ARCHDIOCESE OF MELBOURNE REPORT:
Friday 23 March 2012
By Bernadette Khoury, Victorian Maronite Community.
Monsignor Joseph Takchi OAM, Parish Priest of Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Parish, celebrated 30 years of ordination to priesthood on 20 March 2012. Monsignor Joe was the first Maronite priest ordained in Australia on 20 March 1982 by the late Bishop Adbo Khalife.
Monsignor Joe has worked tirelessly in Our Lady of Lebanon
Parish for the 30 years since ordination. His hard work, commitment, loyalty,
dedication and perseverance are just a few of his many wonderful attributes and
qualities.
On Sunday 18 March, 2012, Monsignor Joe celebrated the Maronite Liturgy. Well over 1000 parishioners celebrated this mementos occasion, including special dignitaries: Mr Henri Castoun Consul General of Lebanon and Mrs Castoun, Mr Louis Fleyfel former Honorary Consul of Lebanon and Mrs. Fleyfel, Mr Nazih Elasmar MP and Mrs. Elasmar, Miss Marlene Kairouz MP, Tony and Betty Takchi, Sheila Takchi, George Takchi and Mary Khamis, all church committees, all social and charitable associations and all political parties. After Mass a special lunch was enjoyed with much love and joy.
As a special gift to the Parish, Monsignor Joe announced the generous donation from Mr Louis Fleyfel and Mrs Fleyfel, of $2 million towards the completion of the church hall. Mr. Fleyfel said, “Monsignor you are a worker for God and we
all
thank you for your quiet and unheralded work in our community. You provide us
with a wonderful example, and serve as a reminder of the vital contribution that
our Christian church makes to the fabric of our society. Please continue doing
God’s work, and we will continue aiding and helping you whenever”.
Mr Fleyfel has been a tremendous benefactor to the parish over many years. Some five years ago he donated 1.5 million dollars to the parish to help extend Saint Paul’s Hostel from a 30 bed to a 60 bed aged care facility.
Monsignor Joe thanked Mr Fleyfel and everyone in the parish for the wonderful support over the 33 years that he has been in Melbourne. He said, “As a Maronite Community we centre our life on Jesus. We grow in our understanding of what it means to belong to Christ and the wonderful responsibility that has been given to us through our Baptism. The Traditions of our Maronite Church take us back to the beginning of the missionary activity of the Apostles. Let us continue to live our faith and be proud of our Tradition”. He went on to say that he is very honored to be the parish priest of such a wonderful and dynamic community and looks forward to another rewarding 30 years, working together with an amazing parish that is always renewing their commitment to Jesus and following and sharing in the mission of the Church to spread the Word of God to the world.
………………………………………………………………………………
Victorian Maronite Community Award recipients
Our Lady of Lebanon Marontie Parish in Melbourne is a very dynamic and diverse parish. Many parishioners work tirelessly to build and support not just the Maronites of Melbourne but all our friends and neighbors. We are very lucky to have many parishioners who offer their time and efforts on a regular basis. In recognition of their many years of dedicated service to the Australian community the following members received some well deserved awards from a number of Government bodies. These are:
Mr. Fady Zouki received the Order of Australia Medal (Australia Day Awards)
Antonine Sisters Child Care Centre Meritorious Service Delivery to Multicultural Victoria Award
Mrs. Diana Hachem Meritorious Service to the Community
Mr. James Hakim Meritorious Youth Service to the Community
Mr. Chamel Mokbel Voluntary Community Service Award
Mr. Louis Chidiac Voluntary Community Service Award
Mrs. Jean D’Arc Chidiac Voluntary Community Service Award
We congratulate the above award recipients and thank them for their diligence and selfless hard work and recognise that they have all made a significant contribution to Victoria’s successful and harmonious multicultural community. We are proud of every achievement and look forward to years of dedicated loyalty to Australia and the Australian way of life.
