Communion paves the way for evangelization, says Pope to Maronites

(CNA/EWTN News).- ^ | 06-06-10 | (CNA/EWTN News).-

[Salvation]

Communion paves the way for evangelization, says Pope to Maronites

  

Nicosia, Cyprus, Jun 6, 2010 / 02:26 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Benedict visited the Maronite Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Graces in Nicosia before leaving the country on Sunday afternoon. He called Maronites to be proud of their traditions while remaining tied into the Universal Church.

At the cathedral, which has a capacity of around 300 people, Maronite Archbishop Youssef Soueif welcomed Pope Benedict and his entourage composed of members of the Roman Curia in addition to the Custos of the Holy Land, Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa.

Assuring the "ancient" community of his closeness, "moved by a father's care," the Holy Father urged the Maronite community to treasure the "great inheritance" of their Christian heritage.

Reminded of St. Peter's words that Christians are living stones used to build the spiritual house, the Pope said that "together with Christians throughout the world, we are part of that great temple which is the Mystical Body of Christ."

The communion we find in our spiritual worship, he added, "impels us to carry the Good News of our new life in Christ to all mankind."

In closing, the Pope prayed "that your Church, in union with all your pastors and with the Bishop of Rome, may grow in holiness, in fidelity to the Gospel and in love for the Lord and for one another."

 

Visit to Maronite Church -- Full text

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

 

I am very pleased to make this visit to the Cathedral of Our Lady of Graces. I thank Archbishop Youssef Soueif for his kind words of welcome on behalf of the Maronite community in Cyprus, and I cordially greet all of you with the words of the Apostle: "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor 1:3)!

 

As I visit this building, in my heart I make a spiritual pilgrimage to every Maronite church of the island. Be assured that, moved by a father’s care, I am close to all the faithful of those ancient communities.

 

This Cathedral church in some way represents the very long and rich – and sometimes turbulent - history of the Maronite community in Cyprus. Maronites came to these shores at various times throughout the centuries and were often hard-pressed to remain faithful to their distinct Christian heritage. Nevertheless, in spite of their faith being tested like gold in a fire (cf. 1 Pet 1:7), they remained constant in the faith of their fathers, a faith which has now been passed on to you, the Maronite Cypriots of today. I urge you to treasure this great inheritance, this precious gift.

 

This Cathedral building also reminds us of an important spiritual truth. Saint Peter tells us that we Christians are the living stones which are being "built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (1 Pet 2:4-5). Together with Christians throughout the world, we are part of that great temple which is the Mystical Body of Christ. Our spiritual worship, offered in many tongues, in many places and in a beautiful variety of liturgies, is an expression of the one voice of the People of God, united in praise and thanksgiving to him and in enduring communion with each other. This communion, which we hold so dear, impels us to carry the Good News of our new life in Christ to all mankind.

 

This is the charge I leave with you today: I pray that your Church, in union with all your pastors and with the Bishop of Rome, may grow in holiness, in fidelity to the Gospel and in love for the Lord and for one another.

 

Commending you and your families, and especially your beloved children to the intercession of Saint Maron, I willingly impart to all of you my Apostolic Blessing.

[Salvation]

I think I am correct in saying that the Maronite Catholic Church is the surviving Catholic Church among the Eastern rites.

[Salvation]

Catholic Discussion Ping!

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[Biggirl]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2529840/posts

Posted earlier, about the Maronite Eastern rite, with the Italiano-Albanian rite which are the only rites that did not leave and then come back to Rome.

[724th]

Not sure. I was Married in A Maronite church. They have some traditions that would indicate, that, that is the case. We sat on thrones on the alter, and were adorned with a crown of holly. I think that the Maronite clergy are allowed to wed. I may be wrong, but I could swear that is the case.

Loved the church, and the Priest. Fr Sharbul. I try to attend once A month, It’s an hour away. The Maronites are no nonsense Catholics, they do not suffer progressive thought, and show no fear while spreading the gospel in the middle east. If there is a Maronite church near you, I would highly recommend a visit.

[Salvation]

Thanks for all the detailed input and your encouragement.

[724th]

Fr Sharbul travels to Lebanon regularly, and has started a middle east, christian sattelite network. I see the Pope’s adress to the Maronite’s as a signal. The Pope is acknowledging a coming war with Islam. The immigration of Muslims to Europe, the fall of Constantinople, and the move by Muslims to take over Bosnia, are all precursers to the need for a modern day Crusade. Not to prostelatise, but rather defend.

[redhead]

Do you mean all the Eastern rites? How far East? The Byzantine rite is alive and well, although in Ukraine, it is now coming under attack once again. Our parish and mission are Ruthenian in tradition, which is Ukrainian. We are praying diligently for our brothers and sisters in Ukraine.

[redhead]

Oops. Forgot to mention that Freeper NYer is Maronite.

[NYer]

I think I am correct in saying that the Maronite Catholic Church is the surviving Catholic Church among the Eastern rites.

Some clarification. The Church began in the East. The East–West Schism, sometimes known as the Great Schism, divided medieval Christianity into Eastern (Greek) and Western (Latin) branches, which later became known as the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, respectively. The only Church in the East that did not break from Rome is the Maronite Church.

Following the Great Schism, over the centuries, certain groups of Eastern christians came back to Rome. In certain instances, like the Copts and Armenians, there are two churches - Catholic and Orthodox. There is no Maronite Orthodox Church because the Maronites have never separated from the Magisterium. According to their historical records,

In a letter addressed to Pope Hormisdas in 517, monks of St. Maron address the Pope as the one occupying the Chair of St. Peter, and inform him that they are undergoing many sufferings and attacks patiently. They single out Antiochian Patriarchs Severus and Peter, who, they say, anathematize the Council of Chalcedon and Pope Leo, whose formula the Council had adopted. The Maronites are mocked for their support of the Council and are suffering afflictions. The Emperor Anastasius had sent an army that had marched through the district of Apamea closing monasteries and expelling the monks. Some had been beaten and others were thrown into prison. While on the way to St. Simon Stylite, the Maronites had been ambushed and 350 monks were killed, even though some of them had taken refuge at the altar. The monastery was burned. The Maronites appealed to the Emperor in Constantinople, but to no avail. Now, they appeal to the Pope for deliverance against the enemies of the Fathers and the Council. They exclaim: "Do not therefore look down upon us, Your Holiness, we who are daily attacked by ferocious beasts. . . . We anathematize Nestorius, Eutyches, Dioscorus, Peter of Alexandria and Peter the Fuller of Antioch, and all their followers and those who defend their heresies." The letter was signed first by Alexander, priest and archimandrite of St. Maron. Over 200 other signatures follow, of other archimandrites, priests and deacons. The importance of the Monastery of Bet Maroun is evidenced by Alexander's name leading the list of delegates.

Pope Hormisdas, in a letter dated February 10, 518, tells the archimandrites, priests, and deacons of the region of Apamea that he read their letter describing the persecutions of the heretics. He consoles them in their sufferings and tells them not to despair for they are gaining eternal life through this. The Emperor Justinian restored the walls of the principal monastery of St. Maron.

The Maronites fled to the mountains of Lebanon. Very little is known about the Maronites in Lebanon between the time of their being established there in the seventh and eighth centuries and the coming of the Crusades in the eleventh century. During this period the Maronites and the region were dominated by the Abbasids, whose rule was often severe and who persecuted and decimated the Maronites. When the first Crusaders arrived in Lebanon in 1098, they were surprised and pleased to find fellow Christians who welcomed them with hospitality. We are told that the Maronites were of great assistance to the Crusaders both as guides and as a fighting force of 40,000 men known for their prowess in battle. The Franciscan F. Suriano, writing some time later, described them as "astute and prone to fighting and battling. They are good archers using the Italian style of cross-bowing". The Crusaders not only passed through Lebanon on the way to the Holy Places, but established themselves in the country and built fortresses in a number of areas, the ruins of which remain to this day. Close relations were also established between the Latin Hierarchy that accompanied the Crusaders and the Maronite Church. With the coming of the Crusaders, it would seem that the Maronites made a conscious decision to seek the support of the West. Prior to this time, the Maronites lived and thought on a provincial level. Their major concerns were to defend themselves against local heretics (a struggle based not only on a religious plane, but also on ethnic and cultural levels) and to attempt to establish a Modus Vivendi with Arab rulers. With the coming of the Crusaders they began to look to the West for assistance. Ties with the Holy See became closer, Western practices were adopted, and Latin influence and changes in the Maronite Liturgy took place.

