khazen.org completely rejects the actions of some outlaws at Lassa Lebanese village. These criminals and thugs used violence against civilians and Religious prelates to scare them away of the Maronite Church Properties. These thugs attacked  Deacon Tony Halim who later received treatment at Saint George Ajaltoun hospital in Ajaltoun. Our prayers are with all of the victims.

 

khazen.org is outraged by the actions of these thugs who has attacked church Officials and invaded their lands. We would like Justice to be pursued by Lebanese Security officials  as soon as possible.

 

khazen.org was pleased today that under the leadership of our Patriarch our loving Father Mar Bechara al Rai he once again was the uniter following his motto" Love and Partnership  was able calm the situation. Once again our Maronite Patriarch opened his arms to all communities and reached an agreement with all parties involve in these events.  Eventhough the violence was only against our Maronite Church, Prelates and farmers. 

 

Khazen.org offers its complete support to our Maronite Patriarch, our father, the Hope of Lebanon. His opinions are sacred. He is the voice of the Lebanese Because of his strong love and forgiving nature Church bells will always rand and welcome all groups to unite! 

 

BEIRUT: An agreement on land disputes between the Maronite Patriarchate and residents of a predominantly Shiite village in north Lebanon was reached during a meeting held under Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai, according to a statement by the patriarchate’s media office Thursday.

The statement said that following an incident in the village of Lassa, Jbeil, last week, the concerned parties met in Bkirki Wednesday night. Attending the meeting were Rai, Bishop Antoine Nabil Andari, who was heading a delegation from Jounieh’s Maronite Archdiocese, Jbeil lawmakers Walid Khoury, Abbas Hashem and Simon Abi Ramia along with Baalbek-Hermel MP Emile Rahmeh and all members of the Free Patriotic Movement bloc.

Other top security officials and a Hezbollah delegation headed by Ghaleb Abu Zeinab were on hand as well.

“The participants discussed the issue of disputed real estate in the area. They unanimously stressed that the political tinge be removed from it [the dispute] and [discussions] be restricted to the negotiation and a legal course, without any tension,” the statement said.

Last week, locals from Lassa accosted a delegation from the Maronite Patriarchate, accompanied by topographical professionals, who were surveying lands belonging to Jounieh’s Maronite archdiocese, in line with a judicial order. The delegation’s visit came following news that illegal structures were being built on archdiocese property, and the residents prevented the delegation from carrying out its work.

Members of a news crew from MTV, who were reporting from Lassa, were assaulted Tuesday by locals who smashed a camera belonging to the crew, forcing them to end their work.

“The dispute is not between parties or political movements, but revolves around real estate affairs. What the spiritual and parliamentary authorities, along with political parties, did in their meeting was make a positive and responsible contribution toward creating a climate to accompany this purely legal proceeding,” the statement said.

It added that the participants have drawn up “a mechanism to carry out the decisions taken within a timetable to end this issue, which has been going on for years, in a [definitive] manner by a committee that has been assigned for this job [resolving the dispute].”

 

BEIRUT: The Maronite patriarch said Friday that he rejected references to Christians in Lebanon as “minorities.” “Minorities do not exist. We are cells in the Lebanese body from which this [Lebanese social] fabric is formed,” Patriarch Beshara Rai said. He noted that a synod convened at the Vatican last year to study the situation of […]

khazen.org, Malek Fady el Khazen.

Thanks to our President Michel Suleiman, who is leading Lebanon to defend its interest and constitution the new Government was created under his leadership . We hope for the new ministers to serve Lebanese daily problems, from insurance, health care, internet connection, retirement, electricity, transportation and many more issues and concentrate less on foreign relation. khazen.org understands that it is not possible to ignore our foreign policy because of our geopolitical situation but stresses it is as important to concentrate and focus in Lebanese domestic policies. We hope that the government   concentrate on local government efficiency and problems, having an effective financial plan, city development, investment, growth and privatization.  Most importantly khazen.org stand by the presidency under the leadership of President Michel Suleiman who has been leading us for a prosperous Lebanon. We also praise the close relationship and alliance btw the President and the Maronite Patriarch who is our father. A golden alliance between an improvement of  local policies to better serve the Lebanese interest  under the morality umbrella lead by our Patriarch.

 

We also thank our Maronite Patriarch Mar. Bechara Raai leadership in bringing all of the communities together and reminding the politicians about the day to day misery and difficulties of Lebanese citizen.