Photos 1 and 2 by Celine Khoury
photo 3 supplied by Victorian Maronite Community
Friday 23 March 2012
By Bernadette Khoury, Victorian Maronite Community.
Monsignor Joseph Takchi OAM, Parish Priest of Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Parish, celebrated 30 years of ordination to priesthood on 20 March 2012. Monsignor Joe was the first Maronite priest ordained in Australia on 20 March 1982 by the late Bishop Adbo Khalife.
Monsignor Joe has worked tirelessly in Our Lady of Lebanon
Parish for the 30 years since ordination. His hard work, commitment, loyalty,
dedication and perseverance are just a few of his many wonderful attributes and
qualities.On Sunday 18 March, 2012, Monsignor Joe celebrated the Maronite Liturgy. Well over 1000 parishioners celebrated this mementos occasion, including special dignitaries: Mr Henri Castoun Consul General of Lebanon and Mrs Castoun, Mr Louis Fleyfel former Honorary Consul of Lebanon and Mrs. Fleyfel, Mr Nazih Elasmar MP and Mrs. Elasmar, Miss Marlene Kairouz MP, Tony and Betty Takchi, Sheila Takchi, George Takchi and Mary Khamis, all church committees, all social and charitable associations and all political parties. After Mass a special lunch was enjoyed with much love and joy.
As a special gift to the Parish, Monsignor Joe announced the generous donation from Mr Louis Fleyfel and Mrs Fleyfel, of $2 million towards the completion of the church hall. Mr. Fleyfel said, “Monsignor you are a worker for God and we
all
thank you for your quiet and unheralded work in our community. You provide us
with a wonderful example, and serve as a reminder of the vital contribution that
our Christian church makes to the fabric of our society. Please continue doing
God’s work, and we will continue aiding and helping you whenever”.Mr Fleyfel has been a tremendous benefactor to the parish over many years. Some five years ago he donated 1.5 million dollars to the parish to help extend Saint Paul’s Hostel from a 30 bed to a 60 bed aged care facility.
Monsignor Joe thanked Mr Fleyfel and everyone in the parish for the wonderful support over the 33 years that he has been in Melbourne. He said, “As a Maronite Community we centre our life on Jesus. We grow in our understanding of what it means to belong to Christ and the wonderful responsibility that has been given to us through our Baptism. The Traditions of our Maronite Church take us back to the beginning of the missionary activity of the Apostles. Let us continue to live our faith and be proud of our Tradition”. He went on to say that he is very honored to be the parish priest of such a wonderful and dynamic community and looks forward to another rewarding 30 years, working together with an amazing parish that is always renewing their commitment to Jesus and following and sharing in the mission of the Church to spread the Word of God to the world.
………………………………………………………………………………
Victorian Maronite Community Award recipients
Our Lady of Lebanon Marontie Parish in Melbourne is a very dynamic and diverse parish. Many parishioners work tirelessly to build and support not just the Maronites of Melbourne but all our friends and neighbors. We are very lucky to have many parishioners who offer their time and efforts on a regular basis. In recognition of their many years of dedicated service to the Australian community the following members received some well deserved awards from a number of Government bodies. These are:
Mr. Fady Zouki received the Order of Australia Medal (Australia Day Awards)
Antonine Sisters Child Care Centre Meritorious Service Delivery to Multicultural Victoria Award
Mrs. Diana Hachem Meritorious Service to the Community
Mr. James Hakim Meritorious Youth Service to the Community
Mr. Chamel Mokbel Voluntary Community Service Award
Mr. Louis Chidiac Voluntary Community Service Award
Mrs. Jean D’Arc Chidiac Voluntary Community Service Award
We congratulate the above award recipients and thank them for their diligence and selfless hard work and recognise that they have all made a significant contribution to Victoria’s successful and harmonious multicultural community. We are proud of every achievement and look forward to years of dedicated loyalty to Australia and the Australian way of life.
Photos 1 and 2 by Celine Khoury
photo 3 supplied by Victorian Maronite Community
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