Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Seminary (Maronite Catholic)
| Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Seminary | |
|---|---|
| Short name | Maronite Seminary |
| Status | Active |
| Rite | Maronite |
| Affiliation | Maronite Catholic Church |
| Sponsoring diocese(s) | Maronite Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn |
| City | Washington, D.C. |
| State / province | District of Columbia |
| Country | United States |
| Address | 7164 Alaska Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20012 |
| Founded | 1961 |
| Website | Official site |
| Interdiocesan | Yes |
Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Seminary is a Maronite Catholic seminary in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the Maronite Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn, that trains and ordains seminarians for service among the Maronite faithful of the United States.
History
In the 1950s, members of the Maronite clergy and laity in the United States began working toward establishing a Maronite seminary. In 1959, the Sacred Congregation for the Oriental Churches formed a committee of priests to raise funds for the project, choosing Washington, D.C., partly so the seminary could draw on the Catholic University of America, which could grant pontifical degrees in theology and canon law and had a department of Semitic and Oriental languages. Archbishop (later Cardinal) Patrick O'Boyle of Washington took responsibility for the seminary's establishment, and Chorbishop Mansour Stephan chaired the building fund. In June 1960, O'Boyle convened a meeting of twenty-four Maronite priests in Washington that set a fundraising goal of $500,000. In July 1961, O'Boyle purchased and renovated a house on Alaska Avenue NW, adding a chapel, bedrooms, and a recreation room.
The seminary opened on September 24, 1961, with Reverend Elias El-Hayek as its first rector, Father Seely Beggiani as prefect of studies, and a first class of five seminarians. Papal Secretary of State Amleto Cardinal Cicognani visited during the first school year, on December 3, 1961. An open house held on St. Maron's Feast Day in 1962 marked the beginnings of a Maronite parish community in Washington. Patriarch Paul Cardinal Meouchi formally dedicated the seminary on August 26, 1962, in a ceremony at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception attended by more than two thousand Maronite clergy and laity and nine Latin-rite bishops, with a homily by Bishop Fulton J. Sheen.
In 1964, an adjoining building was purchased for additional bedrooms and a library. On May 2, 1964, Archbishop Francis Zayek ordained Robert Shaheen — the seminary's first alumnus to be ordained a priest, and later a bishop. Zayek also presided over the creation of the National Association of Maronites, formed in part to support the seminary, and on January 10, 1966, became the first Maronite bishop of the United States, taking responsibility for the seminary. Father Seely Beggiani was named Spiritual Director and Treasurer in September 1967 and Rector in May 1968.
The Order of Saint Sharbel, established in 1980, is a lay and clergy association that underwrites a significant portion of the seminary's expenses and supports the clergy retirement fund. The seminary celebrated its 25th anniversary on October 16–17, 1986. Under Archbishop Zayek and his successors — Bishop Stephen Hector Doueihi, Bishop Gregory Mansour, Bishop John Chedid, and Bishop Robert Shaheen — the seminary saw continued growth in vocations and ordinations; during its first forty-eight years, sixty-eight men were ordained to the priesthood, including two, Robert Shaheen and Gregory Mansour, who became bishops. In 2001, a contribution from Anthony Abraham of Miami funded a new wing, dedicated by Patriarch Nasrallah Peter Cardinal Sfeir on March 6, 2001. The main building was later renovated, and the old church hall was converted into a library.
Campus and Formation
The seminary is located at 7164 Alaska Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20012. Its original building was a renovated house with an added chapel, bedrooms, and recreation room; an adjoining building purchased in 1964 added further bedrooms and a library. The 2001 wing added a library, computer area, seminar rooms, and housing for faculty and seminarians.
Academics
The seminary's location in Washington was chosen in part to take advantage of the Catholic University of America, which could grant pontifical degrees in theology and canon law and had a department of Semitic and Oriental languages. The seminary's rector, alumni, and students have produced texts on Maronite liturgy, catechetics, theology, spirituality, and history.
Notable Alumni
- Bishop Robert Shaheen — first alumnus ordained a priest (1964); later a bishop
- Bishop Gregory Mansour — seminary alumnus who became a bishop
Current Status
The seminary continues to train and ordain seminarians for service among the Maronite faithful throughout the United States.