 

President of Lebanon H.E General Michel Suleiman (center), Prime Minister H.E. Najib Najib Mikati (right), Speaker of the House H. E. Nabih Berri

 

Lebanon’s new government convened at the Presidential Palace for its first meeting, in which a committee of ministers tasked with drafting the new Cabinet’s policy statement was formed. The Lebanese president also expressed hope that the ministerial statement be based on national fundamental principles, the national Constitution and the Taif Accord, which ended Lebanon’s bloody 1975-1990 Civil War. ""The Lebanon government was 100 percent Lebanese without any foreign intervention (in the Cabinet formation process)," Suleiman said after the first meeting of Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s government." Suleiman also urged cabinet ministers to "promptly start work."

For his part, Mikati called on ministers to join forces in order to meet the internal and external political challenges lying ahead. The new Lebanese Cabinet’s policy statement will outline the government’s position on issues such as Hezbollah’s arsenal and the UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which is investigating the 2005 assassination of Lebanese Sunni Former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

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Invited by Patriarch Rahi, Christian political leaders from both government and opposition met to talk. The issues on the table were the separation of religion and politics, the defence of Christian-owned land, a greater Christian presence in public institutions, the promotion of the common good, and the collective responsibility Christians have in promoting the values of the Gospel in society. A committee is set up to promote further meetings.Beirut (AsiaNews) – The separation of religion and politics, the defence of Christian-owned land, a greater Christian presence in public institutions and the promotion of the common good “for the betterment of the country, society and government” were the goals laid out by Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rahi at a meeting with 34 Maronite political leaders, from both the ruling coalition and opposition parties, held at the Patriarchal See in Bkerke.

For Mgr Rahi, Lebanese Christians, independently of their political beliefs, have a “collective responsibility” to promote the values of the Gospel and the teachings of the Church in society. “We are here to examine our reality and decide how to improve it, despite [our] different political beliefs, which still follow our values and culture, in light of the teachings of the Church and Lebanon’s special character.”

Maronite Catholic Patriarch Beshara Rai has scolded Lebanese political leaders for their failure to resolve a 4-month deadlock in the formation of a national-unity government. “All of us, Muslim and Christian Lebanese, are looking forward to building a country that we inherited from our grandfathers,” Patriarch Rai said.

Before the meeting, an agreement was expected on two topics, namely the sale of Christian-owned land and the ways to enhance the Christian presence in public institutions. “Christians represent 30 per cent of the public work force. This is inacceptable,” Bishop Salim Mazloum said.

“Only by participating in public institutions can Christians maintain an active presence,” the patriarch said.

Some observers expected members of the ruling ‘8 March’ coalition to cause some difficulties with respect to Hizbollah’s weapons and the international tribunal investigating the murder of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Apparently, the issues were discussed but nothing is known as to what was said.

Still, the first comments following the meeting were positive. Participants also decided to set up a committee to prepare further meetings so that “Lebanon can remain an example of democracy and freedom.”

 

Khazen.org prays for all of the minorities being persecuted in the Middle-East. Mainstream media do not cover these injustice and massacres against Christians unfortunately. On a daily Basis the Christians are being totured, killed, persecuted, and attacked in very large numbers. We pray for these atrocities to end. And we request for the media, and world leaders to put an end on this injustice by first covering the news and second for the world leaders to take a firm stand against these atrocities and apply sanctions against the countries that cannot defend minorities or leaders that fail to offer their support to the communities being affected. 

Unfortunately many of the newly "liberated" countries from dictatoship regime, are not taking swift actions to end violence against Christians! Is this the new democracy that they support?

After Egypt, Iraq what is next? Yemen? Bahrein? Syria? What about the minorities in these countries?

 

By Deacon Keith FournierCatholic Online (www.catholic.org)

On Monday, May 16, 2011, a 29 year old Christian husband and father of three children was kidnapped by Islamic militants in Iraq. His mutilated body, showing signs of extreme torture, was found by a bridge. His head had been severed and his eyes gouged out.

IRKUK, Iraq (Catholic  Online ) – Last Friday,  a 29 year old Christian husband and father of three children was kidnapped by Islamic militants in Iraq. A ransom of the equivalent of $100,000 US was demanded.

On Monday, May 16, 2011, his mutilated body, showing signs of extreme torture was found by a bridge. His head had been severed and his eyes had been gouged out.

