Synod Day 2008
Report on the work of the
Follow-up commission and the
General secretariat in the third year
Of the Synod Application Process
June 2007-May 2008
Your Eminence and Beatitude Mar Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir,
Your Excellencies,
General Superiors,
We are pleased to present to you a report on the work of the follow-up commission and the general secretariat of the Maronite Patriarchal Synod according to the program of the synod application process in its second year which we have sent to the dioceses and congregations. At its annual session, the follow-up commission had place it in detail on august 16, 2007, and after the directions and discussions taken place at our synodal gathering on June 11, 2007, we are attaching a supplement on the reports of the dioceses and congregations.
First: Meetings of the follow-up commission and the general secretariat
1- Meetings of the follow- up commission
This commission is headed by His Excellency Archbishop Youssef Bechara and includes in its membership their Excellencies Archbishop Boulos Matar, Archbishop Georges BouJaoude, Bishop Samir Mazloum and Bishop Elias Nassar, Reverend Monsignors Mounir Khayrallah and Camille Zaidan, Fathers khalil Alwan, Richard Abi-Saleh and Boulos Rouhana, Mother Dominique Al-Halbi, and Mrs. Simone Moubarak. The commission met on June 16, 2007 to evaluate the synodal day and summarize the ideas and recommendations, which help on the crystallization of the plan for the second year of work.
Then it held its annual sanctum at the summer residence of the diocese of Beirut at Ain Saadeh on August 16, 2007 and placed an executive work plan for the second year from the synod application process (October 2007-September 2008). Its main items are:
A- Launch the second year of the synod application process through a letter by His Eminence and Beatitude Mar Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir encouraging in it all His maronite faithful to march together in the application of the synod and determine a work plan.
B- Adopt the texts of the second file which aim at the renewal of the persons and the structures (fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, and eleventh) with a text from the third file aiming the maronite church and the land (twenty three) as to what this subject has of importance at this time.
C- Clarify and develop the proposal methodology to study the texts depending on the reports and experiences of the dioceses, congregations and institutions in the first year. After that, its meetings rotated regularly, the first Monday of every month, to follow-up the application of the work plan in the dioceses and congregations, from one side, and follow-up on the accomplishment of the synodal workshops and projects, on the other side.
2- Meetings of the General Secretariat
The general secretariat, headed by His Excellency Archbishop Youssef Bechara, Reverend Monsignor Mounir Khayrallah, Fathers Richard Abi-Saleh and Paul Rouhana, Mother Dominique Al-Halbi and Mrs. Simone Moubarak, met immediately after the synodal day on June 18, 2007, to revise the discussions and recommendations brought up, prepared a plan which was presented to the follow-up committee in order to get the sanctum ready.
After the sanctum, it met regularly, the third Monday of every month, and whenever it was necessary, in order to follow-up the application of the executive plan that was planned by the follow-up commission, and accomplish the synodal workshops and projects which were proceeded or were taken off successively according to the recommendations of the synod.
Second: The acceptance of the texts in the dioceses, congregations and institutions.
His Eminence and Beatitude Mar Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir issued a letter on October 8, 2007 and sent it to all His Maronite faithful in Lebanon, in the countries of Patriarchal range and the countries of expansion, urged them to continue what they started and to profit from the successful experiences and initiatives. He exposed the plan for the second year from the application process that “focuses on the second file which handles the spiritual and pastoral renewal on the level of the ecclesiastical structures as far as Patriarchate, diocesan and pastoral, and on the level of persons: clergy, monks, laity, family and youth”. He stresses, “The renewal is a main purpose of the synod purposes, because the ecclesiastical institutions are in need of a revival so its performance will coordinate with the objectives it was established for. What is more important is the renewal of the persons because they are the ones who direct these institutions and watch over them from one side. From another side, these persons, if they do not subject themselves and their deeds to the orientations of the Holy Spirit, they will be able to imply the face of Christ and be feasible servants to Him in the up-building of His kingdom”.
On October 16, 2007, the general secretariat of the synod, and president of the follow-up committee, Archbishop Youssef Bechara wrote to their Excellencies the bishops and the general superiors thanking them for what they carried out last year in the synod application process, His Beatitude sent them a letter, a work methodology and a (CD) including the main thoughts of each text proposed to be studied this year.
