NNA - Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Bshara Butros Al-Rai, considered that the Church, and society, are both in need of committed Christians, devoted to a life of prayer practices, moral values and fruitful acts of virtue at the personal, social and national levels.


"Society is in need of such committed Christians in order to rise above its political, social and economic crises and overcome its disappointments; planting seeds of hope in the hearts of the youthful generation," said Al-Rai.


Al-Rai's words came in his sermon on Saturday during the religious ceremony held in Bkirki marking the appointment of two new Archbishops, Youhana Habib Shamieh as Saint Maroun's Parish Head in Argentine, and Antoine Charbel Tarabeih as Saint Maroun's Parish Head in Australia.


Attending the ceremony were: Cardinal Nasrallah Butros Sfeir; Papal Nuncio Gabriel Caccia; Head of Congregation of Oriental Churches, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, representing the Vatican and Pope Francis, and Patriarch of Antioch and the East for Syriac Catholics, Ignatius Youssef III Yonan.


Representing the President of the Republic at the event was Caretaking Information Minister Walid Daouk. Australian Minister of Arts, Environment, Water and Housing, Toni Bourk, flew in especially to represent his country at the event.


Also present were: Caretaking Water and Energy Minister, Gebran Bassil, and Ambassadors of Argentina, Uruguay and Australia. A number of deputies and prominent political, military, spiritual and media figures also attended.


Al-Rai addressed a word of sincere gratitude to his Holiness Pope Francis for his continuous blessing care for Lebanon, and the East region as a whole, and for delegating Cardinal Sandri to attend the ceremony on his behalf. He also praised the contribution of all believers who took part in the event, sharing the two newly appointed Archbishops their joy and prayers for a new blessed mission in the spirit of partnership and service of the Holy Bible's testimonies towards achieving the region's resurrection and peace.


================= R.Sh.