Serving Each Other

Last night, again, was a great event not only because we had over 30 persons participate in the meeting but also and more importantly because we listened to two senior Church Council members who contributed to the building of the people of God in this church and who continue to contribute out of their love for the Church. To those who object to this approach, I say: Regardless of the heart and merits of everyone whom God alone knows and gives the grace to sanctify and strength to serve Him, the church is a community of sinners that lives by the mercy of God and the hope that comes from Christ our Saviour. She is made of sinners like you and me. Learn from the good things that your fellows in Christ did and do to help the Church.  If I invited two or three prominent people in the community to speak to us, it is because I believe that much good was done through their efforts for the Church. Christ came for us the lost more than for the saints. He served all and gave us the good example when he washed the feet of each of the apostles. It is you and me that Christ continues to call in order to serve each other and by serving each other we preserve the faith and Christian tradition. Last night was a call to the young families and the young ones to continue in the footsteps of their fathers and mothers, to teach their children the Christian moral values.

In this spirit we started the meeting with a reading from the Acts of the Apostles that reflected how the early Christians voluntarily served one another. Here it is:

“The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common. With great power the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all. There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need.” (Acts 4: 32-35)

In my introduction, I emphasized the need of all our families to live according to the Christian mandate of love founded on Jesus Christ our God and his apostles. We must work together and serve each other in the community. In the economic crisis we have in the globe, it is fundamental that each of us attempts to help the others who are out of jobs, because today's families depend on two parents working. When one of them stops working then other social evils may occur such as divorce and the consequent loss of children. We saw that in our discussion about marriage two weeks ago. For this reason I developed and published a blog http://melkiteworld.blogspot.ca/ and sent it to all on my email list. The first post is about finding jobs. To those looking for a job, please post your name, email address, city, country, and your area of jobs as a comment on the post. See my comment there (first comment) and do the same. If you are a business owner or senior manager in your business, have a look at the comments. You may be able to assist the ones who are seeking jobs in the same business line or in your company.

Then Joe Gideon spoke. He talked about the early community of Melkite Catholics in Toronto that he and his team helped build. Only 25 families in 1965! A priest would come from Montreal to serve the community and celebrate Mass every week. The Mass was celebrated in the Byzantine rite at St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Cathedral. Joe himself helped many young people of the Church find jobs. As I had said before, Joe helped me get my first job in Toronto in 1983. He did more with others. In 1994 through the efforts of Fr. Georges Farah and the Church Council, they raised $1.25 million to buy and own a church building with its big parking, our current Church: Jesus the King Church. Then in August 1994 we bought the current church building for $2 million and added to it all the necessary works to reflect a Byzantine church as much as possible. Joe said that he looked to soon have a Byzantine Church built in the free area owned by the Melkite Catholic Church. His vision is to involve the young adults in every activity that the older generation carried forward for the new projects of the Church. That was an impressive presentation which inspired many.

Ibrahim Akleh spoke too of the Church. He went back to the 19^th century as there was a small Melkite Catholic community in Toronto since then. The late Fr. Saba Dagher had written a short study about the growth of this small community which should be published as we need to preserve the Christian tradition for the new generations. He said that out of 25 families in 1965 there are today 1400 families who belong to the Melkite Catholic Church in Toronto. We have now three priests serving and leading the Church in two locations Jesus the King in Richmond Hill and St. Ambrose in Etobicoke: Fr. Georges Farah, Fr. Michel Chalhoub, and Fr. Youhanna Hanna. Ibrahim has been very active in the financial committee and in maintenance of the Church. He is always working with his team on projects under the guidance of Fr. Farah such as the festival of Jesus the King Church commemorating the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord on August 3, 4, and 5 this year.

Knowing that Joe Gideon has the gift of singing hymns and opera music I asked him to sing for us the beautiful hymn Ave Maria. He did perform it as a professional singer to the applause of all present.

