Bishop Gregory Mansour Homily At Enthronement

Bishop of the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn
As of Today, I Entrust Myself to You.
“With You I Am Christian, For You I Am a Bishop.”
Today I Am Yours.
Bishop Gregory Mansour Homily At Enthronement

Following his enthronement ceremony, Bishop Gregory John Mansour presided over a solemn Divine Liturgy. After reading from the Gospel of John, the gospel of the Good Shepherd, he addressed his church for the first time as a bishop. Following is the full text of his homily.

In the Gospel today we have the story of the Good Shepherd who freely lays down his life for his sheep…he is not a hired hand, he is shepherd. I too am ready to lay down my life for you, and like Peter and the first bishops of Antioch, I am not afraid to do so generously.

I chose “no greater love” for my motto, not because I am good at it, but rather….to encourage myself to live it.

In this I have had many teachers, mostly, but not only priests. Spouses lay down their lives for each other, parents, sometimes single parents, do this for their children, generous single people do this for their families and others, those who are primary care-givers do this silently. Our priests do this every day in the hidden arena of their parish life.

The Gospel of Christ does not exist in mere words. We are not like the Mardi Gras partyers who forget about the beginning of Lent. Good Friday and Easter Sunday mean less to us if there is not also a Holy Saturday, a day when we are asked to make peace with God, neighbor our own soul. We are admonished in our prayer of that day “You who are angry, find another God other than the Crucified One.” Thus Holy Saturday is a day for reconciliation, it brings us to the Peace of Easter Sunday, and face- to- face with the God of Peace.

Like Holy Saturday, the day of the Last Supper, Holy Thursday, is complete only by Christ’s washing the feet of the disciples. Thus humble service and the Eucharist are forever linked. “What good is it to have faith,” James asks, “ and no action to correspond.” This faith is meaningless. Thus, Holy Saturday gives meaning to Easter, and loving service gives meaning to our Eucharist.

Today in this Eucharist, I give thanks to God for all the many gifts He has bestowed on me in my life. I give thanks and I make an offering.

The word “Eucharist” in Greek means “thanksgiving.” The word Qorbono, in Syriac means “offering.” Thus, today I bring my gift to the altar, my very self and I give thanks.

In this Mary is our model. She came to God in thanksgiving, she offered herself, her very person, and in her womb abided the One who dwells in the heavens.

Like Mary we, too, come today in thanksgiving. We offer our gifts, ourselves, and by this offering we receive communion with the living God who dwells in the humble heart as in a mansion.

In this context, I want to offer:

• Our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, my respect and obedience,
• to Patriarch Nasrallah Peter Cardinal Sfeir, my love and loyalty,
• to Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, Apostolic Nuncio, who represents the Holy Father in our midst, a special welcome,

• to the Maronite Synod of Bishops, a prayer for solidarity.

• Specifically to Archbishop Francis M. Zayek, our founder, Bishop John G. Chedid, my mentor Bishop Robert J. Shaheen, my brother bishop, and Bishop Stephen Hector Doueihi, my teacher, ..as well as to Archbishop Harb of Lebanon, Bishop Mahfouz of Brazil, Bishop Khoury of Canada, Bishop Abi-Younes of Mexico, Father Khalil Alwan, the Superior of the Krimist Fathers, Monsignor Khairallah of the Patriachal Synod. To Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishops Basil Schott, Stefan Soroka, and Peter Gerty and the many Latin and Eastern Catholic archbishops, bishops and priests here today, among them Bishop Robert A. Brucato, representing Cardinal Egan, Bishop DiMarzio of Brooklyn, Bishop Migilore, Holy See Representative to the United Nations, Bishops of New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, Bishops of the Melkite, Armenian, Syriac, Syro Malabar, Ukrainian, and Ruthenian Catholic Churches here present, my special thanks and my love.

• To the clergy, religious and the laity of the Eparchy of Saint Maron . As of today, I entrust myself to you. St. Augustine said, “With you I am Christian, for you I am a Bishop.” Today I am yours.

• A special word of respect and esteem to the priests of the Eparchy of Saint Maron, the hidden heroes of our Church. We know that we are called to a higher standard, to a stricter account by one God. A word of thanks to the priests and to those who have gone before us.

• A special word of thanks to Archbishop Zayek, founding bishop of the Maronite Church in the USA, and Bishop Doueihi who contributed so much to her life and who poured their life into this church. Thank you.

• To Monsignor Sadek and this Cathedral Parish, my new home, I come to you as a Pastor, a brother and a fellow Christian.

• To the Abbot of Holy Trinity Maronite Monastery, Mothers Superior of the Antonine Sisters and Hermits of Jesus, Rector of our Maronite seminary, monks, nuns, deacons and subdeacons and wives, seminarians, the members of the National Apostolate of Maronites (NAM),the Order of Sharbel, the Maronite League from Lebanon, the International Maronite Foundation, members of the Catholic Near East Welfare Society (CNEWA), Catholic Home Missions Board, distinguished ecumenical guests, especially Archbishop Khouri, representing Metropolitan Phillip Saliba of the Orthodox Church,to civil and non Catholic friends and guests, welcome.

