Brother Priests,
Christ Jesus asks us to "come away to a quiet place and rest a while", and this we do, grateful to be with him and to rest our souls. In another place our Lord said, "Come to me all you who are weary and find life burdensome and I will give you rest".
Yes, it is the Lord himself who has invited us - disguised under the form of Bread and Wine, he bids us to come. This is the King of Kings, who was crucified, yet raised up, who calls us to live according to the logic of his Kingdom, where "being" and "loving" are just as important as "doing" and "working", where "who we are" is just as important as "what we do".
Although true pastoral care includes doing and serving, there is also a place for just being, for taking stock in our priestly life, for standing before the only true judge in Eucharistic adoration, and making time for fellowship with Christ's brothers, our fellow priests.
Today, with joy I welcome a few new brothers: Father Samir Chebli, Father Peter Frangie, Father Elias Adwan and Father Fadi El Khawand, and their wife and family, and I ask your prayers for them. Likewise, Father Adib Salemeh, Father George Arrouk, Father Gary George, Father Andrawos El Tabchi and Father Boutros El Hachem. Soon we will also welcome Deacon Michael Charchaflian, who will be ordained a priest March 19, 2022, in Lawrence.
I also ask your prayers for our retired priests: Joseph Amar, Dominic Ashkar, Assad Awad, William Bartoul, Kevin Beaton, Leonard Basinow, Seely Beggiani, Paul Boackle, David George, Larry Jensen, Joseph Kaddo, Joseph Lahoud, Francis Marini, Lawrence Michael, Jack Morrison, Paul Mouawad, Samuel Najjar and Edward Nedder. May God bless them with good health and continued priestly service.
I thank Father Sam Najjar, Chorbishop Michael Thomas and Father Fadi Rouhana who helped to organize this priestly gathering. I am grateful to Father Gerry Blaszczak who graciously accepted to preach this retreat.
Lastly, I ask your prayers for the priests and bishops who have served before us: Archbishop Zayek, Bishops Doueihi, Chedid and Shaheen, and all the priests who have died. May they rest in peace and may they inherit the reward of the good and faithful servant. I ask your prayers for our Deacons, Subdeacons, Monks and Nuns, Catechists, Choir members, and all our lay faithful in the service of our parishes, and all who lovingly volunteer and serve. I also ask your prayers for our seminarians, Christian, Vincent Michael, Vincent Paul, Pierre, Nadim and Jakob, along with the Rector and Vice Rector who serve them. I ask you to pray for vocations to priestly, diaconate and religious life.
Lastly, I ask you brothers to overlook one another's faults, at least for this week, to forgive one another from the heart, to welcome and build new and better friendships with one another. If there is something bothering you, don't keep it to yourself. In charity, tell this to a confessor, to a brother priest or to me.
Let your burden be light and your yoke be easy, as Christ invites us. Use this time wisely, dear brothers, to pray before Christ, and to do God's will as best as you can.
May the prayer of the Mother of God, Saint Maron and all the Saints be with us.
+ Gregory