It’s no easy feat for a parishioner to get their hands on a first-class relic at the request of their parish priest. But on St Charbel’s feast, anything is possible for St Luke’s Revesby’s Rita Torbay (Tarabay).
More than 1000 attendees filled the pews to welcome a first-class relic of St Charbel all the way from Annaya, Lebanon to its new Sydney home on 21 July, on the feast of the beloved saint.
But its journey began much earlier.
“I was leaving Mass one day in February last year when Fr Dariusz approached me with the request,” said mother of four Rita.
“My husband’s uncle is an abbott in Lebanon and that was the only avenue I could think of. We asked him and he explained we’d need to process a letter request.”
Not long afterwards, Rita and her family booked a trip during the July school holidays and arrived at St Charbel’s monastery on his feast day.
“They had thousands of pilgrims coming for the feast, but to my amazement, at one o’clock there was barely anyone. The lady there said everyone had just left not much earlier and if I had arrived another time I wouldn’t have been able to get anywhere near the church.”
After dropping the letter off Rita prayed for a response before flying out five days later. Almost 24 hours before take-off, she received a phone call.
“’Congratulations, your relic has been approved.’ It was Fr John-Paul Bassil, Fr John Paul Bassil, superior of the Maronite Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Australia.
“The entire journey was one into the unknown, because I was in God’s hands the moment I left Sydney. Each step was intentional by him without my knowing and the Lord put the right people in my path.”
Fr John-Paul last weekend brought the relic to St Luke’s and, alongside Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP, celebrated Mass with Fr Dariusz Basiaga SDS, Fr Greg Skulski SDS, Fr Benjamin Saliba and Deacon Aisavali.
“The heroic faith of St Charbel … serves as a powerful witness to the Catholics of Sydney, whether Maronite other Oriental, or Latin rite,” Archbishop Fisher told parishioners.
“In Jeremiah’s prophecy today (Jer 23:1-6) God promises to raise up shepherds to gather his dispersed flock—even those dispersed from Lebanon to as far away as Australia.
“St Charbel proved himself such a good shepherd—for the Maronites in the diaspora and for us all.
“This in turn inspires the rest of us who must live in the world to make space for God in our lives, including times of holy solitude of just me and God.
“May the people of St Luke’s Revesby know such heavenly friendship also.”
Directly after Mass the archbishop installed and blessed the relic and new statues of St Luke and St Charbel.
Parishioners processed a float carrying the saint’s relics into the neighbouring school playground to Lebanese drums and a flute; festivities followed with traditional oregano pizza made fresh from the Saj oven.
“I always see the church as a garden, with beautiful different flowers of faith,” Fr Dariusz told The Catholic Weekly.
“We as one universal Catholic Church, we must come together, and St Charbel is a part of that and a part of us.
“His road is perfect and walking with him he’s already leading us close to Christ.”
Rita believes the new addition to the parish will breathe new life into a growing parish of many cultural backgrounds.
“The atmosphere and the aura have changed already into one of great reverence.
“This day is moving the parish forward. St Charbel has restored hope.”