• Welcome to Congressman Lahood and Kildee, The Lebanese Ambassador to the United Nations, the Consul General of Lebanon, members of the news media …

• To my Father, George here present, and Amal, my brothers and sisters, Brian, Joni, John, Suzie, George, Najib, Wissam, Monie and their families, my aunts, uncles, cousins, relatives and friends, all who have come today as well as those who were unable to travel.

• For my departed mother Gloria Farhat Mansour a special prayer of gratitude, as well for my departed cousins Dolores and Ann, and my friend Mark, and for all those whom I love, and who love me, and whose lives have helped form me as a Christian and as a priest.

• For all this and for so much more, I come to give you thanks O Lord, and to make my offering part of the offering of the church throughout the world.

We have a common work to do, my friends, it is the work of the Church, the work of salvation. I cannot do this work by myself nor do I want to…I need your help, we need to work together. By virtue of our baptism, we are collaborators with Christ.

To begin, we must protect, respect and honor life which is a gift from God. This begins with the unborn… People ask why does the Church insist on this principle of respect for life? Because it is foundational, the bedrock of a civilization of love, a culture of life which we are called to create and promote. It is not a Catholic issue, but a moral and justice issue. We defend the marginalized, serve the forgotten, the poor, the immigrant… we protect children who have the right to be safe in our society, and grow up well-loved, respected and valued. We live and we love the Gospel and the Person of Jesus Christ…

The Church like our mother, is as dear to us as is Christ. We do not use her for our own gain, exploit her or, unduly criticize her. She is a beautiful instrument in the hand of God to bring good news to the world. Thus, by our lives we preserve and promote her spiritual, moral and cultural heritage.

We are willing to challenge society, and not just accept everything as it is; we bring to society a respect for the dignity of each human person, we promote the beauty of chastity (there is nothing wrong with loving this virtue today), we honor the gift of married love, and we place family life first.

We are practicing Catholics, not perfect, but practicing. We are not “grocery cart” Catholics who pick and choose what we believe. Rather, we have the courage to accept the fullness of the truth as taught by the Magisterium of the Church. Our parishes are an oasis for anyone looking for a spiritual home, especially Maronites who want to come home, as well as all Middle Eastern Christians of different denominations.

Lebanon is a holy place for us, a spiritual homeland, a wonderful yet fragile experiment of Christian – Muslim conviviality. Thus with our Patriarch, whom we fully support, we are not afraid to wage a war of persuasion and friendship for her integrity, her mission, her right to self governance, and her free decision, and to promote her cultural value and heritage as a gift to the world – West and East.

We strive for a new solidarity with Maronite Catholics everywhere. As the Maronite Patriarchal Synod has been saying, we are one Church….yet.

We are also part of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. Thus we also take our proper place among all the Catholic Churches under the Holy Father, and rather than to turn-in on ourselves, we turn out toward others, and place ourselves in their service, properly equipped with the beautiful tools of the liturgy, music, poetry, language, and culture of our Maronite Catholic and Aramaic heritage, so close to the culture of Jesus Himself.

We have much to do. With God’s help, and by His loving plan, we begin anew, together. Strengthened by the work of those who have gone before us, we begin.

As you leave the Cathedral today, I hope you will pray for me and for the Church so that God will give us the courage and the grace to fulfill this apostolic mission. Let us also say a special prayer for Lebanon, and for peace in the Middle East.

From my heart to yours, thank you. May Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd and the light of the world, and our Blessed Mother Mary keep you in their loving care.

Saints Maron, John Maron, Sharbel, Rafka, soon to be canonized Blessed Hardini, may the Blessed Massabki Brothers, and one day we hope, Patriarch Doueihi, and all the Maronite saints, pray for us.

As we prepare to offer ourselves in this Eucharist, let us together profess together our faith.

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Brief Reflection in Honor of Our Lady

St. Maron Church Philadelphia
May 16, 2008

Msgr. Sharbel Lischaa, Pastor of St Maron and Beloved Parishioners;
Bishops Mansour, Aboujaoude and Shaheen;
Fathers Mouawad, Madi, Beloved Clergy, Religious and Laity;

We gather today on day after the Feast of Our Lady of the Harvest, May 15th. We take time to chant, with heartfelt emotion and sincere respect, the Ya Um Allah and we honor Mary under her many titles.

In a special way these days we pray for a good spring harvest and ask Mary’s intercession. We also ask Our Lady for a blessing on our spiritual harvest as well. Whenever we sow in justice we reap peace. Each of our actions and words sow either justice and peace or hurt and division.

Let our entire life sow justice and goodness so that the fruits of our labor may be peace.