After that, the dioceses and congregations started to adopt the plan for the third year and applied it according to the proposed methodology. The general secretariat had distributed to them the booklets of the synodal texts proposed for the third year, and printed twenty five thousand copies of each text. The work started on studying them and having a deeper understanding of them on all levels. It is also indicated that the dioceses of the countries of expansion started to work on the translation of the English and French texts to be finalized.
The cooperation with the designed plan was good this year.
From the outcome of the incoming reports, we gather the following:
In the Dioceses:
1- Most of the dioceses adopted the determined texts for the second year and distributed the special booklets.
2- Most of the dioceses study the themes of the synodal texts in the monthly meetings of the priests.
3- Some of the dioceses assigned a synodal committee to accompany the application process and watch over its course in the parishes, the movements, the apostolic organizations and the institutions. Among them: Antelias, Batroun and Tripoli.
4- Some of the dioceses launched officially the second year in a general gathering of the councils, the committees and delegates of the ecclesiastical organizations. Among them: Antelias, Batroun and Beirut.
5- Most of the dioceses lived the spiritual accompaniment, by reciting the participation prayer in the synodal process, and established times of prayer, spiritual retreats and apostolic gatherings on the topics of the synod.
6- Some of the dioceses organized sessions, thinking seminars and texts studies in the sectors, such as the clergy, the laity, the family and the youth. Among them: Antelias, Batroun and Beirut.
7- Some of the dioceses included the synodal themes in the publications of the diocese. Among them: Antelias, Beirut, Jbeil and Batroun.
8- Only the diocese of Antelias launched the diocesan synod.
9- In the diocese of Tripoli, His Excellency Archbishop Georges BouJaoude issued a pastoral letter, “In the activation of the Maronite Patriarchal Synod.”
10- In the diocese of Jbeil, His Excellency Bishop Bechara Rahi published the “directory of the priest, the parish and the pastoral work” and the “directory of the diocesan bishop, the district and the constitutions”; and he continues to introduce the “Christian upbringing”.
11- We realize that most of the dioceses pursued in the application of the synod recommendations and what concerns the affairs of the priests, the schools and the help of the students in their tuition and in the economical affairs from the manufacturing side.
As in the parishes, the work was divergent in accordance to the dioceses and in harmony with the parishes. Therefore, the dioceses that have the application process activated, we realize parishes have appointed a synodal commission, and accompanied the process through prayers, Bible study, holy adoration, Sunday and holy days homilies, retreats and study of the texts in the movements, organizations and the publications of the parish.
In the congregations:
1- Most of the congregations adopted the determined texts for the second year and distributed the booklets to its members and institutions.
2- Most of the congregations lived the spiritual accompaniment through the reciting participation prayer in the synodal process; condense the prayers, the holy adoration, and the spiritual gatherings in the convents, the institutions and the retreats.
3- Only the congregation of the maronite holy family sisters and the congregations of the antonine sisters and monks have appointed a synodal commission.
4- Most of the congregations, through its members, participated in the work of the dioceses, parishes and the Episcopal commissions.
5- Most of the congregations organized seminars, thinking sessions and lectures. Among them: the Lebanese Maronite order, the Antonine order, the Maronite Holy family sisters, the antonine sisters, the sisters of the St. Theresa the little child and the little sisters of Jesus.
6- Some of the congregations incorporated the synod topics in their regular publications. Among them: The Lebanese Maronite Order, the Antonine Order, the Maronite Holy Family sisters and the Antonine Sisters.
7- Some of the congregations read the determined texts for this year in its fullness within the monastic community, re-examined their lives in its light and took new destinations. We make special mention of these congregations: the Little Sisters of Jesus and some convents of the Antonine Sisters.
Third: Pursuing workshops and synod projects by the follow-up commission and the general secretariat
The follow-up commission and the general secretariat pursued the workshops and synod projects that they have issued in the first year, and placed new others in application for the synod recommendations.
A- The follow-up commission and the synod workshops
The most important of those workshops:
1- Establish a committee to set up a maronite history book (refer to text 2, recommendation 2). This committee is pursuing its work since last year. It is headed by Father Karam Rizk and includes in its membership Father Boulos Rouhana, Dr. Elias Kattar, Antoine Khoury, Tanios Noujaim and Antoine Houkayem. The committee worked on a general plan for the book and presented a list of names of the experts who will do the writing. Then it distributed the topics on the experts who began the writing of their interpositions. The committee hope to end its work in the second year of the application process.
