learn to dance dabke, how

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to make Lebanese cheese from leban, and about the lives and miracles of the Maronite Saints. The Children’s Summer Camp started in June 1999 with Father Zaidan’s vision to offer the children a unique opportunity for spiritual and cultural growth as well as for communal bonding. Father Ghassan Mattar led the effort for three years. Year after year it has grown to become a great and awaited activity for all children under the leadership of Father Elias Sleiman. Themes of the camp have ranged from “On a mountain, celebrating the faith of the mountains” to “God sees

me,â&#x20AC;? each one playing a subtle yet constant role in the spiritual discussions and activities. The social and physical activities of the camp allow children and youth to interact with one another; outdoor activities such as hiking, horseback riding, the sky lift, canoeing, and boat rides give campers a new appreciation for nature. These activities, as well as the spiritual gatherings, allow the children and youth of our parish to form strong bonds of friendship with those attending from other parishes across America, from San Francisco to Texas. Among our many visitors to camp, we have the honor of welcoming Father Abdullah Zaidan every year on Wednesday evening usually for Reconciliation Service where the campers go for Confession. Looking back over the many years, those who attended camp see more clearly that perhaps the greatest benefit, and one of the rarest

gifts, is the relationship each individual has built and cultivated with Father Elias Sleiman, the ten-year veteran Camp Director. He is our Priest and Shepherd, but also a dear friend, confidante, and brother whose love we have seen to be unconditional. On Saturday evenings, parents are invited to attend the performance of the campers in different artistic shows that reflect the spirit of the community. As the intermediate months separating one camp from the next pass, they give rise to the anticipation and excitement of coming together once more as a family united not only in our faith and history but also in our common identity as American-Lebanese Maronites with a shared future. The summer camp has been a success thanks to the generosity of benefactors, the dedication of volunteers and the participation of the campers. church organizations

Maronite Youth Organization

he Maronite Youth Organization (MYO) was established as a national youth group for teenagers that go to a Maronite church in the United States. It started in the 1970s with the first gathering of MYO members in 1978 at the Shrine in North Jackson, Ohio. There has been a national retreat every year since along with many regional retreats. In May 1994, it was determined that our church needed a youth club to flourish as there are so many of our youth that come to church but are not involved beyond going to mass. With the guidance of Father Louis Baz as the spiritual director and Tommy Tedros as the advisor, the local MYO was established. The first president was George Alwan and there were many parishioners that served in various capacities since. The MYO age to participate, in order to coincide with the National MYO chapter, was between 13 and 17 years of age. Over the years, the annual MYO retreat turned out to be a major success and in recent years, those kids that participated in the annual summer camp were not only attendees, but turned out to be responsible youth counselors for those younger campers. Our cathedral has been sending members of the MYO to the national retreat annually in St. Louis or other places, where they were excited about meeting old friends and making new ones. The local re-

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treats have taken place annually at Saint Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Seminary in Santa Barbara around the Christmas or Lenten season. The water park events that took place annually have always been a great time. The other main MYO outdoor event was hikes to the surrounding natural parks. The MYO have also participated in cultural activities, such as the Getty

Museum or other visits to local museums. The MYO gave back to the community in many ways. One example of that was when they served food to the homeless and less fortunate families at St. Francis in Los Angeles on a yearly basis since 2010. Their annual Halloween parties were a tremendous success as well and the camaraderie shown at these and other events grew into long-term and lifetime friendships and relationships.

St. Sharbel Club

n August 1, 1980, a social and sectarian club was organized for the Maronites of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon Church, Los Angeles. The name was the St. Sharbel Maronite Youth Organization. In later years, it became the St. Sharbel Club. The first president was Gwen Moussa and many presidents served successfully since. The club hit its peak in the late ’80s with Tommy Tedros serving as president from 1988–1990 and then his successor, Tony Eid serving in that capacity from 1990–1992. Members ranged in age from 16 to 28 and it was a prerequisite to be a Maronite in good standing. There were other youth church organizations at the local Melkite and Greek Orthodox churches but those parishioners wanted to be members of our club. The club didn’t turn away anybody since those participants couldn’t be board members but the support received was tremendous. The meetings were held on the first Friday evening of every month in the church hall. Then the members and friends would go to a restaurant such as the old Numero Uno Pizza Restaurant or Beverly Hills Café on La Cienega Boulevard that used to be a popular hangout after the meeting. At the annual hafli, the club used to give any surplus funds as their annual

gift to the church. Bishop Chedid was skeptical of the club at first but the members proved their worth by contributing to all aspects of parish life, and subsequently gained his confidence and support as a result. The St. Sharbel Club events were regularly written about in The Challenge newspaper that reached the Maronites throughout the country and the Beirut Times newspaper locally throughout Los Angeles and its surrounding communities. The Halloween parties were a tremendous success where it was standing room only in the hall many times and this was one of the biggest annual events. The installation dinner and swearing in ceremony that Bishop Chedid and the officers participated in became another tradition. Outings included day trips to Catalina Island, Magic Mountain adventures, Medieval Times group gatherings and fun picnics. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end as the club dissolved in 1992. The St. Sharbel Club went out of its realm as a church organization but for the years it was around, it was a fun time to be involved as the members served the church to its fullest.