May Our Lady of the Harvest, Our Lady of Lebanon, bless all our endeavors and bring Lebanon justice and peace. Amen

✝ Patriarch Nasrallah Peter Cardinal Sfeir

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Divorce and Remarriage

Why would the Church want to make life difficult for those who have already gone through a painful civil divorce? According to critics of the Catholic annulment process, the Church “re-traumatizes” Catholics who want, and deserve, a second chance at marriage after their first marriage failed.

Why should the Catholic Church make people go through an annulment in the first place? No other Church or Christian community, Orthodox or Protestant, makes anyone go through this in such a detailed procedure. In fact, no other religion in the world forces anyone to review his or her previous marriage before being able to marry again. Couldn’t the priest who is preparing the couple for marriage simply discern whether both parties have sufficiently “worked through” their previous marriage(s) and are now ready to “go on?”

Why is there need for a separate Church tribunal to discern whether or not there was a valid marriage that continues to bind someone, or if there was some problem that may need attention before someone remarries? Is not this matter a personal one, and not the business of anyone else? Why does the Church take marriage so seriously, and stop people from doing what they want to do?

The only answer to these questions is the seriousness in which the Church takes Jesus’ prohibition of divorce. Jesus told the men of his time that although Moses permitted divorce, they should not (Matt 5:31). Jesus said that a man and wife are one before God and no man should “put asunder” this bond (Matt 19:6). In fact, Jesus taught that man and wife are “one flesh”, a very strong reminder of the beautiful unity of a man and woman as husband and wife.

The Church takes divorce seriously because it takes marriage seriously. Marriage is a pact, a covenant between a man, a woman and God. Nonetheless, we know that people change, they make mistakes, and sometimes cannot keep promises. The Church understands that. The practice of annulment may not be the best means to help discern the true sacramentality or validity of a marriage that has failed, but nonetheless, it is the best way the Church has been able to develop to help us to both honor our Lord’s prohibition of divorce, and at the same time to accommodate the reality of broken marriages.

If you, a family member or friend is divorced and remarried outside the Church I hope you will contact your local parish priest to discuss what can be done to help you receive the Sacraments again. You may also call Fathers Abdallah Zaidan or Francis Marini at the Eparchial Marriage Tribunals of Our Lady of Lebanon or St Maron respectively. We will assist in any way we can.

✝ Gregory John Mansour

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Got Anger?

Ever notice that people stay away from people who always seem angry? Who wants to be around them? Maybe that is why Pope Francis is so popular. He seems to be genuinely happy, even in the midst of so many difficulties!

Anger can become quite destructive if left unchecked, yet all people have anger issues, we just learn how to manage it. We may be angry because of something someone did, or did not do; or at those who seem to "tell us what to do"; or we are sometimes angry and we don't even know why.

Aristotle put it this way: "Everybody can get angry, that's easy. But getting angry at the right person, with the right intensity, at the right time, for the right reason and in the right way, that's hard." Some Christians justify that anger by saying that Jesus was angry when he chased the money changers from the Temple. Yes, he was angry; but after all, the Son of God has every right to be angry! Nonetheless, scientists who have studied the Shroud of Turin, which is believed to have covered the face and body of the battered, scourged, pierced and crucified Christ, continue to be amazed at the serene look on the face of the Son of God. If Jesus was angry at one time, and for some specific reason, he certainly did not stay angry like the rest of us do!

Anger, has become an epidemic today. We live in an angry world; and there is no sign of it letting up! Got anger? God invites us to find a way to "get over it". By tempering anger with love and mercy, as Pope Francis does, we can manage our lives a little better, and we will be happier, more like disciples of the Crucified One. Got Anger. Get God!

✝ Bishop Gregory J. Mansour

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Homily For the Twenty-fifth Anniversary of Priesthood

Sunday September 16, 2007

On September 16, 2007, His Excellency Bishop Gregory Mansour, Bishop of the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn, celebrated his Silver Anniversary of Priesthood at Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral in Brooklyn, N.Y. Following is the homily Bishop Mansour preached during the Divine Liturgy.

I was told to keep it short, so I offer three words: a word on the Gospel, a word in honor of Mary, and a personal word of thanks.

The portion of the Gospel assigned to the First Sunday after the Feast of the Holy Cross is the story in the Gospel of Mark of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who asked Jesus the honor to sit on His right and left in glory. Jesus asked if they could share the same “cup of pain” as he would. They said they were willing, and we know that they eventually shared in his pain. In Jerusalem, where he was bishop, James was the first apostle martyred (Acts 12:2), and John, exiled to the Island of Patmos (Rev 1:9), lived a long life (later in Ephesus) as guardian of the Virgin Mary, yet endured much suffering by what he saw as a witness to Christ.

Nonetheless, Jesus did not grant their request to sit at his right and left. Rather he instructed them, and all the disciples, especially those indignant with such a request, that true greatness comes from loving service.

Oddly enough, the account of the “sons of Zebedee” in Matthew’s Gospel has the mother of the “sons” come to Jesus to make this request. There is also something else in Matthew’s Gospel that is noteworthy: this same mother of the “sons of Zebedee” is also mentioned among the women at the Cross! There, both mothers came to know firsthand the message of the Cross, “a stumbling block for the Jews and complete foolishness for the Gentiles, yet for those who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor 1:23).

