Blessed Estephan Nahme

Brother Estephan and Lehfed  in Lebanon.  A great short video done by Corpus Christi Watershed giving a tour of this saint's hometown in the Byblos region of Lebanon. 

Assumption Pilgrimage 2010

By Tresa Van Heusen
For the Feast of the Assumption on August 15, the Maronite Servants travelled to the National Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in North Jackson, Ohio. The pilgrimage was full of opportunities to gather, pray, share some great food, and to socialize with many Maronites from across the country, including our beloved Bishops, Robert Shaheen and Gregory Mansour, as well as many of our priests and sisters.
The pilgrimage took place from August 13th through the 15th and included the Maronite Divine Liturgy, Roman Rite Divine Liturgy, Melkite Divine Liturgy, Byzantine Catholic Divine Liturgy, as well as opportunities to say the rosary together and pray the Ramsho (Maronite Vespers) with the Antonine Sisters. Every evening concluded with a candlelight procession, to include fireworks over the Shrine on the day of the Feast of the Assumption. The pilgrimage was a wonderful opportunity to gather and pray with the faithful on an important feast in our Church.

Days of Retreat

We were graced to share in days of retreat and extended silence at the Mount Saint Marcrina House of Prayer in Uniontown, PA.  The spacious and scenic grounds of this monastery offered the perfect setting for our meditation and solitude. 

Our retreat was directed by Sister Barbara Jean Mihalchick, OSBM, a member of the Sisters of St. Basil.  Currently, she serves as vocation directress and the program director of the House of Prayer.  The Divine Liturgy was offered each day by Abouna Nadim Helou, newly assigned pastor of St. George Maronite parish in Uniontown.  

The Maronite Servants with Sr. Barbara Jean in the Shrine
to  Our Lady of Perpetual Help. 

Our theme was "Seek My Face", in which Jesus calls us to a life of deeper prayer, especially through Sacred Scripture.

  

Tresa Van Heusen:  "On our first day of retreat we were asked to meditate on Isaiah 6. I was struck by..."here I am, send me!"  I found myself saying to him, "here I am, send me!"  With all the love and forgiveness I have received from Our Lord, my desire is to serve his will, to go where he wants me to go, and do what he wants me to do."

The House of Prayer Chapel (Byzantine Catholic Church).

Therese Touma:  "As a postulant, I found this retreat encouraging as it gave me the opportunity to get to know myself more in the light of the Holy Spirit, and to grow in my desire to see, know and love the Lord more deeply, as an intimate friend. I learned that if I want to grow in my friendship with Christ, then I need to give him more of a chance to speak to me, share himself and transform me into his image." 

Film about the Blessed Massabki Brothers

Fire in Damascus
This a new documentary telling the story of the Blessed Massabki brothers and their Maronite witness during the 1860 massacre. Take a few minutes to watch the trailer of "Fire in Damascus" and send Eric your comments (the link is in the above title). 
"Award-winning filmmaker and Watershed staff member Eric Hinojosa has been living in Lebanon, working tirelessly to bring to fruition a documentary film about the Blessed Massabki Brothers, the Emir Abd El-Kader, and the events surrounding the 1860 massacre in Damascus. The film tells of heroism and sanctity, showcases fascinating characters and sheds light on the Christian community in the Middle East."  (Watershed website)

Eric with Sister Marla Marie at the Monastery.