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National Apostolate of Maronites (nam) Its missions are to assist the bishops and serve as a link in unifying the Maronite laity in the US, strengthen the bond between clergy and laity and help preserve the Syriac-Maronite traditions by making people aware of the rich Maronite heritage and by fostering pride in the Maronite Church

AM is the official lay apostolate of the Maronite Dioceses in the US. It is a non-profit, non-political organization that was established in 1964. NAM was established before the presence of a Maronite Bishop or diocese in the US. In fact, it was started to help unify and organize the Maronite faithful in order to petition Rome for a Maronite Bishop. Since 1966, NAM has served the previous Diocese of St. Maron and now serves the Eparchies of St. Maron of Brooklyn and Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles, and our Eparchial bishops. Its missions are to assist the bishops and serve as a link in unifying the Maronite laity in the US, strengthen the bond between clergy and laity and help preserve the

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Syriac-Maronite traditions by making people aware of the rich Maronite heritage and by fostering pride in the Maronite Church. Through its many programs of service to the Maronite Church, the apostolate helps nurture interest in our spiritual, cultural and ethnic roots. For many, NAMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most important events are its national and regional conventions, where the Maronite faithful are gathered along with our bishops and clergy for spiritual renewal, educational growth and social and ethnic fellowship. In 2013, NAM will commemorate its 50th anniversary with the national convention being held in Tampa, Florida. Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon sponsored the national conventions on two occasions, once in 1982 and the most

nam achievement awards Many of our parishioners have been honored with NAM Achievement Awards such as the Gold Massabki, the Silver Massabki and the Faith of the Mountain. Gold Massabki: (a national recognition) 1997 Maroun Atallah 2009 Nina Bejany Silver Massabki: (a local recognition) 1982 Maxine Shalhoub 1989 Edward & Terri Jowdy 1995 Maroun Atallah 1996 Olga Karma 1997 Nina Bejany 1999 Tommy Tedros 2000 Joanne Kahwaji 2001 Sandra Nahra 2002 Yvette Mockary 2003 Joe & Sadie Tedros 2004 George & Nouhad Ayoub 2005 Emma Alle

2006 Paul & Laudy Sawan 2007 Paul & Gina Buzad 2008 Fady & Milia Garabet 2009 Sara Abudayyeh 2009 Ronny Lazar

2010 2010 2011 2011 2012

Antoine & Amal Alwan George & Ghada Ashkar Elias & Mireille Ayoub Michel Kahwaji Emile & Pia Eid

Parishioners involved in NAM over the years in various capacities: Tommy Tedros Board Member 2004-10 Vice President 2007-09 President 2009-11 Antoinette Farrage Regional VP 1982-83 Terri Jowdy Regional VP 1983-84 Therese Atallah Regional VP 1990-92

recent in 2009. In 1982, one of the most successful conventions to date was sponsored by Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon and was held at what was then the Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. Maxine Shalhoub was the general chairperson and there were many committees under her guidance that did a wonderful job with the convention and all its details. Among the social activities was a day trip to Disneyland and for those that extended their stay after the convention, a bus trip to Las Vegas for a couple days. The Master of Ceremonies for the Saturday night grand banquet was none other than Danny Thomas. In 2009, the national convention was sponsored by our cathedral and was held at the glamorous Century Plaza Hotel in Century City. Dr. Elias and Mireille Ayoub were the chairpersons and did a phenomenal job coordinating with the

Joanne Kahwaji Regional VP 1995-96 Dr. Elias Ayoub Board Member 2009-15 Vice President 2011-13 President 2013-2015 Albert Constantine Regional VP 2010-13 Fady Garabet Board Member 2013

Faith of the Mountain: (youth recognition) 2006 Adele Ghssoub 2007 Dona El-Khoury 2008 Rebecca El-Khoury 2009 Jasmine El-Khoury 2010 Noor Ghssoub 2011 Nicole Karaan 2012 Christine Said Southwest Region Delegate 2009: Maroun Atallah (Maroun served as an effective delegate for many years. He promoted NAM locally and kept the membership lists current. The award was announced at the NAM Convention in Los Angeles.)

many committees. The convention had the highest number of attendees as well as the greatest number of grand banquet guests in NAMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history. Subsequent conventions were organized and patterned by what was done in Los Angeles that summer. Special guests were many and included Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches in the Roman Curia and representing the Vatican, Cardinal Roger Mahony of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Carlos Slim Helu, Mexican business magnate, investor, philanthropist and one of the richest men in the world and Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, who served as a cabinet member to the President of the United States. The spiritual and business luncheons, workshops and social activities were unprecedented. church organizations

Order of St. Sharbel

he Order of Saint Sharbel is a national organization of people who have pledged their spiritual strength and financial support for the Seminary of Our Lady of Lebanon, seminarians and retired clergy of the Eparchy of St. Maron and the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon. This organization is comprised of two chapters that act under the leadership of the local bishop. The overall objectives of the Order of St. Sharbel are to promote the growth, strengthen the presence and preserve the traditions of the Maronite Church in the US by: 1) Providing financial assistance toward educating the seminarians of the Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn, and the Eparchy of Our Lady of Mt.Lebanon of Los Angeles. This assistance includes tuition as well as all operating costs of the seminary. 2) Providing additional retirement benefits to our retired clergy, when possible.

Parishioners from Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon Cathedral have supported this organization previously and currently. Our parish has a large number of perpetual and annual members and they participate when called upon. At the annual St. Maron’s Feast Day celebration, the members line up in honor guard and are part of the procession when the Liturgy commences and concludes. In recent years, the installation of new members to the Order has occurred during the St. Maron’s Feast Day Liturgy. The ceremony takes place after the homily, and new members line up and take part in the procession at with current members. Our cathedral is fortunate to have many members and a willingness to provide financial assistance to this organization. Any time a patriarch or Eparchial bishop makes a visit to our community, local members are asked to participate and have done so in great numbers.

