From Monday, March 17 until Wednesday, March 19 the annual spring meeting of the Eastern Catholic Associates (ECA) – the bishops of the Eastern Catholic churches of the United States – was held in St. Louis, MO.  Following a long-standing tradition, the meeting was hosted by Bishop Elias Zaidan of the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon at the Maronite Catholic Pastoral Center, located next to the Maronite Cathedral of St. Raymond in downtown St. Louis.

Besides regular administrative matters, other topics of common interest to the Eastern churches of the United States were addressed during the meeting:

Rev. Daniel Dozier, the Director of the Eastern Catholic Conference of Eparchial Directors of Religious Education (ECED), along with  ECED Business Manager, Amanda Singel, reported on the activities of the ECED during the past year and a new initiative involving a partnership with the Catechetical Institute of Franciscan University in Steubenville, OH.  The ECED is the publishing arm of the ECA, which prints and distributes religious and catechetical literature for our parishes.

Kevin Day, Director of Catholic Home Missions (CHM) and Ken Ong, Grant Specialist spoke to the bishops regarding new and on-going initiatives to support our parish programs.  The CHM is a grant making agency of the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) that offers financial support to smaller dioceses and eparchies in the United States.  The Eastern Catholic Churches of the United States have been the beneficiaries of significant financial support provided by the CMH over the years.

Fr. Tony Massad, a Maronite priest serving inYoungstown, OH spoke to the bishops regarding a new initiative in youth ministry entitled “Alive in Christ”.  An in-person conference is planned for the autumn in Parma, OH for youth facilitators and young adult leaders.  Delegates from all the eastern churches will be invited to pray together, to network and share best practices.

Bishop Daniel Flores, the representative of the USCCB to the General Secretariat of the Papal Synod on Synodality joined the bishops via Zoom for a listening session and a fruitful dialogue on the relationship between the Eastern Catholic Churches and the Latin Church in working towards a synodal path.

The bishops also devoted time in discussing how recent changes in US foreign and domestic policy has affected the delivery of Catholic social services, aid to immigrants at home and abroad.

Time was also devoted to reports on the struggles, challenges and even persecution being faced by the faithful in the ancestral homelands of our Churches, some of which are currently suffering wars and violence.

On Tuesday evening, the bishops had the opportunity to participate in the Maronite Divine Liturgy (Holy Qurbana), celebrated by Bishop Elias Zaidan in the chapel of the pastoral center.  A tasty Lebanese supper followed at which we were joined by Roman Catholic Archbishop of St. Louis, Most. Rev. Mitchell Rozanski.

The meeting reconvened on Wednesday morning at 9:00 am.  The bishops had a chance to give a short review of the work of the various committees and sub-committees of the USCCB of which they are members.  Two of our number serve as chairs of USCCB committees.

During our annual meeting the bishops have made it a tradition to learn more about our sister Churches.  This year, Bishops Gregory Mansour and Elias Zaidan of the Maronite Church gave a presentation of the history, spirituality and current situation of the Maronite Church in Lebanon and in the United States.

The meeting concluded with a fraternal lunch in the Maronite Pastoral Center.