| Maronite Church’s problems will not be solved by a new Patriarch |
** “Any new Patriarch, even the most capable, would require at the very
least three years to restructure the Church’s institutions.”
|
Maronite Church’s problems will not be solved by a new Patriarch
By Hyam Kosseifi
17/02/2026
(See translation in Arabic section)
Sydney-Middle East Times Int'l: Until recently, Maronite Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rai had categorically rejected any discussion of his resignation, whether explicit or implied, under any pretext or justification. All reports claiming that the Vatican explicitly requested his resignation are inaccurate. However, resignation has become the prevailing topic in the Vatican and within Church circles, especially among those seeking to succeed Rai. The majority of serving bishops have now become candidates, not merely voters. As a result, it is too early to draw a clear map of alliances that may determine a successor, especially amid political and banking interference.
From Tripoli to the South, Beirut, Byblos, Antelias, Batroun, and the Bekaa Valley, and even across the diaspora from Canada to Australia, most bishops, many of whom were appointed by the Patriarch himself, have become candidates and are openly campaigning without waiting for a formal written resignation. Recent months have seen unprecedented activity in Lebanon by one expatriate bishop supported by prominent bankers. While political interference in the selection of a patriarchal successor is ironic in itself, it is equally noteworthy that ecclesiastical reports suggest President Joseph Aoun is intervening on behalf of a candidate backed by a former non-Christian presidential figure. This has created confusion within Church circles, as everyone awaits an official denial from Baabda Palace.
The Patriarch remains firm in his refusal to resign, relying in part on the refusal of Syriac Catholic Patriarch Mar Ignatius Joseph III Younan to step down despite an explicit request from the Vatican. The two patriarchs continue to support each other.
The prevailing opinion in Church circles is that nothing can rescue the institution except the appointment of an apostolic administrator and the convening of a synod that will eventually lead to the selection of a successor. Yet those familiar with the inner workings of Bkerke and its institutions argue that merely choosing a new patriarch, given the decline experienced in recent years, cannot by itself resolve the crisis.
Any new Patriarch, even the most capable, would require at the very least three years to restructure the Church’s institutions. The damage accumulated over the past years is too extensive to repair in a few months and cannot serve as a foundation for any comprehensive Church program. All institutions need reform: monastic orders, seminaries, civil and ecclesiastical bodies, judicial and cultural institutions, research centres, universities, schools, hospitals, and every sector connected to the Church. Each is deeply wounded and in need of major renewal. This assumes, of course, that there is genuine will and that the goal is not merely replacing one patriarch with another, but restoring the Church’s former stature.
The late Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir left behind a strong national and Maronite legacy. Today, however, the Church’s role in national and ecclesiastical affairs has been minimal, while the need for an overhaul of all its institutions has grown free from ecclesiastical, banking, and business nepotism. Some institutions may require years of dedicated effort to rescue them from stagnation, corruption, and collapse; some are now virtually defunct.
Replacing one patriarch with another is not the solution. What is needed is a roadmap following the selection of a suitable patriarch capable of restoring the Holy Spirit to the Maronite Church; that is, if the current patriarch resigns.
** Comment
The lord of the money has no justice.
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