Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn

Last updated
Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn (Maronite)

Eparchia Sancti Maronis Bruklyniensis Maronitarum
Lebanon Cathedral tower BH jeh.jpg
Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral
Coat of Arms of Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn.jpg
Coat of arms
Location
Country United States
Ecclesiastical province Immediately Subject to the Holy See
Statistics
Population
- Catholics		(as of 2017)
33,000 [1]
Parishes34
Information
Denomination Catholic Church
Sui iuris church Maronite Church
Rite West Syro-Antiochene Rite
EstablishedJanuary 10, 1966 (58 years ago)
Cathedral Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral
Current leadership
Pope Francis
Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rahi
Eparch Gregory John Mansour
Bishops emeritus Stephen Youssef Doueihi
Map
Maronite Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn map.png
Website
www.stmaron.org

The Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn (Latin : Eparchia Sancti Maronis Bruklyniensis Maronitarum) [2] is a Antiochene Syriac Maronite Church eparchy of the Catholic Church headquartered in Brooklyn, New York for the East Coast of the United States. In conformity with the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches (CCEO), the eparchy is under the direct jurisdiction of the Roman Pontiff. In 2017 there were 33,000 [3] baptized. It is currently ruled by eparch Gregory John Mansour.

Contents

Territory and statistics

The eparchy includes the Maronite Catholic faithful in the eastern coast states of the United States.

It borders in the north with the Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Saint Maron of Montreal, which covers Canada, and to the west with the Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles, which covers thirty-four states of the United States.

Its eparchial seat is the city of Brooklyn, where is located the Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Cathedral. [4] The Saint Maron Maronite church [5] in Detroit, dedicated to Saint Maron, is the former cathedral church of the eparchy.

The territory is divided into 34 parishes and in 2017 had 33,000 Lebanese Maronite Catholics.

History

Foundation

The diocese has its roots in the establishment of a Maronite Apostolic Exarchate (the equivalent in the Eastern Churches of an Apostolic Vicariate) by Pope Paul VI's papal bull Cum supremi [6] on 10 January 1966. Its object was to provide a unified structure to serve the Lebanese Maronite Catholics scattered around the country, who were subject, up to that point, to the local Roman Catholic diocese. [7]

At that time, Pope Paul appointed Francis Mansour Zayek as the first exarch of the Maronites in the United States. The eparchate was based in Detroit, Michigan. Zayek, who had just spent several years in a similar post in Brazil, arrived in the United States with a rudimentary knowledge of English, only to find an unfinished cathedral and rectory. [8] He took office on 27 January 1966. [7]

Zayek had to face many challenges. First was the very identity of the church. Arguments raged as to whether it was to be a transplant of Lebanese life or an American institution rooted in its Lebanese heritage. In this he remained guided by the advice which Pope John had given him on his original appointment, "What you Maronites have does not pertain to you alone but is part of the treasure of the Catholic Church". Additionally, he had to deal with the liturgical changes mandated by the Second Vatican Council, in which he had participated. He had the Maronite Divine Liturgy translated into English for the first time, creating a standardized service for use in every parish of the exarchate. [8]

Eparchy

In the Apostolic Constitution Quae spes, issued on 29 November 1971, Pope Paul VI elevated the exarchate to a full eparchy, or diocese, and appointed Zayek as the first bishop of the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Detroit. [9] Zayek was installed as its first bishop on June 4, 1972. The seat of the eparchy was moved from Detroit to the Church of Saint Maron in Brooklyn on 27 June 1977 [10] by the Congregation for the Oriental Churches and it also renamed the name of the Eparchy to Saint Maron of Brooklyn. [11]

Zayek retired in 1996, with the personal title of Archbishop, and was succeeded by Bishop Stephen Youssef Doueihi, who himself retired on 10 January 2004 and was succeeded by Gregory J. Mansour. [11]