A few friends asked the presenters about the finances of the parish's expansion project.  Joe asked everyone to contribute as much as they can to the project financing. Ibrahim mentioned that some Coptic Orthodox offered up to $6 million to buy it but their offer was turned down because the Church is our heritage. Is this a lesson for us? The answer is to get all united under Christ.

Before closing I thanked Joe Gideon and Ibrahim Akleh and all those who attended and pointed to the many gifts and treasures we have in our community mentioning by name the contributions of each of the attendees. We need to work harder to bring together these gifts for the Church and her Lord Jesus Christ. We will be acting on projects which support young families and children; for they are the future of the Church.

We closed with a hymn of thanksgiving to Christ played by Sonia Isho and sung by Ivan her husband and us. It was beautiful.

I asked Fr. Michel Chalhoub to give us the blessing and lead the closing prayer. He did it with advice to us and with much humility.

May the Lord be blessed.

Reforming The Catholic Church!

I have been reading the invaluable works of Henri de Lubac S.J. and the Dominican Yves Congar, both of whom contributed to writing the documents of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). In the 50th anniversary of the Council, it is, therefore, very opportune to recall the reform of the Catholic Church by the Council.

One of these reforms is the recognition of the Catholic Church of "Collegiality" which although not literally in the documents, constitutes a  deepening of understanding and a recovery of tradition forgotten by Popes since the major schisms in the first 1000 years of Christianity. Collegiality means that governance of the Catholic Church is not as superficially understood the prerogative of the Bishop of Rome alone, but is shared by all bishops of the Catholic Church who are in communion with the Bishop of Rome. This development is enshrined in Vatican II and, properly understood, cannot be over-ridden by a statement of any of the Congregations of the Roman Curia who wish to restore the supremacy to the Holy See of Rome in every matter. I recall Gerald Cardinal Carter, the late Archbishop of Toronto, who said once that the bishop does not derive his authority from the Bishop of Rome, but from Christ in view of the Apostolic tradition. Yves Congar commented on this same doctrine of collegiality that Vatican II rebalanced the imbalance created by the unfortunate events that hastened the end of Vatican I in 1870.

More significant is the contribution of the Melkite Catholic bishops who participated in Vatican II with vigour. We recall the interventions of Maximus IV Patriarch of Antioch for the Melkite Catholics. He said that the liturgical reform of the Latin Churches spoken about in the Council has already been for centuries in the Eastern Churches. The liturgy in the Eastern Church has always been celebrated in the local language. The celebration of the Eucharist in the Eastern Churches has always been in the offering of  both the body and blood of Christ together and never separated. With the reforms of Vatican II, the Western Roman Church started the movement of celebrating the Eucharist, at least on Holy Thursday, to offer both the body and blood of Christ. 


In the past few years, due to sexual scandals of a few bishops and priests, some voices raised the concern that Rome should authorize the elevation of some married men to the sacramental order of priesthood if found worthy. In spite of continuing opposition from Rome to these voices, the time has come to look again at this old tradition supported by the Apostle Paul and maintained to-date in all the Eastern Churches Catholic or Orthodox. For the sake of reunion of Christians, it is about time that Rome recognizes that the 11th century Gregorian Reform which ordered a disciplinary change to create celibate priests can always be reversed if needed. The Roman Catholic Church needs many more priests than the current celibate and aging priests.  In Canada, for example, Roman Catholic parishes are increasingly being served by priests from India and Africa. Moreover, the materialist way of life has been contagious to generations of Catholics who are trying to stay faithful to the Catholic tradition, yet see up to 40% of their families disintegrating due to unfaithfulness of spouses. Priests have not been immune to this phenomenon. A few of them have been unfaithful to their vows of chastity especially with children entrusted to their care. The media take every opportunity to exaggerate the percentage of unfaithful priests but Rome has instructed all the dioceses to report any child sexual abuse by priests to the civil authorities. The media, however, has already tarnished the face of Catholicism in the Western hemisphere. Although there is always a risk of the married priest giving priority to his family over his parish, this is by far less risky than finding a celibate priest engaged in inappropriate sexual relationship. Pastoral requirements demand going back to the ancient tradition. Look to the East! 

