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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 22, 2017 Administrator, [email protected] Pastor’s Advisory Council Ramiz Askar, Marlene Saad Secretary 6th Sunday of Holy Cross Richard Sleiman, Chairman Paul Sleiman, Linda Wickett, The themes of being vigilant, alert, and Jack Yacu Finance Committee prepared - from the Gospel of the Apostle George Azan, Joseph Chebeir, Chairman Matthew - continue to be our main accent Tony Sleiman, Paula Howard-Casby for this holy season of the Cross. To these lessons, the Parable of the Talents and the Administration reading from Galatians, add a new Richard, Wickett, Financial Secretary perspective on the quality of the waiting for Joseph Chebeir, Scott Herr, the Lord. Administrative Assistants to the Pastor The delay of the Master’s coming is seen according to our scriptures as opportunity to do good for God in the world; to help increase the riches and the joys of his goodness in his creation. In today’s parable we are invited to be good stewards in God’s Continued next page vineyards: and to double up the goods that he has already bestowed upon us. This parable-theme is accentuated in Saint Paul’s letter as he says: “Let us not grow tired of doing good; for in due time we shall reap our harvest.” These scriptures therefore contribute to our understanding of the kind of waiting we are to engage- in while awaiting our Lord’s coming. It is an active waiting where we are to be involved in active works of service and caring for others. We therefore need to look into our particular environments and examine to see in what ways we can be servants of Christ - as we are called to be in Scripture and at our Communion. Should our stewardship include visiting the sick, the poor? How about the elderly? And since we are living in a shrinking cultural and economic world on this planet, how about the poor in other countries? Saint Paul comments: “while we have the opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who belong to the family of the faith” (another way of saying charity begins at home.) It is most interesting how Saint Paul from his Christian perspective sees his fellow Christians as a family. How should this effect our way of perceiving others and working in the service of Christ? Clearly he draws us beyond our immediate families, beyond or parish boundaries, to care even for those who are far away. Father Steve Bonian, S.J. KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS SUPPORT THE KNIGHTS! PAN CAKE SUPPORT THE PARISH! BREAKFAST SAINT RAFKA COUNCIL 15519 10/22/17 NAM Convention History in Pictures. Parishioner Lisa Advent has added a host of pictures from the recent NAM Convention and created an album on Shutterfly. There are some great images. In her words, “Grab a glass of something ....there are over a 1000 photos!” Go here. There is also a video by Yazan Ashi on the same site. You can find it here. Abouna’s Dear Parishioners and Friends, A happy and rest-filled weekend to you! Lots of excitement around the parish this week. A busy parish is a happy parish! Monday, President Donald J. Trump landed at GSP, only a few miles from our church complex. His visit affected the traffic of Interstate 85, as well as some city streets in Greenville. People coming to the English/Arabic classes were affected. I was late getting to a dinner engagement. It was a nightmare, only to be followed by another traffic jam later that evening when the President returned to Air Force One GSP. A Presidential visit is nice, but it sure messes up traffic in the host city! Parishioner Elizabeth Gallagher was able to get a picture of Air Force One from her back yard (picture to the right). Not the sight most of us see on a regular basis! The highlight of the week for me was Wednesday evening. At the Divine Liturgy, Msgr. Christopher Lathem and Msgr. Leigh Lehocky, both retired priests of the Diocese of Charleston, concelebrated the the Divine Liturgy in order to learn our holy liturgy. After the Anointing of the Sick, we had the privilege to witness the Transfer of Rites of John Slusz from the Latin Church to the Maronite Church. Please pray for the sick of our community. Some illnesses are seen, some unseen. So many are asking for prayers in their times of illness and distress. As a rule, pray for the members each day! You pray for us, we pray for you! Have a great weekend! Salaam! Ab. Bart Calendar