The Maronite Voice A Publication of the Maronite Eparchies in the USA Volume X Issue No. V May 2014 The Paschal Mystery in Life and in Liturgy ope Francis must be a Maronite at heart, because of his particular love for our Lord in His Paschal PMystery and his desire to live it every day! On New Sunday, Mercy Sunday, the Pope spoke of the wounds of Christ, and how Saint Theresa touched them; how the two new saints; and how we touch them today in those suffering. This past Holy Week and Easter we realized once again the power and meaning of Christ’s Paschal Mystery, His passion, death and resurrection, which gives meaning to our own life, death, suffering and future hope. Hopefully our liturgy was also transformed into loving action for the good of others. This is what makes for a fruitful Holy Week. In the Maronite Evening Prayer for Holy Week we have the courage to touch Christ’s wounds as we remember: O Christ, in recalling your passion we are saddened, but its memory also fills us with joy. For you and for us, it is both sorrowful and joyful; it kills and gives life; it brings humiliation and glory. For us it is necessary and there is nothing equal to it. For you, it is both feared and desired. Because of your passion may we feel the sadness, which brings repentance and the joy, which does not forget you. Thus, all sadness and joy will be for your glory, now and During liturgy, especially during Holy Week, the Church forever. uses everything at Her disposal to convey the meaning and power of the events of Christ and His Church. Liturgy Walking the streets of Buenos Aires, accompanying the poor, incorporates chant, procession, ritual, and material goods, Pope Francis lived this passion and prayed it. Through the such as water, oil, incense, bread and wine. Liturgy draws the writings of Saint Paul, he was reminded: “I have been worshiper more deeply into union with the risen Christ. But crucified with Christ, and the life I live now is not my own; most of all, liturgy should draw us into loving service for Christ is living in me” (Gal 2:20). He touched the living others, as Saint John reminds us in his account of the Last Christ. Supper, which poignantly is devoid of the narrative of bread In Eucharistic liturgy we celebrate Christ’s death and and wine, and is clear about foot washing! resurrection. But as Pope Francis reminds us in dramatic In liturgy and in loving service, time stands still. Events ways, like in the foot washing ritual, we must also give of the past become present again, and we appropriate their ourselves as a gift and receive Christ, crucified and raised power and meaning for our lives today. from the dead, as a gift under the veil of bread and wine. The In the Maronite Evening Prayer for Fridays in Easter we Eucharist celebrates the Paschal Mystery in a most fitting pray: way, and is the most meaningful of all liturgical celebrations because it leads us to deeper union with Christ in His Paschal (Continues on page 20) Mystery and to a deeper communion with others through the Church. But liturgy and life must become one and the same mystery translated into a loving service for those who need it Schedule of Bishop Elias Zaidan May 1, 2014 The Maronite Voice th 4611 Sadler Road 50 Anniversary of Ordination of Bishop Robert Shaheen, Saint Louis, Mo. Glen Allen, VA 23060 May 2 - 4, 2014 Phone: 804/270-7234 Pastoral Visit to Our Lady of Lebanon Church, Chicago, Ill. Fax: 804/273-9914 May 4, 2014 E-Mail: [email protected] http://www.stmaron.org Visit to the community of Greater Milwaukee, Wis. http://www.usamaronite.org May 6 - 8, 2014 The Maronite Voice, (ISSN 1080- Eastern Catholic Bishops Meeting, Saint Louis, Mo. 9880) the official newsletter of the May 9 - 11, 2014 Maronite Eparchies in the U.S.A. Pastoral Visit to St. Rafka Church, Lakewood [Denver], Colo. (Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles and Eparchy of Saint May 16 - 18 , 2014 Maron of Brooklyn), is published Pastoral Visit to St. Therese Church, Tulsa, Okla. monthly. May 23 -25, 2014 Send all changes of address, news, Pastoral Visit to Our Lady of the Cedars Church, Houston, Tex. pictures and personal May 31 – June 1, 2014 correspondence to The Maronite Pastoral Visit to Our Lady of Lebanon Church, Norman, Okla. Voice at the above captioned address. Subscription rates are June 3 - 20, 2014 $25.00 per year. Advertising rates Synod of Maronite Bishops, Bkerke, Lebanon. are available upon request. Publishers • Most Reverend Bishop Gregory John Mansour • Most Reverend Elias Zaidan, M.L.M. Editor Msgr. George M. Sebaali Editing and proofreading Mary Shaia Printed in Richmond, Virginia. Maronite