The leader of the Maronite diocese in Mexico explained that they also have
other projects: "In the state of Veracruz we will build a temple with a house
for priests. In Pachuca, Hidalgo, we have land for the Maronite communi-
ty. In Saltillo, Coahuila, I will say mass dedicated to Saint Charbel, where
we will reunite all the communities’ benefactors to complete construction
of a temple there. In Chihuahua, we will inaugurate a new church in No-
vember of this year, which will be dedicated to St Charbel. "
He sent a message to all members of the Lebanese Maronite community to join
in the efforts to help develop of all the projects mentioned, and also expressed
confidence that they will feel proud of everything that is being done. He fur-
ther argued that there will be an addition of ten new priests to the group of ten
Maronite priests currently in Mexico in order to serve the community.
T
he
M
aronites
in
M
éxico
Bishop George Saad Abi Younes explained that the first Lebanese immigrants
who arrived in Mexico, especially the Maronites, adapted easily because they
felt identified with a Catholic country, which received and protected them.
He also assured that the traditions of both people are similar: "I see that
all Maronites in Mexico are very devoted to the Virgin of Guadalupe, and
every year, on the first Saturday in October, we make a special pilgrim-
age to the Basílica in which Maronite women participate, the Ladies of
San Charbel, the St. Charbel Foundation, the Maronite Union and all
the Lebanese. Most of the Lebanese communities that live in Mexico are
Catholic, Apostolic, and Roman Maronite. "
The Maronite community has existed for about 600 thousand years. And
although Lebanon is their country of origin, they are scattered all over the
world, especially in the U.S., Latin America and Africa.
The bishop explained that the presence of Catholic priests of the Maronite
rite in Mexico was due "to the need to give spiritual guidance to immi-
grants from the Middle East, most of them from Lebanon, who arrived in
this country in the late nineteenth century. "
"I'm in the service of our community and was appointed by Pope John
Paul II, like all Catholic bishops and Maronites in the world, because our
father is the leader of the Catholic Church." In December 1995 Pope John
Paul II instituted the first Maronite Eparchy (diocese) in Mexico with
the title of Our Lady of the Martyrs of Lebanon, naming Monsignor Wa-
dih Boutros Tayah (1996-2002) as its first bishop. In 2003, the current
bishop was appointed, a member of the Lebanese Maronite Order, who
came to Mexico in 1988, Bishop George Saad Abi Younes. A scoop of this
new diocese was father Alberto P. Meouchi, Chihuahua, son of Lebanese
immigrants, who was ordained on June 6, 1998 and assigned to the spiri-
tual care of the Maronites in the state of Chihuahua in northern Mexico.
Throughout Mexico, the Maronites number about 250 thousand faithful.
U
niversal
C
hurch
The bishop said the Catholic Church is universal, thus it doesn’t have a
single rite, such as the Latin. He explained that there are many rituals,
some 22 worldwide; one of them is the Maronite. "The difference is nei-
ther in the doctrine of the church or in the liturgy, we are the same, the
difference is the way to celebrate a sacrament as a baptism, marriage,
mass, because the Maronites retain all that is old. "
He noted that if a Catholic attends Latin Mass at a Maronite church on
Sunday, he has kept God's command to attend mass. The same happen if a
Maronite goes to a Catholic church. "Our church is catholic and apostolic.
The Mass is a little different but the base of the sacrament is the same. In
the Mass is in Spanish, we have kept the words of consecration in Aramaic,
the language of Jesus Christ. "The bishop explained that since 1905, Mexico
has Maronite churches and indicated that today in Mexico City there are
two:" The Maronite Cathedral Our Lady of Balbanera, which is downtown,
and the temple of Our Lady of Lebanon, which has existed since 1921 for all
the Lebanese and Maronite community as well as for all Mexican Catholics
who want to know a new and interesting rite like the Maronite. "
El líder de la diócesis maronita en México abundó que también tienen
otros proyectos: “En el estado de Veracruz construiremos un templo
con una casa para los padres. En Pachuca, Hidalgo, contamos con un
terreno para la comunidad maronita. En Saltillo, Coahuila, oficiaré una
misa dedicada a San Charbel, en la cual reuniremos a todos los bene-
factores de la comunidad para terminar la construcción de un templo
allá. En Chihuahua inauguraremos una nueva iglesia en noviembre de
este año, la cual estará dedicada a San Charbel.”
Y envió un mensaje a todos los miembros de la comunidad libanesa
maronita para que se sumen al desarrollo de todos los proyectos men-
cionados. Asimismo expresó su confianza en que se sientan orgullo-
sos de todo lo que se está haciendo. Además, sostuvo que al grupo
de diez sacerdotes maronitas que actualmente hay en México, se su-
marán otros diez para atender a la comunidad.
L
os maronitas
en
M
éxico
El obispo Georges Saad Abi Younes explicó que los primeros inmi-
grantes libaneses que llegaron a México, especialmente los maronitas,
lograron adaptarse fácilmente ya que se sintieron identificados con un
país católico, que los recibió bien y los protegió.
Además, aseguró que las tradiciones de ambos pueblos son similares:
“Yo veo que todos los maronitas en México son muy devotos de
la virgen de Guadalupe, y cada año, el primer sábado de octubre,
hacemos una peregrinación especial para la virgen en la cual participan
las damas maronitas, las damas de San Charbel, la fundación de San
Charbel, la Unión Maronita y todos los libaneses. La mayor parte de
la comunidad libanesa que radica en México es católica, apostólica,
romana maronita.”
La comunidad maronita tiene una antigüedad de alrededor de mil 600
años. Y aunque su país de origen es Líbano están diseminados en todo
el mundo, especialmente en Estados Unidos, Latinoamérica y África.
El obispo explicó que la presencia de sacerdotes católicos del rito ma-
ronita en México se debió “a la necesidad de atender espiritualmente
a los inmigrantes de Medio Oriente, la mayoría de Líbano, llegados a
este país a finales del siglo XIX”.
“Yo estoy al servicio de nuestra comunidad y fui nombrado por el papa
Juan Pablo II, al igual que todos los obispos católicos y maronitas en el
mundo, ya que nuestro patriarca es el líder de la iglesia católica.”