History of the Beshely Society

n 1904, Mike Moses was the first settler from the Beshely village to arrive in Los Angeles. He returned to Lebanon, married Annie, and opened a small grocery store on E. First Street. In 1907, Ester Alwan arrived with her husband and children Ward, Nahel, and George. Her husband left for South America to seek his fortune but was killed in an accident. George returned to Lebanon. Tom Tedros at the age of 17 followed several months later. He borrowed a few dollars from Mike Moses, purchased a suitcase, and sold various items house to house. Tom Domit, Rashid Nassar, John Joseph, Ablan Thomas and others soon followed. Years later Tom Domit would marry Ward. Tom Tedros would marry Nahel and his best man would be Mike Moses. As more settlers arrived, they assisted each other. Some needed a place to sleep, a job, or a few dollars to get on their feet. They sought comfort from each other, collected a nickel, dime, or what they could afford, and distributed it to the most needy. They prayed for guidance, and when a priest was available, held Mass at one of the homes.As the group grew in number someone suggested a club be formed. The name selected was “The Beshely Society.” The

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organization was incorporated in 1918 and is known as the oldest Maronite organization in Los Angeles. Its bylaws read: “To assist the needy from Beshely.” The first president was Antonio Domit, who gifted the society a small bell which continues to be used to this day. Meetings were held at someone’s home. When the original “Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon Maronite Church” was under construction, the Society helped fund the project. It continues supporting projects back in Beshely such as building a church hall, drilling for fresh drinking water, supporting a sports facility for the youth, and helping to pay medical bills for the sick and disabled. Honoring the Deceased Each year the Society honors its deceased members with a memorial Mass at followed by a “meal of mercy” where they toast the Pioneers. It takes place on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Looking to the Future In 2018 the Society will mark its 100th year Anniversary. It is hoped the tradition established by the Pioneers will continue through the future.

The Maronite Church

The Catholic Church s Christians went forth from Jerusalem they encountered different traditions, cultures, customs and languages. Soon the Church became a communion of churches united in love with each other, looking to the See of Peter in Rome as the first among them all. The Gospel of Christ had reached the four corners of the world. Jesus prayed for their unity, “that they all may be one” (John 17:21). For Catholics united with the Pope in Rome, there is already an amazing unity even within the reality of cultural diversity. The Catholic Church, comprised of 21 Eastern Churches and one Western Church, is a communion of Churches, with the Pope as the visible head, “gathered in the one spirit, breathing as though with two lungs—of the east and of the west—and burning with the love of Christ in one heart—having two ventricles.” (Sacri Canones; Pope John Paul II) One of the Eastern Catholic churches is the Maronite Church. She has Her own hierarchy composed of a Patriarch who is Her father and head, and over 40 Bishops who shepherd the many Eparchies in Lebanon, the Middle East and throughout the world.The Patriarch governs the Church in a synodal manner with his body of bishops as is customary in the Eastern Churches.

Eastern Catholic Churches There are six major traditions of the Catholic Church: Alexandrian, Antiochene, Armenia, Chaldean, Constantinopolitan (Byzantine), Latin (Roman). Each Catholic Church practices a common faith according to one of the six major traditions.The Maronite Church follows the Antiochene tradition. All churches within the communion of Catholic churches share the same: Dogmatic Faith, Seven Mysteries, Moral Teachings.

Communion with the Pope of Rome All Catholics believe the same truths of the faith yet worship differently. One could say they share the same essence of faith, but have a different expression of that faith. Each Church embraces its own culture and tradition to express Her faith in Jesus the Risen Lord.

Each of the Catholic Churches: Encompasses a unique liturgy, theology, spirituality and discipline; Is characterized by Her own cultural and linguistic tradition; Is guided by a patriarch, major archbishop, Metropolitan or other hierarch, who along with their Synod of Bishops are in full communion with the Pope, the Successor of St. Peter in Rome.

The Maronite Church The Maronite Church dates back to the early Christians of Antioch where “they were called Christians for the first time” (Acts 11:26).She still uses as Her liturgical language, Syriac, a dialect of the Aramaic that Jesus Himself spoke, and takes Her name from the hermit-priest, St. Maron, who died in 410ad. Within a few years after St. Maron’s death, over 800 monks adopted his way of life and became known as the Maronites. Later, the Muslim invasions (7th–10th Centuries), coupled with conflicts from within the Byzantine Empire, caused the Maronites to flee the plains of Syria and their churches and monasteries, to the natural protection of the mountains of Lebanon where they first lived in caves and grottos, and then later built small churches and monasteries. By 687, Maronites organized themselves around St. John Maron, whom they elected Patriarch of the vacant See of Antioch, and thus developed as a distinct church within the Catholic Church.

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The Maronite Church three centers of learning and culture The Maronite Church has been enriched by three centers of learning and culture:

Antioch: A city in west Syria (now Turkey) that served as a center of commerce and education and was known for its Greek and Syriac culture. Antioch gave the Maronite Church much of her unique liturgical life.

Second, Maronites are Chacedonian, meaning they were staunch supporters of the Council of Chalcedon, convened in 451ad, which taught that Jesus was true God and true man. In this formula, Maronites found a balance and way of life that placed them forever in the communion of the universal Church.

Third, the Maronite Church is Patriachal and Monas-

had a Semitic culture and influenced the prayers and hymns of the Maronite Church. It was also the home of St. Ephrem, Doctor of the Church, who gave the Maronite Church much of Her poetry and prayer.

tic. St. Maron was a hermit-priest. The first Maronites were monks, priests and laity associated with the monasteries of St. Maron in the 5th to 8th centuries. Her first Patriarch, St. John Maron, was chosen from among the monks. Maronites have a cherished history known for an ascetical life of sacrifice and devotion.