Marriage Today

At Jesus the King Church, this past Friday I led a discussion with more than 30 adults both young and older about love of couples and marriage today. The discussion was inspired by an interview/Web-chat on TVO’s The Agenda which can be seen here:

http://theagenda.tvo.org/blog/agenda-blogs/our-web-chat-lessons-learned-love

I wish to thank all participants who provided insights into their own experience on this morally important topic. We started the session with a reading from Genesis 2: 18-24 that reminded us of the reason a woman fulfills man’s desire for joy and life, and he too is her joy; for the woman complements man; their love to each other in marriage transcends the ups and downs of emotions and commits them together for a lifetime. “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body.” (Gen. 2: 24). We also ended the session with a hymn sung by Ivan and played by Sonia.

The Discussion

It is impossible to summarise every thought. I will give below some examples.

A bright single young man revealed how women, both single and married, chase him in the office through suggestive text messages in order to kiss him or make love with him. He explained that this kind of temptation is available in North America and Europe, and, we are sure, in the Middle East too. TV and the Internet are used to promote individual instant pleasure in some of their channels. Schools are sometimes too liberal for Christians. In a way, this reflects a trend in Western society where observance of strict sexual moral values has declined since the sexual revolution of the 1960s.

When asked what criteria she has in mind for selecting a suitable partner for life, a single young woman said she looks for a smart and caring man who is well cultured and probably of the same culture. Did a prospective spouse have to be rich? Most single persons said ”no.” I asked individuals of a group of recently married couples “What was the most important characteristic that made you choose your spouse?” One said “Her balanced personality” but did not deny that she looked pretty to him. A female spouse said “What matters is love and harmony. We help each other as much as we can” Other married couples echoed the importance of the good/wise personality.

When I asked a married lady whether she would leave her husband if she found her soul mate, her answer was no. Yet, without suspecting any lady or man in the meeting, I am aware of cases where the husband cheated on his wife and left her with their kids to live with another woman.  The negative impact of separation of spouses on children is enormous, said a married lady echoing recent studies that show how children of divorced parents become more prone to mistrust the other and divorce their spouses.

Older people in the meeting gave advice to the younger ones. One lady said her children introduced to her the girls they were planning to marry because in marriage a harmony between the families of both sides helps marriage. In the expensive life we live, both husband and wife usually have to work until retirement. During their work hours, they entrust their little kids to the grandparents where they are nourished and taught the basic Christian behaviour and manners.

As a husband for 30 years I spoke about my own experience. It is true that my wife and I have made sacrifices, for example not having a car for the first 9 years in Toronto, yet were able to give our kids the best education in moral and academic excellence in spite of my health condition. My wife has always supported me in the good and hard times and in all times when I was hospitalized.  What happened with us is in my opinion a blessing from God. As in any marriage, ups and downs in emotions are a fact of life but what matters is commitment and faithfulness beyond solely emotional or sensual attractions. To my young ones I say love is larger than infatuation although it may start with it. Marriage is for life! I will have to write more about it in another time.

Near the end, I asked Fr. Youhanna Hanna to give us a word since he is also a parent. It is amazing how the Lord called him to be father of a family and also of the community. Fr. Youhanna spoke about his experience and God in the middle of the love experience. After all, it is true love that comes from God that really matters. I will have to ask him to send a little word of what he said.

Georges Farah: He must increase, but I must decrease.

Today June 24 is the feast day of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ. What is the significance of John the Baptist? 

“He must increase, but I must decrease.” John the Baptist said of Jesus (John 3:30). “The entire Gospel is summarized in this sentence” said Fr. Georges Farah in his homily today. In our life, the more we give space to God the more we see our need for him.  And the more we see our need for God, the more we realize his love for us.

