MECC Team in a Spiritual Retreat Hosted by H.E Bishop Paul Rouhana
This news is also available in Arabic.
Under the patronage and presence of the Maronite Patriarchal Vicar of Sarba, H.E Bishop Paul Rouhana, former MECC Secretary General, the Council’s General Secretariat organized a spiritual retreat presided over by the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs. The retreat was held on Friday, November 5, 2021, at the Saint Paul Monastery - Patriarchal Maronite Diocese, Vicariate of Sarba, Keserwan - Lebanon, which is newly renovated.
The attendees from Beirut included the departments’ teams, as for the officials from the council’s offices outside Lebanon participated online.
The spiritual retreat began with a Holy Mass presided over by the Theological and Ecumenical Department Father Dr. Antoine Al-Ahmar, who delivered a homily in which he spoke about the importance of the Christian mission in the service, participation and communion, especially in the MECC work.
The MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs thanked H.E. Bishop Paul Rouhana for hosting the retreat, praising the importance of benefiting from spiritual gatherings and calling for organizing regular and similar retreats. He also pointed out that each one witness to Christ in his/her own way, stressing on the necessity of Praying and adhering to hope in order to achieve the Christian mission, especially through the MECC’s projects.
Afterwards, H.E. Bishop Paul Rouhana gave a lecture in which he focused on the Synod of the Catholic Church 2021-2023, entitled “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission”. Rouhana presented the vision and objectives of the Synod, and the importance of walking together in Christian partnership. He also explained the meanings behind the Synod’s topic and the activities of the preparatory first phase that the dioceses around the world have begun to participate in.
In addition, the gathering included a lunch, followed by a tour at the historical archdiocese and its garden, which includes cedar trees, accompanied by Bishop Rouhana. Thus, he explained the rehabilitation phases of the Monastery building, which was constructed in the nineteenth century, as well as the projects that will be implemented in the future.
In a peaceful and familial atmosphere, the participants emphasized on the words of the hymn: “How lovely it is to get together in love our Lord teaches us, When two meet in my name together I will always be in between their gather”.