Convention 2014 Our Lady of Victory Maronite Church Pittsburgh, Penn. July 2 - 6, 2014 For more information contact the NAM office at (914) 964-3070 or visit www.Namnews.org The Maronite Voice Volume X Issue No. V Page 2 May 2014 Brooklyn, N.Y., was filled to capacity as the community Brooklyn, New York came together to worship. Sun and warm temperatures Chrism Liturgy accompanied the parish as it followed Bishop Gregory Mansour, Msgr. Root and other clergy in procession around the Cathedral. Palm Sunday is the acknowledgment by the children and community that Jesus has been received as king. The prayers on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are a cycle of readings announcing the death of Jesus Christ as a fulfillment of the prophecies. Wednesday of Passion Week is also called Wednesday of Ayoub (Job). His patience through much suffering represents Christ who is about to willingly endure suffering and death for our sake. On that day, an ancient rite of the Maronite Church, the Rite of the Lamp, is celebrated. Dough is made and seven wicks of candles are inserted into it representing the seven lamps envisioned by the prophet Jeremiah and by John the Apostle in his Revelation. The oil is blessed and all the faithful receive the anointing and may take a sample of the blessed oil. We had now arrived at Holy Thursday, the first day of the Easter Triduum. The Cathedral was filled to capacity by Assisted by Chorbishop Michael Thomas (left) and those who would witness a re-enactment of the Last Supper. Chorbishop Joseph Kaddo, Bishop Mansour (center) It was on that day that Jesus instituted the Sacraments of consecrates the Holy Oil. Priesthood and the Holy Eucharist. He demonstrated His humility by washing the feet of His disciples and commanding them to do the same. Msgr. Root, Rector, by Salma Vahdat washed the feet of twelve men of the parish while Father Geoffrey Abdallah narrated the scene as it unfolded. The he annual Chrism Liturgy was celebrated at Our Lady Holy Eucharist was exposed until one a.m. of Lebanon Cathedral on Wednesday, April 2, 2014. Passion Week continued with Good Friday. The Led by Bishop Gregory Mansour, the following Cathedral could hardly hold the crowd. The chandeliers were T dimmed, and a pall of sadness swept through the Cathedral. assisted: Chorbishop Michael Thomas, Vicar General of the Eparchy; Chorbishop Joseph Kaddo, former Vicar General While the Trisagion (Kadishat) was sung, Bishop Mansour and currently Pastor of St. Anthony of the Desert Church in prostrated himself before the casket. Msgr. Root's homily Fall River, Mass.; and Msgr. James Root, Rector. Eighteen reminded us that the Cross represents our Faith and Belief. It priests from Maine to Florida, four deacons/subdeacons and is our remembrance of salvation. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen numerous laity from many parishes were also present. in his "Life of Christ," summed it up: "It was the thief's last Before the Anaphora, the ceremony began to bless new prayer, perhaps even his first. He knocked once, dared Chrism for distribution to the parishes of the Eparchy. Oil everything, and found everything. When even His disciples from the previous year is kept, as it has been for years, and is were doubting and only one was present at the Cross, the used for continuity by pouring some into each of the oils used thief owned and acknowledged Him as Savior." for baptism, anointing of the sick and the chrism (myron). The Service continued with a procession held outside the The new blessed oils are then given to the clergy to use in the Cathedral. The corpus was removed from the Cross and was new liturgical year. placed in a casket. The Choir's hymns resounding throughout Following the Divine Liturgy, the clergy and laity were the neighborhood as the cathedral emptied of the parishioners invited to a buffet luncheon in the social hall. The gathering joined the procession around the Cathedral and back to the offered an opportunity to wish Bishop Mansour a Happy entrance of the Church. Here the Casket was held aloft as the Tenth Anniversary as a bishop. It hardly seems that ten years community passed under it on their way back into the could have passed so quickly. Needless to say, we are blessed Church. The Casket was placed in the tomb at the side of the as a community to have the gentle but firm leadership of altar. Bishop Gregory. May he continue to be an inspiration to his Easter Liturgy at midnight was the finale of the Triduum. flock for many years to come. After all the sadness and solemnity, joy in the Resurrection reverberated throughout the Cathedral.