Blessed Massabki Brothers, St. Sharbel, and Moving Update

Thank you to all of the parishioners who are helping with the move, by volunteering and cleaning. We will continue working on Saturdays and after Church on Sundays. Much of the major work is done, but help is still needed.

The Blessed Massabki brothers and St. Sharbel lived different lives. Frances, Rafael, and Abdul Muhti lived in the world with their families. St. Sharbel lived apart from the world away from his family. However, the differences between their lives are but a drop compared to the similarities between their lives. All of them lived with and in God. God was their source and their destiny. This is how St. Paul is able to say, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28) I have written about how we can serve Jesus in different ways while maintaining our unique identity. The saints in their differences all came to discover the source and destiny of their identities. St. Paul wrote, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me." (Galatians 2:20) St. Patrick would often pray, "Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ beside me, Christ within me, Christ on the lips of all who speak of me, Christ in the hearts of all who think of me." In the deep love of Jesus all troubles, toils, and snares become as nothing- this is an offensive proposal! Sickness, suffering, temptation, and death become so small when we are in Christ and those who do not believe and have not experienced this reality should be offended. Suffering and evil are overwhelming in this world and the world crumbles before them or looks the other way, this is the world's reality. Yet, for the Christian there is another reality either believed in faith or experienced personally that, as St. Paul wrote, "The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." (Roman's 8:18) The Blessed Massabki brothers, whose feast we will celebrate this Sunday and St. Sharbel whom we will remember next Sunday and celebrate July 23rd, give us examples to follow of living in faith and of experiencing the infinite love of God which reveals one's identity and reveals reality. -Liturgy for the Blessed Massabki Brothers July 14th. Blessing with relics after both liturgies.  -40 day liturgy for Michael Abraham Falugi, Sunday July 21st at 11 am. -Feastday liturgy of St. Sharbel Tuesday, July 23rd at 7pm with prayers for healing and blessing with relic.

-House of Bread Tuesday July 30th from 9 am - 2 pm at 9 Orth Avenue. -Please make plans to participate in our Festival August 23rd, 24th, and 25th. -Assumption of Mary pilgrimage to Our Lady of Lebanon Shrine in Youngstown, OH August 15th. - Pilgrimage to Jerusalem and the Holy Land September 2-13th. All included except flight $2350 for a double room. - Annual St. Ignatius of Antioch Banquet Saturday, December 14th. Bishop Elias will attend this weekend to consecrate Our New Home.

- Initiatives- To what is God calling you? What are your hopes, dreams, and ideas for our parish? What do you want to do? Mission, charity, prayers, work, fundraisers, or maintenance? How can we support you? -We need volunteers to read during the liturgy and to bring the gifts. If you would like to do so, please see George Najem for 11 am liturgy or Jim Zaidan for the 9 am Liturgy.

Let us come together to give what we can so that we can purchase and renovate Our New Home on 50 Nutt Rd. The goal is to raise $150,000 in additional donations and pledges with $60,000 to go towards the purchase and $90,000 to go towards renovations including renovations and hall and addition of commercial kitchen so that we can make a smooth transition while keeping a safety net in our savings and waiting for the sale of our current property. We have raised the last $60,000 to close on Our New Home. Please help us raise $90,000 to renovate Our New Home over the next few months. 

-We still need help in preparing before we can move.

-Marriage announcements

Please pray for John Dohar and Jessy Eid as they prepare for marriage. Please pray for Jordan Gunter and Krystal Daoud as they prepare for marriage. Please pray for Tarek Shteiwi and Micheline Eid as they prepare for marriage.

Please pray for two parishioners in treatment for cancer.  Please pray for one parishioner who is sick. Please pray for the school of one parishioner which has had two gun scares. Please pray for a parishioner who was injured in a motorcycle accident.

- Bible Study every Sunday at 10 am.

- Sunday liturgies 9 am and 11 am

- Confessions immediately before and after liturgies or by appointment.

St. Ignatius of Antioch 6th Sunday of Pentecost July 14, 2019