CV Newsfeed // The first-ever spiritual center dedicated to the 19th-century Maronite Catholic monk St. Charbel celebrated its grand opening this month in Pittsburgh.
The center is located in Beachview, just south of Pittsburgh, and is connected to Our Lady of Victory Maronite Catholic Church. The center, which has been open since December 2023, celebrated its grand opening and dedication on April 13 with Bishop David Zubik of the Diocese of Pittsburgh.
Spanning more than 10,000 square feet, the center includes a kitchen, classrooms, offices, and a chapel. The center also has a library with more than 10,000 books, according to the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette.
“Our goal is to be more than just a retreat center, but a center where people come to go deeper into their spirituality,” Anne Borick, director of St. Charbel Spiritual Life Center, told the Gazette. Told.
The center also offers resources such as spiritual direction, catechetical training, couples enrichment, parenting courses, and opportunities to learn about Eastern and Syriac spirituality.
The center offers Mass every day at 11 a.m. in the chapel. “In a show of unity within the Catholic Church, the service will be led by priests of the Maronite, Byzantine and Latin Catholic traditions,” the newspaper reported.
According to the newspaper, “Maronites are an ethnic religious group originating from the eastern Mediterranean and western Asia, with the largest concentration of believers in Lebanon.” “They are in communion with Roman Catholics, but they have some unique rituals.” It originates from St. Maron, a hermit priest who inspired the adoption of this way of life.
Thousands of miraculous healings are attributed to the intercession of Saint Charbel (sometimes spelled Charbel), who lived in Lebanon from 1828 to 1898. Charbel was a hermit and a priest, and he lived a life of marked asceticism, prayer, and holiness. His public holiday is July 24th.
In a January interview with Catholic News Service, Maronite Bishop Gregory Mansour of the Archdiocese of St. Maron in Brooklyn (an Eastern Rite diocese) said, “Our whole diocese has always wanted a center of prayer and spirituality.” “I was there,” he said.
Bishop Mansour explained why the center was named after Saint Charbel, saying the saint’s spiritual life provides a powerful example of holiness to emulate.
“And that is why we want to focus, of course, on His miracles, His grace, and His intercession, but at the same time the love of the Eucharist, the love of Our Lady, the Church. We want to focus on the love of solitude, the love of celibacy, and also the nurturing of our love.” Charbel not only personified our love of silence, but also an extraordinary heroic example. ” Bishop Mansour said.
