Under the patronage and in the presence of His Beatitude Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Rai, the Youth Ministry Office of the Maronite Patriarchate organized the graduation ceremony of the 2019 Spiritual and Human Formation Program. The event took place following a special session of the Christian Formation Program with His Beatitude on Saturday, June 22, 2019, at the Patriarchal See Theatre in Bkerke.
The graduating class was named the “Christ is Alive” Youth Synod Class, in continuity with the fruits of the 2018 Synod on Young People. This year’s program was distinguished by the participation of young people from the Maronite Eparchies of the Holy Land and Syria alongside participants from Lebanon.
The ceremony began with an opening prayer led by His Beatitude, joined by the graduating youth, diocesan youth leaders, and representatives of apostolic movements from Lebanon and Syria. Among those present were Bishop Tannous El Khoury, Msgr. Toufic Bou Hadir, Superior General of the Sisters of the Monastery of Saint John the Baptist in Hrash, together with numerous priests, religious sisters, and the families of the graduates.
Addressing the graduates, Patriarch Rai said that the most fitting greeting during the Season of Pentecost is: “Send forth Your Spirit, O Christ, and the face of the earth shall be renewed.” He emphasized that without the Holy Spirit there can be neither renewal in the Church nor authentic Christian life.
He explained that the Gospel is the living Word of God—Jesus Christ Himself—and that the liturgy is God’s living presence among His people. Without the Holy Spirit, he noted, the Church would have become merely another human institution long ago; instead, through the Holy Spirit, she remains the Mystical Body of Christ until the end of time.
His Beatitude warmly welcomed the young participants from the various Maronite dioceses and apostolic movements, giving special recognition to those who had joined for the first time from the Holy Land and Syria. He also expressed his appreciation to Msgr. Toufic Bou Hadir and the members of the Patriarchal Youth Ministry Office for their dedicated service.
Patriarch Rai highlighted the significance of naming the graduating class after the Apostolic Exhortation Christus Vivit (“Christ is Alive”), which followed the historic Synod on Young People.
Reflecting on the Gospel of Luke 10:21, “Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, ‘I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth…’”, His Beatitude spoke about encountering Christ through the Eucharist and the Word of God. He reminded the graduates that Jesus Christ, the Eternal Word, became both the sacrifice of redemption and the spiritual nourishment of His people.
Drawing inspiration from Christus Vivit, he shared several spiritual messages with the young people:
- God loves every young person, whether they feel it or not.
- Jesus desires to write a history of love with each one of them.
- The Holy Mass is the privileged encounter of divine love.
- Christ, truly present in the Eucharist, gives peace and authentic joy.
- The more we come to know Christ, the more we grow in love for Him.
- Christ never forces His friendship upon anyone, yet He never abandons those who walk away from Him.
He expressed his hope that the formation program had enabled participants to deepen their knowledge of Christ and to live this relationship more fully in their daily lives.
Concluding his address, Patriarch Rai entrusted the graduates with these words:
“Soar like eagles. Carry the mystery of Christ wherever you go, and faithfully fulfill your responsibilities within the apostolic movements to which you belong.”
He concluded with a prayer composed by Blessed Father Yacoub Al-Haddad (Abouna Yacoub), after which several graduates offered personal testimonies.
Address by Msgr. Toufic Bou Hadir
Msgr. Toufic Bou Hadir, Coordinator of the Patriarchal Youth Ministry Office, expressed his gratitude to Patriarch Rai for personally concluding the formation program with a profound spiritual retreat that exceeded all expectations.
He recalled that the year’s formation journey was inspired by the post-Synod Apostolic Exhortation Christus Vivit and built upon the extensive preparation undertaken by Maronite youth before the Synod on Young People, including their contributions to the pre-Synodal meeting in Rome and the consultation process that helped shape the Synod’s final document.
Msgr. Bou Hadir explained that the objective of this year’s formation was not simply theological reflection but the implementation of concrete pastoral initiatives. Through the discussions and workshops held throughout the year, participants developed practical projects that would now move into implementation through the newly inaugurated Patriarchal Center for Human Development and Empowerment at the Monastery of Saints Sergius and Bacchus in Reifoun.
He highlighted three principal initiatives emerging from the formation program:
- The Youth Listening Center, inspired by the Synod’s emphasis on listening, which will accompany young people through dedicated pastoral care and support.
- The Youth Multimedia Center, to be established at the Patriarchal Center in Reifoun, which will equip young people to evangelize through digital media and social networks, using modern communication platforms to proclaim the Gospel and encounter youth wherever they are.
- An Ecological Initiative, inspired by Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, promoting environmentally responsible practices throughout Maronite parishes, institutions, and Church properties as a witness to peace with creation and care for our common home.
He emphasized that these initiatives demonstrate that Maronite youth do not simply produce documents and recommendations but translate them into concrete pastoral action.
Concluding his remarks, Msgr. Bou Hadir thanked all the participants, their diocesan bishops, and youth leaders for their commitment. He invited everyone to continue the journey together, praying that they would remain united, filled with the Holy Spirit, and ready to bring the living Christ to all those awaiting His presence throughout the world.
Presentation of the Icon and Distribution of Certificates
At the conclusion of the ceremony, the graduates presented Patriarch Rai with an icon of Christ the Teacher as a sign of filial gratitude and affection. His Beatitude, in turn, donated the icon to the Patriarchal Center at the Monastery of Saints Sergius and Bacchus in Reifoun, asking that it remain a lasting spiritual treasure for the Center.
The graduates also requested His Beatitude’s Apostolic Blessing, praying that he would continue to guide them as a wise shepherd and faithful witness to the living and eternal Christ.
The ceremony concluded with the distribution of graduation certificates to all participants.
