Patriarch Youssef
The 7th Congress of the Diaspora for the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, Cordoba, Argentina 2010
The 7th Congress of the Diaspora for the Melkite Greek Catholic Church
Cordoba, Argentina – 30 August to 3 September 2010
Final Report
The Diaspora Congress of Bishops of the Melkite Greek-Catholic Church was held in the City of Cordoba, Argentina. It was presided over by His Beatitude, Patriarch Gregorios III with the participation of hierarchs of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, as follows:
The Most Rev Farès Maakaroun, Eparch of Brazil
The Most Rev George Kahhaleh Zouhairaty, Apostolic Exarch of Venezuela
The Most Rev Issam John Darwish, Eparch of Australia and New Zealand
The Most Rev John Abdo Arbach, Apostolic Exarch in Argentina
Rev Archimandrite Gabriel Ghanoum, Patriarchal Exarch for Mexico
The following Bishops apologised for not attending:
The Most Rev Cyril (Salim) Bustros, Eparch of Newton (USA)
The Most Rev Ibrahim Michael Ibrahim, Eparch of Canada
The Most Rev John Adel Elya, Bishop emeritus of Newton (USA)
The Most Rev Nicolas James Samra, Auxiliary Bishop emeritus of the Eparchy of Newton (USA)
The Secretariat was provided by:
Rev Father Antoine Dib, Chancellor of the Patriarchate and Miss Sandra Corm, Secretary.
Opening
His Beatitude Patriarch Gregorios III opened the Synod by thanking The Saviour, who gathered all the hierarchs in good health and safety from various locations. He especially thanked Most Rev Bishop Abdo Arbach for his hospitality and organisation of this pastoral visit, and, for ensuring a comfortable stay for all participants; also he thanked Most Rev Bishop Issam Darwish for the preparation of the Congress. His Beatitude was sorry for the absence of some Bishops. He then advised the Fathers of his pastoral visit to Brazil, thanking Most Rev Bishop Farès Maakaroun for his hospitality and arrangements for this visit, which enabled His Beatitude to know better the challenges and difficulties facing our Church in the expansion countries. He also touched upon the importance of these eparchies and their work in the expansion countries and stressed the need to study the possibilities for expanding in Chile, Honduras, Columbia and other countries.
The Fathers appreciated the interest shown in this congress by the Latin Church and the Argentinean Governmental bodies This will throw the light upon the role and performance of our Church in Argentina and the expansion countries.
Also, the Fathers appreciated the meetings which took place around the Congress, especially with Cardinal Leonardo Sandri and Cardinal Pergoli and the Apostolic Nuncio.
The Fathers addressed the following topics:
The October 2010 Synod of bishops for the Middle East.
Cooperation with the laity: experiences, difficulties and suggestions.
Structure of the administrative work in the Eparchy.
The difficulties hindering the priests in their mission.
The difficulties hindering the Bishops with the priests.
The married priests in the countries of the migration.
Following discussion of the above topics, the following resolutions applied:
The Diaspora Bishops would like to propose the presentation of the topic of organising the Eparchies at the General Synod, to be presented by the Most Rev Bishop Issam John Darwish; then to be discussed in sessions.
The Fathers appointed Archimandrite Gabriel Ghanoum as the president of a Liturgical Committee, to work on a united translation of the Liturgy Book in Spanish.
Extend the work on the English Liturgies for another 2 years, and to add the appendices. Most Rev Issam John Darwish will ensure sending same to both the Eparchs of USA and Canada for their review.
The Fathers resolved to continue their efforts for the election of a Bishop for the Eparchy of Mexico widowed since 1994, on a similar level as the Catholic Church in Mexico and on a level of the Holy Synod and Prefect for the Eastern Churches. Archimandrite Gabriel Ghanoum, Patriarchal Administrator of the Eparchy of Mexico was assigned the task of presenting the necessary reports for achieving this goal.
The Fathers resolved that all our Diaspora Churches adopt the one united and approved liturgical tone from the Late Patriarch Maximos IV and used in all our Churches in the Middle East; whereby it is chanted in Arabic, French, English, Spanish and Portuguese, so that all the Faithful are able to join together in chanting it in the language of each country.
Proposition of preparing a study on the attendance and participation of the retired bishops in the General Synod. This study to be undertaken by the Canon Law Synodal Committee.
After the approval of the Patriarch, in principle, to a proposal by Most Rev Bishop Issam John Darwish, to establish a Patriarchate Academy which aims to work towards the graduation of administrators, diplomats and leaders in various fields, priests, monks, nuns and lay people. His Beatitude requested from Bishop Darwish to present a thorough study on his proposal.
