Dear Maronites,

I write to you in this Holy Season of Resurrection asking the risen Lord to strengthen our faith in him and in the mission of his Church. I am pleased to announce that His Excellency Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay was, on Friday 4 May 2018, made the first Eastern Catholic bishop ever to be elected to the Permanent Committee of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC). The ACBC works in the spirit of collegiality to bring national coordination to the general mission of the Catholic Church in Australia and provide directives to face our pastoral and social challenges. The Eastern Catholic Churches form an integral part of the ACBC and their representation includes the Maronites, the Ukrainian Catholic, Melkite, Chaldean, Syriac, Malabarese and other Catholic brethren.

We rejoice in this news whereby our bishop will be taking an active role for the benefit of all Catholics in Australia.  We pray the Lord to guide His Excellency. We congratulate him in receiving this honour to serve the Church in this capacity. Of course, any honour to the bishop, is also an honour to his flock, and the fervour and fidelity of you the Maronite people must have greatly contributed to his appointment.

This is also an honour to all the Eastern Catholics and their leaders, for this is also a sign of the growing recognition of the value of our Eastern traditions, which are blossoming in this land. May all the Eastern Catholics, their bishops, their religious and their faithful, continue to thrive in Australia.

Finally, I also thank the Catholic bishops of Australia for this honour to our Eparchy and our people. I also take this opportunity to congratulate Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane on being elected president of the ACBC and Archbishop Anthony Fisher on being elected as vice president.

Let us all pray for many years of fruitful cooperation between all Australian Catholics, whatever their origin, background and liturgical tradition.

Yours in Christ,

Monsignor Marcelino Youssef,

Vicar General

Maronite Eparchy of Australia