30th November. The period of Advent is starting, the time to get ready for Christmas. Fr. Maroun Bassil, of the Capuchin Fathers, came to get me early in the morning in Beirut for a visit to Tyre and Deir Mimas. According to the decision of the Custody, after Christmas, Fr. Joseph Costantin – the undersigned! – will be in charge of these two parishes and this visit will allow me to understand the situation there.
I know the small parish of Deir Mimas very well, having served it for about 15 years, whilst I only know the convent in the old city of Tyre, where I used to visit FR. Luca, who was then the curate and headmaster of the small school.
The journey to Tyre took almost an hour, with very fine weather. Father Bassil showed me round the premises, the convent and the school. As for all the buildings in the area, the damage from the 2006 war has been repaired with the help of the emirate of Qatar. There are still some repairs to do. The small convent has been renovated by the Capuchin Fathers.
Mass is celebrated at 8.30, with a small group of worshippers attending. The Christians go to their churches, each one according to their ritual.
After Mass, we are back on the road to go to Deir Mimas, about an hour away. Mass is celebrated at 11. There are few worshippers here too, but it is perhaps because the Greek Catholic bishop is celebrating the six months of the anniversary of the death of the Melkite curate, Abouna Samir.
With Fr. Maroun, we visit the small convent restored by the Capuchin Fathers, after the damage suffered during the war of 2006.
Before starting on the return journey, we went to see some families in mourning and they seemed very pleased with our visit.
We returned to Beirut at about one, each to his own convent. It was the first contact after an absence of six years; the children have grown up, and I found the village of Deir Mimas looking better.
I was not able to meet many people but I hope to be able to on the next occasion, meeting the parishioners to share their problems and discuss them together.
Fr. Joseph Costantin ofm
I know the small parish of Deir Mimas very well, having served it for about 15 years, whilst I only know the convent in the old city of Tyre, where I used to visit FR. Luca, who was then the curate and headmaster of the small school.
The journey to Tyre took almost an hour, with very fine weather. Father Bassil showed me round the premises, the convent and the school. As for all the buildings in the area, the damage from the 2006 war has been repaired with the help of the emirate of Qatar. There are still some repairs to do. The small convent has been renovated by the Capuchin Fathers.
Mass is celebrated at 8.30, with a small group of worshippers attending. The Christians go to their churches, each one according to their ritual.
After Mass, we are back on the road to go to Deir Mimas, about an hour away. Mass is celebrated at 11. There are few worshippers here too, but it is perhaps because the Greek Catholic bishop is celebrating the six months of the anniversary of the death of the Melkite curate, Abouna Samir.
With Fr. Maroun, we visit the small convent restored by the Capuchin Fathers, after the damage suffered during the war of 2006.
Before starting on the return journey, we went to see some families in mourning and they seemed very pleased with our visit.
We returned to Beirut at about one, each to his own convent. It was the first contact after an absence of six years; the children have grown up, and I found the village of Deir Mimas looking better.
I was not able to meet many people but I hope to be able to on the next occasion, meeting the parishioners to share their problems and discuss them together.
Fr. Joseph Costantin ofm