Assumption Pilgrimage 2014 - Ohio

By Natalie Salameh

We enjoyed several days of prayer and visiting with friends at the National Shrine to Our Lady of Lebanon, North Jackson, Ohio in celebration of the Dormition of the Mother of God.

The pilgrimage began on Wednesday evening, August 13, with a Divine Liturgy of the Roman Church celebrated by His Excellency, Bishop Jeffrey M. Monforton of Steubenville, Ohio, followed by a candlelit procession and blessing with the Icon of Our Lady of Lebanon.

On both Wednesday and Thursday nights, we spent time in prayer, adoration and fellowship with the MYO of the parish with their Excellencies, Bishop Elias Zaidan and Bishop Gregory Mansour also in attendance. Both Bishops spoke to the teens on the role of Our Blessed Mother in our everyday lives and they emphasized that we should never be afraid of loving Mary too much because she is our mother, given to us by Jesus as he was suffering on the cross. Like a good mother, she is always there to nurture, guide and support us, her beloved children.

On Thursday, August 14, we were blessed to hear a number of conferences and to celebrate a Byzantine Divine Liturgy, offered by His Excellency, Bishop John Bura, Bishop of the Byzantine Eparchy of St. Josaphat Parma, Ohio. Following Divine Liturgy, the Byzantine Tradition has a very beautiful ritual of burying the Mother of God on the vigil of her Dormition, a ritual they call the “Funeral of the Theotokos, the Ever-Virgin Mary”. We processed behind the tomb and shroud of the Virgin Mary, which was later placed in the chapel for all to venerate.

On the day of the Feast of the Assumption, Friday August 15, we celebrated the Maronite Pontifical Liturgy outside beside the shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon. The Liturgy was followed by a huge candlelit procession around the entire shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon, with a great number in attendance. The procession concluded with a beautiful display of fireworks above the shrine, and festivities in the Cedars Hall.

We remembered you in our prayers during these holy days of pilgrimage at the Shrine and we especially remembered our persecuted brothers and sisters in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. Our Lady of Lebanon, pray for us.

NAM CONVENTION - Pittsburgh PA

By Natalie Salameh

The Maronite Servants of Christ the Light participated in the annual NAM Convention 2014 hosted by the parish of Our Lady of Victory, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.  It was wonderful to see so many Maronites from all over the US, and some from Canada and Lebanon come together for faith sharing, fellowship and community.  A special thanks to Fr. Rudolph Wakim, Pastor of Our Lady of Victory, and his parishioners, for all their efforts and outstanding hospitality.

We had the great privilege of listening to renowned scholar, Dr. Scott Hahn, speak to our Maronite clergy and religious on the centrality of the Eucharist in Sacred Scripture. It was inspiring to delve into Sacred Scripture to discover, in greater depth, Jesus present in the Holy Mysteries.

Fr. Tad Pacholczyk, Director of Education for the National Catholic Bioethics Center, delivered an excellent presentation to the clergy on the ethical and moral issues associated with In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF).  Fr. Tad helped us comprehend this complicated issue in a clear and concise manner, and from an ethical, moral and pastoral point.

A personal highlight for me was hearing Fr. Tony El-Khawli, O.L.M. speak about his personal conversion story and entrance to religious life. Many may remember Fr. Tony under his name of fame, Rabih El-Khawli, when he was one of Lebanon’s biggest names in the music industry in the 1980s and 1990s. It was amazing to hear how Jesus had touched and moved him to give it all up for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. He has an absolutely beautiful voice, which he has now offered to the Lord to praise him alone.

In commemoration of the centennial of St. Rafqa, two sisters from her order and convent in St. Joseph, Jrabta, spoke about the continued legacy of St. Rafqa. They reported that many pilgrims are continuing to flock to the tomb of the “Lily of Himlaya” to ask for her intercession. The sisters are regularly receiving mail from people all over the world reporting special graces and miracles they have received through the intercession of St. Rafqa. May her prayers be with us all!

It was wonderful to see so many of our Maronite young adults at the Convention. We accompanied them one evening to a Theology on Tap. We were able to listen to their genuine concerns and questions about our Catholic Faith, especially how we live our faith in our somewhat confused world. The interaction among the young adults themselves was very heartening, as they each tried to help each other understand the importance of our Christian values and moral life.

We met so many of our lovely people, and were so fortunate to celebrate daily Divine Liturgy with our Bishops and clergy, not to mention the numerous social gatherings.  God willing, we plan to visit Cleveland, Ohio for next year’s NAM!