A part of its territory, which encompassed the entire United States, was lost on 19 March 1994 to the newly established Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles by Pope John Paul II's papal bull Omnium Catholicorum. [12]

Parishes and missions

As of 2010, the eparchy counts 43 parishes, served by 51 priests and 17 deacons. [11] Parishes are located in the following states:

Bishops

Ordinaries

Apostolic Exarch of the United States of America

Eparch of Saint Maron of Detroit

Eparch of Saint Maron of Brooklyn

Other priest of this eparchy who became bishop

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charbel Makhlouf</span> 19th-century Lebanese Maronite monk and saint

Charbel Makhlouf, O.L.M., born Youssef Antoun Makhlouf and venerated as Saint Charbel, was a Maronite monk and priest from Lebanon. During his life, he obtained a wide reputation for holiness, and for his ability to unite Christians, Muslims and Druze.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Saint Maron of Sydney</span> Maronite Catholic eparchy in Australia

The Maronite Eparchy of Saint Maron of Sydney is a Maronite Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or eparchy of the Catholic Church in Australia. In 2010 there were 160,000 members. It is currently ruled by Eparch Antoine-Charbel Tarabay, OLM.

The Maronite Eparchy of Saint Maron of Montreal is a Maronite Church ecclesiastical territory or eparchy of the Catholic Church in Canada. In 2014 there were 87,900 baptized. It is currently ruled by Eparch Paul Marwan Tabet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of São Paulo</span> Eastern Catholic diocese in Brazil

The Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of São Paulo is a Maronite Church ecclesiastical territory or eparchy of the Catholic Church in Brazil. Its episcopal see is São Paulo. The current bishop is Edgard Madi. The Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of São Paulo is a suffragan eparchy in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of São Paulo, a Latin Church archdiocese.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John D. Faris</span> American Maronite Catholic priest

John Denver Faris is an American Chorbishop of the Syriac Maronite Church of Antioch, serving the Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn, headquartered in Brooklyn, New York. He is a canon lawyer of the Eastern Catholic Churches, and an expert called upon for dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Eastern Christian Churches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Joseph Shaheen</span>

Robert Joseph Shaheen was an American prelate of the Maronite Catholic Church. He was the former Eparch of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon. He resided at St. Raymond's Cathedral in St. Louis, Missouri.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles</span> Eastern Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction in the United States

The Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon, is a Antiochene Syriac Maronite Church eparchy of the Catholic Church headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri with jurisdiction over the Maronite faithful in the western and central United States. In conformity with the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches (CCEO), the Eparchy is under the direct jurisdiction of the Roman Pontiff. In 2013 there were 52,300 baptized. It is currently ruled by eparch Abdallah Elias Zaidan, MLM.

Archbishop Francis Mansour Zayek was a prelate of the Maronite Church. He was the founding eparch of the Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn, an Eastern Catholic diocese based in Brooklyn, New York, which covers the eastern coast of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gregory John Mansour</span> Current eparch of the Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn

Gregory John Mansour is an American Maronite prelate, who has served as the eparch (bishop) of the Maronite Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn, a diocese based in Brooklyn, New York, covering the Maronite Church in the eastern United States, since 2004.

John George Chedid was a Lebanese-born American Maronite hierarch. He served as the first Bishop of the Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles from 1994 until his retirement in 2000.

The Eparchy of San Charbel in Buenos Aires is a Maronite Church ecclesiastical territory or eparchy of the Catholic Church in Argentina. It is a suffragan eparchy in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Buenos Aires, a Latin Church archdiocese.

Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon-St. Peter Cathedral is a Maronite Catholic cathedral located in Los Angeles, California, United States. It is the seat of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles along with St. Raymond Cathedral in St. Louis, Missouri.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Cathedral (Brooklyn)</span> Church in New York, United States

Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral is a Maronite Catholic cathedral located in Brooklyn, New York, United States. It is the seat of the Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn. It is located in the neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights in the oldest northwest section of the borough, across the East River from Manhattan. The church building originally housed the "Church of the Pilgrims" of the old Congregational Christian Church,.