What a gift it is for our mothers to be with us both in our glory and in our shame. For this reason, in the Season of the Victorious Cross, my second word is to honor Mary, who at the foot of the Cross, bears with all mothers and all people the labors and burdens of the day.

We wonder how Christ’s mother made room for the mother of James and John, “sons of Zebedee” at the foot of the Cross. How did she manage the jealousies among the apostles, each vying for his place among the most important? How was she able to pray with them in the Upper Room as together they awaited the promised gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost? How has she managed to follow God’s people throughout history as mother and guide?

It is this strong, faithful and maternal love, a Marian love, that we call upon in our celebration today of the Eucharist of her Son. To our shame, we reflect on our own power struggles, jealousies, insecurities, adult yet childish competitions that leave us far from her Son and far from one another, and we ask her for help.

Lastly, on a personal note, with John and James, sons of Zebedee, I too have sought the glory of sitting at Christ’s right or left; yet I have been given the grace to also know the “cup of pain” associated with that close following of Christ.

With James and John I have also learned the joy of loving service, as well as the sadness of personal competition. All my priestly assignments, and for that matter, my assignment as bishop as well, have been decisions of my superiors, and for this I thank God. Although I have not chosen any of them, I have chosen Christ and continue to choose Christ and serve Him in the priesthood. For me all the rest is grace! My life has been a life of grace.

On this 25th anniversary of the priesthood, this son of Mary as well as all her priest sons offer this Eucharist and ask her prayer on behalf of her sons and daughters. May God make us pleasing in His sight, and may the prayer of the Virgin Mary, present at the Cross, at Pentecost and here today, be always with us.

✝ Gregory John Mansour

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Homily for the Priest Retreat 2009

Saint Paul reveals his great zeal for the Gospel as well as his personal disappointments when he says in his first letter to the Corinthians: “Please put up with a little foolishness on my part…For I am jealous of you with the jealousy of God, since I betrothal you to one husband to present you as a chaste virgin to Him…but I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve, someone has deceived you” (1Cor 11:1-4).

Brothers, as pastors we too carry in our bosom a similar zeal as well our own personal disappointments. We love those entrusted to us and yet grieve their sins and faults. We sometimes feel betrayed by their weakness and misdeeds. It is not easy to love, pastor, care and lead. It is even harder when one encounters contempt, dislike, or lack of respect.

Saint Paul felt betrayed; and, therefore, needed to “boast” of the many sacrifices and hardships he endured to bring to “full stature every person in Christ.”(Col 1:28) He needed to boast because he felt belittled by his peers - the very people he was called to serve. Sounds familiar? Nothing hurts more than harmful words, deeds or lack of support from those we trust and love.

However, just criticism can help us improve our Christian witness and unjust criticism can help us be conformed more to Christ. But it still hurts.

Saint John the Baptist gives us some perspective in our need to be built up and not torn down. Although he says very little in the Gospel, his simple words have made him a great consolation to all priests and consecrated persons in the Lord’s Service: “I am the voice crying out in the desert: make straight the way of the Lord.” (Jn 1:23)

Brothers, we do not preach our own sanctity, our own virtues, or our own reputation. We preach Christ, and as Saint Paul says “Him Crucified” (1 Cor 1:23). It is not in our name that we baptize, but Christ’s. It is not our churches that we build, but His. It is not our sufferings that we bear, but His. It is not all about us – this ministry entrusted to our care - but about Him: “Whoever receives the one I send, receives me.” (Jn 13:20)

There will always be times when we as priests will be shaken, grieved and personally hurt and disappointed by our peers, our superiors, or by the people we love and serve. Nonetheless, the zealous Saint Paul, and the clear-minded Saint John the Baptist would tell us simply and passionately “He must increase, but I decrease (Jn 3:30).

✝ Bishop Gregory J. Mansour

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Is the Catholic Church too Strict?

Is the Catholic Church too strict? What about marriage and divorce, about priests who want to marry after priestly ordination, about all the difficult moral teachings on abortion, homosexuality, sex outside marriage, etc.? Rather than being a “fortification of forgiveness”, as our Liturgy for the Dedication of the Church describes, some say we are a fortification of unbending moral principles that exclude and expel rather than include and welcome, a wall too high to allow some to climb in, and to daunting a task for others who want to find their way home. Recent press about the Catholic Church portrays us as if we are stuck in “ideological” positions that are irreconcilable for those who want to love and be open to the world. Can I as a Catholic, be open to the world around me and to others who think, feel and live differently than I do?