Celebrating Pope Saint John Paul II - Sleepy Hollow NY

On Friday, April 25 to Sunday, April 27, the Maronite Servants of Christ the Light were invited by Father Naji Kiwan, Pastor of the Blessed John Paul II Maronite Mission in Sleepy Hollow, NY, to participate in the weekend festivities the Mission held in honor of the canonization of their patron, now Pope Saint John Paul II.

On Friday, April 25, the Maronite Youth Organization (MYO) of the Mission, and a number of other teens arranged and attended a concert by the Catholic band, Full Armor. The teens sang and danced along with the band, and Sr. Therese Maria was chosen by the band to sing and dance along with them. (see photo)

On Saturday, April 26, we attended the vigil Roman Catholic Liturgy at the Immaculate Conception parish which shares its facilities with the Mission, and was concelebrated by his Excellency, Bishop Gregory. J. Mansour and Fr. Naji. The Vigil Liturgy was followed by a beautiful Gala Dinner at the Knollwood Country Club in Elmsford, NY. It was absolutely wonderful to see the Maronite Catholics, the Roman Catholics and those who celebrate Mass according to the Tridentine Latin tradition, all coming together to commemorate and honor the new Saints, Pope St. John Paul II and Pope St. John XXIII.

I think each Catholic tradition learned something new about the other that night and most importantly, that we all really are one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. The night brought new meaning to the phrase, the “Universal Catholic Church”.

On Sunday, April 27, his Excellency, Bishop Gregory, celebrated Maronite Divine Liturgy, concelebrated with Fr. Naji and Fr. Christopher, pastor of the Roman Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Conception. The Liturgy was followed by a brunch in the parish hall, where the parishioners not only celebrated the canonization of their patron, St. John Paul II, but also celebrated and honored the 10 year anniversary of the installment of his Excellency, Bishop Gregory.

It was a blessed weekend for this Mission to commemorate the canonization of their Patron, but also for the Catholic Church as a whole. May the prayers of our new Saints, Pope St. John Paul II and Pope St. John XXIII be with each of us in our personal journey towards sanctity.

We extend a big thank you to Fr. Naji Kiwan for including the Maronite Servants of Christ the Light in the weekend’s festivities.

Our Last Week on Mission in Sydney Australia

Parish Visit - Utica NY

We visited St. Louis Gonzaga parish in Utica, N.Y. last weekend December 1-2 and spoke to the religious education class on vocations.

Chorbishop John Faris, pastor of the parish graciously welcomed us and gave Mother Marla Marie the opportunity to speak at the Liturgies sharing on our Maronite Servant mission and the importance of praying for and encouraging vocations in the family and parish community, to religious life and the priesthood.

We also met with some of the ladies from the St. Mary’s Ladies guild, the MYO and the Catechists. We were blessed with a fruitful visit and were part of the family spirit of the parish. God willing, we hope to come back to Utica in 2013 to facilitate a ladies retreat for the St. Mary’s Guild and offer practical workshops for the catechists.

Open House - Mother of the Light Convent

by Sister Marla Marie

We were pleased to have close to 150 people visit our convent last Sunday for our Open House.  As you can see from the photos, our company was a diverse group of our friends including the Dominican Sisters of Hope who had previously owned the property. 

Our guests were first introduced to our Chapel of Saint Maron, and then they proceeded to the dining room which was set up as a display area featuring photos of before and after the renovations.  Refreshments were served by dedicated volunteers in our sunroom where our friends could sit back and enjoy each other's company.

We invite you to visit us.  Please call and arrange for a visit or a day of retreat. 

The following excerpt written by one of our visitors captures the spirit of many comments we received that day:

“Mother of the Light Convent is absolutely lovely. Thank you for your invitation on Sunday to witness the renovations, so well designed.

Our visit to the Chapel was the highlight of our tour. Watching those who were writing their pleas and seeing one young man expressing his sorrows. So very moving.

We felt much peace in our tour of the convent, especially on floor 2. The simplicity of color and décor is where we immediately sensed a peaceful aura where prayer could not be interrupted and one’s mind could not be distracted with worldly goods, only to direct our hearts and mind to our dear Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ."

Feast of the Assumption -- Ohio

Last weekend August 13-15^th the Maronite Servants drove to North Jackson, Ohio to attend the 46^th Annual Assumption Pilgrimage at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon. It was a blessed weekend filled with many graces, as we joined our Maronite family in joy to celebrate the feast.  Some of the highlights included Maronite, Latin and Byzantine Liturgies, Spiritual conferences, candlelight processions, Maronite Vespers (Ramsho), Confessions, and the Paraclesis to the Blessed Virgin.

