Pope Francis Makes Two Appointments in the Maronite Church

On Wednesday, April 17, the Holy Father made the following appointments: 

- Fr. Antoine Tarabay, (from the Lebanese Maronite Order O.L.M.), as bishop of the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Sydney of the Maronites (Catholics 150,000, priests 45, permanent deacons 1, religious 47), Australia. The bishop-elect was born in Tannourine, Qadaa of Batroun, Lebanon, in 1967, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1993. Bishop-elect Tarabay was previously superior of the Saint Charbel convent in Sydney, Australia. He succeeds Bishop Ad Abi Karam, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same eparchy was accepted by the Holy Father in conformity with canon 210, para. 1, of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. 

- Fr. Habib Chamieh, (from the Mariamite Maronite Order O.M.M.), as apostolic administrator of the eparchy of San Charbel en Buenos Aires of the Maronites (Catholics 700,000, priests 21, permanent deacons 2, religious 26), Argentina. at the same time elevating him to the dignity of bishop and assigning him the titular see of Nomentum. The bishop-elect was born in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1966, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1992. Bishop-elect Chamieh was previously novice master of the Mariamite Maronite Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Lebanon. He succeeds Bishop Charbel Georges Merhi, C.M.L., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same eparchy was accepted by the Holy Father in conformity with canon 210, para. 1, of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.

The ordination ceremony for the newly appointed bishops will be held in Bkerke on Saturday, May 25, at 5 pm.