From July 11th to 13th, 2025, Ireland hosted its first-ever Saint Sharbel Catholic Conference in Meigh, Co. Armagh—a landmark event that brought together the faithful for three days of deep spiritual renewal. This historic gathering invited attendees to experience the beauty of Maronite spirituality, rooted in the Syriac Christian tradition and the holy witness of Saint Sharbel Makhlouf.

On July 18th, 2025, at the invitation of His Eminence Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke, Mr. Raymond Nader, President of the Family of Saint Sharbel, visited the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse, Wisconsin, to explore the possibility of establishing a Shrine to Saint Sharbel on its grounds.

Following the tour, the delegation met to discuss details of the initiative. During the meeting, Mr. Nader presented two special gifts to Cardinal Burke: a hand-painted icon of Saint Sharbel and a first-class relic of the saint preserved in a cedar-shaped reliquary.
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The atmosphere was marked by warmth and shared vision with hope that the Shrine to Saint Sharbel may be consecrated and opened by July 2026.

Founded by then-Bishop Burke, the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe serves as a place of pilgrimage and prayer, especially for those who suffer in body and soul. Dedicated to evangelization through Our Lady, it stands as a spiritual haven for the faithful—soon to be further enriched, God willing, by the witness of Saint Sharbel.

On July 21st, 2025, Mr. Raymond Nader, President of the Family of Saint Sharbel, delivered a moving talk at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Alexandria, Virginia. The event began with a reception, continued with Mr. Nader's account of his testimony, and concluded with a Q&A session​ with attendees.

In his talk, Mr. Nader shared the story of his encounter with Saint Sharbel, which transformed his life and mission. He reflected on key moments of suffering and grace, highlighting Saint Sharbel’s life of sacrifice, love, and union with Christ in the Eucharist. Mr. Nader emphasized that each of us is called to sainthood and eternal life with God.
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He concluded with a heartfelt message: through the Holy Bible, the Eucharist, and Our Blessed Lady, we can walk toward our true home in the Kingdom of God. The event left many deeply moved and renewed in faith.

On July 13th, 2025, Mr. Raymond Nader, President of the Family of Saint Sharbel, delivered an inspiring talk at Our Lady of Hope Catholic Church in Potomac Falls, VA. The event began with a warm reception followed by Mr. Nader’s testimony and Q&A session.

Mr. Nader also recounted his own profound spiritual encounter with Saint Sharbel, marked by mystical experiences and a call to spread the Gospel. His message centered on three pillars for Christian living: Holy Scripture, the Eucharist, and the Blessed Virgin Mary—a path, he said, that surely leads home.

​Watch the video for the full talk.
00:00 Opening Prayer
00:35 Mr. Nader's Talk
56:04 Q&A Session

​On July 20th, 2025, the Family of Saint Sharbel USA joined the Lebanese community at Our Lady of Lebanon Church in Washington, D.C. for Holy Mass on the occasion of Saint Sharbel's Feast Day.  The Mass was celebrated by Monsignor Peter Azar, and was followed by a special talk given by Mr. Raymond Nader, President of the Family of Saint Sharbel.

Mr. Nader’s talk, delivered mostly in Arabic, offered a moving reflection on the life of Saint Sharbel. Using the language of investment and economy as a metaphor, he encouraged the faithful to consider their lives as capital entrusted by God. Saint Sharbel, he explained, made a radical spiritual “investment” by offering his life entirely to God—materially poor, but spiritually rich.
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Drawing from personal experience and years of spiritual companionship with Saint Sharbel, Mr. Nader reminded all that true holiness is possible, and that each person is called to become a saint.

​The event ended in an atmosphere of peace, inspiration, and renewed spiritual commitment.

​On July 9–10, the Family of Saint Sharbel’s President, Mr. Raymond Nader, visited Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Church in Easton, PA, where he shared his personal testimony and spoke about the life and spirituality of Saint Sharbel.

​All who attended were inspired by Mr. Nader's powerful testimony and the deep spirituality of Saint Sharbel, leaving with renewed faith, a sense of peace, and a call to deeper prayer.
​Watch the video for a summary of Mr. Nader's Talks.

On Saturday, July 12th, 2025, the Family of Saint Sharbel USA gathered with pilgrims at the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in Emmitsburg, Maryland, to celebrate the Feast of Saint Sharbel.

Following the Holy Mass, a solemn procession took place with a first-class relic of Saint Sharbel. The faithful were then invited to venerate the relic and receive individual blessings with Saint Sharbel’s holy oil, administered by Fr. Mariano.
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The celebration concluded with the distribution of prayer cards and traditional Lebanese sweets.

The Family of Saint Sharbel USA was honored to be among the participating organizations this year. Mr. Raymond Nader, President of the Family of Saint Sharbel, was also present at the convention during his stay in the U.S.
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FSS hosted a lively booth, managed by a group of volunteers, which offered informational materials, devotional items such as novena booklets, prayer cards, and religious art from Lebanon, as well as books about Saint Sharbel’s life and spirituality. The booth served as a welcoming space to share the mission and work of FSS through personal encounters and engaging conversations with convention attendees.

​The National Apostolate of Maronites (NAM) is the official lay apostolate of the Maronite Church of the USA. Each year, it brings together Maronite clergy and laity from across the country for Divine Liturgies, the Liturgy of the Hours, conferences, youth and adult programs, and joyful community celebrations. In attendance this year were both Maronite bishops in the U.S.: Bishop Gregory Mansour of the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn and Bishop Abdallah Elias Zaidan of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles.

​The event was a powerful reminder of the growing faith and unity among Maronites in the United States.

​On Saturday, May 10th, the Family of Saint Sharbel USA celebrated St. Sharbel’s birthday at the National Shrine Grotto in Emmitsburg, MD! Participants gathered for adoration, confession, and a Divine Liturgy, in St. Mary's Chapel, celebrated in honor of both St. Sharbel and Pope Leo XIV, who was elected to the papacy on St. Sharbel's birthday (May 8th). 

​During his homily, Fr. Trinko highlighted the presence of Catholics from both Eastern and Western rites at the liturgy, and he emphasized that our unity comes from being under one Pope.  When presenting prayer intentions, he prayed for unity of all Christians under Pope Leo XIV. 

​Following the liturgy, which included St. Sharbel hymns, Fr. Trinko led a procession with Saint Sharbel’s Relic while the faithful followed singing Maronite hymns.