Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Saint Maron of Sydney
The Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Saint Maron of Sydney (in Latin: Eparchia Sancti Maronis Sydneyensis Maronitarum) (sometimes spelt Maroun) is an overseas Maronite rite (Antiochene rite) eparchy (diocese) of the Catholic Church in Australia, based in Sydney. In 2010 there were 160,000 members. It is currently ruled by Eparch Antoine-Charbel Tarabay, OLM. Territory and statistics The Eparchy of St. Maron of Sydney has jurisdiction over all Catholics of the Maronite Church in Australia. It has many churches, schools, nursing homes and other institutions in all major cities. Its eparchial seat is in Redfern, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney, where is located the St. Maron's Cathedral, Sydney. In 2010 there were 160,000 Lebanese Maronite Catholics in 11 parishes, the largest of which is at Our Lady of Lebanon Co-Cathedral in Harris Park, New South Wales. History 19th Century Due to a large emigration of Lebanese Maronite Christians in mid to late 19th century, Maronite Patriarch in 1889 decided that pastoral ministry among the Lebanese Christians in Sydney will be established. In this regard, the Maronite priests Abdallah Yazbeck and Joseph Dahdah were to work for the Diaspora's community in Sydney and reached on 8 May 1893 the Sydney's port. They set up in 1894 a Maronite chapel in the Waterloo district and served until 1897, when a new church was inaugurated by the then Cardinal Moran on January 10, 1897, for the service of the Maronites. Pastor Abdallah Yazbeck died in 1933 in Sydney, and priest Joseph Dahdah died after his return to Lebanon in 1936. Twentieth century Priest Abdallah Assaf was the successor and was the Maronite pastor until 1960. Assaf was replaced by Chukrallah Harb in 1961 until his return in 1963 to the Vatican City. In the district of Redfern's Saint Maron Church served all Maronite Catholics for 70 years until the Maronites of the community settled in other centers as Parramatta. The community continued to grow at remarkable. The Maronite Patriarch named Reverend Peter Ziade to continue the Priest Harb's pastoral ministry in 1963. He was assisted by Priest Trad. From 1963 to 1965, the church of Saint Maron was built. In addition, a town hall, municipal school, a rectory in the district of Redfern was built also in 1965. The Congregation of the Maronite Sisters of the Holy Family established their missionary work in 1968. A piece of land of Harris Park in Sydney with a community hall was built and the foundation stone for the Church of Our Lady of Lebanon was laid in 1970. Pastor Ziade helped to establish a Lebanese monastic order in Sydney and participated in the founding of the diocese in Australia. The eparchy was erected on 25 June 1973 by Pope Paul VI's bull Illo fretis Councils. and in October 1973 Archbishop (pro hac vice) Ignace Abdo Khalifé in Rome was established as Eparchy of the newly Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Saint Maron in Sydney. His duties were also the organization and establishment of additional Maronite eparchies in