As a Bishop for more than five years and a priest for more than twenty seven, I have become used to the difficult teachings of the Church. This may sound as if I have surrendered my God given right to think for myself and to stand up to authority. However, as a thinking, willful man, not a cardboard, unfeeling, unthinking person, but as a man, a sexual being, a passionate and loving person, who likes to do it “my way”, I love the Church and believe all She holds and teaches. I am even willing to lay down my life for Her and Her Lord, Jesus Christ. But how can I accept all her hard teachings? This is how:

• If I were a married man, and my marriage failed due to my own fault, the fault of my spouse or a combination of both, I would take the time to let a Church tribunal review my marriage to see if the essential ingredients of a Christian marriage were missing or not, before I sought to reenter into marriage.

• If as a priest I were to fall in love and want to marry, if I would have taken my time to discern, I would then ask the Holy See to dispense me so I can live accordingly. I would understand that the Church has the right to require certain sacrifices of Her ministers and I would accept these as part of Her nature.

• If I were a homosexual person and wanted to share my life with someone special I would not force others to see this as marriage, but rather a form of friendship. I would try my best to be chaste and to honor the time held Christian belief that sexual activity belongs to a man and woman in marriage.

• If I had encouraged someone to seek an abortion, I would seek the forgiveness of Christ through the Sacrament of Penance and then work to build a more just society that supports women in difficult times and at the same time affirms the sacredness of life from conception to natural death.

• If I were a scientist or a doctor I would respect the embryo as a unique human person. If I were a married man I would respect my wife’s God given nature and respect the natural fecundity of our love and study well Natural Family Planning. If I disagreed with Church teachings I would continue to study them in depth until I could say to myself and others that I understand.

Pope John Paul II set the Church on a solid foundation when during five years of Wednesday audiences he taught on human love and sexuality, giving a positive view to our natural desire to “love and to be loved.” He gave basic rules for engagement in these talks, now dubbed Theology of the Body, which transforms the “thou shall not” approach into a “respect thy nature” approach. He simply asked us to honor God and the way He made us as man and woman in His image. This is the core of the moral and ethical life.

Is the Catholic Church too strict? Perhaps, but She is also faithful to Christ who said “be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect.” (Matt 5:48) If we are not up to the challenge of following Christ completely, we need humility to at least try. With humility we can learn from our mistakes. We must seek holiness, which will always entail a certain cost to ourselves. We must always be “practicing” Catholics, never perfect. The Church may be strict, but as a Fortification of Forgiveness, as a Mother and as guide to the faithful She is always able to help us find our way if we are willing to practice.

✝ Gregory J Mansour

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Loneliness

Loneliness can be one of the most difficult feelings to shake, and if not checked, can become a destructive force, even leading to suicide. Yet no one can escape feeling lonely and it is something that faith alone cannot completely remedy. All people, whether married, single, priest, or consecrated religious will inevitably feel lonely at times and must deal with these feelings throughout their whole lives.

In some cases loneliness is more poignant and painful. I wonder if our handicapped brothers and sisters and elderly who live alone fight with these feelings. Likewise, patients at nursing homes and hospitals, although busy and bustling places, may feel forgotten and long for the warmth and love of friendship. Although it would take just a little kindness for them to feel welcome, often few even bother to visit.

Loneliness often can come as a result of the choices we have made, or circumstances in our lives. Separation and divorce can ignite feelings of rejection and lead to seclusion. The pain of rejection is a high price to pay, but it is sometimes the bitter side of loving. Single people also, may question the meaning and value in their lives when they feel a certain loneliness. Catholics who have a homosexual inclination, and who try to live their faith and to live chastely, sometimes feel that this world (and perhaps their Church as well) has let them down. They deserve our respect and encouragement.

Married people, as well, suffer from the pain of loneliness. Even when marriage is good, spouses still pass through difficult times when they feel alone. They may feel that their partner does not understand, or marriage is not what it ought to be, and at times it is quite difficult to bear. While a spouse and children may take the edge off loneliness, they can never completely eradicate it, nor should they, since they are gift, not a possession to erase loneliness.

Although loneliness is an inevitable part of our lives, there are certain things that seem to help when we feel alone. The feeling of being close to someone and being able to speak freely, without fear of being judged helps a great deal. Friendships are very important, although we cannot and should not place all our expectations on friends to cure our loneliness. In his reflection on friendship, in The Prophet, Khalil Gibran writes, “For what is your friend that you should seek him with hours to kill? Seek him always with hours to live. For it is his to fill your need, but not your emptiness.”

Prayer is a great support in dealing with “emptiness.” The late Father Henri Nouwen, in his spiritual classic Reaching Out emphasizes that life is a threefold movement of reaching out, first to our innermost being, then to others and also to God. Even if prayer is often dry, or our relationship with God is a “work in progress” praying is still reaching out to Him.

However, there is no guarantee that prayer and reaching out to others can banish loneliness. We know that life is difficult and although love heals, it can also hurt! The paradox of loneliness is that only by giving love and extending friendship to others can we actually receive it in return. This is a hard lesson to learn. The words of St. John of the Cross come to mind: “Where there is no love, place love, and you will find love.” How true!

