"Since then, I have gained a deeper understanding of how the Maronites proselytize (sp?), and it's not done on an active basis. For the present, they are focused on the documents emanating from the 2 year Synod recently held by the Patriarch."
The more you and I converse about what the Maronites are doing, the more apparent the differences with regard to both evangelization and the respective inter-relations of our churches with regard to the larger RCC.
I agree with your observations. To the Maronites, evangelization just doesn't seem to be on the radar screen. And in truth, that makes some sense given what is currently happening in Lebanon and the diaspora of the last 25 years.
The situation is completely different for us. I was speaking with my Deacon a few weeks back and he pointed out that most of our seminarians are actually converts. We're no longer a slavic church. We're an American church that's doing it's best to retain it's slavic ethnic and religious traditions. Any growth we see in the future is not going to be from immigrants from the "old country." It's going to be the result of fine "slavic" families who just happen to trace their ethnicity to Mexico or the Phillipines or elsewhere.
Seems strange to ignore immigrants. Emmigration from slavic countries isn't exactly slowing.
Where I live there's actually tons because of some work program that let's workers come from East Europe quite easily... walking the streets in my tiny town I hear much more Russian these days.