Living in a predominantly Roman Catholic area here in the United States, many people have questions regarding why the Maronites (an Eastern Catholic Church within the greater Catholic Church) do things a little differently. Watch this video where Fr. Claude Franklin addresses a wide range of questions regarding Maronite theology and Maronite liturgy. Abouna Claude gives great detail and resources quoting Church Fathers, Church documents, Synodal documents, and of course the Sacred Scripture.
Father Claude Franklin, Jr., is a Maronite Priest in the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn. Abouna Claude is currently the pastor of St. Joseph Maronite Church in Olean, New York. He also serves the Maronite Church as an official member of the Maronite Patriarchal Liturgical Commission. https://stjosepholean.org/
Looking for a specific question? Here is a breakdown of the questions asked and answered in the video:
- 0:00 [Opening Prayer]
- 2:07 [Is the Maronite Liturgy based on the Resurrection?]
- 5:45 [Why don’t we kneel?]
- 10:48 [How many Anaphoras do we traditionally have?]
- 12:23 [Why is there a difference in the order of admission of Holy Sacraments b/n the Roman Catholic and Maronite Rites? Specifically with Confirmation?]
- 15:00 [What is the history and reasoning behind the distribution of Holy Communion regarding the difference b/n Latin Churches and other Eastern Churches?]
- 29:17 [Why doesn’t the Maronite Church – unlike the other Eastern Churches – give First Communion to infants at Baptism?]
- 37:14 [What is the theological meaning/connection of the funeral bread and the “mercy meal”?]
- 40:22 [Why do we use the “Protestant” ending to the Our Father?]
- 42:36 [Why do we raise our hands only when we pray the “Our Father” and the “Make us worthy…” prior to Communion?]
- 45:02 [Why do Maronite Priests hold a small Cross in their right hand throughout the Liturgy?]
- 46:05 [What is the history behind the Syriac hymn melodies?]
- 47:24 [How should the choiring be done?]
- 49:12 [Should hair be covered?]
- 54:42 [Why does the Bishop wear the black hood? And why is it removed for some parts of the Liturgy?]
- 56:52 [Maronite Theology on the Trinity]
- 1:01:47 [What is our belief on the timing of the resurrection of the soul and body?]
- 1:04:52 [Are we in communion with our loved ones after they die or at the end of time?]
- 1:05:50 [Are there differences b/n Eastern Maronite Spirituality and Latin Spirituality?]
- 1:09:30 [Is the Maronite Church growing in the USA and throughout the world?]
- Abouna receives questions from those participating in the Zoom talk:
- 1:11:09 [Maronite teaching on mortal sin]
- 1:16:22 [Does the Maronite Church traditionally make the Sign of the Cross from R to L or L to R?]
- 1:21:30 [Abouna recommends different resources to read more about these different topics]
