Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Sfeir has handed resignation to Vatican

Patriarch Cardinal Nasrallah Butros Sfeir, the head of Lebanon’s influential Maronite Catholic Church, submitted his resignation to the Vatican a few months ago, caretaker Labor Minister Butros Harb said Sunday after meeting with Sfeir at Bkirki, north of Beirut.

Harb said that the Vatican has not yet decided on whether to accept Sfeir’s resignation.
Sfeir, 91, led Sunday Mass at Bkirki’s church and received visitors as he does every day, the state-run National News Agency reported.

The Vatican has not yet accepted Sfeir’s resignation because six Maronite bishops have resigned after reaching the retirement age of 75 last June, sources told The Daily Star Sunday. 

These are: Roland Abu Jawdeh, Bulos Emile Saadeh, Francis al-Bissiri, Guy Bulos Njeim, Youssef Bishara and Samir Mazloum.

Another two Maronite bishops are expected to retire in March, the sources said.

They added that bishops to replace the retired men should have been elected during the spiritual conclave held in Bkirki recently but this did not happen because Sfeir has not yet accepted their resignations.

Ahead of a decision on Sfeir’s resignation, the Vatican and the pope are currently exerting pressure for the election of six new bishops, the sources said. 

So a decision on Sfeir’s resignation could take considerable time, depending on the Vatican, the sources said. 

According to the sources, Sfeir justified his resignation, saying he was frustrated with the situation in Lebanon and wanted to rest.

Several Maronite bishops have offered to replace him, the sources said.

Among them are bishops Bulos Mattar, Bishara al-Rai, Mansour Hobeika and Nabil Anaderi, the sources said.

Sfeir is expected to visit the Vatican in February during which he will discuss with the pope and other Vatican officials issues related to his resignation and the election of the new bishops, the sources said.

Sfeir is the patriarch of Lebanon’s largest Christian body, the Maronite Church, an Eastern Catholic church in communion with the Holy See.

He is also a cardinal. 

He was elected patriarch of Antioch for the Maronites on April 27, 1986, after the resignation of Cardinal Anthony Peter Khoraish. 

He is the third Maronite cardinal and the 76th patriarch of the Maronite Church.

His official title is “His Beatitude and Eminence the 76th Patriarch of Antioch and the Whole Levant.”

SIC: DSL/INT'L