2- Establish a committee to write a Christian-Muslim guide to reinforce the dialogue and co-living (refer to text 3, recommendation 3).
The committee works and is headed by His Excellency Archbishop Youssef Bechara and includes in its membership Mgr. Mounir Khayrallah, Fathers Boulos Rouhana, Richard Abi-Saleh, Salah Abou-Jaoude, Mounir Aoun and Georges Massouh, Drs. Youssef kamal El_hage and Georges Sabra, Cheikhs Mouhammad Nekari, Chafic Jaradeh, Ghassan Halabi and Dr. Abbas Halabi.
In its consecutive meetings, the committee reached to set up a general plan for its guide in its two parts: Christian and Muslim. The Christian team has placed the final plan concerning him, but the Muslim team did not accomplish the final plan of its concern. Upon placing it, the committee will undertake its declaration and distribute the topics to the experts who will write their interpositions.
3- Establish a committee to study the matter of priests’ full time service to their parishes, and how to ensure appropriate living for them. (Refer to text 7, recommendations 5 & 7).
The committee is headed by Mgr. Mounir Khayrallah and includes in its membership Fathers Waheeb Khawaja, Issam Abi-Khalil, Simon Gebrayel, Antoine Assaf, Fouad Tabash, Maroun Ammar, Joseph Naffah, and Mr. Nagi Chlala. After consecutive meetings, the committee was able to attain a questionnaire to all priests in order to get the true reality of their mode of life in the maronite dioceses in Lebanon, and Mgr. Khayrallah has placed a survey enabling it to suggest applicable initiatives appropriate with the present situation regarding the matter of service and insurance of appropriate living. The committee is pursuing its work;
First: in explaining the meaning of the service, describing its needs and limiting its standards.
Second: in placing the steps that ensure appropriate living like the salary, the security and the old age.
Third: it may suggest the establishment of a common fund among dioceses for the collaboration of priests. At the end, the suggestions will be submitted to the council of bishops.
4- Establish the General Secretariat for the Maronite Patriarchate. (Refer to text 5, recommendation 1).
In its work ending 2006, in its first recommendation from the fifth text, the Maronite Patriarchal Synod affirmed the “establishment of a general secretariat at the patriarchate headed by His Beatitude who will delegate a competent bishop or priest to assume the position of general secretary”. Based on canon 114 of eastern canon codes, His Beatitude established the general secretariat for the maronite patriarchate, composed of many specific departments (refer to special dossier of general secretariat) subject to the Maronite patriarchate and works under His patronage and jurisdiction; and He has appointed Father Richard Abi-saleh general secretary to this secretariat for a period of five years.
5- Establish the Maronite Foundation for Pilgrimage (refer to text 18, recommendation 5, and text 23, recommendation 1).
This committee is headed by Father Khalil Alwan and includes directors of pilgrimage centers in Lebanon, the institutions that work in the field of religious pilgrimage. They are Fathers Tannous Nehmeh, Michel Layan, Philemon salwan, Charbel Ballah, Mario Madi, and Boulos Fahed, Mothers Clemence Helou, Martha Bassil, Therese Abi-Khalil, Aghat Tannous, Sister Claire Doueihi, Mrs. Nour Haddad, Miss Jocelyn Fahed and Mr. Maroun Matta.
After consecutive meetings in preparation for the establishment of the Maronite Foundation for pilgrimage, the committee presented, to the follow-up committee at its first meeting on 5/5/2008, a project of the interior regulation for the institution of pilgrimage growth and religious tourism”. The follow-up committee discussed it, asked that it would be studied in depth, its phrasing be reviewed in cooperation with a special lawyer and then represented for discussion.
6- Establish a committee to revive the Antiochene and Syriac Heritage (refer to text 2, recommendation 1). The follow-up committee instructed Father Boulos Rouhana, Dean of the theological faculty at Kaslik University, the establishment of this committee with Father Samir Khalil and put the primary ideas to determine its work. They will work on forming this committee from delegates of universities, theological faculties and those working in the field of heritage.
