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Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center

His Beatitude, Gregorios III, Patriarch / Batriyark of the cities of Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem, of Cilicia, Syria, Iberia, Arabia Mesopotamia, Pentapolis, Ethiopia, of all of Egypt and the entire East, Father of Fathers, Pastor of Pastors, Bishop of Bishops, the Thirteenth of The Holy Apostles at the XI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist from Oct. 2 - Oct. 23, 2005 on the Eucharist

The 11th general assembly of the Latin Synod of Bishops met in Rome from Oct. 2 - Oct. 23, 2005. It focused on the theme "The Eucharist: Source and Summit of the Life and Mission of the Church". 256 participants from 188 countries attended. Attendees were eight patriarchs, 55 cardinals, 82 archbishops, 123 bishops, 36 presidents of Episcopal conferences and 12 religious.

His Beatitude, Gregorios III, Patriarch / Batriyark of the cities of Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem, of Cilicia, Syria, Iberia, Arabia Mesopotamia, Pentapolis, Ethiopia, of all of Egypt and the entire East, Father of Fathers, Pastor of Pastors, Bishop of Bishops, the Thirteenth of The Holy Apostles's early statement

6 October, AswiaNews.it

6 October, 2005 VATICAN – SYNOD ON THE EUCHARIST The Bread of Life vs the culture of death Vatican City (AsiaNews)

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“Church of the Arabs” Stressing the link between the Eucharist and the Church’s evangelising mission, Grégoire III Laham, the Greek-Melkite Patriarch of Antioch, said that “after September 11, 2001, with the war against Iraq, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the rise in Islamic fundamentalism and the expanding phenomenon of terrorism, it is very important to remind Arab Christians about their role as Church “of the Arabs”, in the context of Islam, to which they are historically linked (“Church of Islam”). Such a reminder would encourage Christians in the Arab world and in Islamic countries, and would be very favourably received in these countries and around the world.” As for the link between the “Eucharist and peace”, the Patriarch invited his peers to remember Jerusalem and Palestine, spiritual home to all Christians, and say a word for peace in the Holy City and the Holy Land, key to peace in the Near East and in the whole world, which for us Christians in the Arab world is of the greatest importance for it is it that can preserve a Christian presence in this Arab world.”

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5 October, AswiaNews.it

5 October, 2005 VATICAN - SYNOD ON THE EUCHARIST Synod: the decline in confessions distances people from the Church Vatican City (AsiaNews)

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Yes or no to taking Communion in the hand
Different stances were registered on the question of differing styles of celebration and in particular the way to distribute Communion. The reduction, if not the abolition of Communion in the hand was called for by Monsignor Jan Pawel Lenga, Archbishop of Karaganda, Kazakstan, according to whom such practice "undeniably increases the risk of loosing fragments, of profanation and the effective equalizing of Eucharistic bread to ordinary bread." He thus proposed that the Holy See "establish a motivated and universal norm, by which the official way to receive communion is in the mouth and kneeling." Bishops in places where this practice has been introduced "would take measures with pastoral prudence to bring the faithful gradually back to the official rite of Communion." Instead, Greek-Melkite Patriarch Gregorios III Laham of Antioch said he was favourable to Communion being received in the hand. He quoted Saint Cyril of Jerusalem who spoke of hands "as the Lord's throne" and told of how worshippers, after having received Communion, would run their hands across their eyes and ears, "to be able to see and hear better." (FP)

Remember Arab Christians, Melkite patriarch pleads

(CWNews.com) - Patriarch Gregory III Laham, the head of the Melkite Catholic Church, pleaded for attention to "the Church of the Arabs" during an intervention at the Synod of Bishops on October 4, 2005

Celibacy

"There is no theological basis for [mandatory] clerical celibacy. . . Married priests are accepted [among the Melkites]."
"Celibacy has no theological foundation." "Married priests are admitted."
"Celibacy has no theological foundation.” "If married priests were allowed in the Eastern rite, there was no reason for them to be banned in the Latin, or Western, rite."

October 10, 2005
Dear Martha
Christ is with us!
Your question about celibacy is very accurate. Patriarch Gregory Laham did not want to say that celibacy has no root in the New Testament, but that mandatory celibacy for the priests has no theological grounds.
So we must distinguidh between free celibacy for the Kingdom od God, refered to by Jesus' saying: "some are not married for the kingdom of heavens sake", and mandatory celibacy for all the priests. In the Eastern Churches we have celibate priests and married priests. And in both cases, the priiests can be in the service of the Church.
God bless you!
+ Archbishop Cyril Salim Bustros
Eparch of Newton

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Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center is dedicated to my cousins: Bucky (Richard C. Liles), Shirley (Shirley Jean Liles Buck), and Donna (Donna Bertha Liles Campbell). Bucky fell asleep in the Lord on Dec. 12, 2000, Shirley fell asleep in the Lord on Nov. 8, 2001, and Donna fell asleep in the Lord on March 9, 2020.
O God of all spirits and of all flesh, who have destroyed death, overcome the devil, and given life to the world: grant, O Lord, to the souls of your servants Bucky and Shirley, who has departed from this life, that it may rest in a place of light, in a place of happiness, in a place of peace, where there is no pain, no grief, no sighing. And since You are a gracious God and the Lover of Mankind, forgive him/her every sin he/she has committed by thought, or word, or deed, for there is not a man who lives and does not sin : You alone are without sin, your righteousness is everlasting, and your word is true. You are the Resurrection and the Life, and the repose of your departed servants Bucky and Shirley. O Christ our God, and we send up glory to You, together with your eternal Father and your all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and always and for ages upon ages. Amen.

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