Saint Rafka Maronite Catholics of the East in the Upstate! 1215 S. Highway 14, Greer, SC 29650 864.469.9119 saintrafka.org
[email protected] Saint Rafka Maronite Church is a Catholic Parish of the Antiochene Syriac Maronite Church, Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn, NY, Most Rev. Gregory John Mansour, Bishop, 109 Remsen Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11201, 718.237.9913.
[email protected] Rev. Bartholomew Leon, October 29, 2017 Administrator,
[email protected] Pastor’s Advisory Council Ramiz Askar, Marlene Saad Secretary Richard Sleiman, Chairman Paul Sleiman, Linda Wickett, 7th Sunday of Holy Cross Jack Yacu Christ the King Finance Committee George Azan, Joseph Chebeir, Chairman This is the last Sunday of the liturgical Tony Sleiman, Paula Howard-Casby cycle of the year. What is it that first attracts our attention is the Gospel of this Administration last Sunday of the year? It is of the Richard, Wickett, Financial Secretary awesome Last Judgment in Matthew’s Gospel! Interestingly, here, the end of the Joseph Chebeir, Scott Herr, liturgical cycle on this Sunday, Administrative Assistants to the Pastor corresponds and parallels in the Gospel with the end of the world. From one perspective this projection seems a deliberate attempt by the Church to awaken in her children the fear of God. Yet from another perspective the emphasis of the Church on this Sunday – and in a Continued next page more positive way – goes out to show that the final victory, at the end, will be the Triumph of Compassion, and of the Compassionate Ones: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Mt.5: 3- 10).