May the powerful prayers of our Blessed Mother continue to guide and strengthen our Maronite Servant mission, and we especially pray for an increase in religious vocations to our community. 

   

A Few Highlights of the 48th NAM Convention - Philadelphia

By Sr. Therese Maria Touma

“One of the highlights for me during the week of the Convention was listening to Joumana Moudawar sing live at the concert on Thursday evening. In the lead up to NAM, I was thrilled to hear that Joumana had been invited from Lebanon to perform a selection of hymns, both in Arabic and English. It sure was more than just a performance and a show of her talent; it was prayer, joyful praise to our God and a delight to my heart to hear such beauty! Thank God for her awesome gift of music and generosity in the sharing of her talent.”

“I also enjoyed the informative and engaging conferences I attended throughout the convention. They included the following: ‘Discovering Our Faith of the Mountain’ presented by Fr. George El-Khalli and Deacon Lou Peter, ‘Theology on Tap’ with the Young Adults facilitated by Bishop Gregory Mansour, ‘Maronite Liturgical Music’ given by Fr. Geoffrey Abdallah, ‘Saints of Lebanon & Our Pursuit of Another Canonization: The Massabki Brothers’ given by Archbishop Samir Nassar & Mr. Louis Ragy.”

Sister Marla Marie's 25th Jubilee

By Sister Therese Maria

On Saturday May 28th, over 100 people came together at St. Anthony of the Desert Maronite Church in Fall River to attend the joyful celebration of Mother Marla Marie's 25th Jubilee of religious consecration. Mother Marla Marie’s family, including her father, Lucas J. Lucas, and her two brothers John Lucas and Michael Lucas, and clergy, religious and friends from various places attended the Divine Liturgy and reception.
Bishop Gregory J. Mansour offered the Divine Liturgy, concelebrated by Chorbishop Michael Thomas, Chorbishop Joseph Kaddo, Fr. James Root, Fr. Rudy Gonzalez and Fr. David Desimone. (See the photo collage.)
The Divine Liturgy was followed by a reception dinner in the parish hall beautifully organized by Mrs. Therese Abouzied and Mrs. Rosanne Solomon, members of Our Lady of the Cedars in Boston. They have been great friends and supporters of our mission. We thank them dearly for all the sacrifices they made and their genuine love in organizing this successful event!
The lively program at the reception included a lineup of speeches given by close friends of Mother Marla Marie. Each personalized speech and presentation brought out the unique qualities of Mother, and the special witness of Christ she has given in living out her religious life.
We thank God for you, Mother Marla Marie and ask God’s continued blessing on your Maronite Servant mission!

Passion Play - Danbury CT

By Sister Therese Maria
On Hosanna Sunday, April 17, the Maronite Servants visited St. Anthony’s Church in Danbury Connecticut. We attended morning Divine Liturgy, celebrated by Father Jean Younes,pastor, and then joined the congregation in the procession outside the Church. That evening at 8:00PM we participated in the MYO Passion Play. It was spiritually moving and much creative effort was put into the costuming, design and overall production. This play was to help the parishioners 
enter more deeply into the passion of Christ. The MYO will also perfom this play  at St. Anthony’s on Great Friday. 

Visiting Worcester - MA

By Sister Therese Maria

On April 10th, the Maronite Servants had a blessed visit at Our Lady of Mercy parish in Worcester, Massachusetts. Mother Marla Marie spoke at the conclusion of the Liturgy about our mission as Maronite Servants and the important need of praying for and supporting religious and priestly vocations among our Church family. Father Paul Mooradd, pastor of the Worcester parish, graciously welcomed us and invited us to share in the lenten lunch which followed the Liturgy in the parish hall. All the proceeds from the lunch were generously donated to our mission. We are grateful to Fr. Paul and the parishioners for their goodness, generous hospitality and support of our mission.



March for Life - 2011

By Sister Therese Maria

This was the first time I participated in the March for Life in Washington D.C.. My experience of this event was positive as we joined with a massive crowd of people (it was reported approximately 400,000 people) came from all over the country to witness to the dignity and sacredness of human life.

