Visiting Lebanon

By Sister Marla MarieAfter 40 years, I was blessed to return to Lebanon for a mixed visit of pilgrimage, of sharing with my relatives, and spending time with the different Maronite foundations of religious.
March 25, the Feast of the Annunciation, was an appropriate date to land in beloved Lebanon. This feast is the biblical image and inspiration for the Maronite Servants of Christ the Light.
Above are pictured various scenes from my first day of visiting from the sea to the snow covered mountians, to the Maronite Monastery to family and friends. I will be posting details and photos of this visit in the coming days and weeks. You are with me in my prayers.

We've been "Maron-ated!"

By Carrie Fortney
When my husband Rodger told me that he wanted to join the Catholic Church, I thought he was crazy! But I wasn't surprised. The Holy Spirit had been preparing my heart for "drastic change" -- I just didn't know what form it would take. It is by the grace of God that He brought us to the Maronite Church. We joined the Catholic Church in May 2007, from evangelical Protestantism, and although the only things we knew about being Catholic were Maronite, due to canon law we were automatically Roman rite -- even though we had never been to a Roman Mass. We are so grateful that the respective Bishops allowed us to transfer to the Maronite Church. Since then our lives have been utterly transformed by the grace of God through Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, especially through the Mysteries (sacraments), prayer and the lives of the Saints. The Lord has brought us closer to Him-- He has plunged us to depths unknown to us before. The Maronite Church’s Divine Liturgy, prayers, iconography and music are so rich and beautiful and have brought to us a fuller understanding of Sacred Tradition and Scripture. And since the Maronite Church is an Eastern Catholic Church we have gained new perspectives of Faith and Tradition that all Catholic’s share, while also causing us to appreciate even more the diversity in cultures and traditions that make up our Catholic Church. St. Maron, pray for us!

Visiting Scranton

A New Maronite Podcast

By Carrie Fortney

The peace of the Lord be with you! Hello from Roanoke, Virginia, USA -- home of the latest Maronite podcast "The Maronite Daily Readings." If you are unable to attend daily Divine Liturgy, like myself and my husband Roger, or maybe you would like to spend more time in Scripture than you have been, we invite you to join us for the daily Scripture readings from the Maronite Divine Liturgy. All it takes is five minutes. Just click on the "Maronite Liturgy Daily Readings" link on this blog page or go to http://web.mac.com/maronitereadings and click on "Podcast." We incorporate music and beautiful photography from Lebanon and the Middle East with the Scripture readings. We pray this experience will be one of prayerful meditation on God's Word for you.