The heroic Archbishop of Kirkuk, Louis Sako, praised the heroism of this Christian man and the continuing strength and faith of the Christian community in Iraq.

He strongly condemned the evil noting the growing hostility toward Christians in Iraq, "In all these years, I have never heard of a single Christian converting to Islam, despite the many threats."

 

 

Khazen.org offer its support to the Office of the Lebanese Presidency:

1- We support the Lebanese Presidency and its rights to defend and uphold the Lebanese Constitution. The key for the Lebanese presidency to be a real arbitrator, is for the office to be effectively represented in the Lebanese government.  For president Suleiman to be able to follow the constitution and  to be a real arbitrator as it is intended and clear, it is the right of this office to have ministers representing him or else he will not be able to be a real arbitrator as the constitution calls for it .

2- The Lebanese Constitution is very clear, the President Issue the decree appointing the prime minister independently. On agreement with the prime minister, issue the decree forming the cabinet. President Suleiman responsibility and role from the constitution is to sign the formation of the government, that will be able to govern independently and represent the interest of Lebanon. Only president Suleiman has the right to decide what kind of government he will support  where as an arbitrator he feels it will serve best interest of the Lebanese nation. 

3- We support the President as the commander in chef of all of the Armed Forces.  Regardless of the unfortunate event of what has happened in the Telecommunication Ministry, and the intention of the Minister Charbel Nahas, we can ask many questions. Why now? Was it necessary? Why not when the government when he took in charge the ministry? All of these questions we may never find the answer, but one important factor, the President of the Republic because of his unique leadership as Preserving the constitution, has saved Lebanon an additional time by preventing any fights!. And we salute our President as the Commander in Chief of all of the Armed forces! Unfortunately  Rifi has shown poor judgement, regardles of why he was there when the Interior Minister Baroud request him to leave, his duty is to leave! And because of disrespecting the Lebanese laws and constitution we request his case to be followed within the Lebanese Justice and for his direct resignation from Head of the internal security forces. He is not fit anymore to be able to control ISF when he takes political stands; This is not a political position!

 

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Khazen.org offer its complete support to our Maronite Patriarch, our father, the Hope of Lebanon. His opinions are sacred. He is the voice of the Lebanese.  What we need is a government that serve the interest of the people and not a government specialized in foreign relation as they have been building  for the last 5 years and our youth are leaving Lebanon. We pray for the very quick formation of the Lebanese government, where our politicians will think less about their own interest and how to create larger parties but rather think more about the Lebanese people their pain, ecnomical suffering and uncertainty. As our Patriarch and President are seeking requesting, a government that will be able to govern freely, prevent conflicts, increase economical prosperity, jobs and create new programs to boost business, education, heath programs and investments.

 

khazen.org prays for the Christians of the Middle East, especially for the Christians of Egypt and Iraq being persecuted. And all of the minorities in the Middle-East going through an uncertain future. There are no words that we can use to describe these atrocities against the Christians. We hope for the leaders of these countries and of the Free world to act quickly. We also request for the leaders of these countries to create a long term plan and not only a superficial plan as they have been creating for the last 30 years. Every citizen have the right to live in peace and freely and these communities are here to stay. These leaders will need to educate their communities in accepting the others, non-violence and invest in schools and economy.

 

 

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai appealed Sunday for a swift formation of a new government, saying the inexplicable delay was ruining the country “I take this opportunity to make this appeal from the heart: Enough, Enough, enough,” Rai told reporters at Beirut’s airport before flying to Rome for a meeting at the Vatican. “Enough procrastination, and enough paralysis in our Lebanese life. We are sitting on the top of a volcano because of what is going on in the Arab world.” Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati’s four-month-old efforts to form a Cabinet have yet to succeed despite some progress over the past week. The main hurdle remains Christian representation in the government.“All the people demands that we have a government,” Rai said. “We can’t understand this delay. We have said before that the delay in forming the Cabinet is ruinous, it is destroying the state and suppressing the citizens.

 

 

Vatican City – Focusing on youth formation and returning to "proclaim and live the" Good News, with the same spirit of the early Christians: these are Benedict XVI’s recommendations to Lebanese Catholics, in his address to the new Maronite Patriarch Béchara Boutros Raï, received together with the delegation that accompanied him to Rome for the concession of ecclesial communion, following his election by the Maronite Synod.

