Lebanese church leader visits 'my people' (Patriarch celebrates Maronite Liturgy at MA parish)

LAWRENCE - At Lawrence Municipal Airport, children and adults held flower bouquets and waved Lebanese flags as they waited for a very important person - Patriarch Nasrallah Peter Cardinal Sfeir.

Sfeir, head of the Maronite Church worldwide, was making a historic stop in Lawrence during a tour of the United States.

"It was like a piece of Lebanon coming to us," said Dalia Abourjeili, 16, of Methuen. The Methuen High School student attended with her mother, Hiam.

Michelle Bou-Mitri, 20, also was at the airport. "I wanted to show him our hospitality and welcome. We look up to him as our spiritual leader," said Bou-Mitri, a student at University of Massachusetts Lowell.

Before last night's service at St. Anthony Maronite Church, Sfeir said he chose Lawrence because the city has a parish made up of members who have been here for generations, while others are recent emigrants from Lebanon.

At the church's entrance, there was netting full of rose petals with Sfeir's photograph in the middle and smaller photos of other Maronite saints and Cardinal Sean O'Malley of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. The display was done by Pat Corey of Methuen.

"If more men like him rule the world, there would be no war," Corey said of Sfeir.

Over the balcony, the Bible passage about God as the shepherd was written in Arabic. Two wreaths of flowers filled with the colors of the American and Lebanese flags hung on one side of the sanctuary.

Sfeir was greeted with applause as he entered the church along with 20 other priests and bishops from the Maronite, Melkite, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic and Roman Catholic churches.

Sfeir looked regal dressed in a gold brocade robe and a matching gold miter on his head. The service or divine liturgy was full of cultural tradition with hymns and blessings recited in Aramaic. Other parts were said in English.

In his homily, Sfeir talked about the role the Virgin Mary has had in the world and encouraged people to turn to her in times of need.

"Mary is the true peacemaker. Turn to her during these difficult days in Lebanon, in your family, your marriage," he said.

Claude Ayub of Methuen was at the church at 4:30 p.m. for the 7:30 p.m. service, to make sure she got a seat.

After the service, Ayub and her son, John, 13, stood in line for a chance to kiss the patriarch's hand and receive a blessing.

"When I touched him, I felt something in my heart," she said. "My tears just came down."

After the service, eight youngsters performed a traditional Lebanese line dance called dabke for his eminence. The parish's youth also gave him a key to the church mounted on a plaque.

"His visit didn't hit me until today," Chahine said. "I had goose bumps (serving). For me it's been an honor. He cares for his flock and is truly spreading the word of God and transmitting to us to do the same."

Patriarch Nasrallah Peter Cardinal Sfeir (center) head of the approximately 200 million Maronite Catholics throughout the world prepares holy communion during a special mass at St. Anthony's Maronite Church in Lawrence.

Incensation

With the gifts placed at the altar, the celebrant incenses the gifts, the altar and the faithful again as a symbol of purification. We pray that our gifts and especially we, ourselves be rendered worthy to participate in this sacrifice. During Incensation, the following prayer is chanted.

Cel:
Lover of the Penitent

Cong.
Show your mercy in our days.
This pure incense, Lord, accept
That these priestly hands now raise
As gifts by the faithful children of your church
To atone and praise.

And as you received the ram
Sacrificed by Abraham
And from Aaron’s hands
Sweet perfumes from distant lands.
Lord receive this incense which we pray may win
Mercy and release from sin.

Press Release

Source: St. Anthony's Maronite Catholic Church

Statement of His Eminence and His Beatitude Nasrallah Peter Cardinal Sfeir, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East
Thursday July 13, 1:29 pm ET

Press Conference, Thursday, July 13, 2006 -- St. Anthony's Maronite Catholic Church, Lawrence, Massachusetts

LAWRENCE, Mass., July 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is a statement of His Eminence and His Beatitude Nasrallah Peter Cardinal Sfeir, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East:

"I began my pastoral visit to the United States on June 29, the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. I have visited St. Louis, Chicago, and Detroit. After these two days in Lawrence, I will proceed to New York. I have met thousands of Maronites and friends from throughout the United States. The Lebanese and Maronite people are proud contributors to American society.

"I have come at the invitation of Maronite Bishops Robert Shaheen and Gregory Mansour who have undertaken the planning and details of this visit, which is made in honor of the forty years since the appointment of a Maronite Bishop in the United States. Much progress has been made in 40 years. We look forward to a brighter future.

"I am grateful for the solidarity that exists between the Catholics of Lebanon and the Middle East, and those of this country. I am also grateful for the solidarity expressed by the international community, and especially President Bush and the United States, towards Lebanon.

"I have come to strengthen the bridges between East and West, Christians and Muslims. I have come with the demand that Lebanon steer its own course, without the tutelage of any other nation. I have come to say that the Lebanese are determined to live far from terrorism, tyranny, corruption and despair.

"The Lebanese are proud people and have inherited the oldest democracy in the Middle East. They are well-educated, accustomed to hard work, and eager to work in harmony with the community of nations.

"In Lebanon we have difficult issues to resolve. We have been working at these issues in the National Dialogue, which still awaits a positive outcome. Syrian troops have left Lebanon, but their influence is still there. We therefore ask again that our two nations develop proper relations befitting of states, which means among other things, delineated boundaries, embassies, respect for international law, and friendly relations.

"The tragic events of recent days give us pause to pray and ask the Lord's help. I am very concerned and anxious. As we have said in the past and reassert again today, we are against all aggression wherever it comes from. We condemn Israel's recent retaliations against Lebanon's people and infrastructure. We also hope that Hezbollah will finally lay down its arms and join the other citizens of Lebanon in reaching political solutions to all of the Lebanese problems.

"We look forward to a united, sovereign, free, and truly independent Lebanon, where the Lebanese government exerts its sole authority over all of Lebanon's territory.

"We have known war first hand on our own soil. We have had enough. We need the help and support of all our friends in the world, especially the United States. We are determined to work together, through dialogue, for peace and justice in the region.

"I ask you to pray for Lebanon and help us to show in the news the true Lebanon, the Lebanon that longs to reclaim its former glory. As Pope John Paul II says, 'Lebanon is more than a country, it is a message of fraternity for the entire world.'

"Thank you for coming today."

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