Do we dare to say with John the Baptist “He must increase, but I must decrease”? Do I dare to let the other person increase while I decrease? Do I dare to risk my own "dignity" for the sake of building the other who is in need of Christ? Do I dare to preach Christ as John the Baptist preached him, a man who was martyred for the truth by the king who feared him?  

Fifty Years After Vatican II - Reassessing Unity in Truth

Vatican II was the great Council of the 20th century. While it sought unity with separated Christians, we still see this unity is not realized yet among Christians. In my opinion, some polarized positions whether in the Liberal/Progressive or Conservative/Traditionalist camps reinterpreted the Council's documents to accommodate their own positions.

Within the Catholic fold there have been many issues related to misinterpretation of the Church's position on numerous issues both doctrinal and moral. Here are a few:

Following Vatican II, a few theological opinions distorted presentation of the Catholic doctrine on the Church. In response, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a declaration approved by the Supreme Pontiff for publication in 1973:
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19730705_mysterium-ecclesiae_en.html

With the outbreak and spread of the Sexual Revolution and its questions around sexual ethics, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a declaration approved by the Supreme Pontiff for publication in 1975: 
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19751229_persona-humana_en.html

On questions about the position of the Catholic Church regarding Masonic Associations, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a declaration in 1983 emphasizing the grave status of Catholics who enroll in Masonic Associations. See it here:
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19831126_declaration-masonic_en.html

With the spread of meditations of Eastern religions and philosophies such as Buddhist meditation, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith warned Catholic bishops of the dangers of confusing a negative outlook or escape from the world as expressed in these philosophies with Christian prayers whose goal is to sanctify the world:
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19891015_meditazione-cristiana_en.html

The Vatican also published "A Christian Reflection on the 'New Age'" in 2003:
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/interelg/documents/rc_pc_interelg_doc_20030203_new-age_en.html

One of the most known cases was Liberation Theology in Latin America that used Marxist tools to increase Catholics commitment to the poor. See the response of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith here:
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19840806_theology-liberation_en.html

Another was the radical Feminists attempts to improve women's status in a Western society that is increasingly becoming liberal. After questioning the Church's position on the dignity of women, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith responded with a letter approved for publication by the Holy Father to the bishops of the Catholic Church on the collaboration of men and women in the Church. See it here:
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20040731_collaboration_en.html
Feminists staunchly demanded and attempted the ordination of women to the sacrament of Orders. The response of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith came in its decree approved by the Supreme Pontiff and dated December 21, 2002:
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20021221_scomunica-donne_en.html


On the Conservative/Traditionalist side, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre caused a schism by ordaining bishops without Rome's approval for which he was excommunicated from the Catholic Church in 1988. Traditionalist continue to demand a restoration of the Church to pre-Vatican II atmosphere where the Roman Curia was in charge of the entire Catholic Church. You can sense the polarization too in the attitudes towards the Holy See whenever the Pope makes statements that support the Jewish faith or the Muslim faith. If the Pope supports Israel, then Arabs scream at him. If he shows a stand with Arab Palestinians then Israelis condemn him.

Yet we still hope that every thing will be well. Reunion is not as easy as we thought 50 years ago. Dialogue with the Orthodox Churches shows that Catholics and Orthodox are in agreement on probably 95% of their common heritage. Much of the perceived differences between Catholics and Orthodox are to a great extent due to memories of events of rivalry or proselytism in the past. Dialogue with some Communions of the Reformation has shown that in essential things they agree with the doctrines of the Catholic Church.  In addressing the World Council of Churches, John Paul II emphasized the faith of Catholics that Jesus Christ alone is the Saviour of all. As for dialogue with major religions, advances have been made in prayers at Assisi and elsewhere. All moderates on all sides seem to agree that the only way to go forward is to work together. This is particularly important as atheism and materialism creep in the global village.