The History of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon Upon Its 25Th Anniversary by Bishop A
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The History of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon Upon its 25th Anniversary by Bishop A. Elias Zaidan mmigration of Maronite Christians of Saint Maron of Detroit. On Alabama, Michigan, Minnesota, from the Middle East to the United June 27, 1977, by a decree from Missouri, Texas, Utah, Arizona, States began during the latter half of the Oriental Congregation for the Nevada, Oregon, California, the nineteenth century. When local Churches, the See of the Maronite Alaska, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, communities were able to obtain a Eparchy was transferred to Brooklyn, Tennessee, Mississippi, Wisconsin, I priest from the Middle East, parish New York and the name was modi ed Iowa, Arkansas, Louisiana, North communities were established to re ect the move to Brooklyn. Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, under the jurisdiction of the local Oklahoma, Nebraska, Montana, Latin Bishops. is accommodation Pope John Paul II issued the papal Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, continued until Pope Paul VI on bull Omnium Catholicorum on Idaho and Washington. is January 10, 1966 established the February 19, 1994 establishing a Eparchy we separate from the other Maronite Apostolic Exarchate for second Eparchy for the Maronite of Saint Maron of Brooklyn, and the Maronite faithful of the United of the United States. e new henceforth it will hold the title of States. is was announced through Eparchy received the title of Our Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles the Apostolic Constitution Cum Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles, in California. supremi. and was carved out of the territory of the original Eparchy of Saint e Most Reverend John G. Chedid, Francis Mansour Zayek was Maron of Brooklyn. It included formerly titular Bishop of Callinicum appointed rst bishop of the some 34 States. e decree from for the Maronites and Auxiliary Exarchate which was established in the Apostolic See states: Bishop for the Eparchy of Saint Detroit, Michigan. e Exarchate Maron of Brooklyn, since October was a su ragan of the Archdiocese We create an Eparchy which 1980, was appointed rst bishop of Detroit. rough the Apostolic encompasses the faithful presently for the new Eparchy with the Constitution Quae sees, issued by living in these States, namely: Cathedral under the patronage Pope Paul VI on November 29, 1971, Ohio, West Virginia, Illinois, of Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon in the Maronite Exarchate was elevated the to the status as a full Eparchy or Diocese. It was named the Eparchy Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon Cathedral, Los Angeles, CA. 8 | THE MARONITE VOICE Maronite Pastoral Center opened in 2003 and The Maronite Heritage Institute, St. Louis, MO opened in 2011. Los Angeles. Bishop Chedid was Shaheen was ordained and installed While the eparchy was originally enthroned on June 23, 1994 during as Eparch on February 15, 2001 established in Los Angeles in 1994, ceremonies celebrated at Saint by his Eminence and Beatitude its o ces were moved to St. Louis Charles Borromeo Church, North Nasrallah Peter Cardinal Sfeir at the in July 2001 with approval from the Hollywood, California. Archbishop Cathedral Basilica of the Archdiocese Vatican Congregation for the Francis M. Zayek, representing of Saint Louis, Missouri. Bishop Oriental Churches and St. Raymond the Maronite Patriarch, His Shaheen was the rst American- was elevated to the rank of Co- Eminence and Beatitude Nasrallah born priest to be ordained a Bishop Cathedral. Peter Cardinal Sfeir, enthroned for the Maronite Church. In the the new Bishop with many clergy decree of appointment, Pope John On his seventy- h birthday, and dignitaries in attendance. Paul II addressed Bishop Robert Bishop Shaheen also tendered his Bishop Chedid was born in 1923 Shaheen saying: resignation due to canonical age to and raised in the village of Edde, the Holy Father. On July 10, 2013, Batroun, in Lebanon. In the decree And so when the Eparchial See of Pope Francis accepted Bishop of appointment, Pope John Paul II Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles Shaheen’s resignation and appointed mentions: of the Maronites became vacant Abdallah Elias Zaidan, MLM owed to the resignation from his (Congregation of Maronite Lebanese We have established the Eparchy of Episcopal o ce of the venerable Missionaries), Rector of Our Lady Our Lady of Lebanon in Los Angeles, brother John George Chedid, of Mt. Lebanon Cathedral as third at the same time We have carefully we hastened to assign another Bishop for the Eparchy of Our Lady decided about sending a shepherd to shepherd