Heart of Jesus [Maronite]

History of Heart of Jesus Maronite Catholic Church

The parish was founded in 2012 to serve Maronite Catholics in Broward County. The Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn purchased the former Unity Church of Christ property in Fort Lauderdale's Victoria Park neighborhood in June 2011, and Chorbishop Michael G. Thomas opened the doors on the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6, 2012. A rectory was added in Oakland Park in 2014, a choir loft was built in 2017, the tenth anniversary was marked by major renovations and formal parish status in 2022, the mortgage was paid off in 2024, and hurricane-resistant windows were added to the parish hall in 2025.

• June 27, 2011 — Eparchy purchases the former Unity Church of Christ of Fort Lauderdale for $2.4 million.
• January 6, 2012 — Inaugural Divine Liturgy on the Feast of the Epiphany.
• June 25, 2012 — Pastor's Advisory Board formed.
• September 17, 2012 — Ladies' Guild formed.
• July 2014 — Rectory purchased in Oakland Park for $145,000.
• September 2015 — Men's Club formed.
• 2017 — Choir loft mezzanine built with confessionals and storage.
• 2022 — Tenth anniversary: pews reupholstered, porcelain-tile floor installed, repainted, and mission formally raised to parish status.
• November 2024 — Building mortgage paid in full.
• May 2025 — Hurricane-resistant windows installed in the parish hall (Koch Foundation grant).

Our Pastor

Rev. Fr. Rabih Aoun, ML, was born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon. He joined the Congregation of the Lebanese Maronite Missionaries at age 23 and studied philosophy and theology at the Pontifical Faculty of Theology at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Lebanon. In 2015 he was appointed by the General Council of his congregation as a board member of the Voice of Charity and Charity TV in Lebanon, and in 2018 he served as administrator and career counselor at Cadmous College, a Catholic school in South Lebanon.

• 2022 — Appointed parochial vicar at St. John Paul II Maronite Catholic Church, Sleepy Hollow, New York, and administrator of the Maronite Mission in Manhattan.
• Concurrent doctoral studies in Catholic and Non-Public School Leadership at Fordham University.
• June 1, 2025 — Appointed by Bishop Gregory Mansour as administrator of Heart of Jesus Maronite Catholic Church, Fort Lauderdale.

Founding Pastor: Chorbishop Michael G. Thomas

Chorbishop Michael G. Thomas — Vicar General and Chancellor of the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn — was assigned by Bishop Gregory Mansour as the founding pastor of Heart of Jesus in 2012, while continuing his broader Eparchy-wide responsibilities. He previously served as pastor of Our Lady of Lebanon from 1996 to 2004, where he became well known to South Florida's Lebanese-American community. He retired from Heart of Jesus on June 1, 2025, after more than thirteen years of shepherding the parish from its first Mass through paying off the mortgage.

Liturgical Schedule & Sacraments

Heart of Jesus celebrates the Maronite Divine Liturgy in full communion with Rome. The Sunday liturgy is offered in English and Arabic, with Syriac hymns sung by the parish choir. Weekday Masses are celebrated at noon Monday through Thursday, and Holy Day schedules are published in the weekly bulletin.

• Saturday Vigil Mass — 4:00 PM (English)
• Sunday Mass — 11:00 AM (English / Arabic)
• Monday–Thursday — 12:00 PM Noon
• Holy Day of Obligation — 7:00 PM Vigil and 12:00 PM (see weekly bulletin)
• Confession — Saturdays 3:00–3:45 PM, or anytime upon request
• First Holy Communion & Reconciliation — annually on the first Sunday of May

Religious Education & Faith Formation

The Heart of Jesus Religious Education Program offers catechesis rooted in the Maronite tradition for Pre-Communion and Post-Communicant children, with weekly classes during the school year. Children learn the meaning of the seven sacraments, the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the lives of Maronite saints, and the Beatitudes. Each class closes with a period of Eucharistic Adoration before the Tabernacle. Parents are encouraged to be active in their children's prayer life and parish participation.

• Baptism and Confirmation taught together, in keeping with Maronite practice
• First Holy Communion and Reconciliation prepared and celebrated annually
• Closing Eucharistic Adoration at the end of every class

Parish Ministries & Organizations

Parishioners are invited to participate in a wide range of ministries and parish groups, from liturgical service to youth work and adult fellowship. Founded in 2012, the parish has built up a choir, altar servers, women's and men's groups, a youth organization, a young-adult group, and an advisory board.

• Choir — liturgical hymns in Arabic, English, and Syriac
• Altar Servers
• Maronite Youth Organization (MYO) — meets twice a month
• Maronite Young Adults (MYA)
• Ladies' Guild — fundraising and parish support
• Men's Club — formed September 2015
• Pastor's Advisory Board
• Family of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Visit, Contact & Giving

Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed. The church is open during business hours throughout the week. The parish office is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM, and staff can be reached by phone, fax, or email. Online giving and weekly bulletins are available via the parish website.

• