“I wish to congratulate Father Marwan Tabet on being appointed as the new Eparchial Bishop for Maronites in Canada, and all Canadians who will be under his spiritual care when he takes canonical possession of the diocese of Saint Maron of Montreal.
“Fr. Tabet was appointed by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI today to succeed the Most Reverend Joseph Khoury. Bishop Khoury stepped down as Eparchial Bishop upon reaching the age of 75 as required by the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, having been responsible for the Maronite Eparchy of Canada since 1997.
“Born in Lebanon in 1951, Bishop-elect Tabet was ordained a priest in 1986 and, since the late 1980s, has served parishes in Lebanon, South Africa, and the United States, where he helped found the Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite parish church near Dallas. From 2003 to 2011, he served as secretary-general of Catholic schools in Lebanon, and was the coordinator for Pope Benedict’s visit to Lebanon in September of last year.
“Fluent in English, French and Arabic, Bishop-elect Tabet holds Bachelor’s degrees in theology and philosophy from Holy Spirit University in Lebanon, a Master’s degree in political philosophy from the University of Dallas, and a doctorate in school administration from the University of South Africa.
“As Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, I extend my best wishes to Fr. Tabet as he prepares to assume the responsibility of leading Canada’s 80,000 Maronite Catholics, and I offer my heartfelt congratulations to the Maronite community in Canada.”
