Joseph Tawil

infobox bishopbiog
name = Archbishop Joseph Tawil

Melkite Greek Catholic
See = Eparchate of Newton, Massachusetts
Title = Archbishop of Newton
Period = March 15, 1970—December 12, 1989
consecration = January 1, 1960| Predecessor = Bishop Justin Najmy
Successor = Archbishop Ignatius Ghattas
ordination = July 20, 1936
bishops = Patriarchal Vicar for the See of Damascus
date of birth = December 25, 1913
place of birth = Damascus, Syria
date of death = February 17, 1999
place of death = Newton, Massachusetts

Archbishop Joseph Tawil (December 25, 1913 - February 17, 1999) was the Melkite Greek Catholic eparch for the United States, teacher and theologian. He is remembered for expanding the Melkite church in the United States and articulating the unique role of the Eastern Catholic Churches in his 1970 pastoral letter The Courage To Be Ourselves.

Early life

Joseph Elias Tawil was born in Damascus, Syria, the son of Elias and Malakie (Salmane) Tawil. [cite web |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=nwsvhw1wLgkC&pg=PA371&lpg=PA371&dq=Tawil+Courage+to+Be+Ourselves&source=web&ots=qP43gGl2qa&sig=ightvPaCCFLv2wiM-sQL1uK2Lck&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result |title=Archbishop Joseph Tawil |accessdate=2008-09-20 |author=Garrett, Paul D. |authorlink= |coauthors=Purpura, Kathleen A. |date=2007 |year= |month= |work=Frank Maria: A Search for Justice and Peace in the Middle East |publisher=AuthorHouse |pages=371 |id=ISBN 1434300005 |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] He studied for the priesthood under the White Fathers in St. Anne's Seminary in Jerusalem. He was ordained as priest on July 20, 1936 and assigned to the Patriarchal College (Al Madrah Al Batrakiyah) in Cairo, Egypt. For seven years he was a teacher and later dean of the institution. In 1943 he became president of the college, a position he retained for eleven years before his appointment as Patriarchal Vicar in Alexandria, Egypt on August 29, 1959.

Episcopate

Damascus and United States

He was consecrated bishop in Damascus on January 1, 1960. While in this position he attended the Second Vatican Council where, as a representative of the Melkite Church, he worked with Patriarch Maximos IV Sayegh to further understanding and cooperation between the Church of Rome and the Eastern Orthodox Church.

On October 30, 1969, Archbishop Tawil was appointed Apostolic Exarch for the United States by Pope Paul VI, and was installed on March 15, 1970. He succeeded Bishop Justin Najmy, the first Melkite bishop in the United States. Bishop Najmy had died only two years after his installation, and thus the major task of welding an efficient diocese out of the existing parishes scattered over the country fell to Archbishop Tawil.

Upon arriving in the United States Tawil was fluent in Arabic and French and proficient in Greek and Latin but did not speak English. He quickly learned English and published some of his most influential writings in the language of his new homeland.

The Courage To Be Ourselves

One of Tawil's first actions was to write the pastoral letter "The Courage to be Ourselves" to strengthen his flock, many of whom were relatively newcomers in this country and surrounded by the far more numerous Latin Catholics. The document, delivered as a Christmas 1970 pastoral letter, reminds Eastern Catholics of their rich traditions and how the Catholic Church benefits from diversity. In it he stated:

Development of the Eparchy of Newton

Tawil founded the diocesan publication "Sophia" and in 1971 established a diaconate training program, the first in an Eastern Catholic diocese in the United States. He also established a Diocesan Pastoral Council. Later he inaugurated a Diocesan Communications Office, the National Association of Melkite Youth, and a full-time Office of Educational Services.

On June 28, 1976 Tawil was raised to archbishop. He was installed as eparch of Newton on February 14, 1977. [cite web
last = Cheney
first = David
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Archbishop Joseph Elias Tawil
work = Catholic Hierarchy.com
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/btawil.html
format =
accessdate = 2008-02-23 ] During his tenure as eparch, Tawil founded eight new parishes and five missions. He ordained 26 new priests and 23 deacons. He also played a significant role in the founding a convent for women religious in Danbury, Connecticut.

After reaching retirement age, Archbishop Tawil retired on December 12, 1989, but remained active in church affairs. He was succeeded by Bishop Ignatius Ghattas as Eparch of Newton. Tawil died at Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Massachusetts on February 17, 1999. [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Archbishop Joseph Tawil of West Newton, at 85
work = The Boston Herald
publisher =
date = February 22, 1999
url = http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/bostonherald/access/39169282.html?dids=39169282:39169282&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Feb+22%2C+1999&author=&pub=Boston+Herald&edition=&startpage=058&desc=Obituary%3B+Archbishop+Joseph+Tawil+of+West+Newton%2C+at+85
format =
accessdate = 2008-02-23 ]

Books and Other Publications

Tawil published several books in both Arabic and English. They include:

*cite book |title=The Patriarchate of Antioch Throughout History: An Introduction |publisher=Sophia Press |id=
*cite book |title=The Sacraments of Christian Initiation |publisher=Theobooks |id=
*cite book |title=Saint Basil the Great |publisher=Sophia Press |id=

Notes

ee also

*Melkite Greek Catholic Church
*Eparchy of Newton
*Maximos IV Sayegh

External links

* [http://www.melkite.org/sa10.html Melkite Greek Catholic Church Biography of Joseph Tawil]
* [http://www.melkite.org/role.htm#tawil The Courage To Be Ourselves]
* [http://www.rongolini.com/deacoffc.htm Introduction to the Liturgy of the Divine Office, by Archbishop Joseph Tawil]
* [http://www.pgc-lb.org/english/index.shtml Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem]
* [http://www.opuslibani.org.lb/melkitmenu.html L'Église Melkite/The Melkite Church] .
* [http://www.mliles.com/melkitecatholic/index.shtml Melkite Catholic Web Ring] .
* [http://www.melkite.org Official Website of the Melkite Church in the US] .
* [http://phoenicia.org/melkites.html Extensive history of the Melkite Church]