As a young man, a priest and now bishop I have experienced loneliness. It has been a great grace for me to have the support of family, a few faithful friends and the joy of serving the Church to help me realize that there are ways to remedy loneliness, or at least to take its edge off. When I was young, a priest was the first to help me move from my own personal loneliness to a certain inner peace and solitude. This may be why I feel close to the youth in their longing for love and friendship. Their loneliness can be quite painful; however, their generosity of spirit and their love for life is quite needed in today’s world. They are not afraid to hope, believe, or give generously. If there is an answer to our loneliness, our young people have found it: they believe it is in sincere prayer and in the joy of human love. I agree, and thank God for the young.

We were created to live in communion with God and others. When we can touch the “emptiness” inside of ourselves without running from it, we can find God’s healing joy, and then are able to share it. When we recognize this God-given call to communion with others, we help ease the loneliness of those around us, whether they are family, friends or strangers. More importantly, the way we reach out to God and to others is the key to help us to transform our own painful loneliness into a generous solitude.

The great Saint Augustine prayed “our hearts are restless until they rest in You, O God.” Our hearts are restless, but this is for a reason: to need others and to need God. It is this loving Father who put loneliness, not isolation, in our hearts, because He knows that we are at our best when we need others, for we are forced to break down the walls of our self-imposed isolation, and reach out in a way that makes this world better. Loneliness is difficult to bear, but the other side of this interior struggle is communion and hope. O Mary, Mother of all who seek God and the good of others, pray for us.

✝ Gregory J. Mansour

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Homily for the Feast of Pentecost | 31 May 2020

Homily for the Feast of Pentecost

31 May 2020

Cathedral of Our Lady of Lebanon

Brooklyn, New York

Bishop Gregory John Mansour

“Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love and you shall renew the face of the earth”. 

This beautiful prayer shows the power of the Holy Spirit to change us and to make the earth new again. Like the warmth of the sun that makes all things grow, like the rainfall that waters the parched earth, the Holy Spirit makes all things new again.

But for a moment let’s go beyond the beauty of creation, and of God’s Holy Spirit, and focus on our own sinful human actions. We can name just a few:

Human trafficking, pollution, wars, refugees, the internally displaced, greed, egotism, “me first”, political rivalries, hatred, anger, revenge, poverty, apathy, “I do not care”. Sound familiar? Unfortunately, all too familiar these days. May God’s Holy Spirit help us! 

Pope Francis noted these sinful human behaviors in the middle of the Coronavirus Pandemic. On March 27, 2020, in a stunningly beautiful walk in the rain in a lonely Saint Peter Square, he invited us to seek forgiveness. He challenged us to care, to call upon God for help, to become better, and to change. 

Nonetheless, one sentence in his address stands out, in fact, it could be considered an indictment of our bad behavior.

Pope Francis said, “We carried on regardless, thinking we could stay healthy in a world that was sick”. (Urbi et Orbi address) 

This sobering indictment was meant to wake us up, and for many, like myself, it did. The Holy Father then granted a plenary indulgence to all who during this Pandemic served those in need, and he asked us to stay in the state of grace, far from any sin.

In the Divine Liturgy of Pentecost, right after the priest’s communion, we celebrate the Rite of Genuflection, which is a sincere and honorable worship of God. It is sincere because we kneel and pray, not only with our lips, but with our lives, changed by the Holy Spirit. 

The Pentecost of 2,000 years ago, was a time of deep and abiding change for the early Christians; they found the courage to do God’s will, even to suffer death for the truth of God’s merciful invitation to repent. They also found the courage to be humble before God, and to accept any harsh treatment, just as their Lord and Master did.

There’s a story in the Old Testament, in the Book of Genesis, that reminds us of just how human beings can be sinful towards one another. The story begins with the joy and harmony of Adam and Eve in paradise, which is central to understanding the Bible. But then comes the Fall of Adam, then Cain’s murder of his brother, Abel, out of jealously. Then evil multiplied on the earth, and so Noah and the flood came as a “solution” to man’s sinfulness. Then came the Tower of Babel, where the people continued, even after Noah, to grow in sinfulness, competition, envy, and hatred. Once again, we are reminded of the words of Pope Francis: “people carried on regardless, thinking they would stay healthy in a world that was sick”. This was the world of long ago, but unfortunately, it is also our world of today: defiant and angry, “carrying on regardless”.

Pentecost is different. One could say it is the opposite of this uncaring world. In fact, Pentecost is the remedy for this world of sin. In the Acts of the Apostles we read that the early Christians were of one heart and one mind; they preached a life-giving repentance. They welcomed all people into this new “Way”. They gave of their wealth to the community, so that poor among them felt at home and equal. They thought of the orphan and widow, and so they ordained deacons to serve them. They “broke the bread” and prayed in their homes. They were no longer afraid of what Jesus suffered, but were willing to suffer this way themselves. They spoke their own language, yet different people from different lands understood them in their own language. This new “Way” is the direct opposite of Babel, where because people were so evil to each other, God confused their languages, but now God’s followers could make themselves understood to all, they included all, and they served all, especially the poor and marginalized among them.