The Pope, who underscored the presence Card. Nasrallah Sfeir, predecessor of the current patriarch, praising his 25 years of service to the Church "in the midst of the turmoil of history”.  Speaking to the 77th leader of the Maronite Church he said that "since you are in the heart of the Middle East, you have an immense mission", to "propose the Gospel to people who know little about it or who have moved away from the Church. " "With all the vital forces present in Lebanon and the Middle East this means" witnessing and living in communion with the Word of life to rediscover the zeal of the early believers. "

"This region of the world, blessed by the presence and preaching of patriarchs, prophets, apostles and of Christ himself, aspires to the lasting peace that the Word of life, accepted and lived, has the ability to establish".

"You must pursue this goal through the human and spiritual, moral and intellectual education of young people, thanks to your schools and catechism classes, of which I know the quality. I very much hope that your role in their formation is increasingly recognized by society, so that the core values are transmitted, without discrimination, so that today’s young people "become responsible men and women within their families and society, to build greater solidarity and fraternity among all components of the nation. "

 

May Lebanon remain a free and pluralistic country! That’s the hope the new Lebanese Patriarch of the Maronite Church who is watching the current unrest in the region with concern.
Patriarch Bechara Rai expressed his concerns to Pope Benedict in his first audience since he was elected leader of the Maronite Church of Antioch in March. In his words to the new patriarch, Pope Benedict reiterated the urgency of proposing "the Gospel to those who do not know it well or have moved away from the Church” and to help the local faithful “to rediscover the enthusiasm of the first Christians.”
Formerly a director of the Arabic program for 12 years at Vatican Radio, Patriarch Rai spoke to me ahead of his audience with the Holy Father. Tracey McClure asked him if he fears the uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa might in some way spill over into Lebanon…

Speaking in Italian, Patriarch Rai said “Of course we are worried. There could be consequences for Lebanon because we do not know where these protests are going. Lebanon is the place of freedom of expression and the place where all religions are represented; one does not assimilate another.” (And Lebanon is a place) “where there are differences of opinion and the political pluralism of parties. If these regimes of the Arab world were to become tougher,” he said, “it would be the Christians of these countries who would pay! Christians would be the first victims…”

Pope John Paul II often spoke of Lebanon as a model of coexistence among Christians, Muslims and Druze. The nation’s constitution guarantees the political and civil rights of all of its 18 different confessions. The President is always a Christian, the Prime Minister a Sunni and the Speaker of the House a Shiite. Despite the turmoil in countries surrounding Lebanon, Patriarch Rai expressed his belief that its model of pluralism would not be at risk. “I don’t think so because the Lebanese – all the Lebanese: Muslims and Christians – attach great importance to this coexistence: all of them,” he says. “However, if Christians continue to emigrate in ever greater numbers, Lebanon’s political system will be conditioned by this, also demographically. In fact, if the demographics of Christians were to drop significantly, then even their representation will change. It will no longer be balanced, that is, 50-50. Perhaps it will be 75-25, or perhaps it will tend to disappear. But we hope to be able to preserve our presence and maintain our numbers, demographically as well.”

 

نـهـضـة الكـنـيسـة المارونية أعـطيـت لـه

نشر هذا المقال في مجلة المسيرة في 25 آذار 2011 بمناسبة تنصيب البطريرك الراعي

 

سجعان القزي

نائب رئيس حزب الكتائب اللبنانية

 

في الخامس والعشرين من آذار 2011 بدأ عهد البطريرك مار بشارة بطرس الراعي، لا عهد البطريركية المارونية الموجودة منذ نحو 1325 سنة. إنه أولُ بطريرك على كنيسة لبنان وإنطاكية وسائر المشرق في القرن الواحد والعشرين (الشعبُ الجالسُ في ظلمة أبصر نوراً عظيماً).

التحدي عظيمٌ والمسؤولية أعظم. ما هَمّ: إنْ كان البطريرك الراعي يتمتّع بصفاتٍ ذاتية مـيّـزته لبلوغ سُـدَّة البطريركية، فما أن يستويَ بطريركٌ على عرش "مجد لبنان أُعطي له"، حتى تهبطَ عليه أيضاً نِعمُ الوقارِ والمهابة، الرصانةِ والثبات، التقوى والعفة، الشموخِ والعزة، الكِـبَرِ والتواضع، والحنانِ والرأفة. تـنـدُر كلماتُـه وتكـثُر أفعالُه. يَـثـقُب بنظراته، فلا يبخُل بابتساماته ولا يبذَخ بضِحكاته. برَكةُ يده لا تُـغني عن تحذير إصبعه، فعصاه متعددةُ الاستعمال. في شخصيته يَسكن أملُ الميلاد وألـمُ الجلجلة وعذابُ الصليب ورجاءُ القيامة. على جَبهته يَرتسمُ وادي العاصي وجبلُ لبنان ولبنانُ وإنطاكية وسائرُ المشرق. وعلى محـيّـاه يَلوح طيفُ مار مارون والقديسِين شربل ورفقا والحرديني والطوباويَين نعمه والكبوشي (فكونوا أنتم كاملين كما أن أباكم الذي في السموات هو كامل).

