Good to be back home!
Brothers and Sisters,
The past six weeks have given me the opportunity to spend some time with my family and friends in Lebanon as well as a bit of rest and relaxation after a very busy year. Every time I travel to Lebanon I am reminded of its beauty and my love for it grows stronger as the country of my birth, the country of my ancestry. Being away from Australia, has made me realize just how much I have grown in love with this blessed country and its people. After six weeks away from the parish, it is wonderful to be back home again. Home is where the heart is and I can confidently say that although my body was in Lebanon, my heart was definitely back here in Australia with my parish family.
The concept of family is so important in this day and age as its very foundations are being questioned in the society in which we live and the world. Society has lost the sight of and the ability to incorporate the virtues of the family into its life. Thankfully, the church still realizes this importance and as such is in the midst of a Synod on the family in which the Maronite Church is taking part in. We are very lucky to be represented not only by our Patriarch, but also by our Bishop, His Excellency Antoine-Charbel.
I have focused so much on the family this year in my homilies, in this Shepherd’s Corner and in everything that I do. I do not apologise for this! The family is the nucleus of society and if we want to live in a good society, then we need to nurture good families. It is the church’s responsibly, mine and yours, to ensure that this takes place. We must be vigilant and do everything in our power to protect the family of the “domestic church” and the wider parish family. In his weekly General Audience, Pope Francis on Wednesday said that: “in the family we learn of the bonds which unite us, of fidelity, sincerity, trust, cooperation and respect, even when difficulties abound.”
The family is a school in which we learn much more than any university or academy can teach us. While we look forward to the news that will come from the Synod, we must all continue to do all that is in our power to protect the family unit. Speaking of families, we welcome back our very own Chahine family (Chahine, Theresa and Sarah) who represented the Maronite Eparchy in the World Meeting of families in Philadelphia as you would have read about in last week's newsletter. We look forward to hearing about all their experiences in the coming days.
One way that you can do this is by attending the married couple’s retreat that will be held on 18 October. It is not too late to register. The sacrament of marriage is an ongoing sacrament. It is not completed on the day of your wedding. It requires sustenance and energy to keep the flame alive. It needs to be continually renewed in light of all the pressures that it endures. The married couple’s retreat will give you some time out to spiritually invigorate your marriage and consequently your family life. Please refer to the notices page for more details.
I look forward to seeing as many couples as possible on the day and I look forward to seeing you all around the parish.