Lebanon: The land that provided a safe haven to establish

Fourth, the Maronite Church is known for Her love and

Edessa: A prominent city in ancient Mesopotamia, which

a stable monastic and parish life, as well as schools to educate the children of the close knit and devout Maronite families. Maronites have been a positive force for the development of Lebanon as a country of peaceful coexistence for all peoples. Maronites now live in many cultures, their mother church is in Lebanon and daughter communities exist throughout the world.

Five Distinguishing Marks of the Maronite Church The Maronite Patriarchal Assembly (2003–2004), made up of over 500 Maronite participants—clergy, religious and laity—from throughout the world, described the identity of the Maronite Church by five distinguishing marks:

First and foremost, Maronites are Antiochene (of Antioch). Maronites share an historical, liturgical and spiritual heritage with all the other Catholic and Orthodox Antiochene Churches. Maronites are also heirs of Syriac cultural and religious heritage, whose language, poetry, and hymnody were the means used to express the mystery that God is beyond all descriptions yet has come close to us in Christ.

devotion to the See of Peter in Rome.This relationship has allowed Maronites to fully express the Catholic faith held from the beginning, and at the same time be part of the balance between East and West.

Fifth, the Maronite Church is tied to Lebanon, Her spiritual homeland and the land of Her Patriarch and people.

The Maronite Church at a Glance The command of Jesus continues to find partial fulfillment in the missionary work of the Maronite Church: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” (Mk16:15) Today there are millions of Maronite Catholics throughout the world. The patriarch, in communion with the Pope of Rome, resides in Bkerke, Lebanon, with a summer residence in Dimane. The Eparchies: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Cyprus, Egypt and Sudan, France and Europe, Holy Land and Jordan, Lebanon (13), Mexico and Venezuela, Syria (3), United States (2). The US is home to two Maronite Eparchies with over 80 parishes and missions, along with a Seminary, Monastery, Convent and Shrine to Our Lady of Lebanon.

Monks, Religious and Consecrated Life Religious life, in all its forms, was and still is an important part of the Maronite Church. Hermetic and communal monastic life accompanied the birth of the Maronite Church from the beginning, thus linking the history of the Church to the monks of the Monastery of St. Maron.

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The Maronite Church Toward the end of the 17th century, religious life became more organized, new orders were founded and their mission expanded. Monks, nuns and religious priests and brothers serve in schools, universities, hospitals, parishes, missions, orphanages, and nursing homes in Lebanon, the Middle East, and in many places throughout the world. Today there are several religious orders and congregations for men and women numbering hundreds of religious. Some are of Pontifical right, some Patriarchal right and some are Eparchial right, which means they are dependent upon the Pope, Patriarch or Eparchial Bishop respectively. Each order and congregation has its own rule of life and focuses on living the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience according to the charisma of their founders.

Theology, Spirituality and Liturgy A monastic spirit permeates Maronite prayer and liturgical life making asceticism and sacrifice an important part of the relationship with God.The effects of this spirituality are seen in the Maronite family, the first school of love where each finds his or her own vocation to love God and serve others. Since all language about God is limited by finite human nature, poetry is a natural means for the Maronite Church to express the proper awe and humble reverence due to God in worship. In the Maronite Church, the celebration of the Eucharist is known by several names:Qurbono (Syriac), Quddas (Arabic), Divine Liturgy, and the Service of the Holy Mysteries. In this celebration, Christ is offered to the Father for our salvation and we also offer ourselves, with Him, as a spiritual sacrifice.By the actions and Words of Institution of the priest and the Invocation of the Holy Spirit, bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ, the sacrifice at the altar is made holy, and so are we.

The Liturgical Year During the year, the different seasons celebrate the moments of the saving plan of Christ, following every aspect of His life and ministry. The Liturgical Year begins the first Sunday of November with a consecration and rededication of the Church. The Seasons are: Glorious Birth, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week. Resurrection, Pentecost, Holy Cross. Special rituals accompany each of the feasts. The faithful are invited during each liturgical celebration to conform their lives to that of Christ and His Church.

Music and Art The core of the present day Divine Liturgy dates back to before the 5th century. The monastic spirit of asceticism and simplicity penetrates the entire Divine Liturgy—its prayers, gestures, music, art and architecture. The purpose of Maronite art, music and ritual is worship of the Trinity and repentance from a life of self-centeredness to a life centered on God. In the words of the 10th century Syriac monk Rabban Isho, when told of the beautiful ceremonies and music of other churches, he said: “Unless it brings one to repentance, what good is it?” Music animates the words of the prayers and serves as a teaching tool and memory aid. St. Ephrem, James of Serugh and others greatly influenced the ancient simple chant still used today. Syriac art, the oldest source being the Rabbula Gospel Book (560ad), portrays human figures, and manifests them with divine mystery. The great churches of ancient Syria were beautifully adorned. Today, however, they are in ruins.The small chapels and monasteries of the mountains of Lebanon, with their arches, ceilings, walls of hand-cut stone, and their modest wall paintings, became the heirs of this artistic tradition.

Mary The Maronite Church has always been a Marian Church. From the beginning, Maronites have claimed a special devotion to the Mother of God. In the small villages, homes, mountains, hills and streets of Lebanon are found shrines of all types to Our Lady.Hymns, feast days and the liturgical life of the Maronite Church clearly express this great devotion to the Blessed Mother. The common weekday Divine Liturgy for Wednesdays honors Mary: O radiant Lily and fragrant Rose, The aroma of your holiness fills the whole universe. Pray for us, O Mother of God, that we may be the sweet perfume of Christ, Reaching throughout the whole world… Our Lady of Lebanon, pray for us, and enable your Maronite Church to be an everlasting gift for the universal Church and for the world.