لست واعظاً لأرشُدَ البطريرك الجديد إلى ما عليه أن يفعل، فله عينان تَريان. لكني ابنُ الكنيسة وواجبي أن أنقلَ إليه تمنياتي، وللبطريرك أذنان تُصغيان. أنا من يحتاج إلى توجيهِه ونُصحِه وصلاته وبركته.

غِبطة البطريرك مار بشارة بطرس الراعي أمضى ربعَ قرنٍ أُسقفاً يشارك البطريركَ صفير في إدارةِ شؤون الكنيسة المارونية ورسمِ سياستِها وتحضيرِ قراراتِها وإعلان مواقِفها. ويعرِف نقاطَ قوّةِ الكنيسة المارونية وضعفِها، ويستطيع تحديدَ الأولويات ووضعَ خريطةِ طريق نحو التاريخ المستقبلي.

من هذه الفرضية أرى البطريركَ الراعي يَطرد اللصوص والباعةَ من الهيكل، ويَنهي المرائين و"الكتبةَ" عن تَسلّقِ درَج بكركي (بيتي بيت الصلاة يُدعى). أراه يحرِّم على مُـدَّعِـيِ الأدوار ومختلِقي المهمّـات ومُنتَحِلي الصفات التحدّثَ باسم البطريركية، ويَفصُل بين أمنِ بكركي والتنصّتِ عليها (اذهبوا عني يا فاعلي الإثم). أراه يُشذِّب أغصانَ بكركي من الأحمالِ الثقيلة فـتُورِف، ومن النوافلِ فـتُـثمر (كل غرسٍ لم يزرعْه أبي السموي يُقلع). أرى البطريركَ الراعي يبحث عن النعاجِ الضائعةِ ليعيدَها إلى خطِّ بكركي المستقيم (إذا وجدَها يضعَها على مِنكَـبَـيْـه فرِحاً).

لا يحبُّ البطريرك الراعي بَخّورَ المدّاحين ولا ثرثرة المتزلّفين. لا يتحـمّـل حاشيةً تستظل جُـبَّـته وتستغلُّ موقعه (يُكـرَّمني هذا الشعبُ، وقلـبُـه مني بعيد). لا يحبّ البطريرك الراعي المؤسساتِ التي أُنشئت لتكونَ امتداداً عَلمانياً لبكركي ودرعَها في المجتمع المدني، فتختفي وتربُط ألسنتها حين تتعرّض بكركي لهجومٍ ظالم وتطاول معيب، فـيَـهُبّ هو، وكان بعدُ أسقفاً، يردّ التحدي. أما، وقد أصبح بطريركاً، فيفضّل، على كل هؤلاء، فريقَ عملٍ ديني ـ عَلماني، من الرجال والنساء، يساعده على إكمال مسيرة ِنقلِ البطريركية إلى القرن الواحد والعشرين من دون أن تَتخلّى عن ثوابتِ القرن الرابع. فريق العمل الذي يَرغب به البطريرك الراعي شأنه أن يضم نخبةً زاهدةً، متجرِّدةً، نزيهةً، كفؤةً، مخلِصةً، نقـيَّـةً، شجاعةً، عميقةَ التفكير، عمليةَ الأداء، تقف إلى جانبِ غِبطته وتعمَل تحت إشرافه من أجلِ خيرِ الكنيسةِ والمؤمنين والإنسان (من أراد السيرَ ورائي فليَرغَب عن ذاته ويحمِل صليبَه ويَتبعْني).

وفي الأساس توجد في مكاتبِ بكركي وغرفِها تُخمة دراساتٍ ومشاريعَ راكدةٍ، منذ عقود، على رجاء القيامة. وما أن يَقيمها البطريرك الراعي، حتى تُقرع أجراسُ نجاحه بعد أجراسِ انتخابه.