News about St. Elias

See the September Newsletter.

"On 30 September, Fr Dennis Smolarski, SJ, from Santa Clara University, will serve the Divine Liturgy at St Elias Church. The first Sunday Liturgy served by Fr George Khoury will be on 7 October."


News item and video with Fr. George?

Arabic Christian Literature

Related:
Melkite Patriarch Gregorios Divine Liturgy in Rome

The pastor of St. George in Sacramento is a bi-ritual Dominican.

Newsletter September 2012
St Elias Church Enters a Time of Transition

On 30 September 2012 the tenure of Fr James K. Graham as Pastor of St Elias Church will end after 16 years and 11 months.

On 1 October a committee of parishioners appointed by the Most Rev. Nicholas J. Samra, Eparchial Bishop of Newton for the Melkites in the USA, will assume administration of the church. Bishop Nicholas has appointed Fathi Massoud as Financial Administrator, assisted by Samer Banna, Nabil Damouny, Nabil Matta, Tony Noujaim, and John Srour.

No full-time priest will be appointed to serve St Elias, owing to the diocesan shortage of priests and the inability of the community to take financial responsibility for a full-time priest.

Bishop Nicholas has arranged with Fr George Khoury to supply liturgical and other sacramental services (baptisms, weddings, funerals, anointing of the sick) for the community. He has not appointed Fr George as Pastor or Adminstrator of the church; Fr George will be the visiting priest taking care of the sacramental needs of the community.

The bishop expects that the community will support the church both by participation in services and social activities and by financial contributions of at least the recommended amount of $100 per month per household. The money saved by not paying a priest’s salary and benefits is to be used to repay the church’s debt to local lenders and to the Diocese of Newton. The amount of this debt totals at least $180,000.

After a three-month leave of absence, which will serve as a respite from the difficulties of the past year and as a time for preparing to move, Fr James will take up a new assignment at the first of the year. He expects to be named pastor of St Ignatios of Antioch Melkite parish in Augusta, Georgia.