At the end of the Conference, Most Rev Bishop Ibrahim Ibrahim (Canada) was elected the Coordinator of the Diaspora of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church.
The next Diaspora Congress will take place in 2012 in Venezuela.
X Issam John Darwish BSO, DD
Coordinator of the Diaspora
Programme of Events in Argentina
for Patriarch Gregorios III
25 August - 6 September 2010
Wednesday 25 August
11: 00 Arrival of His Beatitude Patriarch Gregorios III and his party at Ezeiza International Airport Buenos Aires and official reception at the airport
18: 00 Ceremony and reception at The Cedars of Lebanon Foundation
Thursday 26 August
9: 00 Visit to Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, SJ Archbishop of Buenos Aires and President of the Episcopal Conference of Argentina
10: 30 Visit to the Head of Government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires Photos
12:30 Meeting in the Apostolic Nunciature with the Nuncio Archbishop Adriano Bernardini followed by lunch
19: 30 Reception in the Syrian Embassy in honour of His Beatitude
Friday 27 August
12:30 Meeting with Ambassador Guillermo Oliveri Secretary of State for Religious Affairs, followed by a lunch in the palace of the Secretary of State
Official visit to the President of the Republic of Argentina Cristina Fern?ndez de Kirchner
19: 00 Pontifical Divine Liturgy concelebrated in the Melkite Greek Catholic Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Photos
Inauguration of the first part of the Church
Followed by cocktail reception in the parish hall
Saturday 28 August
Visit to Luj?n
14: 00 Departure for Rosario
19. 00 Pontifical Divine Liturgy concelebrated in the Melkite Greek Catholic Church of San Jorge of Rosario
21.30 Supper with the community
Sunday 29 August
11: 00 Round table discussion with the community in the Church Hall of San Jorge
13: 00 Lunch with the community
15: 00 Departure from Rosario bound for C?rdoba
21: 00 Arrival of His Beatitude at the Melkite Greek Catholic Parish of San Jorge (Corrientes 276 C?rdoba) where he will receive greetings from the provincial government authorities, the police, the military, Arab institutions and the parish
Welcome from Msgr. Abdo Arbach Melkite Greek Catholic Exarch in Argentina
Monday 30 August
09: 30 Presentation of greetings from His Beatitude to the Provincial Governor, Accountant Juan Schiaretti
10: 15 Visit to Msgr. Carlos Na?ez Archbishop of C?rdoba
11: 00 Visit to the Mayor of the city of C?rdoba
16: 30 Opening of the Seventh Congress of Bishops of the Expansion of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church in the hall of San Jorge Cathedral
18: 30 Press conference in the Cathedral precincts
Tuesday 31 August
09: 00 Meetings of the Patriarch with the bishops
16: 30 Meetings of the Patriarch with Cardinal Sandri and the bishops
19: 30 Mass in the Cathedral of C?rdoba presided over by Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches to the Holy See, in the presence of the Patriarch and the Archbishop of C?rdoba and the bishops of the province of C?rdoba
Supper in honour of Cardinal Sandri and His Beatitude in the parish house
Wednesday 1 September
09: 00 Meetings of the Patriarch with the bishops
16: 30 Meetings of the Patriarch with the bishops
18: 00 Round table discussion with the community in the Parish Hall of the Cathedral of San Jorge
Thursday 2 September
09: 00 Meetings of the Patriarch with the bishops
16: 30 Meetings of the Patriarch with the bishops
19: 30 Divine Liturgy
21: 30 Official banquet in the salon of the Syrian Lebanese Club of C?rdoba, given by the civil, military and ecclesiastical authorities of the Province, in recognition of the attention received from His Beatitude the Patriarch
Friday 3 September
10: 00 Visit to the church and historic monuments
18: 00 Visits to Eastern churches in C?rdoba
19: 00 Event [unspecified]
Saturday 4 September
10: 00 Excursion to the mountain ranges of C?rdoba
21.30 Official banquet in the parish hall with the community, in recognition of the care received from His Beatitude Patriarch Gregorios III
Sunday 5 September
18: 00 Pontifical Divine Liturgy concelebrated in the Cathedral church of C?rdoba, with the civil, military and ecclesiastical authorities in attendance
20: 30 Reception for His Beatitude and entourage in the parish hall after the Pontifical Divine Liturgy
Monday 6 September
End of the visit
Translation from Spanish: V. Chamberlain