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Our Lady of Lebanon Shrine Harissa, Lebanon

wenty-six kilometers from Beirut, overlooking the bay of Jounieh, on the hill of Harissa is the sanctuary of Our Lady of Lebanon which can be seen from miles away. The white-painted bronze statue was made in Lyon, France, and brought to Lebanon in 1907. Inside the base of the statue is a chapel, and outside, a spiral staircase leads to the top. The idea of building the sanctuary in Harissa came 50 years after the December 8, 1854 declaration of Pope Pius IX on on the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. After many negotiations with bishops, priests and prominent citizens, “the Rock” in Harissa was chosen to host the sanctuary. The inauguration was solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday of May, 1908, and many devoted people came from different places. Since then, Harissa, one small village, became a very important Christian site. The name of “Our Lady of Lebanon” has gone beyond frontiers and has reached overseas, attracting tourists from different religions and beliefs who come each year to show worship and piety. During the 1970s, a Basilica, designed in the style of a Cedar tree and a Phoenician ship, was built to contain thousands of persons and since 1991, great celebrations start taking place in it. Similar statues of our Lady of Lebanon were built in other countries such as the US, Canada, Argentine, Australia, Brazil, Europe, South Africa and others. The Road of Mary is one of the most important events ever to occur at the sanctuary of Our Lady of Lebanon,

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during which the statue of the Virgin Mary passed through all the Lebanese regions, visiting more than 426 villages and towns in 1954, the year of St. Mary and the hundredth anniversary of the proclamation of the Immaculate Conception. On the last Sunday of May, 1954, the statue of the Virgin “Mother of Light” was blessed in Bkerke then transported to Harissa in the middle of prayers. To welcome the statue, thousands of people from Lebanon and abroad, kept coming to Harissa all night long. After a two-hour walk, the statue arrived in Harissa where a huge crowd was waiting between the Church of Our Lady and the Apostolic Nunciature. Since the sanctuary of Our Lady of Lebanon was erected on the top of Harissa, visitors come from the whole world and from different religions and beliefs. The most important event was especially the visit of Pope John Paul II in May 1997. Coming from the Nunciature, he entered the Basilica and saluted the handicapped people in the front then went outside where 150,000 people had gathered waiting for him. Then his holiness addressed a message to the Lebanese youth. Thousands of visitors come every day to Harissa, especially in feasts and remarkable events, such as the welcoming of the relic of St. Therese in October 2002, and the statue of the virgin of Fatima in August 2003. For that, Harissa will always remain a place of holiness and reverence.

Saint Peter Simon Peter or Cephas, the First Pope, Prince of the Apostles

eter was a native of Bethsaida, near Lake Tiberias, the son of John, and worked, like his brother St. Andrew, as a fisherman on Lake Genesareth. Andrew introduced Peter to Jesus, and Christ called Peter to become adisciple. In Luke is recounted the story that Peter caught so large an amount of fish that he fell down before the feet of Jesus and was told by the Lord, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” Jesus also gave Simon a new name: Cephas, or the rock. Becoming a disciple of Jesus, Peter acknowledged him as “...the Messiah, the son of the living God.” Christ responded by saying: “...you are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church…” He added, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Peter was always listed as the first of the apostles in all of the New Testament accounts and was a member of the inner circle of Jesus, with James and John. He is recorded more than any other disciple, and was at Jesus’ side at the Transfiguration, the raising of Jairus’ daughter, and the Agony of the Garden of Gethsemane. He helped organize the Last Supper and played a major role in the events of the Passion. When the Master was arrested, he cut off the right ear of a slave of the high priest Malchus and then denied Christ three times as the Lord predicted. Peter then “went out and began to weep bitterly.” After the Resurrection, Peter went to the tomb with the “other disciple” after being told of the event by the women. The first appearance of the Risen Christ was before Peter, ahead of the other disciples, and when the Lord came before the disciples

at Tiberias, he gave to Peter the famous command to “Feed my lambs…Tend my sheep…Feed my sheep.” In the time immediately after the Ascension, Peter stood as the unquestionable head of the apostles, his position made evident in the Acts. He spoke first to the crowds that had assembled after the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost; he was the first apostle to perform miracles in the name of the Lord; and he rendered judgment upon the deceitful Ananias and Sapphira. Peter was instrumental in bringing the Gospel to the Gentiles. He baptized the Roman pagan Cornelius, and at the Council of Jerusalem he gave his support to preaching to Gentiles, thereby permitting the new Church to become universal. Imprisoned by King Herod Agrippa, he was aided in an escape by an angel. He then resumed his apostolate in Jerusalem and his missionary efforts included travels to such cities of the pagan world as Antioch, Corinth, and eventually Rome. He made reference to the Eternal City in his first Epistle by noting that he was writing from Babylon. It is certain that Peter died in Rome and that his martyrdom came during the reign of Emperor Nero, probably in 64. According to rich tradition, Peter was crucified on the Vatican Hill upside down, because he declared himself unworthy to die in the same manner as the Lord. He was then buried on Vatican Hill, and excavations under St. Peter’s Basilica have unearthed his probable tomb, and his relics are now enshrined under the high altar of St. Peter’s. His feast day is June 29. In liturgical art, he is depicted as an elderly man holding a key and a book. His symbols include an inverted cross, a boat, and the cock.

