Yousif Habash
Encyclopedia
Yousif Behnam Habash (born 1 June 1951) is an Iraqi-born bishop of the Syriac Catholic Church
. Since 2010, he has been the Eparch of Our Lady of Deliverance of Newark
.
, Iraq
, Yousif Behnam Habash entered St. John’s Seminary in Mosul
in 1965 at the age of 14. From 1970 to 1972 he performed military service in Iraq. Thereafter, when the Mosul seminary closed, he completed his seminary studies at Charfet, Lebanon
, studying at the Université Saint-Esprit de Kaslik
. He was ordained a priest for the Archeparchy of Mosul
on 31 August 1975 after which time he was assigned to a parish in his home town of Bakhdida and worked in youth ministry. He later served as vicar and then pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, in Basra
.
In 1994, he was assigned to the Syriac Catholic Mission of North America, serving first in Newark, New Jersey
and, from 2001 on, at the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in West Hollywood, California
.
In April 2010, he was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI
as the second eparch of the Syrian Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Deliverance of Newark
. He was consecrated a bishop on 11 July 2010 by his predecessor Ephrem Joseph Younan
, who had been elected Patriarch
of Antioch and all the East of the Syrians.
Eparch Habash's territory includes the United States and Canada, and has 18,200 Syriac Catholics in the United States.
Syriac Catholic Church
The Syriac Catholic Church is a Christian church in the Levant having practices and rites in common with the Syriac Orthodox Church. They are one of the Eastern Catholic Churches following the Antiochene rite, the Syriac tradition of Antioch, along with the Maronites and Syro-Malankara Christians...
. Since 2010, he has been the Eparch of Our Lady of Deliverance of Newark
Syrian Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Deliverance of Newark
The Eparchy of Our Lady of Deliverance of Newark is an eparchy of the Syrian Catholic Church, an Eastern Catholic church in communion with the Roman Catholic Church. The territory of the eparchy encompasses the entire United States and Canada. It is based at Newark, New Jersey, and it is...
.
Life and career
Born 1 June 1951 at BakhdidaBakhdida
Bakhdida , also known as Baghdeda, Qaraqosh, Karakosh or Al-Hamdaniya, is an Assyrian town in the northern Iraq Ninawa Governorate, located about 32 km southeast of the city of Mosul amid agricultural lands, close to the ruins of the ancient Assyrian cities Nimrud and Nineveh. It is connected...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, Yousif Behnam Habash entered St. John’s Seminary in Mosul
Mosul
Mosul , is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some northwest of Baghdad. The original city stands on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh on the east bank, but the metropolitan area has now grown to encompass substantial...
in 1965 at the age of 14. From 1970 to 1972 he performed military service in Iraq. Thereafter, when the Mosul seminary closed, he completed his seminary studies at Charfet, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, studying at the Université Saint-Esprit de Kaslik
Université Saint-Esprit de Kaslik
Université Saint-Esprit de Kaslik , , is a private Catholic higher education institution founded by the Lebanese Maronite Order in 1961....
. He was ordained a priest for the Archeparchy of Mosul
Mosul
Mosul , is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some northwest of Baghdad. The original city stands on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh on the east bank, but the metropolitan area has now grown to encompass substantial...
on 31 August 1975 after which time he was assigned to a parish in his home town of Bakhdida and worked in youth ministry. He later served as vicar and then pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, in Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
.
In 1994, he was assigned to the Syriac Catholic Mission of North America, serving first in Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
and, from 2001 on, at the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood, a city of Los Angeles County, California, was incorporated on November 29, 1984, with a population of 34,399 at the 2010 census. 41% of the city's population is made up of gay men according to a 2002 demographic analysis by Sara Kocher Consulting for the City of West Hollywood...
.
In April 2010, he was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
as the second eparch of the Syrian Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Deliverance of Newark
Syrian Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Deliverance of Newark
The Eparchy of Our Lady of Deliverance of Newark is an eparchy of the Syrian Catholic Church, an Eastern Catholic church in communion with the Roman Catholic Church. The territory of the eparchy encompasses the entire United States and Canada. It is based at Newark, New Jersey, and it is...
. He was consecrated a bishop on 11 July 2010 by his predecessor Ephrem Joseph Younan
Ignace Joseph III Younan
Mar Ignatius Ephrem Joseph III Yonan is the Patriarch of Antioch and all the East of the Syrians of the Syriac Catholic Church since January 20, 2009.-Life:...
, who had been elected Patriarch
Patriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
of Antioch and all the East of the Syrians.
Eparch Habash's territory includes the United States and Canada, and has 18,200 Syriac Catholics in the United States.