INTERNATIONAL MARONITE FOUNDATION RESOLUTION
We, the Board of Trustees of the International Maronite Foundation,
meeting in executive session in Los Angeles, California on May
5, 2001, extend greetings to our Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Cardinal
Sfeir and reaffirm our allegiance and fidelity to him as spiritual
head of the Maronite Church. We ask God to continue to give him
good health and the stamina, which he has humbly said "is
not mine but from above."
We congratulate Patriarch Sfeir on his successful pastoral tour
of the United States and Canada, which was crowned with his triumphant
return to Lebanon.
We declare complete and firm support for all of his policies
as expressed on his tour and his subsequent positions on his return
to Lebanon. Particularly, we support his decision not to go to
Syria due to the implications of such a trip at this time. We
pray that the time will soon come when he and all Lebanese can
feel comfortable with their neighbors.
The IMF congratulates the Christian political leadership in Lebanon
for its demonstration of unity in its call for the "recovery
of full national sovereignty" and for dialogue as the means
to secure Lebanon as the final homeland for all its people.
We fully support their call for the redeployment of the Lebanese
Army to the south of Lebanon and an eventual end to Syrian presence
in Lebanon.
With the Patriarch's blessing, the Christian leadership has stepped
up to fill a patriotic role; the Lebanese people, especially the
Christians, now have the insight and leadership of enlightened
men and women who will, in a peaceful manner, work to secure the
rights and sovereignty of all Lebanese.
The IMF, with the blessing of His Beatitude, announces that preparations
are underway to hold an International Maronite Congress in the
year 2002. This Congress will explore an agenda to support the
universality of the Church.
The IMF firmly believes in the unity of all Maronite organizations
throughout the world. It is essential that we develop a political,
social and religious agenda that will identify the common denominators
among all Maronites and all Christians to develop a unity of purpose
in Lebanon and in the perpetuation of the Lebanese Christian traditions.
To this end we will intensify our contacts with the Maronite
Leagues and organizations abroad. In order to have a representative
International Maronite Foundation, the IMF will offer seats on
the Board of Trustees to all bona-fide organizations. In this
area we expect to work closely with the Maronite Bishops and the
Maronite League of Lebanon in a collaborative, coordinated and
consultative manner.
The IMF pledges to work toward creating a closer bond among all
Maronites and to seek a unity of purpose among all, regardless
of political affiliation. Further, we extend an invitation to
our Lebanese brothers and sisters to help us re-build a Lebanon
that is free, sovereign and democratic and a government that guarantees
social, economic, religious and political justice to all its citizens.
For this effort we pray to almighty God to inspire, enlighten
and protect our dedicated leaders, especially our Supreme Pontiff,
the Pope of Rome, His Holiness John Paul II and His Beatitude
Nasrallah Butros Cardinal Sfeir, Patriarch of Antioch
Last Updated:
November 11, 2001
