Dear brothers and sisters in Jesus our Lord,

I hope you and your families are all safe and healthy. Another month of the year is over with its Lenten signature and concluded by the celebrations of Holy Week. Many committed themselves to the Lenten practice of fasting and abstinence. The traditional Maronite Lent practice in terms of food and eating was, and still is, for many of you, to fast and abstain from meat on the Wednesdays and Fridays of Lent. Many fast each weekday until noon. Others are more determined and fast and abstain all Lent long, without exception, until Holy Saturday of the Light "Sabtel Noor".

Our beloved parishioners continue to donate their weekly donations in person, by mail or online through PayPal. We thank you all for your thoughts, dedication and prayers. Your generosity maintains the church and saves funds for projects for our children, youth and elderly. The Lenten Eparchy appeal was held during Lent to support Eparchy Clergy service and vocations. A question was asked about what the contribution would be annually. The answer, based on our numbers, is an average of 50 dollars per donor annually.

Many listen to the cries of humanity and help in curing it from spiritual sins, physical sickness and affliction and wars. We pray for the intention of peace and security in the World, with Pope Francis, especially in Eastern Europe, Russia and Ukraine and massacres waged in Gaza in the Holy Land. His Holiness asks all faithful to wear the spirit of the Gospel and pray for peace and love and not fall into the language of hatred and cursing, but keep praying and working for peace. Jesus said that we have to love each other, even our enemies.

Our Holy Family Lenten Dinners were successful in a spectacular way, averaging 380 meals a week. Thank you, dear God. These Lenten dinners have been designated among the five best Lenten dinners in the Twin Cities for the past several years. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the ladies and men, this wonderful team, for this very successful event. In like manner, we thank all of our Holy Family parishioners, supporters and volunteers for all of their dedication and commitment.

On your behalf, I thank Deacon George Younes, for his dedication and assistance to Holy Family for leading us in a two-session bible study this Lenten season during March. Holy Week was held the last week of March with Palm Sunday, right after the Saturday of the Resurrection of Lazarus in Bet Anya, a town just a few miles from Jerusalem. Although, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, revealing His great glory and divinity as the Son of God, He was so happy and moved by the simple and sincere praises of the children of Jerusalem who were shouting Hosanna in the Highest (Houshaana fil aali, or in Aramaic Hoosha’no, bamrowmeh and means: O Lord save us we cry to You), holding palm and olive branches walking with the Lord who was entering the city of Jerusalem as king of their hearts. Holy Wednesday March 27, we celebrated the Ritual of the Lamp and Blessing of the Oils liturgy. On Holy Thursday, we celebrated the Ritual of the Thursday of Mysteries and the Last Supper and Washing of the feet. This included Jesus’ institution of the Sacraments of Eucharist and Priesthood. The faithful have the tradition of visiting seven churches as an old Catholic tradition. It was followed by two hours of Adoration of the Holy Sacrament and confessions. Friday we celebrated the Great Crucifixion Ritual. Attendees brought flowers for the Jesus Shroud. On Saturday March 30, confessions were held from 11 AM to noon, concluding with the Ritual of Reconciliation and Peace. Easter Eve Mass and Easter Day Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord were held March 30 and 31, marking the start of the liturgical Season of Resurrection.

In Lebanon and the Holy Land they name this feast as the Great (the Major) Feast “Heed-el-kbeer�. You will notice that even our liturgy in Easter season, when we chant the Aramaic Syriac Maronite Trisagion, the Qadeeshat Aloho, we answer: “MsheeHo d Qom Men Beit Meeteh, Etraham ‘Alain' which means "O Christ Risen from the dead, have mercy on us". This reminds us of the thief crucified at the right side of Jesus on the cross, saying to Jesus: "Lord, remember me in your Kingdom� (Luke 23, 42). In the old authentic Maronite traditional Divine Liturgy and just before the communion the celebrant used to say: “Remember us Oh Lord when you come into your Kingdom, Holy Gifts for the holy (Saints), with perfection, purity and Sanctity" And this is awesome because it is a Gospel text like many others contained in the Maronite Divine Liturgy. It is the same as in the Roman Catholic Liturgy that was also part of the Maronite Liturgy where just before Communion the celebrant announces: "This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the World" (John 1:29). And the faithful answer a Scripture based phrase: “Lord I am not worthy that you enter under my roof but say a word and my soul shall be healed� (Mt 8:8 and Luke 7:6).

On Sunday April 21, the parish will celebrate the annual celebration of the First Holy Communion for a nice number of our second grade children. We immensely thank the dedication and commitment of the Faith Formation director Gary Schwery and team, and parents who enrolled their children for this session 2023-2024. Faith Formation classes are available for these children until age 12 and confirmations are mandatory for children who didn’t receive it at Catholic school. At age 12, children become part of our MYO youth group. Committed members of Faith Formation and MYO youth group become exclusively eligible to get men’s club and church Scholarships for their college education.

The National Apostolate of Maronites (NAM) Convention will be held this year at the Detroit Renaissance Center in Michigan, from July 4 to July 7. Each Maronite Parish of the United States participates with an average of half a dozen participants. It would be nice to have some people from our parish attending. We encourage everyone to participate in this event. Please mark your calendars and encourage your families and friends to participate and book your registration on time. It is an opportunity to meet Maronite groups and active families from all over the U.S. The Order of Saint Sharbel members are especially invited to participate in the NAM event. Holy Family is planning to sponsor a colored ad in the NAM sponsorship memorial advertising.

Thank you, Holy Family, for your support and participation. I wish all of you a blessed spring season. God bless you all.

Yours,

Father Emmanuel Nakhlé-Ghorr, Pastor

Copyright (c) 2024 Holy Family Maronite Church, Mendota Heights, MN