Overall, I was deeply impressed by the witness of so many groups and their banners promoting the child’s right to life. I found the people in the march to be calm, as they prayerfully walked to protest against the American law allowing abortions

The night before the March, we attended the vigil Liturgy at 6:30pm in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. This beautiful Liturgy was celebrated by Cardinal DiNardo, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston and concelebrated by many bishops and priests, including our own Bishop Gregory J. Mansour.

Several Religious communities, priests, seminarians (including our Maronite seminarians), youth, laity and groups from all over the country participated in the Divine Liturgy. The procession of bishops, priests, and seminarians was an awesome sight to behold as the entrance procession on its own took 40 minutes.

On Monday January 24th at noon on the Mall, we connected with Bishop Gregory and a group of Maronites, and joined with all those gathered in solidarity and prayer. It was beautiful to see our young families and children came out to give witness and march for life, even in the freezing weather!

In the morning, before the March, we attended the Youth Rally and Mass for Life at the DC Armory. The dynamic program commenced at 8:00AM and included praise and worship, confession, the rosary and Divine Liturgy at 10:30AM. I was reminded of the joyful celebrations of World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney. Jesus Christ is the joy of our lives! He is the reason why we come together to celebrate, to worship and to encounter Him in the Mysteries (Sacraments).

St. Maron - Philadelphia, PA

By Sister Therese Maria

Last weekend, December 10-12th, the Maronite Servants took a road trip to Philadelphia to visit Saint Maron’s Maronite Church. Father Michael Marone, parish administrator gave us a South Philly welcome and provided us with great hospitality. We were right at home in this community.

As part of the mission trip, Mother Marla Marie spoke the Divine Liturgies and shared of her unique vocation journey and the founding of the Maronite Servants’ mission, and the importance of praying for and supporting vocations. She also made an appeal to the people for financial help sustaining our vital mission. After the Sunday Liturgy, the parish hosted a reception in the center where we enjoyed visiting with the parish family.
Father Michael was good to take us on visits to some of the historic sites of Philadelphia including the National Shrine of St. John Neumann, the Shrine of the Miraculous Medal, and one of the important landmarks of America’s history, Independence State Park.



September Events

NAM in Birmingham - 2010

By Tresa Van Huesen

The Maronite Servants of Christ the Light travelled south to Birmingham, Alabama, to attend the 47th Annual National Apostolate of Maronites (NAM) Convention. During our stay, we were able to tour the city and local area, including a trip to the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, a tour of the EWTN studio, and visits to the Birmingham Art Museum and the Civil Rights Institute.
We were also blessed to spend time with our Bishops, Priests and Deacons from each Eparchy during Safro (Morning) and Ramsho (Evening) prayers, as well as the Divine Liturgy. Once the Convention kicked off on Wednesday, it was great to see dear friends arrive into the city and to meet many new ones. We shared information on our recent adventures and activities through our table in the hospitality area, and also presented in the workshop titled A Maronite Legacy: How to Foster Religious Vocations in Your Family.
At least one Maronite Servant was able to attend each of the other workshops, which included: Maronite Music; Discovering Our “Faith of the Mountain;” Identity of the Maronite Church; and learning more about St. Maron and the pursuit to canonize the Massabki Brothers.
The week was a nice blend of spiritual and social, giving us an opportunity to come closer to our wider Maronite Community here in the United States. We are grateful to the NAM Board and Directors,
as well as our supporters, for the opportunity to attend.

On Mission in Danbury

Last weekend, March 20th- 21st, the Maronite Servants of Christ the Light visited St Anthony of Padua parish, in Danbury Connecticut. Father Jean Younes, Pastor graciously welcomed us as did the parishioners. After the 10:00am Sunday Liturgy, the MYO hosted a bountiful breakfast. During our visit, we were blessed to meet and speak with Father Elias Kesrouani, who is an expert and lecturer in the Syriac language and music, and is a visiting professor of ethnomusicology at Yale. Father Elias played the oud a traditional string instrument and beautifully sang hymns in Syriac and Arabic for the Liturgies.

Visiting Fall River

On the 13th and 14th of March, the Maronite Servants visited with the parish of St. Anthony of the Desert in Fall River, Massachusetts. Sister Marla Marie shared her personal vocation journey at each Divine Liturgy, as well as the mission of the Maronite Servants. During the Religious Education sessions on Sunday, Sister Marla Marie, Tresa and Therese visited the classrooms to talk to the children about the role of the Sisters in the Church. The weekend was a joyful event for the Maronite Servants and a great opportunity to meet more of our Maronite family members! The Pastor, Monsignor Kaddo and Fr. Nadim, assistant priest welcomed us with a generous hospitality.