to the aforementioned of Lebanon. Bishop Zaidan was that place. And so to you, venerable See. erefore our thoughts turned born in Ksseibe, Lebanon on March brother, we turn Our thoughts, you to you beloved son since we judged 10, 1963 and was ordained a priest whom We know to be thoroughly you suitable for the same very o ce on July 20, 1986. He was consecrated educated in the sacred disciplines and endeavored with the necessary a Bishop at the Shrine and Basilica in the city and trained in pastoral qualities and virtues. Accordingly I of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa, experience. have given approval to the opinion Lebanon by His Eminence and of the Congregation for the Eastern Beatitude Bechara Peter Cardinal In conformity with the Code of Churches. Rai on September 28, 2013 and Canons for the Eastern Churches installed as Bishop of the Eparchy (CCEO), Bishop Chedid sent his is marked a signi cant milestone of Our Lady of Lebanon at Saint resignation to the Holy Father in the history of the Maronite Raymond Co-Cathedral on on his seventy- h birthday. On Church, in that the Holy See and October 23, 2013. His Episcopal December 5, 2000 the Holy Father the Maronite Patriarchal See motto is: y Will Be Done. accepted his resignation due to recognized and responded to the canonical age and appointed need for domestic leadership within Pope Francis, in his decree of Chorbishop Robert J. Shaheen as the Maronite Church in the United appointment, addressed Bishop the second bishop for the Eparchy States. Bishop Shaheen was born in Zaidan with the following: of Our Lady of Lebanon. Bishop 1937 in Danbury, Connecticut. FEBRUARY 2019 | 9 The History of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon Continued from page 9 Finally, beloved Son, may you act of Jesus, Mary and Joseph in generations Lebanese immigrants, in such manner as to ful ll this Beaverton/Portland, Oregon. It also the Maronite Church now includes vital ministry of Shepherd by word, has two women religious orders members from a variety of ethnic deed, and above all, the example who are serving the Eparchy: e and social backgrounds. Many of your life, for no other means is Antonine Sisters in Ohio and the individuals with no family or more suited to the teaching and Maronite Sisters of the Holy family marital ties to the Maronite Church governing of men. May “the grace in California. have chosen to become Maronites of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love due to the beautiful and unique of God and the fellowship of the e Eparchy of Our Lady of tradition and liturgy. Holy Spirit” (2 Cor 13:13), through Lebanon of Los Angeles continues the intercession of the Virgin Mary, to grow and expand in unity and e modern Eparchy recognizes be always with you and with this faith. Since its establishment, the the diversity of its parishioners, Maronite ecclesial community that is Eparchy added 14 new parishes the richness of its traditions and so dear to Us. and missions, while other missions the strength of its communal were strengthened and expanded. faith. It carries the storied history e Eparchy of Our Lady of Its many parishes, missions, and of the rst Maronites to settle Lebanon presently has some 34 communities have sought, under in the United States and all of established parishes and eight the leadership of Bishop Elias the Maronites who have since missions. e Eparchy is comprised Zaidan, to strengthen their ties to joined the fold. As the Eparchy of almost 50,000 Maronite faithful their Maronite roots and bring new of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los served by about 51 priests; some generations of Maronites into the Angeles moves forward with 17 permanent deacons and over fold. e demographic makeup its 25th anniversary into a new 30 subdeacons. e Eparchy also of Maronite churches across the chapter, its laity, clergy and Bishop has two monasteries under its country has shi ed and evolved acknowledge the importance of jurisdiction: e Maronite Order over time. Although the Maronite their Maronite faith and heritage of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Ann Church in the United States began with an eye toward the bright future Arbor, Michigan and the Monks as a Church of rst- and second- ahead. ANNUAL LENTEN APPEAL 2019 The Maronite Bishops’ Annual Appeal takes place during Lent each year. Please be generous and help with the greatest needs of your Eparchy. HOW DO YOU MAKE A GIFT? YOU MAY MAKE A DONATION IN YOUR PARISH: Please bring your gift to your Maronite Parish on any Sunday during Lent in a special envelope marked “Annual Appeal.” MAIL A GIFT OR MAKE A DONATION ON-LINE: Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles 109 Remsen Street 1021 S. 10th Street Brooklyn NY, 11201 Saint Louis, MO 63104 www.stmaron.org www.eparchy.org 10 | THE MARONITE VOICE.