Merry, Merry Christmas 

To all of you my friends 

Get together like sister and brother 

Always hand in hand

Live your life with happiness

With happiness you'll succeed

That's what Christmas is for

To help the ones in need

On Christmas, we've got Santa

Hooray, hooray, hooray

We need the family together instead

To enjoy our Christmas day

THE HOPE OF OUR FATHERS 

AND THE EXPECTATION OF THE NATIONS

1. At the Birth of our Lord Jesus, we celebrate a feast of hope, for in him were fulfilled what the prophets and messengers foretold, and the long wait of our fathers and the nations reached its desired goal. The promised saviour was born, Emmanuel, “God with us"; the dream came true and Good Hope was revealed to all humanity. 

2. The Birth of our Lord Jesus in a manger in Bethlehem, manifested the love of God the Father in the Son made man, and Christ the Lord was glorified in the child born from the Virgin Mary, the daughter of David. The Word of God has become flesh to give the whole of humanity a new life for a new covenant in which the Word incarnate would be revealed. This Word is light itself. It is the sun of righteousness that shines on all the darkness of history, to illuminate it with the light of hope of the new era, because "separated from Christ .... we are without hope "(Eph 2/12).

3. We celebrate Christmas this year, when the glimmer of hope is about to expire in the hearts of many. The hope in our souls is threatened by the spread of religious fundamentalism that chooses the language of murder, darkness and intimidation towards others. The recent terrorist attack at St. Peter's Church, attached to St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo, was the worst in a series of attacks and persecution against the Christian minority in Egypt. This violence has the sinister goal of igniting a religious war. The attack which killed over 25 people, mostly women and children, and injured many more, leads us first to condemn terrorism and to reject it. We question the state of the world's conscience about the fate of minorities, especially Christians in the Middle East. We also question the Egyptian people about Egypt, for it was a refuge for the holy family of Nazareth whole fled there to escape from the threats of Herod. Is this tradition still alive?

4. The luminous, indisputable truth is that Christmas preaches hope in the midst of suffering, pain and adversity. The Christmas star is the Star of Hope, which made the people walking in darkness see a great light (Is 9:2). Our hope does not come from other people, but from God, from whom and through whom comes healing to the world. Hope, which is at the foundation of a renewed world, helps us to alleviate the pain and resist evil, but we cannot eradicate them, until God becomes all in all.  

5. It is therefore imperative that we ask today: What can we hope for? And what must we have the courage and wisdom to simply accept?

Above all, we hope in Christ’s promise to us of salvation and eternal life, not only as a reality to come, but as a present fact. The frustration and despair felt by man today as a result of the failure of scientific progress and development to bring him happiness renders the mission of the Church and its people an urgent and difficult one at the same time. Our world desperately needs a Hope that can bring a real joy to the heart. The revolution of science and technology that we are witnessing may contribute to the building of human society, but it could also potentially destroy humanity, if it is not related to forces beyond it and stronger than it. What ultimately saves man and grants him true happiness is neither science, nor the speed of social communication, nor the digital media and electronic games which have entered our homes, and taken a prime place in our daily lives, and the lives of our children, as a daily bread that we cannot dispense with. Technology does not intend to leave us any time soon, but rather the opposite for it has ascended an imaginary throne in our lives. The least we can say is that this is robbing us of our children and the human dimension of lovingly interacting with others.

6. It is only the true love that gives of itself, and not modern science or technology, that can save man and bring hope to his heart. When man experiences a great love, he truly enters into an oasis of redemption and salvation, giving new meaning to his life. Those touched by true love can sail in the mystery of life and as they delve deeper, they find hope emanating from the mystery of the divine incarnation, for it is truly the hope of our fathers and the expectation of the nations. 

7. Dearly Beloved,

Reflecting on the great event of Christmas, we become aware of the importance of renewing our faith in a society that is suffering a crisis of faith in God, failing to realise that a world without God is a world without hope. Hope is a holy virtue that results from our Christian faith and invigorates it. There is no hope without faith, and no faith without hope. They go together and they both flow from the love of God and lead the journey of God's people towards the joy of Heaven. 

8. We experience this journey of hope in a particular way in our Eparchy especially as we launch the work for the Diocesan Synod with the first general assembly to be held in the last week of November 2017. The assembly will address the seven pastoral priorities announced in 2013, and consider ways to activate the role of the laity in our Church, in addition to various pastoral, apostolic and spiritual matters in our Eparchy. 

9. The mission of our Maronite Church in our multicultural Australian society is to spread the message of hope, not only for our sake as Maronite Christians, but for others so that we may be, for them, messengers of the good news of the Gospel. May we help others to walk under the guidance of the Christmas star, the Star of Hope, to the manger of Bethlehem, to worship the Divine Child. From thereon commences the journey of formation in faith, hope and love.

10. Prayer is essential to grow in hope. When no one else hears or listens to me, God still listens to my pleas. And when I can no longer speak with anyone, I can speak with God. It is beautiful when families come together to pray and praise the Divine Child at Christmas, this Child who has entered the history of each and every one of us and become closer to us than ourselves.

11. The good news for us today is that "God is the foundation of hope: not any god, but the God who has a human face and who has loved us to the end, each one of us and humanity in its entirety." (Pope Benedict XVI, Spe Salvi, 31). Let us therefore rejoice and chant: 

"Christ is born ... Alleluia"

Sydney, 24 December 2016. 

+ Antoine-Charbel Tarabay 

Maronite Bishop of Australia 

The biggest, the greatest, the most beautiful, the most organized, the amazing, the wonderful , the largest Mawlid celebration in Australia you ever seen attended by thousands of people Muslims and non Muslims united in peace and harmony it is the Multicultural Mawlid Concert.

Recent public comments that may have questioned the prudence of permitting migration to Australia from Lebanon have been difficult to witness.

We, Bishops and Leaders of Christian communities in Australia from Lebanese and Middle Eastern heritage (Catholic, Orthodox and Oriental), stand firm with our friends and neighbours from the Australian Muslim community of Lebanese ancestry. The contribution of Australians from Lebanese background to building this wonderful, multicultural, multi-faith society has been overwhelmingly positive since the 1800s.

This is not to minimise the significant problems we face with acts of terrorism which are clearly condemned by both Christians and Muslims from the same ancestry.

We seek to emulate the success of Australian society as the world’s beacon in continuing to uphold harmony and unity between all faiths and ethnicities. In particular, we will remain resilient in building our ever increasing close working relationship with the Muslim community in Australia, hands bonded as one in a socially cohesive and rich culturally diverse Australian community.

Issued on 30 November 2016. 

For further enquiries, please contact 02 8831 0000 or email media@maronite.org.au

We always need an officer

To protect our wonderful land

There's no need to hate them

We should all give them a hand

Don't be afraid of living

Unless you are doing bad

You'll never live happily

And your ending will be sad

We need to be good in life

We need to respect each other

Say nothing but the truth

Treat the officer like a brother

The Maronite Catholic Society Inc.

Warmly invite you to a solemn Mass celebrated by His Excellency Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay

On the 27th November 2016 at 11.15AM at St Charbel’s Church Punchbowl In memory of our deceased members of The Maronite Catholic Society in Australia:  May they rest in peace

Note: Mass will be followed by refreshments, coffee and tea.

We are very proud to publish some pictures of the gala dinner organized by the Australian Egyptian Council forum on Saturday 29 October 2016 honoring the best cop serve NSW even the most prestigious organisations throughout the world for last 36 years namely Mr. Nick Kaldas.

Dr. Safwat Riad

On the weekend the ALP State Conference carried a motion supporting recognition of Palestine.

It was carried unanimously.

Convenor of Labor Friends of Palestine in Queensland Ms Wendy Turner, who moved the motion, said this maintained the momentum of recent state ALP conferences and the last national conference.

“Each conference has declared that recognition of Palestine sends an essential message to Palestinians that there is hope for a peaceful path to nationhood.

“It also sends a message to the Israeli cabinet that the world notices what is going on with the spread of settlements and continued blocking of Palestinian statehood.

“The Queensland resolution lists all the reasons support for a Palestinian state is urgent.

“These include the fact the current Israeli government is the most chauvinist and hard-line in the country’s history.

“And it highlights the continue spread of settlements, all of which are illegal under international law.”

The resolution is attached.

The conference also carried a motion asserting that Labor MPs who take subsidised travel to Israel should spend equal time in Palestine.
The Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane MLC.
Opposition Whip
Parliament of New South Wales
Parliament House
Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000 Australia
( 02 9230 2526 || � 02 9230 2722
S.moselmane@parliament.nsw.gov.au
http://www.shaoquettmoselmane.com.au

By Dr. Safwat Riad -

The Australian Egyptian Council Forum celebrates the 43rd anniversary of the Victory day of 6th October 1973 by a seminar in RSL Club of Petersham where three Egyptians who were in the army during this war gave talks about their memories and they were awarded  by the Forum a certificates of recognition  of their presentation during this seminar namely: 

Brigeder Eng. Tadrous Aziz , Eng. Khalil Khalil and Eng. Nour El Khouly.

The seminar was  chaired by Prof. Refaat Obeid and Dr. Magdy Shehata with the presence of H.E. Ambassador Mr. Youssef Shawaki.

Also the seminar was attended by some Iraqi and Lebanese friends mainly Dr. Bahia Abou Hamad with her Labanese army uniform.

For the first time ever, three Egyptians won seats in Australian parliaments.

The Hon. Dr. Anne Aly MP, for Federal seat of Cowan in WA

The Hon. Peter Khalil MP, for Federal seat of Wills in VIC

The Hon. Edmond Atalla MP, for NSW seat of Mount Druitt

You are cordially invited to the Egyptian Gala Dinner to honour them and celebrate this milestone in the history of the Egyptian community in Australia.

 Details:

Date: Sunday 27 November 2016

Time: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Venue: Doltone House

Address: 223 Belgrave Esplanade | Sylvania Waters NSW 2224

Parking: Free on site

Dinner: 3 Course incl. soft drinks, coffee and tea

* An alternate seafood/ fasting (all 3 course) will be offered for the fasting Copts (as Christmas fast starts on 25/11/2016).

Please advise of any special dietary requirement.

Dress: Formal

Cost: $90 pp or $850 for a table of 10

《The event is not for profit. Any proceeds after covering the expenses will be donated to a charity》

Bookings:

All attendees MUST register and book through the event organiser website SimpleTix as the barcode printed on the E-Ticket will be scanned at the entry of the venue.

www.aussie-egyptians.simpletix.com

1. Credit card: Through the link above for SimpleTix (using Visa, Mastercard or Amex).

Booking & credit card processing fee is $2.99 (at cost).

2. Direct deposit: to the following bank account (after registering on this event site first):

BSB: 012397

Acc.: 574753933

Ref.: Your full name - MPs dinner

Please email the transfer remittance notice to: aussie.egyptians@gmail.com

RSVP: Friday 11 November 2016

No refund for cancellations made after RSVP date

For more information or sponsorship enquiries, please contact me on:

Mobile: 0400 44 66 11

Email: aussie.egyptians@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AussieEgyptians

Looking forward to seeing you there : )

Many thanks.

Kind regards,

Sam Mansour

www.facebook.com/AussieEgyptians

By Dr. Safwat Riad

With thanks to H.E. Mr. Youssef Shawki and staff of Egyptian Consulate in Sydney for organizing this informative successful meeting on 11 October 2016 with Egyptian community of Sydney during the visit of Egyptian Minister of Immigration H.E. Mrs. Nabila Makram.

 Translated by Nizar Sartawi

 
You strutted down, a nightingale wet with my sunset
!prancing with my high-heeled dream
You flapped the wings of my abandoned ether
.and I took you in my arms, a gazelle of fog I carved with the awl of my fate

To a spacious weariness in the heights of imagination
the boats of my fiery life led me
And you.. have never ceased to live like a canopy
!on the bank of my ivory time

We are the ones overtaken by idiotic road-bends
Our falling life
runs fast
?!How could we salvage what’s been left of our pine’s footsteps
A handful of answers from senile needles
groping for the paths of mumblings towards you
with a smile
that takes off me my body and the spells of my apprehensions
dresses me in celibate violets
enclosed by amulets from your eyes
eternalizing me
nesting my virgin mornings
!on the throne of your chastity

I am he who embraced the twin paradises of your eyes
You alone.. can set me free from the memory of oblivion
You alone
;demand from my soul her blind night
during the phases of the dawn
and the ends of my ancient insomnia
and we... o v e r f l o w
!as a prayer of silence
,O evening guitar; be glorified
..shake like an earthquake, rejoice
turn the bosom of my sky into turquoise with a full moon’s whisper
that beseeches you
grant abundance to my heart’s river with a tattoo of joy
that dyes me with your forgiveness

From the balconies of dawn
get birds of reunion to chirp
to crack the fence of the mist
to turn me into a Lote tree with the prayers of your angels

;On the right of the throne is your Lote tree of the utmost boundary
Made so tender by your celibate breaths
!studded with the whiteness of your faithfulness

قِيَثارَةُ اْلمَسَاءِ/ آمال عوّاد رضوان
بُلْبُلاً مُبَلَّلاً بِغُرُوبِي تهادَيتِ
تَتَقَمَّزِينَ بِكَعْبِ حُلمِي العْالِي!
رَفْرَفْتِ بِجَناحَيْ أَثِيرِي المْهْجُورِ
واحْتَضَنْتكِ رِيمَ ضَبَابٍ؛ نحَتَهُ مِخْرَزُ قَدَرِي.

إِلى وَهَنٍ فَسِيحٍ مِنْ ذُرَى الخْيَالِ؛
سَاقَتْنِي مَرَاكِبُ حَيَاتِي النَّارِيَّةِ
وَأَنْتِ.. مَا انْفَكَكْتِ تحْيَيْنَ صُفّةً
عَلى ضِفَّةِ دَهْرِي العَاجِيِّ!

نحْنُ مَنْ تدْرِكُنا المُنْعَطَفاتُ البَلْهاءُ
يُهَرْوِلُ عُمْرُناَ
الهَاوِي
أَنّى نتَدارَكُ ما تبَقّى لنَا مِنْ خُطَى صَنَوْبَرِناَ؟!
حَفْنَةُ أَجْوِبَةٍ مِنْ إِبَرٍ هَاذِيَةٍ؛
تَتَلَمَّسُ دُرُوبَ التَّمْتَماتِ إِليْكِ
بِبَسْمَةٍ
تَخْلَعُ عَنّي جَسَدِي وَتعَاوِيذَ هَواجِسِي
تُلْبِسُني بَنَفْسَجًا عُذْرِيًّا
تَحُفُّهُ تمائِمُ عَيْنَيْكِ
تُؤَبِّدُنِي
وَتغَلْغِلُ.. صَبَاحَاتِي البِكْرَ
عَلَى عَرْشِ طُهْرِكِ!

أَناَ مَنِ اعْتَنَقْتُ فِرْدَوْسَيْ عَيْنَيْكِ
وَحْدكِ .. مَنْ يعْتِقُنِي مِنْ ذَاكِرَةِ النِّسْيَانِ
وَحْدكِ
مَنْ ترَاوِدِينَ نفسِيَ عَنْ ليْلِهَا الضَّرِيرِ؛
آناَءَ فَجْرِكِ
وَأَطْرَافَ سُهْدِي العَتِيقِ
وَ... نَ فِ ي ضُ
صَلاَةَ صَمْتٍ!
أيا قيثارَةَ المَساءِ؛ تجَلَّلي
تَزَلزَلي.. تهَلَّلي
فَيْرِزِي صَدْرَ سَمَائيِ بِوَشْوَشَةِ بَدْرٍ
يَتَضَرّعُ إِليْكِ
كَوْثِرِي نهَرَ قَلْبِي بِوَشْمَةِ بَهْجَةٍ
تُخضّبُنِي بِعَفْوِكِ

مِنْ شُرُفَاتِ الفَجْرِ؛
شَقْشِقِي عَصَافِيرَ لقَاءٍ
تُشقِّق سياجَ السّديم
تُسَدِّرُنيِ بِدَعْواتِ مَلائكَتِكِ

عَنْ يَمينِ العَرْشِ سِدْرَةُ مُنْتَهَاكِ؛
تُهَفْهِفُهَا أَنْفَاسُكِ البَتولُ
مُطَعَّمَةً بِبَيَاضِ وَفَائِكِ!

**

ترجمة نزار سرطاوي

-----------------------------

* A Palestinian poet, writer and journalist

By The Hon. SHAOQUETT MOSELMANE

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott and his Attorney-General sought to make changes to the Racial Discrimination Act, specifically to repeal section 18C. Section 18C states that we cannot offend, assault, humiliate or intimidate any other person or a group of people because of their race, colour, national or ethnic origin. The Abbott Government wanted to get rid of this section by arguing that it restricts "free speech". Attorney-General George Brandis went further by stating that "People have a right to be bigots." We have a new Federal Government, a new Senate and, alarmingly, a cohort of Senators who are intent on revisiting this issue. Rather than show leadership, the response of Prime Minister Turnbull was astonishing, describing the call to repeal section 18C as having "worthy arguments" in favour of softening the Racial Discrimination Act but that the issue is not a current "priority" for his Government. This is nothing less than outrageous.

Adopting the proposed changes to section 18C would be a disaster for us as a nation and more so for religious minorities. In fact, the Racial Discrimination Act and Anti-Discrimination Act in New South Wales fails to address the sufferings that religious minorities face on a daily basis. There are more than 500,000 people in the Australian Islamic community and they need the protection of the law against persistent religious abuse. The abuse is so prevalent that it has become persecution on a collective scale. This collective punishment of the Australian Islamic community must stop. According to a 2015 human rights report, Muslim Australians experience discrimination, vilification and abuse on a daily basis. In an article in the Sydney Morning Herald on 5 November 2015, Judith Ireland and Beau Donelly stated:

During consultations with more than 130 community, legal, university and government groups this year, discrimination against Muslims was "consistently raised as a significant concern. Many participants labelled anti-Muslim discrimination a daily or regular occurrence"...

In an article entitled "Religion and the Racial Discrimination Act: Don't Muslims Also Deserve Protection?" Mariam Veiszadeh noted:

A decade-long national study conducted by the University of Western Sydney found that nearly half of Australians describe themselves as having anti-Muslim attitudes.

Legal protections would only apply to an Australian Muslim, for example, if one was abused as—excuse my language—an effing Lebanese Muslim, because their race is identified. Whereas to be abused as an effing Muslim, which is attacking a person because of his faith, will provide no protection. It has been said on many occasions that the Racial Discrimination Act has a limited ability to protect Muslim Australians. I say it has no ability because it only covers discrimination or vilification based on race, colour, ethnicity, national origin or immigrant status—not religion. Muslims are not a race of people but followers of a faith across the racial and language divide. It is therefore critical to add religious vilification offences in the Racial Discrimination Act and Anti‑Discrimination Act. I urge the Government to introduce a bill to amend the Anti-Discrimination Act to address the pain of the community.

In her article entitled "We need to call out the double standards in Australia's Anti-Discrimination Laws", Mariam Veiszadeh highlights the inadequacies in the Racial Discrimination Act and notes that women across the country have been assaulted, spat on, had their prams kicked, have been punched from behind, have had abuse hurled at them, have had hot coffee thrown in their face, have been told to leave an entertainment venue, have been assaulted and thrown off trains, have been verbally intimidated, have had their cars vandalised, and have been forced to restrict their public movements out of fear. This cannot go on without action.

I ask the following questions. Why are Australian Muslims still not afforded adequate protection under the State and Federal vilification laws? Why are Muslims in New South Wales, which has the largest proportion of Muslims, left without protection? Why do the States of Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, the Australian Capital Territory, and Northern Territory cover religious discrimination in their legislation but New South Wales does not? Is it because Muslims do not have a lobby group, or the power of big business from which to lobby governments, or is it because they do not have a powerful voice in mainstream media? Do Muslims not deserve protection? I urge all members not to sit in silence in the face of continued religious vilification against our fellow citizens. We must amend the law to provide Australian Muslims with the protections they need.

 The Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane MLC.
Opposition Whip
Parliament of New South Wales
Parliament House
Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000 Australia
 02 9230 2526 || � 02 9230 2722
S.moselmane@parliament.nsw.gov.au
http://www.shaoquettmoselmane.com.au

 By Sandra Kaltoum -

If you have recently run into Luke Foley, Leader of the NSW Opposition, chances are he has pulled out his iPhone and shown you photos of his recent trip to Lebanon. If you have been lucky enough to witness his excitement at recalling the sacred and beautiful sites he visited in a country so many of us have a cultural affinity to, while smiling encouragingly as he struggles with the names of villages like Zgharta, then you would have also witnessed his strong admiration for the country and its people, both those in Lebanon and those in Australia.

I recently met with Mr. Foley to discuss his trip to Lebanon, to learn more about the things he saw and his perceptions of the country from political, cultural and religious standpoints. Mr. Foley spent six days in Lebanon, from 20-25 April this year. He recalls that the spring weather was beautiful. Crisp with a little snow still visible on the mountain tops in the north, “I’m sure it’s all melted now though” Mr. Foley says, almost proud that he caught the last sight of the contradicting weather that exists in such a small country.

Mr Foley draws comparisons between the village in NorthernIreland where his wife grew up, Augher, also affected by civil war, and Lebanon. He laments the devastating effects that political insecurity can have on a country and its people, but remarks that the Lebanese diaspora, particularly those in Australia, remain ever-vigilant and concerned about the welfare of Lebanon. He remarks that “there is a strong political movement even among the diaspora who keenly stay up to date with the political situation in Lebanon and join parties in Australia to show there support for political improvement overseas”. He contrasts this with his observations of the Irish diaspora who, through their devastation, have turned away from political involvement in Ireland.

While in Lebanon, Mr Foley visited many political leaders. “I will be very disappointed if somebody I didn’t visit becomes the President of Lebanon,” he jokes. Despite his humour, he is sincere about his wishes for improvement in Lebanon’s political situation and agrees with me when I remark that the lack of a president is damaging for the morale within Lebanon and the perception of Lebanon internationally.  He met withSheikh Amine Gemayel,Dr Samir Geagea, General Michel Aoun MP, and MrSleimanFrangieh MP. He also met former Prime Minister Saad El Hariri, Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi, Foreign Minister GebranBassil, Speaker NabihBerri, Future Movement MP Kazem El Kheir, Lebanese Forces MP FadiKaramas well as visiting numerous other political figures and Mayors.

Mr Foley also acknowledged the strong connection between the Lebanese people and their religious beliefs. This strong connection was reflected in Mr Foley’s itinerary. Mr Foley met with the Patriarch of Lebanon, Mar Bechara Boutros Al Rai, the Grand Mufti of Lebanon Sheikh Abdel-LatifDerian and Sheikh Ali Fadlallahas well as visiting numerous religious sites including the Church of St Charbel. He celebrated mass at “Mar Ramanous” and visited the shrine of the late former Prime Minister, Rafic Hariri.  He mentioned that he attended one lunch with both Muslim Sheikhs and Orthodox Priests at El Minieh. He remarked, “The interactions between people of different faiths was a great sign of the harmonious future that awaits Lebanon”.

On the last day of Mr Foley’s visit, 25 April, he attended an ANZAC Day service at the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery with the Australian Ambassador, Mr Glenn Miles. The experience was a reminder for Mr Foley of the sacrifice that Australian soldiers have made all over the world.

If you ask Mr Foley whether or not he will visit again, the standard reply is “Definitely, I cannot wait to take my family with me to Batroun.”

If you would like to see photos of Mr Foley’s trip, follow this link:https://www.facebook.com/LukeFoleyNSW/videos/622516224582878/