Thanks for routing him out! (/sarcasm)
Notice the title reads "former" Maronite Bishop. He is now retired. His $500 donation to John Kerry in 1989, palls in comparison to his accomplishments ... in fact, it is absolutely laughable. The bishop is not even an American. Here's some background information on "former" Bishop Zayek.
"The Maronite Church has flourished all over the world (South America, Australia, Europe, South Africa, Canada, Mexico, etc.), but especially in the United States since the mid-60's when Archbishop Francis Zayek was sent to shepherd the American Church, which also coincided with the establishment and development of NAM - National Apostolate of Maronites (1964). After almost thirty years, a second eparchy (diocese), Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles was established for the western USA in 1994 and was headed by Bishop John G. Chedid until 2001. Bishop Robert J. Shaheen was ordained on February 15, 2001 and succeeds Bishop Chedid in heading this Eparchy. The eastern Eparchy, Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn, is headed by Stephen Hector Doueihi, who was installed as successor to Archbishop Zayek, in February of 1997."
Now ... for the rest of the story!
In January of this year, Bishop Doueihi turned 75 and submitted his letter of resignation to the Holy Father. In April, at the invitation of my pastor, I attended the Enthronement Ceremony of Zayek's replacement, Bishop Gregory John Mansour, the first American-born Maronite priest, to be installed as Bishop of St. Maron's Eparchy. He was hand selected by Pope John Paul II. Following the ceremony, our small group from St. Ann's had an opportunity to personally greet and chat with the new bishop. They introduced me as the newest member of the parish, who also happens to be a Roman Catholic. Bishop Mansour smiled, grabbed my hand and asked me to help 'Abouna' (this is a Lebanese word that means Loving Father. You may recognize its genesis from the word Jesus Christ used to address His Father - 'Abba').
Sorry, Nick, there is no scandal to be found in this story. Whoever felt it was newsworthy in the first place, must have dug hard and deep to come up with this truly arcane link to John Kerry.
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Curriculum Vitae Chorbishop Gregory John Mansour 931 Lebanon Drive St. Louis, MO 63104 314-621-0056 |
| PARENTS | George and the late Gloria (Farhat) Mansour Born Nov. 11, 1955, Flint, Michigan |
| 1973 | Graduated - Holy Rosary High School, Flint Michigan |
| 1975 | Associate of Arts Degree Mott Community College, Flint, Michigan |
| 1977 | Bachelors Degree-Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, In Health Education |
| 1977-1981 | Seminary: Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Seminary Washington, D.C. |
| 1981 | S.T.B. in Sacred Theology Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. |
| 1982 | Ordained to the Holy Priesthood, September 18 |
| 1983 | S.T.L. in Spiritual Theology-Georgorian Pontifical Institute in Rome, Italy |
| 1983-1994 | Pastor of St. George Maronite Catholic Church Uniontown, Pennsylvania |
| 1990-1994 | Director of the Office of Ministries serving Deacons and Subdeacons |
| 1994-present | Protosyncellus/Chancellor of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles |
| 1994-2001 | Advocate/Procurator for Inter-eparchial Tribunal |
| 1995 | Nominated Chorbishop by Patriarch Nasrallah Peter Sfeir and ordained January 21, 1996 by Bishop John Chedid |
| 1998-2001 | Graduate Student at U.C.L.A. Dept. of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures |
| 2001-present | Rector of St. Raymond Co-Cathedral St. Louis, MO Visiting Professor of Spirituality Kenrick-Glennon Seminary |