Pentecost is a marked change in human history. Jesus’ way of life and of death become the way and the hope of the early Christians. They were unafraid to say, as we do and in Arabic “we are witnesses of this”, of what? of Christ risen! (Nahna shoodun ala thalika) Those early Christians now witnessed unafraid their new hope found in Jesus Christ, crucified and risen from the dead. 

On the Feast of Pentecost, with the Rite of Genuflection, a humble kneeling before God, the words of Pope Francis remind us of our past way of life: “we carried on regardless, thinking we could stay healthy in a world that was sick”. Today we humbly acknowledge that we made the world sick by our greed, hatred, anger, revenge, rivalries, and apathy. However, today by God’s grace, and by the gift of the Holy Spirit, we also help make this tired and sick world of ours right again.

With God’s Holy Spirit, the prayer of the Virgin Mary and the Apostles, and our own life-giving repentance, in Jesus’ name, we can make the world new again.

“Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love, and you shall renew the face of the earth”.

Please Consider Helping These Worthy Lebanese Institutions

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Our hearts go out to our brothers and sisters in Lebanon who are enduring their greatest difficulties since the civil war.  The economic situation has deteriorated over the past year, the banking system is straining, and the COVID-19 crisis has pushed Lebanon to the brink. 

Please consider joining with me in helping some Catholic and other institutions doing important work in helping the poor in Lebanon.  I am personally familiar with each of these organizations, know their leadership and have observed their work in action over the last few years.  Generally speaking, they help the “poorest of the poor”, and the people who most need help.  The Eparchy can assist you if you wish to support one of these worthy causes.  You can send us a check and designate which agency you want to help.  We will be sure it gets there. 

Thank you for considering their needs, and responding generously.  May God bless you!

+ Gregory

Caritas Lebanon.  Founded in 1972, Caritas Lebanon is the official socio-pastoral arm of the Catholic Church and is under the authority of the Assembly of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops of Lebanon.  Caritas Lebanon assists both individuals and communities through direct assistance to the poor, sick, refugees, victims of sex abuse and trafficking, and others in need.  CaritasLebanon is a member of Caritas International, one of the largest humanitarian networks in the world.  https://www.caritaslebanon.org/ 
 
Tele-Lumiere/Noursat.  Tele-Lumiere/Noursat, the “Television of Light”, is the first established Christian Television network in Lebanon and the Middle East.  It was founded in 1991 by a group of committed lay people.  Tele-Lumiere/Noursat has become a daily bread and hope for the Christian minorities in the Middle East, as well as a source of peace for many viewers from different denominations.  www.noursat.tv
 
Missionary Sisters of the Very Holy Sacrament.  The Missionary Sisters of the Very Holy Sacrament, founded in 1966, is an order of religious Sisters that operated several ministries: schools for poor children, orphanages, free health clinics for the poor in rural villages, and a retirement home for the aged, among others.  These people served by the Sisters would not receive help from anyone else.  www.smssacrement.org
 
Oum El Nour.  Oum el Nour is a Lebanese not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization that is committed to serving individuals suffering from drug addiction.  Oum El Nour “Mother of the Light” provides a home for those who need shelter, help, understanding, and a place away to recover so that they can begin to live a full life, free of their past shackles.  www.oumelnour.org/

SESOBEL.  The name “SESOBEL” is an abbreviation from French – Service Social pour le Bienetre de L’Enfant au Liban – Social Service for the Well-Being of the Child in Lebanon. SESOBEL’s mission is to assist children suffering from mental and physical disabilities by improving their quality of life and supporting their families.  SESOBEL cares for over 400 children annually and has helped thousands of families.  With over 34 years of experience, SESOBEL has a shining reputation of service in the Middle East. sesobel.org
 
Society of Saint Vincent de Paul.  Founded in 1833 by a group of young laymen, the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul is a lay Catholic organization of women and men who put their faith into action.  The Society is very close to the people.  Most parishes and villages have a Society that is active.  From the start, the Society has been under the patronage of Saint Vincent de Paul, a great saint, well-known for his works of charity. www.stvincent-lb.org/vincent/
 
Antonine Social Orientation School – Mrouj, Lebanon.  The school educates and cares for orphans and poor children living in difficult circumstances.  It also promotes intellectual, human, social and spiritual formation.  Due to the bad socio-economic situations in Lebanon, we need financial support in order to keep operating.  All donations must be sent to our Chancery to assist them.
 