However, Father Rouhana realized that the field of heritage does not attract many people nowadays. For this, he has asked the theological faculties, the monastic and priestly formation centers to guide its students to care for the heritage and direct some of them to major in its field, and demand the ecclesial authority to make it easy on those seeking to specialize.
7- Establish an office for employment and recruitment. The idea of establishing an office for employment and recruitment goes along with the prophetic setting of initiatives launched by the general secretariat for finding employment for our youth and encourage them to remain in their country. It entrusted Mother Dominique Al-Halbi and Father Richard Abi-Saleh to study the idea and possibilities of bringing it into effect.
Then it realized that the Association of Caritas could assume this work through its offices spread in all the Lebanese areas. Therefore, the association of caritas presented a conception for a project “establishment of employment offices”. Then it realized that “Labora” organization works under the direction of father Antoine Khadra for over two years to bring into effect a project like this to help the Lebanese youth find a job in Lebanon in both the private abd public sectors.
It is also known that the “Maronite Social Institution” is thinking in establishing recruitment offices for the youth in the dioceses. Therefore, by nature, the general secretary thought in combining the three institutions and discuss with them ways of affirming this project. A committee of delegates representing these institutions was established, including Father Simon Faddoul, Mr. Moussa Jadhoun, Mr. Georges Khoury, Mr. Fadi Fayad, and Miss Miray Khoury, was instructed to study the topic based on its experience and presenting a project to the general secretariat.
Therefore, the committee presented its project by establishing an “office of employment and recruitment connected to the general secretariat of the Patriarchate. It has its administrative board represented by the three institutions, each holding its independency, aside the general secretary, his function is to help the youth find jobs in both the private and public sectors and trains them to bigger abilities.
8- Establish the organization of the “Church Apostles”.
The general secretariat entrusted Mother Dominique Al-Halbi to work on establishing an organization of laity to volunteer in the service of the church. It is an idea that goes along with the prophetical setting of initiatives.
Mother Dominique established a committee including Father Antoine Bechaalani, Mr. Nagi Chlala, Mr. Joseph salameh, Mr. Toni Abi-Atmeh and Miss Nelly Kallab. She is putting the primary ideas for this organization, and is aiming for two goals:
- A specific goal intends to move the maronite Patriarchal texts of the synod with its contents and recommendations to the Maronites and work on its applications.
- A general goal aiming to place the volunteers in the service of their churches and the domains they represent. Therefore, the bishop or the parish representative sends them in particular missions for the accomplishment of these two goals.
- The members are chosen from the dioceses, parishes, universities and apostolic movements, and they go through formation sessions before their acceptance in the organization.
The committee is at the edge of concluding its work so it will present later on to the general secretariat a draft of the policy of the organization.
B- The General Secretariat and the Synod Projects
In equivalence to following up these projects, the general secretariat pursues the synod’s projects that have been and are being launched successively for applying the recommendations of the synod.
1- Achieve the French and English translation of the synod’s texts.
The general secretariat entrusted the French version to the department of translation at St. Joseph University in Beirut, then it entrusted a thorough reading of the texts by experts and theologians, in particular Father Jean Louis Lingot and Dr. Joseph Khalil. Then it handed back the texts to its producers to review them. Finally, it entrusted all the French texts to Raymond Chemali for a final reading. As for the English translation, the general secretariat entrusted it to the department of translation at Notre Dame University of Loueizeh. In a second phase, it sent it to the United states of America where their Excellencies Robert Shaheen and Gregory Mansour appointed a committee escorted by Father Abdallah Zaidan to read the texts in their final versions.
The general secretariat announces the printing of the English version in three thousand copies, and the French edition in two thousand copies. It accomplished a second Arabic edition in two thousand copies, and you will receive a copy of them at the symposium.
2- A committee is in charge to actualize an audiovisual means facilitating the reading of the synod’s texts.
Mrs. Simon Moubarak, from the general secretariat, in association with Father Omar El-Hachem, from the voice of Charity, works on recording the synod’s texts at the studios of the voice of charity. Then they submit them to Paravision Company to produce them on a DVD in the Arabic language under the supervision of father Elias Sfeir. Thirteen texts have been recorded and produced so far, they will be delivered to you on a DVD.
3- The Electronic Site of the Synod
Mr. Choukrallah Assaf works, along with Father Richard Abi-Saleh and Mrs. Elham Saad, on a constant updating to the electronic site of the synod and its latest developments to contain the texts of the synod in its three languages, synodal experiences of the dioceses, congregations and institutions.