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Saint Maron

ll that is known about Maron, the spiritual father and protector of the Maronites comes from Theodoret, the bishop of Cyr. In approximately 444, Theodoret undertook the project of writing a religious history about his region. Theodoret never knew Maron personally, but only through the disciples of this holy man. He described Maron as “the one who has planted for God the garden which flourishes now in the region of Cyr.” Little is known of the birth or youth of Maron because Theodoret was unconcerned about that aspect of his life. He felt that Maron was a man born not for this world, but for heaven. In his description of the beginning of Maron’s life, Theodoret asserts that Maron had “already increased the number of saints in heaven.” According to history, Maron was never satisfied with the ordinary practices of asceticism, but was “always seeking for new ways to accumulate all the treasures of wisdom.” Maron was the spiritual leader not only of the hermits who lived near him, but indeed of all of the Christian faithful in the area. He used to counsel them, and heal their bodily and spiritual ills. All of these apostolic endeavors manifested the wisdom and holiness of the hermit Maron. Some hold the opinion that Maron and John Chrysostom studied together at Antioch before 398 and that the famous letter sent by John Chrysostom was indeed sent to this hermit Maron and not to some other anchorite with the

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same name. If the monk referred to in this letter if from the region of Cyr, it is indeed our spiritual father, Maron. The date of Maron’s death is placed somewhere between 407 and 423. Because of his great popularity among the people, riots broke out at the time of his death because everyone wanted to save his remains in their village. The Maronite Church formerly celebrated the feast of this great saint on January 5th. This is the day in which the church of Kfarhai was consecrated in his honor. However, in the 17th century, the feast was transferred to February 9th. Lebanon has proclaimed Maron as its patron saint and Pope Benedict XIV granted a plenary indulgence to everyone who visited a Maronite church on February 9th. The gospel tells us that a tree is known by its fruits and we know from Theodoret that the garden of Maron flourished after his death. One is able to number approximately 20 saints among Maron’s disciples, three of whom are women. Theodoret describes these disciples of Maron with these words: “These anchorites were virtuous and heroic, totally dedicated to a life of contemplative prayer. They were strangers to any other consideration in the world. They were obedient to Church authority and tried to imitate their predecessor in their exercises of austerity. At times, their acts of penance and mortification were excessive, but they were always obedient to ecclesiastical authority.”

Saint Sharbel

orn at Beqaa-Kafra, the highest inhabited place in Lebanon, near the famous cedars, the young Joseph Makhlouf grew up with the example of two of his uncles, who were both hermits, before his eyes. At 23, he left home secretly and entered the monastery of Our Lady of Mayfuq, taking the name of a Syrian martyr, Sharbel, on his admission. Ordained a priest in 1859, he took up his residence at the monastery of St. Maron at Annaya, which is over 3,500 feet above the Mediterranean Sea. Father Sharbel lived in this community for 15 years, and was a model monk in the exact sense of the word. It is recorded that, although he rejoiced to be able to be of the slightest assistance to his neighbor, nevertheless it was always a trial to him to leave his monastery. It was his delight to pass his time singing the office in choir, working in the fields and in spiritual reading, and nobody was surprised when eventually he asked, and received permission to go and live the life of a hermit. While Maronite monks are generally engaged in parochial and pastoral work, provision is nevertheless made for those chosen souls who feel called to the eremitical life to pursue their vocation, generally in groups of two or three. So began for the new hermit that holy life which has been led unaltered since the days of the desert fathers: Perpetual fasting, with abstinence from meat, fruit and wine; manual work sanctified by prayer; a mattress stuffed with leaves and covered with goatskin for a bed and a block of wood wrapped in a piece of old

habit for a pillow; the interdiction to leave the hermitage without express permission. St. Sharbel placed himself under obedience to the other hermit, and passed 23 years in the hermitage. Thus, his various austerities seemed only to increase the robustness of his health. The only disturbance to his prayer came in the form of an everincreasing stream of visitors drawn by his reputation for sanctity to seek advice from him, the promise of prayer or some miracle. Then one morning, in the middle of December 1898, he was taken ill without warning, just before the consecration while celebrating Mass. His companion helped him to his cell, which he was never to leave. The paralysis gradually gained on him and he was anointed. On the night of Christmas Eve he died, repeating the prayer which he had been unable to finish at the altar: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Father of truth, behold Thy Son, who makes atoning sacrifice unto Thee. Accept the offering; He died for me that I might have life. Behold the offering! Accept it...â&#x20AC;? The words summed up a life of 70 years. He was beatified on December 5, 1965 at the conclusion of Vatican II Council and canonized on October 9, 1977 by Paul VI. His body did not dissolve along the years and many miracles were recorded, thanks to his intercession. People flocked in pilgrimage from everywhere asking for special favors. His fame spread all over the world.

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Saint Rafqa

the Lebanese Maronite Nun

aint Rafqa was born in Himlaya, one of the villages of northern Metn, on June 29, 1832. She was the only child to her parents Mourad Saber el-Chobok el-Rayess and Rafqa Gemayel. On July 7, 1832 she was baptized and christened Boutroussieh. Her parents taught her the love of God and daily praying. In 1839, when she was seven years old, Rafqa lost her mother whom she dearly loved. Her father went through poverty, so he sent her to Damascus in 1843 to serve for four years at Assad Badawi’s who was of Lebanese origin. Rafqa came back home in 1847, to find that her father had married another woman named Kafa. Rafqa was beautiful, pleasant, humorous, pure and tender with a serene voice. Her aunt wanted her to marry her son, while her stepmother wanted her to marry her brother, and the conflict emerged. Rafqa felt bad about this and chose to enter the monastic life. The Mother Superior accepted her without any interrogation, so she entered the monastery, and refused to go back home when her father and stepmother came to discourage her. Therefore Rafqa became a student, and on St. Joseph day on March 19, 1861, she wore the Initiation Robe. On March 19, 1862, Rafqa presented the monastic vows in the monastery of Ghazir. In 1863, following the orders of her superiors, Rafqa went to the school of the monastic order in Byblos, where she spent more than a year, teaching girls education and faith. Early in 1864, she was transferred from Byblos to maad village, upon the request of the great benevolent Antoun Issa; There she spent seven years and established with another nun, a school to teach girls.

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While living in maad, and following a crisis in the Congregation of St. Mary in 1871, Rafqa entered the monastery of St. Simon el-Qarn in Aito to become a nun in the Lebanese Order. There Rafqa spent 26 years from 1871 to 1897. She was a role model to other nuns, recalling the regulations, praying, living in austerity, sacrificing and working in silence. On the first Sunday of October 1885, she entered the convent church and began to pray, asking God to make her a part of his divine pains. God responded immediately, as the unbearable pains began in her head and moved to her eyes. All attempts to cure her failed. When the Lebanese Maronite Order decided to build the monastery of St. Joseph al-Dahr in Jrabta, Batroun in 1897, six nuns of St. Simon monastery were sent to the new one under the supervision of Mother Ursula Doumit from Maad. Rafqa was among them. In 1899, she lost the sight in her left eye and became blind. With this, a new stage of her suffering began. Rafqa lived the last phase of her life blind in total blindness, with unbearable pain in the sides and weakness in the body. Her right hip and leg were disjointed, the bone of her shoulder altered its position, and the vertebra became so apparent. She always thanked God for sparing her hands, and always thanked him for making her a part of his divine pains. On March 23, 1914, Rafqa rested in peace, after a life of praying, service and suffering. She was counting on the Mother of God and St. Joseph. Pope John Paul II declared her: · Venerable on February 11, 1982 · Blessed on November 17, 1985 · Saint for the whole church on June 10, 2001

Saint Nimatullah Kassab Al-Hardini

a Lebanese monk

oussef Kessab was born in Hardine, in north Lebanon, in the year 1808, to a devout Maronite Catholic family, Gergis Kessab and Mariam Raad. As a youngster, he attended the school of the monastery of the Maronite Lebanese Order of St. Anthony, in Houb (1816–1822). After that he joined the monastic life in that same order, and put on the novitiate’s uniform in the monastery of St. Anthony the Great, Gazo d’Hayo (pronounced Kozhayya, from the Aramaic Gazo d’Hayo, meaning the treasure of life, a term that is often used in Aramaic Maronite terminology to refer to the Sacristy, where the Eucharist and the martyrs and saints relics are reserved), in November 1828, taking the name of brother Nimatullah (which means the grace of God). There he spent some peaceful time growing in holiness and learning skills such as bookbinding in the monastery’s printing house. On November 14, 1830, Nimatullah professed his solemn vows. After he finished his Theology studies, he was ordained to the sacred priesthood in the monastery of Sts. Qobrianos and Youstina, in Kfifane (Batroun, north Lebanon), on December 25, 1833, by the laying of hands of his Excellency Bishop Simon Zouein. He was elected a counselor (provincial) by his order’s chapter three times: 1845–1848; 1850–1853; and 18561858. He continued to work in bookbinding, even when he was a counselor in the administration of his order. He was a

teacher in several schools run by his order, especially the one annexed to the Kfifane monastery. One of his best students was St. Sharbel Makhlouf, who studied under St. Nimatullah from 1853 to 1858. Nimatullah died in the monastery of Sts. Qobrianos and Youstina, in December 14, 1858, after being severely ill for years. After an order from Patriarch Boulos Massad, and because of the demands of the increasing visitors, his uncorrupted body was closed in a sealed coffin and moved to a cell in the monastery in 1862. On May 4, 1926, his beatification case was presented to the Holy See in Rome. On September 7, 1989 he was declared an honorable. On May 18, 1996, and according to the orders of Patriarch Mar Nisrallah Peter Sfeir, a committee was appointed to examine St. Nimatullah’s body, which was moved to a new coffin and placed in a room in the same monastery on March 26, 1998. God granted his people many healing and miracles through the intercession of St. Nimatullah, such as making a blind man see, a paralyzed man to walk erect, bringing a dead child back to life, and healing cancer and neurotic illnesses. On May 10, 1998, Pope John Paul II, presided the great celebrations of his beatification. Then Pope John Paul II declared him a saint for the Universal Catholic Church on May 16, 2004. May his prayers be with us always.

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Blessed Massabki Brothers Francis Ne’meh Massabki Francis married Elizabeth Chiha, who gave birth to three boys and five girls. He was a generous man. His vast home was open to everybody, particularly foreigners and pilgrims. Francis possessed fabulous wealth, acquired through untiring toil and integrity in business. He was involved in the sale of natural silk. Before going about his business, Francis said his morning prayers with his family, attended Liturgy, and took Communion. He was always at the disposal of the priests in his community, devoting his time and money to them.

Abdel Mohti Ne’meh Massabki Thin and slender, Abdel Mohti preferred solitude. He lived with his wife and children in his brother Francis’s house. Abdel Mohti spent his life raising and educating his children. His teachings were impregnated with a deep faith and true piety. One of his students testified that Abdel Mohti would often repeat to them: “The Christian must always be ready to spill his blood for the love of Christ, and that man’s greatest joy is to receive the grace of martyrdom.” Abdel Mohti attended the Holy Sacrament each day and fasted all of Lent, without tasting even oil. He observed all holy days and religious ceremonies and taught his children the psalms and religious chants.

