Month: May 2010

Coptic Ordinations Pentecost 2010

by David Bebawy, posted in Church News, Coptic, Coptic News, News, Personal News, Religion, Video

On May 23, 2010, the Feast the Pentecost, H.H. Pope Shenouda III, with the gathered Metropolitans, and Bishops ordained 19 new priests:

  1. Father John, formerly known as Maher Bishara of Jersey City, NJ to serve the Church of St. Anthony in South Jersey, New Jersey, USA
  2. Father Isaac, formerly known as Isaac Soryal of Staten Island/Bayonne to serve the Church of Virgin Mary & St. George in Staten Island, New York, USA
  3. Father David, formerly known as Ramez Milad to serve the Church of Virgin Mary in Maryland, USA
  4. Father Mina to serve Virgin Mary & Archangel Michael Church in London
  5. Father Basilious (Basil) as a General Priest to serve the Church of God.
  6. Father Mina to serve the Coptic Church in Romania.
  7. Father Maximos (Maximus) as a General Priest to serve the Church of God.
  8. Father Armia (Jeremiah) to serve the Church of St. George in Sahel, Cairo, Egypt.
  9. Father Mikhail (Michael) to serve the Church of Virgin Mary & Archangel Michael in El Abaseri, Egypt.
  10. Father Gawargious (George) to serve the Church of Virgin Mary & Archangel Michael in El Abaseri, Egypt.
  11. Father Lukas (Luke) to serve the Church of St. Luke in Masr El Adeema, Egypt.
  12. Father Shenouda to serve the Church of Virgin Mary & St. Abanoub in Manshiet Nasr, Egypt.
  13. Father Arsanios to serve the Church of Virgin Mary & St. Abanoub in Manshiet Nasr, Egypt.
  14. Father Youhanna (John) to serve the Church of Virgin Mary & St. Abanoub in Manshiet Nasr, Egypt.
  15. Father Bola (Paul) to serve the Church of St. Mina in El Abageya, Egypt.
  16. Father Youssef (Joseph) to serve the Church of Virgin Mary & St. Athanasius in El Maadi, Egypt.
  17. Father Estafanous to serve the Church of Virgin Mary in El Maadi, Egypt.
  18. Father Bishoy to serve the Church of Virgin Mary & Abu Sefin in Ezbeet El Nakhl, Egypt.
  19. Father Markos (Mark) to serve the Church of St. Mark in El Eboor, Egypt.

May the Lord continue to bless His Church and increase her service.  We congratulate His Holiness Pope Shenouda III on the ordinations of these new servants of Christ.  We also congratulate the newly ordained fathers the priests, their families, and the congregations of these blessed churches.

Priest Ordinations Video

Pentecost Liturgy Video

Don't Give Up

by David Bebawy, posted in Coptic, News, Personal News, Religion, Short Story

Source: Anonymous

One day I decided to quit.

I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality. .. I wanted to quit my life.
I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.
“God”, I asked, “Can you give me one good reason not to quit?”
His answer surprised me…

“Look around”, He said. “Do you see the fern and the bamboo?”
“Yes”, I replied.
“When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them.
I gave them light.
I gave them water.
The fern quickly grew from the earth.
Its brilliant green covered the floor.
Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.

In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.
And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said.

“In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed.
But I would not quit.
In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would
not quit.” He said.

“Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared
to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant. ..But just 6
months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.
It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive.
I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle.”
He asked me. “Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots”.

“I would not quit on the bamboo.
I will never quit on you.”
“Don’t compare yourself to others.”
He said.
“The bamboo had a different Purpose than the fern.
Yet they both make the forest beautiful.”

“Your time will come”, God said to me.
“You will rise high”
“How high should I rise?”
I asked.
“How high will the bamboo rise?” He asked in return.
“As high as it can?” I questioned.

“Yes.” He said, “Give me glory by rising as high as you can.”
I left the forest and brought back this story.
I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you.
Never, Never, Never Give up.
For the Christian Prayer is not an option but an opportunity.

Don’t tell the Lord how big the problem is,
tell the problem how Great the Lord is!