The general secretariat is also working on developing the maronite site and connecting the electronic sites of the dioceses and the congregations with each other.
4- A comprehensive Electronic Program
The committee headed by Father Khalil Alwan and the membership of Father Richard Abi-Saleh and Mr. Choukrallah Assaf, worked and met in a first phase with the directors of electronic programs in the dioceses and congregations. They discussed the different programs used presently in some dioceses and congregations. It is working now on placing a unified program in collaboration with the research and documentation center to unify the information, language and order, to suggest a unified program used by every diocese and congregation in harmony with its work.
5- Meetings of Delegates of Dioceses and Congregations
The general secretariat kept its communication with the delegates of the dioceses and congregations in order to motivate the application process of the synod. The meetings took place quarterly and delegates were exchanging their experiences, enriched by them, and supplied by the experiences of the general secretariat and looking for the workshops of the synod. All this aims for them to be stimulators for the application process of the synod in their dioceses and congregations.
6- Completion of the Index of the Maronite Patriarchal Synod’s Topics
The general secretariat entrusted to father Khalil Chalfoun, Dean of the Ecclesiastical studies department at “Hikmeh University” to complete an index of all Synod’s topics within the framework of the department and its students. Father Chalfoun presented a general plan for this index to the general secretariat which has discussed, gave its recommendations and budgeted the completion of its work.
7- The Seminar of June on the “Patriarchates in the Catholic Church: its history, actuality, and expectations”.
This seminar, which the general secretariat prepares for it since September 2005 in association with the Dominican father Herfi Le Grand who participated in the three sessions of the synod, was set up for June 2007, and was postponed due to the situation back then.
Then the general secretariat decided to implement it in June 2008, was postponed again due to the occurring situation that exploded early May.
The general secretariat will collect the texts of the lectures to publish them later on. Today it will hand out to you a copy of the lectures that Father le Grand delivered in April 2004 for the contribution of this matter.
8- Documenting the activities of the Maronite Patriarchal Synod
The library of the Holy Spirit University at Kaslik contributes in the work of the synod by achieving a coded copy of all records and archives of the activities of the Maronite Patriarchal Synod from its early beginnings in 1985 until the closing of the synod on June 11, 2006.
In concordance with that, Mgr. Mounir Khayrallah, secretary of the synod, works on publishing a two volumes book on the historical progression of the Maronite Patriarchal synod. The work is in the process regarding these two projects and will be achieved before June 2009 as was decided in the contract signed between the general secretariat and the Holy Spirit University Kaslik.
9- The upbringing of the cadres in the administration of the institutions
In the name of the general secretariat, Father Richard Abi-Saleh is working with Mr. Samir Constantine (director of Wazanat company) to crystallize the program of upbringing the cadres of the administration of the ecclesiastical rules, and will be presented to the bishops, general superiors and formation centers, to study the means of applying it in their dioceses and institutions.
10- The theological upbringing of religious education teachers and the cadres acting in the parish (refer to text 14, recommendation 4)
The general secretariat requested from the Episcopal committee for religious education in Lebanon in coordination with the Episcopal theological commission to categorize their religious centers according to their programs, teachers and levels and place a plan to fulfill this categorization. Therefore, its certificate will be well-known, laity and clergy can get in according to the needs of the parish and diocese. This way the theological formation will comply with the needs of the local church.
Conclusion
The proposal we have presented on the application of the Maronite Patriarchal Synod in the second year make us realize that the application process is moving steadily on all levels in our church. We hope that the experiences of our dioceses, religious orders and institutions, mentioned in details in the first supplement, and the projects issued by the follow-up committee and general secretariat, will be a new motive to encourage the application process and a directory to what we will all do in the next period from the fivefold designed plan.
We renew our thanks to Almighty God for His graces and talents He pours down on us and on our church as she proceeds its Patriarchal march, regarding the difficult conditions, and always listens to the voice of the spirit. we ask for the intercession of the Mother of God the Virgin Mary, our Lady of Lebanon, for the accompaniment of the application process in prayer and the renewal of the mentalities, the institutions and the persons.
+His Excellency Youssef Bechara
Archbishop of Antelias Diocese
General Secretary of the Synod