Raphael Ne’meh Massabki Devout, Rapahel prayed to the Virgin Mary with a

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pure and filial heart; he often turned to her in his business dealings. Raphael was humble. He lived a poor bachelor, but rich in the love of God, and received the grace of martyrdom with his brothers. In the course of the fighting in Syria and Lebanon in 1860, a great number of Christians died for their faith. Among them were the Franciscan Fathers and the Massabki brothers who were all martyred at Damascus in Syria. The Franciscan Fathers Ruiz, Colta, Escanio, Solar, Alberca, Binazo, Fernandez and Colanda were murdered during the night of July 10th. Among the thousands of lay Christians who shed their blood for Christ were the Massabki brothers. On that same night they fled to the Church for safety, but their assailants were able to ender and demanded them to abandon their religion. In the name of all, one of the brothers, Francis, refused their demand and said: “We do not fear the one who kills the body… a crown is prepared for us in heaven, we have our souls…and we do not wish to lose them, we are Christians and we wish to die as Christians.” They were martyred in the Church before the altar and their bodies were buried in the Maronite Church of Damascus. Pope Pius XI declared them blessed on October 10, 1926. May their prayers be with us. Amen.

Blessed Brother Estephan Nehme

He was never at rest, his life orn Joseph, son of Estephan centered at living the bylaws of the Nehme and Christina El Badawi Hanna Lebanese Maronite Order and its spiriKhaled from Lehfed-Jbeil in March, tuality with preciseness and integrity, 1889. He grew up in an agricultural following the steps of the monks who mountainous environment, but he were righteous, distributing his time acquired some principles of reading between work and prayers, till the and writing in the village school and last days of his life when he passed in Our Lady of Grace School in Sakii away on August 30, 1938 at the age Rishmaya (a school pertaining to the of 49. He was buried in Kfifan MonasLebanese Maronite Order). tery where his corps remained intact. Two years after the death of his Pope Benedictus XVI recognized him father, in the year 1905 he joined the venerable on December 17, 2007 and Lebanese Maronite order in St. Cyhe was beatified on June 27, 2010 at prian and Justine monastery in Kfifan. Some of the sayings of the Blessed: the monastery of Saints Cyprian and In the Novitiate he took the name of Justine in Kfifane by Cardinal Angelo Estephan, after his father’s name and Amato, Prefect of the Congregation the village patron. for the causes of saints. The Novice teacher in Kfifan was Brother Estephan was distinthen the righteous Father Eghnatious guished for the silence of his presence Dagher El-Tannouri. After two years while reflecting on his discrete life with in the Novitiate, he took his monasChrist, tolerant with his pain, never tic vows on August 23, 1907. He was complaining of any hurt or sickness, chosen to be one of the assistant brothabstaining and refraining especially ers, so he specialized in carpentry and in his food. He was content not seekconstruction, in addition to the work ing for anything except to live in the in the field. He was known for his presence of God, happy in his life, strongly built body. which was reflected in the vivacity of In all the monasteries he worked his work, in his behavior. He was fair, a with his brothers the monks and the lover of equality, giving every man his laborers in silence, love and respect. Evright, so he was respected and loved erybody admits to his righteousness and by those who worked with him. He was a man of prayer honesty. He was the faithful disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, and his affection for the land was a spring of holiness and reflecting his image wherever he went, and transmitting his a source of spirituality for him. Good News to all of his contemporaries.

“God sees me.” … “Happy is the one who was cultivated with the education that leads to God.” … “Love does not need any education or science; it just comes out of the heart.”

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Blessed Jacques Haddad Founder of the Franciscan Sisters of the Holy Cross

ather Jacques Ghazir Haddad was born on February 1, 1875, in Ghazir, Lebanon, the third of five children. He attended school in Ghazir and then the College de la Sageese in Beirut, where he studied Arabic, French and Syriac. In 1892, he went to Alexandria, Egypt, to teach Arabic at the Christian Brothers’ College, and there he felt the call to the priesthood. He entered the Capuchin Convent in Khashbau the next year. He was ordained a priest on November 1, 1901 in Beirut, Lebanon. As an itinerant preacher from 1903 to 1914, he walked all over Lebanon proclaiming the Word of God and was given the name “The Apostle of Lebanon.” He was also seen preaching in Syria, Palestine, Iraq and Turkey. In 1919, he bought a piece of land on the hill of JallEddib, north of Beirut, where he built a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Sea. Nearby he erected a great Cross. Father Jacques was tireless, he would help anyone in need, following in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi. In 1920, to assist him in this mission to help the sick and the poor, he founded the Franciscan Sisters of the Holy Cross of Lebanon.

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The modest work of Father Jacques aroused the people’s admiration, many poor and sick people began to go to the “Cross” and Father Jacques would welcome them all. In 1950 the “Cross” became exclusively a psychiatric hospital, one of the most modern in the Near East. The movement of charity began to spread throughout Lebanon, and Father Jacques and his Sisters multiplied their works of social assistance. Even though Father Jacques was very busy with the hospital mission, he and his Sisters carried on the important work of education and opened several schools as well as an orphanage for 200 girls. Father Jacques was worn out by vigils, fatigue and travel. Although he suffered from numerous illnesses, became almost completely blind and was stricken with leukemia, he did not stop blessing God and working. He was lucid to the end; his last hours were an uninterrupted series of prayers invoking the Cross and the Virgin Mary until he died on June 26, 1954 in Lebanon. On Sunday, June 22, 2008, he was beatified during a special Mass in Beirut by Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, CMF, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.