BEING MELKITE

From His Grace, Bishop Darwish's 1997 Souvenir Program to inaugurate the Melkite Catholic Community Centre, we highlight excerpts of some of the families who from our Melkite Catholic Church’s beginning in 1891, worked together, shared their generosity of spirit, and sacrifice to forge our Church in Australia. 

There are many Melkite families who from our earliest to our recent generations continue this spirit of generosity, service and sacrifice―Abaji, Abdul-Massih, Ajaka, Bahari, Bakash, Baladi, Barbara, Bettar, Bracks, Cahlil, Daoud, David, Deiri, Eltenn, Farhart, Gaha, Haddad, Hallit, Harb, Hawa, Ibrahim, Jreijiri (Gregory), Kanawati, Katter, Khoury, Lahoud, Maksour, Mansour, Malouf, Obeid, Rizk, Sanki, Shad, Shalhoub, Taffa, Touma, Toutounji, Yared (Bowmore) and more.

Our Melkite community in Australia have sustained love, respect, and pride in our Eastern Catholic Rite, and have made significant contributions to Australia. We are―a premier of Victoria, Tasmanian and NSW parliamentary ministers, the first woman to be flown under the Sydney Harbour Bridge roadway, Australian corporates both private and ASX listed, renowned art collector and philanthropist, acclaimed Professors and Directors of Medicine, leading lawyers, barristers, accountants, engineers, writers, archaeologists, bankers, actors and so much more. To enjoy more on the history of our community, go to Resources and read A Bridge for Unity.

For this continuity of purpose and love we can all take great pride in―our pioneers, the present and future Melkite families.