|
0 members (),
722
guests, and
81
robots. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Forums26
Topics35,506
Posts417,454
Members6,150
| |
Most Online3,380
Dec 29th, 2019
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,405
Member
|
|
Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,405 |
The following changes in the hierarchy of the Melkite Greek-Catholic Church of Antioch were announced [ press.catholica.va] today: - Archbishop Cyrille Bustros, 72, until now Bishop of Newton, Massachusetts, has been elected Metropolitan Archbishop of Beirut and Jbeil. He succeeds Archbishop Joseph Kallas, 79, who has retired for reasons of age.
- Bishop Issam Darwish, 66, until now Bishop of St. Michael's of Sydney, Australia, has been elected Archbishop of Zahleh and Furzol, Lebanon. He succeeds Archbishop André Haddad, 80, who has retired for reasons of age.
- Bishop Nicholas James Samra, 66, has been appointed Bishop of Newton, Massachussets. He served as auxiliary Bishop of Newton from 1989 to 2005 and has carried out valuable pastoral work since then.
- Archimandrite Robert Rabbat, 51, has been appointed Bishop of St. Michael's of Sydney. Born in Beirut in 1960, he studied mathematics and engineering at Ohio State University. He studied philosophy and theology at Harissa and was ordained priest in 1994. He has been parish priest of St. Michael the Archangel in Hammond, Indiana, and editor of the eparchial journal Sophia. Since 2005 he has been rector of Annunciation Melkite Cathedral, West Roxbury, Massachusetts.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 10,090 Likes: 15
Global Moderator Member
|
|
Global Moderator Member
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 10,090 Likes: 15 |
"One day all our ethnic traits ... will have disappeared. Time itself is seeing to this. And so we can not think of our communities as ethnic parishes, ... unless we wish to assure the death of our community."
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,688
Moderator Member
|
|
Moderator Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,688 |
I just read that as well. May God grant them all many fruitful years as they guide their respective flocks!
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 10,090 Likes: 15
Global Moderator Member
|
|
Global Moderator Member
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 10,090 Likes: 15 |
"One day all our ethnic traits ... will have disappeared. Time itself is seeing to this. And so we can not think of our communities as ethnic parishes, ... unless we wish to assure the death of our community."
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 119
Member
|
|
Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 119 |
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 7,309 Likes: 3
Member
|
|
Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 7,309 Likes: 3 |
Whoa! Axios indeed. And many, many years.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,968
Member
|
|
Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,968 |
Axios! Was there a typo in the announcement [ pgc-lb.org]? : New bishops for the Greek Catholic Melkite Church
June 15, 2011
His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI has given his assent to the election of two archbishops, canonically elected by the Holy Synod of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, at Ain Traz on 25 June 2010.
They are:
The Most Rev. Archbishop Cyril Salim Bustros, hitherto Eparch of Newton (USA), elected Metropolitan of Beirut and Jbeil, Lebanon;
The Most Rev. Bishop Issam John Darwish, B. S., hitherto Eparch of St Michael the Archangel of Sydney, (Australia and New Zealand), elected Archbishop of Zahleh and Furzol, Lebanon. Did the Melkite Holy Synod elect these Archbishops in June of last year and this is only now being announced? Or did the announcement give the wrong date for the canonical election by the Synod? Also, is Lebanon part of the Melkite patriarchal territory?
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 10,090 Likes: 15
Global Moderator Member
|
|
Global Moderator Member
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 10,090 Likes: 15 |
David, my brother,
No typo. It has been very heavily rumored since the conclusion of last year's Synod that Archbishop Cyril was elected to the Metropolitan Archeparchy of Beirut and Bishop Issam to the Archeparchy of Zahleh - as well as that the Synod had put forth the names of Bishop Nicholas and Archimandrite Robert for the posts to which they've now been confirmed.
As to Lebanon, yes it is indeed within the historical territory of the Melkite patriarchate - and you have obviously noted the papal 'assent' to the elections of Archbishop Cyrille and Bishop Issam. I have no comment to offer that won't aggravate me to no end, so I'll refrain from offering any on that point and just rejoice in the naming of Bishop Nicholas, something long-awaited by many.
Many years,
Neil
"One day all our ethnic traits ... will have disappeared. Time itself is seeing to this. And so we can not think of our communities as ethnic parishes, ... unless we wish to assure the death of our community."
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,968
Member
|
|
Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,968 |
Thanks, Neil, for the explanations. I, too, am glad for the Melkite Eparchy in the US. Bishop Nicholas is a great man.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 695
Member
|
|
Member
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 695 |
AXIOS! AXIOS! AXIOS!
for Vlayda NICHOLAS (Samra) being elected Bishop of Newton!
It's about time too!
(to my shame, I had lost hope of it)
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 638 Likes: 1
Member
|
|
Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 638 Likes: 1 |
Yes, I remember Bishop Issam telling me last year over lunch that Bishop Nicholas was the designated person to be the Eparch of Newton.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 7,309 Likes: 3
Member
|
|
Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 7,309 Likes: 3 |
Father Joseph announced that Bishop Cyril had been elected Archbishop of Beirut some time ago--possibly before Nativity. I don't think it was a great secret.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 709
Member
|
|
Member
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 709 |
Axios! Axios! I'd heard rumors about Bishop Nicholas, and I rejoice that they are rumors no more!
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,518 Likes: 10
Member
|
|
Member
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,518 Likes: 10 |
Axios!
May God grant him many years!
I am curious why he wasn't selected as Bishop John's successor in the first place.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 38
Member
|
|
Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 38 |
I guess the assent might be more to make sure that there will be some continuity. I was told that the Pope personally opposed the transfer of Bp. Issam, my wishful thinking says it's because of the eparchy's expansion efforts to South East Asia. You would want continuity for such a big project, I suppose. Yes, Bp. Issam told me 3 mths ago that he expects to move to Zahle soon, and that Archimandrite Robert will be his successor. He assured my friends and I here in Indonesia, that the Archimandrite is well informed and is very supportive of bringing the Melkite Church to South East Asia, and Indonesia in particular. So, Axios for all four of them!
|
|
|
|
|
