Diocese of Orange Bishop Kevin W. Vann on Sept. 13 joined in the celebration of the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Cross Melkite Church in Placentia. Bishop Vann offered his condolences after the Aug. 4 explosion at the port in Beirut, Lebanon, and then in September joined the Melkite community in prayer for those impacted by the tragedy.
“I wanted to come to you personally to assure you of my support and prayers for all of you and for your friends and families in Lebanon in these days after the terrible explosion,” Bishop Vann said in his homily during his visit.
After the service, Fr. François Beyrouti, pastor of Holy Cross Melkite Church said, “We were blessed this weekend with the visit of Bishop Kevin Vann, the first ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange to celebrate the Divine Liturgy with us.” He added, “The Archdiocese of L.A. and the Diocese of Orange have been a great blessing to Holy Cross Melkite Catholic Church since our foundation in 1973 by then-Father Nicholas Samra, now our Bishop. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange continues to assist us with marriage preparation, workshops, and a variety of spiritual ways.”
Fr. François continued: “Our hearts and doors are always open to Roman Catholic parishes and priests who regularly visit to learn more about our Melkite Catholic Church, our beautiful Divine Liturgy, and our Apostolic faith that is rooted in Jerusalem and the city of Antioch. We continue to breathe with our Eastern and Western lungs of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.”