Stephen Hector Youssef Doueihi was a bishop of the Maronite Church in the United States. He served as the eparch (bishop) of the Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn from 1997 to 2004.

Elias Shaheen or Elias Chahine was the first bishop of the Maronite Church in Canada and in 1985 was appointed Archbishop of the Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Saint Maron of Montreal.

Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Zahleh is an eparchy of the Maronite Church in Lebanon immediately subject to the Maronite Patriarch of Antioch. In 2014 there were 50,000 baptized. It is currently ruled by Eparch Joseph Mouawad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maronite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch</span> Eastern Catholic patriarchate in Lebanon

The Maronite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch is the seat of the Patriarch of the Maronite Church. It is currently governed by the Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, OMM.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Maron's Cathedral, Sydney</span> Church in New South Wales, Australia

The St. Maron's Cathedral, also called St Maroun’s Cathedral, is a Maronite rite Eastern Catholic Church cathedral church, located in Redfern, in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral, São Paulo</span> Church in São Paulo, Brazil

The Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral also called Maronite Cathedral of São Paulo Is the name that receives a religious building affiliated to the Catholic Church of Maronite rite that is located in the city of São Paulo in the state of the same name in the southeastern region of Brazil. It should not be confused with the other Catholic cathedrals of the city that include 4 of Latin rite and the other 2 of Catholic oriental rites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maronite Church</span> Syriac Eastern Catholic Church

The Maronite Church is an Eastern Catholic sui iuris particular church in full communion with the pope and the worldwide Catholic Church, with self-governance under the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. The head of the Maronite Church is Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, who was elected in March 2011 following the resignation of Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir. The seat of the Maronite Patriarchate is in Bkerke, northeast of Beirut, Lebanon. Officially known as the Antiochene Syriac Maronite Church, it is part of Syriac Christianity by liturgy and heritage.

References

  1. ↑ "The Eastern Catholic Churches 2017, Annuario Pontificio" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 October 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  2. ↑ "Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn, USA (Maronite Rite)" . Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  3. ↑ "The Eastern Catholic Churches 2017, Annuario Pontificio" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 October 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  4. ↑ "Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Cathedral, Brooklyn, New York, USA (Maronite)". www.gcatholic.org. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  5. ↑ "St. Maron Maronite Church, Detroit, Michigan, USA (Maronite)". www.gcatholic.org. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  6. ↑ "Exarchatus Apostolicus pro fidelibus ritus Antiocheni Maronitarum, Constitutio Apostolica, In Foederatis Americae Septemtrionalis Civitatibus exarchatus apostolicus constituitur pro fidelibus ritus Antiocheni Maronitarum, d. 10 m. Ianuarii a. 1966, Paulus PP. VI - Paulus PP. VI". w2.vatican.va. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  7. 1 2 "Obituary: Archbishop Francis M. Zayek, 89". Archdiocese of Miami. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  8. 1 2 "The Maronite Church in the U.S. Mourns the Death of Its First Shepherd" (PDF). The Maronite Voice. VI (IX). October 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 May 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  9. ↑ "Sancti Maronis Detroitensis, Constitutio Apostolica, Exarchatus apostolicus pro fidelibus ritus Antiocheni Maronitarum, in Foederatis Americae Septemtrionalis Civitatibus, ad gradum Eparchiae evehitur, d. 29 m. Novembris a. 1971, Paulus PP. VI - Paulus PP. VI". w2.vatican.va. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  10. ↑ [Decree of 27 June 1977, published in AAS, vol. LXIX,(1977), No. 9 (September 30, 1977), p. 548 (accessed July 6, 2013)]
  11. 1 2 3 "Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn (Maronite)". Catholic Hierarchy. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  12. ↑ "Omnium Catholicorum" . Retrieved 17 September 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.