Dear brothers and sisters, parishioners and friends,

I hope you are all doing fine with the grace of the Lord and having a blessed season of Lent.

The month of March leads us through the Lenten Season that prepares us for Holy Week and the celebration of Easter. Many events fall in this month beginning with the principal feast day of the Maronite calendar. The first feast of this month is the feast day of Saint John Maron, on March 2. He is the first patriarch elect in the history of the Maronite Church at the end of the 7th Century in the year 686 AD.

The very special and main event of Holy Family Church is our famous Lenten Dinners on the six Fridays of Lent. They were described by the papers as being the second best Lenten Dinners in the Twin Cities. They will be served at the same time every Lenten Friday from 4:00 to 7:00, with takeout available, too. On behalf of all of you, I thank the wonderful team of organizers and volunteers. And thank you all for your support and participation. The Lenten dinner team, are contributing ten percent of the profit to go to charities, mainly in Lebanon.

The season of Lent is also a season of giving and sharing, with the poor and needy, and a time of reflection and support for the church community, by volunteering, sharing, supporting the community activities especially for children, youth and elderly. The Church ladies and the MYA are organizing a food drive for the needy families and individuals. You can participate in this Lenten action by donating non-perishable food items and placing them in the designated location in the church narthex.

Maronites around the World chant a famous Lenten Mazmooro throughout Lent during weekday liturgies in Syriac Aramaic, and it says: "Lent opens the gates of Heaven, and Fasters enter in, and inherit the Kingdom". The phonetics are: "Bsawmo metfat.heen tar’eh dfardaisso, w‘oleen sayomeh w yorteen malkooto".

The season of Lent begins on Ash Monday, March 3, according to the Maronite Calendar, with mass and blessing of the ashes at 9:00 AM and blessing with the ashes at 6:00 PM. The faithful are asked to take this opportunity of the Season of Lent to focus on their spiritual life, especially attending Sunday Masses, and by enriching their faith and their souls by committing themselves in their daily prayers and the giving up of things and vices they are attached to, exercise fasting and sharing of spare food with the needy. This season is a perfect occasion for all of us to examine our consciences and receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Confession which is mandatory for all Catholics, Maronites and Roman, at least once a year. May we all pray that our families and parishioners will be blessed in this season of Lent. To help in this endeavor, Holy Family is celebrating the Stations of the Cross every Friday at 4 PM.

During this Season of Lent, the church organized an abundant and rich session of faith enrichment through Bible studies on three Saturdays of Lent, March 22 and 29, and April 5, from 5:15 PM to 6:15 PM. They are open to everyone, parishioners and visitors alike, who can attend physically or virtually through the Church Facebook and website with live interactive participation. The session is prepared by Deacon George Younes, an expert scholar on the Bible and Maronite and Catholic Spirituality. Participants attending physically or remotely can all participate in questions, comments, remarks and conversation.

Wednesday, March 19, is the Feast Day of Saint , the chosen father and Guardian of the Holy Family. He is also the patron of family values, charitable institutions caring for orphans, children, elderly and sick, and the patron of good and righteous death. On Tuesday, March 25, we will celebrate the feast of the Annunciation by the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary. Liturgy will be at 6:00 PM.

Please tell your relatives and friends that they can access the church bulletin and announcements which are updated daily on the church Facebook website: https://www.facebook.com/HolyFamilyMaroniteChurch or directly from the website: holyfamilymaronitechurch.org. Sunday masses are live streamed on Facebook for the sick, elderly, or out of town parishioners. We thank all those who made this technology possible, our team and our generous donors. Donations can also be made through the church website directly to the church. The church office gets all information of donors names, amounts and dates.

I would like to remind all parents to ensure their children come to liturgy and participate in both the liturgy and the many Church activities, especially on Sundays. Altar servers are always appreciated and welcome to serve. They are welcome in the MYO youth group, ages 12 to 17. The MYA group is active for young adults, age 18 to 35. Faith Formation classes are held in-person every second Sunday in the evening. Please contact Nikki Abbott or Michelle Kloncz. Our choir never stops serving liturgies, with passion and dedication. They recently received an invitation to sing with a Philharmonic Orchestra and choir in New York, where they would be performing a part of the Messiah, of George Frederick Handel. The event would occur in November. Our technology continues to improve due to the efforts of Gary Kloncz and Shawn Tobias. Our lay deacons never stop participating in weekend and weekday Liturgies. Our events crews and chairs keep the church activities going. Our Church office never takes a break. With your support and solidarity all of this was made possible.

Church financial situation and "where the Church money goes". I previously included in my bulletin letters information about the Church Financial situation and plans. I take the opportunity to answer the question this time, too. Donations, collections and event revenues are accurately deposited in the applicable Church accounts in a timely manner. As in every Church, the Church office pays the Church bills, insurances, cleaning, maintenance, repairs, heating, cooling, landscape, equipment, clergy, Eparchy and all other expenses. A determined percentage (5 or 10%) of “some� event income goes to charitable giving. The remaining funds go to the Church savings account or investment funds to be accumulated for future Church plans and building expansion in a constant quiet and capital campaign. It is all defined by the penny. As I have said previously, the Church finances have increased constantly but slowly, since my appointment, 10 years ago from -$100k in 2014, to +$600k in 2024, the total increase is about $700k or an average of $70k every year. Most of these revenues came from a few very generous donors. Considering that $280k of the $600k increase was donated by one donor and his wife, who prefer not to be mentioned. Last year’s average donation per donor was approximately $1,160. Now, somebody might ask, why are we accumulating all of this money. As you know, the Church building lacks essential space needed for basic functions: small classrooms for our children and youth, separate secretary and clergy offices, additional bathrooms, improved sacristy and more kitchen storage. This plan will cost more than the amount currently available. So every single penny saved will be used for the Church for the future generation of your children and grandchildren. Therefore, in an effort to accomplish this goal through fiscal responsibility and without depleting our existing savings, we invite and strongly encourage you to consider adding just $20 extra to your weekly Sunday collection for the coming 2 or 3 years, in an effort to accomplish these goals. This “$20 Cedar Growth Weekly Donation� will make a huge difference and can be set on automatic online payment for church expansion, or in checks or simple cash in an envelope for building expansion in the collection or by mail. We are sure that with your generosity and passionate participation, the Church goals will be reached with the help of the Lord Jesus, for the Church of your children and grandchildren.

May this Season of Lent be a blessing for you and your families. May Jesus the Lord keep you all in good health and grant you all joy and peace. "Do not be afraid, you little flock, because your Father in Heaven was pleased to grant you the Kingdom of Heaven" (Luke 12:32).

Yours in Christ Jesus,

Father Emmanuel Nakhlé-Ghorr, Pastor +

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