It's often challenging for us in the west to fathom the persecution that accompanied the early christians. The Maronite Church, as such, stands in faithful witness and loyal servant to the Chair of Peter, then and now.

[NYer]

I was Married in A Maronite church. They have some traditions that would indicate, that, that is the case. We sat on thrones on the alter, and were adorned with a crown of holly.

The Mystery of Crowning!

The Marriage Covenant

The bride and groom each declare publicly their commitment to each other. After their exchange of vows and with their hands joined, the priest offers a blessing in the name of the Church. He declares that the bride and groom are joined in marriage in the name of the Trinity. The blessing then develops the biblical theme of covenant. It understands covenant as a solemn and abiding pledge. It recalls the covenant by which God created the heavens and the earth, and the covenants between Sarah and Abraham, Rebecca and Isaac, and Rachel and Jacob -- that nothing shall separate them but death.

Giving of Rings

In former times, rings often contained one's personal seal and were used to certify documents. The seal stood for the person. This theme is found in the blessing of the wedding rings, where the priest prays that these rings represent the seal and protection of Christ in whose image the bride and groom are. It prays that the rings be "a wall of protection for their bodies, and shield them from all harm". The rings are then placed on the fingers of the groom and bride.

The Crowning

Christian mysteries often integrate ancient practices. Marriage through the centuries and in various cultures has developed a variety of customs. Certainly marriage symbolizes fertility and the exuberance of God's creation. Flowers and wearing flowers as a crown are an ancient practice. In the context of Christian marriage, crowning can be seen to represent Christ and His kingdom. Just as the groom and the bride symbolize Christ and His Church, so they also represent the kingship of Christ and His kingdom.

The prayer blessing the marriage crowns first develops the theme of crowning and creation, how flowers crown the earth, stars crown the heavens and the sea enriches the land. It also sees crowning as a symbol of divine vocation and speaks of holy kings, priests and prophets being crowned. In crowning the groom, the priest prays for God's blessing on him. When crowning the bride, the priest recalls the great women of the Old Testament and prays that she receive the crown of glory. He petitions that she be adorned with the fruits of the Spirit and "flourish as a blessed vine in the midst of the Church." The witnesses are crowned as representing the whole community which is partaking in the event of blessed joy.

A hymn in the meter of St. Ephrem is chanted. It declares that Christ sealed His covenant with His Bride, the Church, in the upper room when He gave her His Body and Blood. Christ invites all those who are worthy to His wedding banquet which symbolizes our destiny to be with Him in heaven. In coming and seeking the blessing of the Church, the bride and groom are foreshadowing Christ's heavenly banquet. The Service of the Eucharist, which is the ultimate celebration of Christ's love and His call for unity, completes and perfects the celebration of the mystery of marriage.

The mystery of marriage teaches us that human love and the full range of love between husband and wife has a sacred dimension. Love that seeks the good of the other, to protect and support the other, love that perseveres, love that is never withheld or compromised, love that is loyal and never betrays, love that is unselfish discloses to the one committed to that love the mystery and presence of God Himself.

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I think that the Maronite clergy are allowed to wed. I may be wrong, but I could swear that is the case.

Like all the Eastern Churches, the Maronites allow married men to become priests (note the difference ;-). Speaking to the 11th General Synod Fathers, gathered for their eighth meeting at the Vatican in 2005, Cardinal Nasrallah Pierre Sfeir, who is Patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites in Lebanon--a Catholic rite which allows for married priests--addressed the issue of celibacy.

Vatican City, Oct. 07, 2005 (CNA) - The Cardinal defended the practice of the celibate priesthood and discussed the beauty of the tradition, calling it the "most precious jewel in the treasury of the Catholic Church."

While pointing out that "the Maronite Church admits married priests" and that "half of our diocesan priests are married", the Cardinal Patriarch said that "it must be recognized that if admitting married men resolves one problem, it creates others just as serious."

"A married priest", he said, "has the duty to look after his wife and family, ensuring his children receive a good education and overseeing their entry into society. ... Another difficulty facing a married priest arises if he does not enjoy a good relationship with his parishioners; his bishop cannot transfer him because of the difficulty of transferring his whole family.

He noted that "married priests have perpetuated the faith among people whose difficult lives they shared, and without them this faith would no longer exist."

"On the other hand," he said, "celibacy is the most precious jewel in the treasury of the Catholic Church,"

Lamenting a culture which is all but outright opposed to purity, the Cardinal asked: "How can [celibacy] be conserved in an atmosphere laden with eroticism? Newspapers, Internet, billboards, shows, everything appears shameless and constantly offends the virtue of chastity."

Suggesting that there are no easy solutions to the problem of priest shortages in the Church--an oft brought up point during the Synod--he noted that, "Of course a priest, once ordained, can no longer get married. Sending priests to countries where they are lacking, taking them from a country that has many, is not the ideal solution if one bears in mind the question of tradition, customs and mentality. The problem remains."

Hence, the policy of the Patriarch is to not send married priests to the diaspora. Our previous pastor was bi-ritual (Maronite and Latin Rites) and celibate. Our new pastor is a religious order priest on loan to the Eparchy of St. Maron for 6 years. He too is celibate. We joked at dinner the other night that for so many decades, the western church sent missionaries out to evangelize. Now the US is consider "mission territory" and the missionaries come to serve us. What a blessing to have this young and extremely devout priest. He is only 33!

Loved the church, and the Priest. Fr Sharbul. I try to attend once A month, It’s an hour away.

Which parish is it? We have parishioners who drive an hour each week to attend liturgy. The Maronite priests are indeed no nonsense. Here is a link to our parish web site which is still being uploaded.

St. Ann Maronite Catholic Church

Enjoy the visit, albeit limited.

[724th]

Thank you, for the post. It certainly helps to have historical perspective. In the time that I have spent attending St Maron’s, I never took the time to research it’s history. Chalk it up to western laziness. I have always been impressed with their parish (very devout). I’am also aware of their struggles. Especially in the middle east.

I had not seen this Homily of Fr Sharbel’s but it speaks to what you posted. At the link you can see the Homily, and then go to the home page to see an ETWN interview with Fr Sharbel. I wish more priests would follow his example.

http://stmaron.com/ewtn/homily/index.htm

[724th]

Just posted a link to the church, and one of Fr Sharbel’s Homily’s.

[NYer]

Thank you for that link! Will listen to it later when I am home. I recall him saying that Mass. You probably know that Fr. Mitch Pacwa has been given Maronite Rite faculties by Bishop Gregory John Mansour. Mark your calendar! On Wednesday, July 7, Fr. Mitch will host Bishop Gregory Mansour and Bishop Robert Shaheen, on his program EWTN Live, to discuss the Maronite Church in America. Both bishops will be in Birmingham to attend the 47th Annual NAM Convention.

Thank you again for the link!

[NYer]

What a beautiful church!

And you have a hall!! Our church burned down 50 years ago. There was not enough money to rebuild it so they 'temporarily' converted an outdoor shrine into a church. 4 years ago, a freak summer ice storm punctured the tar paper roof and the shrine/church was badly damaged. The pastor and a few parishioners cleaned it up and, with insurance monies, restored the building. Meanwhile, the priest purchased a 160 y/o Methodist/Episcopal Church across the river in the City of Watervliet. It has taken us 6 years to complete the restoration of the exterior, stained glass windows and parish house. The next phase is the interior. Here are some pictures. Once we move into the new church, the present church/shrine will become our Hall.

Restored exterior

To be restored interior

Interestingly enough, there was no center aisle, just two side aisles. Catholic Churches must have a center aisle. They cut the pews down the middle and these will have to be refurbished. Lots of interesting changes will be taking place but we still have a long way to go. We are a small parish (50 families) and a big heart.

[724th]

Thank you. Perhaps the ice storm was a gift from above, that set you on the path to a new home. The new digs look wonderful. Once the interior is done, I’m sure your parish will re-dedicate itself too the Maronite traditions, and from the ashes, rise again. Today’s thread was enjoyable. The Maronite church has given me hope. Hope I had not seen, since attending a Franciscan parochial school, as a child. May God be with you.

[Salvation]

Thanks, FRiend.

[redhead]

How exciting for you! Please pray that we can not only find our own building, but even continue to exist. Our numbers have shrunk and I am a little concerned for our future. God bless!