of Events October 21, 4 PM, Vigil Liturgy 22, 11 AM, Divine Liturgy KC Breakfast 7 PM, Last Chance Liturgy 23, 6:30 PM, English/Arabic Classes 24, 6:30 PM, Ramsho and Blessing with the Relics 7:15 PM, Adult Religious Education 25, 7 PM, Divine Liturgy Anointing of the Sick 28, 4 PM, Vigil Liturgy 29, 11 AM, Divine Liturgy Coffee Social 7 PM, Last Chance Liturgy 30, 6:30 PM, English/Arabic Classes 31, 6:30 PM, Ramsho and Blessing with the Relics Ramsho and Blessing with the 7:15 PM, Adult Religious Education relics of Saints Rafka, Sharbel 01, 7 PM, Divine Liturgy, All Saint’s Day Nimatullah, and the Massabki Holy Day of Obligation Brothers Tuesday evening, 6:30 04, 4 PM, Vigil Liturgy PM, Saint Rafka Church. Come 05, 11 AM, Divine Liturgy to offer the evening sacrifice and ask God’s blessing, healing, Coffee Social mercy and compassion through 7 PM, Last Chance Liturgy these holy men and women. 06, 6:30 PM, English/Arabic Classes 07, 6:30 PM, Ramsho and Blessing with the Relics 7:15 PM, Adult Religious Education 08, 7 PM, Divine Liturgy Anointing of the Sick 5th Marian Eucharistic Conference will be held on Saturday, November 4 - Sunday, November 5 at the Hilton Hotel in Greenville. Our featured speakers include: Fr. Wade Menezes, The Fathers of Mercy; Fr. Chris Alar, Marian of the Immaculate Conception; Al Kresta, Ave Maria Radio; Raymond Arroyo, The World Over; Fr. Dwight Longenecker. General admission is $75, youth is $40 and it includes a buffet lunch on Saturday and Sunday. Registered by October 24 by mail. Registration after Oct. 24: $85 We offer gluten free meals by request. For more information, call (864)354-7160 or go to www.meconferencesc.net 40 Days for Life is teaming up with America Needs Fatima to humbly invite you to a Candlelight Vigil on Friday, October 13th, 7:00 pm on the public right-of-way at 1142 Grove Road, Greenville. Please come and join us! For more information: call Ingrid: 864-329-0044 with 40 Days for Life or Brenda 864-244-2977 with America Needs Fatima. Visit the homepage of our neighbors to the north of us. Saint Stephen is under the leadership of Father Elias Khalil and is growing in Grace and numbers. Religious Education - First Holy Communion Preparation Is your child ready for the reception of First Penance and Holy Communion? Parishioner Alex Roman, a professional teacher, has volunteered to teach in our religious education program. Other children, post Holy Communion, are also welcome to these classes. Contact the Church Office to register. Adult Religious Education Religious formation never ends! We are never too old to learn! Adult Religious Education Classes meet at 7:15 PM, right after the Ramsho and Devotions in Wicket Hall. This fall, the class will concentrate on the Divine Liturgy and the Holy Mass of the various Churches, their structures, similarities and differences. We will also examine the Liturgical Year and the Liturgy of the Hours. Join us and bring a friend who may be interested in learning about the Maronite Church and liturgy. English/Arabic Classes On Monday October 2, we will begin with English lessons, which will be be team taught by Alex Roman, Shea Menge, and Scott Herr. The Arabic lessons will follow, and they will be taught by Mona Ayoub Achi. Class begins at 6:30 PM in Francis House. Free and open to all. ًإﺑﺘﺪاء ﻣﻦ ﻧﻬﺎر أﻹﺛﻨﯿﻦ ٢ ﺗﺸﺮﯾﻦ اﻷول, ٢٠١۷ اﻟﺴﺎﻋﺔ ٦,٣٠ ًﻣﺴﺎء ﻓﻲ ﻣﻨﺰل ﻓﺮﻧﺴﯿﺲ, ُوأ ًﺳﺒﻮﻋﯿﺎ ُﯾﻌﻄﻲ" ﺳﻜﻮط ّﻫﺮ", "أﻟﯿﻜﺲ روﻣﺎن" و" ﺷﻲ ﻣﻨﺠﻲ" ٌدروس ﻓﻲ اﻟﻠﻐﺔ اﻻﻧﻜﻠﯿﺰﯾﺔ, ُﯾﺘﺒﻌﻬﺎ ٌدروس ﻓﻲ اﻟﻠﻐﺔ اﻟﻌﺮﺑﯿﺔ ُﺗَﻌﱢﻠﻤﻬﺎ " ﻣﻨﻰ اﻟﻌﺸﻲ". ُﺗﻌﻄﻰ ﻫﺬه اﻟﺪروس ًﻣﺠﺎﻧﺎ ُوﻧﺮﺣﺐ ﺑﺠﻤﯿﻊ اﻟﻤﺸﺎرﻛﯿﻦ. A petition is to support Christians in the Middle East who have courageously stayed in their countries or are returning to them. Please visit and sign. Engaged Enounter This a reminder that we only have 1 more weekend available for the remainder of 2017. It is an in parish weekend and will be held at All Saints Catholic Church in Lake Wylie on Nov. 11-12. The cost of the weekend is $150 but we have partial scholarships available. The next weekend will be in February and will be a retreat weekend. Attention all women of the diocese of Charleston! Magnificat-Greenville, SC Chapter is hosting its next meal on Saturday, November 11, from 9am to Noon. Join us for fellowship, praise and worship, and be inspired by our guest speaker Father Robert Falabella. Father Robert shares his first hand experience of the emotions, hardships, and dangers of the combat soldier.