Founder of the Franciscan Sisters of the Holy Cross Fr. Jacques Haddad was born on 1 February 1875, in Ghazir, Lebanon, the third of five children. He attended school in Ghazir and then the College de la Sagesse in Beirut, where he studied Arabic, French and Syriac.
In 1892 he went to Alexandria, Egypt, to teach Arabic at the Christian Brothers' College, and there he felt the call to the priesthood. He entered the Capuchin Convent in Khashbau the next year. He was ordained a priest on 1 November 1901 in Beirut, Lebanon. As an itinerant preacher from 1903 to 1914 he walked all over Lebanon proclaiming the Word of God and was given the name "the Apostle of Lebanon". He was also seen preaching in Syria, Palestine, Iraq and Turkey. In 1919 he bought a piece of land on the hill of Jall-Eddib, north of Beirut, where he built a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Sea. Nearby he erected a great Cross. Fr Jacques was tireless; he would help anyone in need following in the footsteps of St Francis of Assisi. In 1920, to assist him in this mission to help the sick and the poor, he founded the Franciscan Sisters of the Holy Cross of Lebanon. The modest work of Fr Jacques aroused the people's admiration, many poor and sick people began to go to the "Cross" and Fr Jacques would welcome them all. In 1950 the "Cross" became exclusively a psychiatric hospital, one of the most modern in the Near East. The movement of charity began to spread throughout Lebanon and Fr Jacques and his Sisters multiplied their works of social assistance. In 1933 he opened the House of the Sacred Heart in Deir el-Kamar, a girls' orphanage, which later became an asylum for the chronically ill. In 1948 he opened the Hospital of Our Lady for the aged, the chronically ill and the paralyzed. In 1949 St Joseph's Hospital became one of the most important medical centers of the capital. It was followed in 1950 by St Anthony's House in Beirut for beggars and vagabonds whom the police found on the streets and Providence House for homeless girls. Even though Fr Jacques was very busy with the hospital mission, he and his Sisters carried on the important work of education and opened several schools as well as an orphanage for 200 girls. Fr Jacques was worn out by vigils, fatigue and travel. Although he suffered from numerous illnesses, became almost completely blind and was stricken with leukemia, he did not stop blessing God and working. He was lucid to the end, his last hours were an uninterrupted series of prayers invoking the Cross and the Virgin Mary until he died on 26 June 1954 in Lebanon. His cause for Beatification was introduced in February 1979; on 24 February 1979, His Holiness Pope John Paul II signed the Decree of Introduction of the Cause for Beatification. On Sunday, 22 June 2008, he was beatified during a special Mass in Beirut by Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, C.M.F., Prefect of Congregation for the Causes of Saints. Since Bl. Haddad's death additional hospitals have opened to assist those injured during the war and to assist the Kabr-Chemoun region where medical services were scarce. https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/2008/ns_lit_doc_20080622_haddad_en.html
0 Comments
The Family of Saint Sharbel (DC group) held a prayer gathering at the Shrine of Saint Sharbel (at the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes) on June 20, 2020. It started with prayers to Saint Sharbel and ended with chanting of hymns from the Blessing with the Icon Rite.
The group attended the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with the pilgrims of the National Shrine on the feast of the immaculate Heart of Mary. The prayer day was concluded, after Mass, with a Eucharistic procession and the recitation of the Holy Rosary.
Please find below some online resources (Holy Mass, readings …) to use amidst the various restrictions around the coronavirus: Word on Fire: Daily Mass from Bishop Barron's chapel. The video will be posted below at 8:15 am ET each day (weekday Mass: 30 minutes) EWTN: EWTN offers the daily readings to enable viewers to accompany the Mass of the day as it is televised (45/60 minutes- live daily at 8 am Eastern; repeated at 12:00 pm and 7:00 pm) Lebanese Maronite Order (In Arabic): Daily Evening Prayers and Morning prayers followed by the Maronite Divine Liturgy (Found under "videos") Saint Maron Minneapolis: Daily Maronite Divine Liturgy (In English) St Anthony of Padua Maronite Church: Daily Maronite Divine Liturgy (In English) Archdiocese of Washington: For information on dispensation from Mass and How to make a Spiritual Communion Magnificat: “Magnificat” Free On-Line Publication Available:
The well-known missal and publication, “Magnificat”, is providing complimentary access to their on-line version free of charge (Daily Mass text & spiritual readings). Magnificat is a monthly publication designed for daily use, to encourage both liturgical and personal prayer. It can be used to follow daily Mass and can also be read at home or wherever you find yourself for personal or family prayer.
During these difficult times, Magnificat (and others) continue to look for ways to remain close to Jesus, his Blessed Mother, and his Church. In addition to its online edition, MAGNIFICAT is now offering complimentary access to its iOS and Android Apps throughout May. To register for free access in English, visit www.magnificat.com/free. For free access in Spanish, visit and register at www.magnificat.com/gratis. Magnificat is also happy to make available complimentary access to MagnifiKid. Visit www.magnifikid.com/free to view and download each weekly booklet of our colorful Sunday missalette for children ages 6 through 12. While so many children are missing formal religious instruction and are unable to attend Mass, MagnifiKid! can be their special guide, accompanying them through each week as they prepare to attend Mass or watch it at home. Watch the full video below: Saint Sharbel's healing of an eighty-year-old woman suffering from a brain hemorrhage in Omaha, Nebraska. "I did not know anything about St. Sharbel," says the American woman. When her daughter bought a cup of coffee before her mother's visit to the hospital, the barista told her to ask for St. Sharbel's intercession to heal her mother from the deadly disease. Her daughter took her picture and placed it on St. Sharbel's relics, which were touring the United States and prayed. On September 11, 2015, the doctor operating on her saw a bright light coming out of the image of St. Sharbel she had placed on her bed. "St. Sharbel was with me while I was very sick. I know he was with me in the hospital. The light came out of his image, which was opposite my bed, and I realized that he was interceding for Jesus Christ for me. " Darlene says. Full Video: ![]() Click on the link below to watch the First Mass for the Family of St. Charbel in Sydney, Australia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtZ1WuX-Qsk&feature=youtu.be View photos from the mass in the gallery below:
Arlington Catholic Herald: St. Sharbel, miracle worker of Lebanon — a saint with universal appeal12/11/2019 The Family of Saint Sharbel-USA was featured in the Arlington Catholic Herald! Please follow the links below to read the article and to listen to the podcast. ![]()
|
Publishing DepartmentThe Family of Saint Sharbel has established a new Publishing Department. More
ProjectsLearn about our ongoing projects to help introduce Saint Sharbel and the Maronite spirituality to the English speaking communities. Check out our YouTube Channels
![]() Saint Sharbel's Miracles & Healings .
![]() Family of Saint Sharbel, USA.
![]() Archives
June 2024
Categories
All
|