First Letter to the Corinthians 3,10-23

The month of October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary. According to an account by fifteenth-century Dominican, Alan de la Roch, Mary appeared to St. Dominic in 1206 after he had been praying and doing severe penances because of his lack of success in combating the Albigensian heresy. Mary praised him for his valiant fight against the heretics and then gave him the Rosary as a mighty weapon, explained its uses and efficacy, and told him to preach it to others.

“Since the prayers of the Rosary come from such excellent sources — from Our Lord Himself, from inspired Scripture, and from the Church — it is not surprising that the Rosary is so dear to our Blessed Mother and so powerful with heaven.”
— Mary in our Life by Fr. William G. Most

The Rosary is a Scripture-based prayer. It begins with the Apostles’ Creed, which summarizes the great mysteries of the Catholic faith. The Our Father, which introduces each mystery, is from the Gospels. 

The three Blessed Massabki brothers, Abdel Moati, Francis, and Raphael, are among 14 new Saints whose names will be inscribed in the List of Saints on Sunday 20 October 2024, in the Vatican.

Three Maronite brothers – Francis, Raphael and Abdel Moati Massabki – grew up and lived in 19th century Damascus, then part of the Ottoman Empire. They were laymen who lived ordinary, devout Christian lives. On 9 July 1860, during an Ottoman attack on a Franciscan Church in Damascus, the three brothers were given the chance to renounce their faith and convert or die. All three chose to profess Jesus Christ for eternal life. Later that night they were martyred along with eight Franciscan Friars.

On 7 October 1926, Pope Pius XI beatified the three brothers. On 1 July 2024 Pope Francis approved their canonisation with the Franciscan Friars, along with Blessed Carlo Acutis, the first millennial to be made a saint, two Italians— Fr Giuseppe Allamano and Sr Elena Guerra—and Canadian-born religious, Sr Marie-Léonie Paradis.

Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay said, “It is one more source of hope and faith for all of us this year. Now we are looking forward to seeing the beatification of Patriarch Estephan El Douaihy on 2 August and the Canonisation of the Massabki brothers on 20 October.

“We continue praying the Lord for more holy people and saints in our Church and families. May God be always glorified in his saints.”

Their feast day is 10 July.

*Maronite icon written by Fr Abdo Badwi

St. Ephrem Church Parish Hall

Following the 12:30PM Divine Liturgy

“Let your light shine before others.” Said our Lord.

Tele Lumiere and Noursat, like many other institutions in Lebanon and the Middle East, is suffering tremendously and in danger of shutting down if it is not supported.

Very few parishes in the USA, of all Middle Eastern traditions, are supporting it. True there are millions living in poverty in the Middle East and we need to help them, but there are more millions living in darkness and need the message of hope and salvation. It is our responsibility to evangelize them.

We urge you in Christ’s name to help support Noursat. Here are few brotherly suggestions:

Talk about Noursat’s role of evangelization in the Middle East.
Announce this weekend the two-days Telethon. Share on your social media the attached video and flier about the Telethon.
Include in your weekly/monthly bulletin the attached flier about supporting Noursat.

God entrusted Noursat into our hands, let us unite our hands and hearts to keep it shinning.

With prayers and thanksgiving.
Chorbishop sharbel Maroun
President of Noursat, USA