Politics
Friday February 9, 2007
See today's LifeSiteNews stories
Maronite Church Bishop: We're 100% Pro-Life; We Don't Preach the "Comfortable Gospel"
By John-Henry Westen
WASHINGTON, February 9, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - One of the Rites in the Catholic Church other than the Roman rite, is the Maronite Rite. While centered in Lebanon where the Maronite Patriarch resides, it has adherents throughout North America as well. The Maronite rite is unique for its celebration of central part of the Mass in Aramaic - the language Jesus spoke with his apostles.
One of the hundreds of bishops who attended the March for Life Mass in Washington DC last month, was Maronite Bishop Gregory John Mansour who oversees the Maronite rite for all of the Eastern United States.
Bishop Mansour spoke with LifeSiteNews.com about the Maronite rite's involvement in pro-life work. "We are a Church with the all the rights and responsibilities of preaching the Gospel," he said, "the fullness of the gospel - not the comfortable gospel but the whole Gospel of Life." The Bishop added that Maronites are "very much" involved in pro-life activities.
Bishop Mansour also noted the presence of prelates from other rites within the Catholic Church including "Ukrainians and Athenians and Melkites." The bishop expressed joy at the great number of people of diverse backgrounds who packed the Cathedral. "It's a joy for us to come and celebrate the Mass together," he said.
Emeritus Washington Auxiliary Bishop Leonard J. Olivier was also impressed by the huge crowd which packed the Basilica. Bishop Olivier, 83, told LifeSiteNews.com, "Well, I've been here 19 years and it's gotten larger every year and every year more and more young people have come and so it's a very encouraging time. And since they are so active, they will pass on this message and this spirit to others and that will be great."
Back to TopSHARE THIS STORY: E-mail Print Newsvine Digg Reddit Del.icio.us Facebook
Latest Headlines
- Fr. Neuhaus Passed Away This Morning
- Spanish Judge Convicted of "Homophobia" for Not Approving Adoption by Lesbian Partner
- Canadian Polygamy Law Faces Challenge as Charges Laid against Bountiful Cult Leaders
- 23-Week Old British Premie Spared Abortion, Goes Home with Family
- Co-Creator of the Pill Laments Resulting Demographic "Horror Scenario"
- Doctors Who Refuse Assisted Suicide “Genuinely Wicked” says UK Bioethics “Philosopher Queen”
- President Bush Urges Republicans to Defend Culture of Life
- Terri Schiavo’s Brother Responds after Obama Appoints Lawyer Who Helped Kill Terri to High Position
- By the Numbers: The Ten Most Popular LifeSiteNews.com Stories of 2008
- Doctor of Dogmatic Theology and Ob/Gyn Condemn Early Induction Abortions at Catholic Hospital in London Ontario
- Medical Expert Says that Contraceptive Pill is Causing Global Rise in Male Infertility
- Carleton University Pro-Life Group to Host Silent No More Campaign after Two Years of Opposition from Student Association
- Jacqueline Kasun, Pro-life and Anti-Population Control Activist and Author, Passes Away
- Greek Bishop Sues Homosexualist Group for Defamation
- Top 10 Pro-Abortion Moments of 2008
- Pro-Life Club Resurrected At Canadian Christian College
Most Read this Week
- Vatican Newspaper Publishes Article Detailing Birth Control Pill as Cause of Abortion and Cancer
- Obama Selects Yet another Pro-Abortion "Catholic" for Leading Office
- Abortion Group Ipas Defends Abortion Targeting Unborn Girls
- NBC Boots Top Conservative Pundit Ann Coulter from Today Show, Quickly Rebooks Following Uproar
- Mother Refuses All Further "Parental" Visits with Daughter by Former Lesbian Partner as Trial Looms
- Medical Expert Says that Contraceptive Pill is Causing Global Rise in Male Infertility
- New Jersey Rules against Christian Group that Declined to Host Lesbian Civil Union Ceremony
- Outspokenly Orthodox, Pro-life Archbishop Takes Over in Vancouver Diocese
- Kissinger on Obama: "The Reception of Him is So Extraordinary Around The World ... a New World Order Can Be Created"
- New Survey Finds Only 9% of Americans Support Unrestricted Abortion
MORE NEWS: 
LifeSiteNews.com Home Page Last 10 Days Archives Special Reports
Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.