Oraunion.  Oraunion helps build communities and civil society in Lebanon through several initiatives:  Labora, which provides job training and employment to young people in order to stem emigration from Lebanon; Groact, which supports civil society associations in cities, towns and villages; Ucipliban, which supports the free press; and Aulib, which supports Lebanese universities.  http://www.oraunion.org/

Cénacle de La Lumière (“CDLL”).  CDLL works in the field of rehabilitation for people suffering from drug and alcohol addiction.  It was founded in 2006 as a volunteer initiative when a group of concerned friends came together to help individuals who were losing their lives to drugs. https://www.cdll.org.lb/ 

The Franciscan Sisters of the Cross – Lebanon. Founded in 1930 by Capuchin Father Blessed Jacques Haddad, the Congrégation is non-profit and non-governmental and consist of 19 institutions to care for the poor (including a Psychiatric Hospital, Saint Joseph Hospital, Christ the King School, and several others). The Congregation numbers 184 nuns 200 doctors, 214 teachers and 2,000 employees currently serve 1,550 mentally and physically handicapped, 170 orphans and special cases, 800 elderly suffering from Alzheimer's and chronic diseases, 200 beds for general hospitalization, and educate more than 3,200 students in their schools. The long-term survival of their mission is threatened in an unprecedented matter due to the economic crisis in Lebanon. They are in urgent need for financial support in order to survive these difficult times and answer the calls of their communities’ basic needs. The continuity of the Congregation highly depends on the support and generosity of benefactors. Donations can be made by a check payable to the Eparchy of Saint Maron and sent to 109 Remsen Street, Brooklyn, New York 11201. For more information please contact Rita Kanaan at ritamkanaan23@gmail.com or by phone at 917-753-0535 or by whatsapp at 961-3-315-395.

 
Our three Maronite Catholic Eparchies (Dioceses) in Syria: 

 Archeparchy of Aleppo.  The Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Aleppo is an archeparchy of the Maronite Church currently governed by Archbishop Joseph Tobji.  All donations must be sent to our Chancery to forward to him.  

 Archeparchy of Damascus.  The Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Damascus is an archeparchy of the Maronite Church currently governed by Archbishop Samir Nassar.  All donations must be sent to our Chancery to forward to him.  

 Eparchy of Latakia.  The Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Latakia is an eparchy of the Maronite Catholic Church governed by Bishop Antoine Chbeir.  All donations must be sent to our Chancery to forward to him.   
We pray that our effort will continue to bear good fruit for Lebanon and God’s people.  Thank you. 

Modern Lebanon at 100

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Maronite Patriarch Elias Peter Hoyek, the Father of Modern Day Lebanon, has moved one step closer to sainthood. On 6 July 2019, Pope Francis declared him Venerable, affirming his heroic virtues. By extension, if he is close to sainthood, then Lebanon, his great love, takes one more step forward as the blessed country of saints. And by saints, I mean those recognized by the Church for their heroic sanctity, as well as those who work each day in holiness and love, and often go unnoticed. 

During my recent trip to Lebanon, I spent some time with Caritas Lebanon, Catholic Relief Services, some communities of sisters, and a variety of Catholic institutions working to serve the poor. What amazing work the Church provides for the Lebanese poor: hospitals, drug rehabilitation centers, schools, universities, nursing facilities, migrant worker centers, places to assist those with special needs, and health clinics.

Likewise, there is also an amazing outreach, subtle but substantial, to Palestinian, Syrian, and Iraqi refugees, now numbering more than 40% of the entire population of this small but generous nation. How does Lebanon manage all this and survive? One can honestly say it is only by works of love, the grace of God, and the protective care of Mary and the saints.

Since its modern inception, and in the mind of Patriarch Hoyek who helped arrange her borders in 1919, Lebanon has always been a refuge for those seeking protection. Maronites, Armenians, and Syriac Christians made Lebanon their home. Sunnis, Shiites, and Druze likewise found shelter within her borders. More recently, Palestinians, Syrians, and Iraqis have fled their homelands to Lebanon. 

In fact, the borders of Lebanon were deliberately designed 100 years ago to include Muslim and Christian communities. Further delineated in Lebanon’s Pact of 1943, the 18 different Muslim and Christian religious communities pledged to live in relative harmony within the territory of Lebanon. This co-existence has been more or less harmonious, with the exception of 1958, and the tragic civil war between 1975 and 1990.  

When the country began to rebuild after the civil war in the 1990’s, Saint Pope John Paul II called Lebanon “more than a country, a message,” and Lebanon today is still that fragile, yet amazing message.

How can we support and encourage the amazing Lebanon envisioned by Patriarch Hoyek and his noble fellow citizens? Here are some ways to help:

1. Register to retain one’s heritage as a Lebanese citizen. See Project Roots at www.projectroots.net.

2. Donate or volunteer for Caritas Lebanon or one of the many Lebanese charitable efforts.

3. Promote the advocacy work of In Defense of Christians, the Knights of Columbus, Catholic Relief Services, or other institutions.

4. Pray often for Lebanon and her people.

5. Visit Lebanon, honor her saints, and volunteer to serve her poor.

When one visits Lebanon and the shrines of Mary and the saints, one will find Muslim and Christian alike seeking God’s help.Thus, modern Lebanon at 100 years, her now Venerable Patriarch Hoyek, and her generous people, deserve our utmost respect, support, and solidarity. The needs are great, yet the laborers, although many, are still not enough. You and I are needed as well. 

 
+ Gregory J. Mansour

Bishop of the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn