My Dear Parishioners,

We have just celebrated the Glorious birth of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, God becoming human, revealing Himself as Emmanuel: God-is-with-us.  This truth of our Faith helps to strengthen us every day of our lives, especially when life surprises us with events we weren’t quite ready for.

Today is such a day: I have received a letter from our Bishop, the Most Reverend Gregory Mansour, appointing me full-time pastor of The Maronite Mission of Charlotte, effective 1 January 2017. As you are all well aware, for the past four months I have been commuting between Raleigh and Charlotte, living four days a week in Charlotte and three days a week here in Raleigh. This has been very difficult for me as well as for both communities I have been striving to serve.

Rev. Raymond Khallouf has been appointed your new Pastor and he will begin his ministry here at St. Sharbel upon his arrival beginning next Sunday January 1, 2017. Father Raymond was born and raised in Lebanon, he was ordained in June 8,  2013. I know you will welcome him, support him and love him the way you have done so for me this past year. To read the appointment letter click on the following file Appointment letter 2017

My time here at St. Sharbel has been a time of growth for me as I hope it has been for each of you, too. God has been good to all of us, and as I leave, I ask you please to keep me in your prayers and be assured of my prayerful support for our parish as well as for each of you.

God bless and may the New Year be one of God’s blessings for all of us!

Sincerely yours,

Fr. Elias KHALIL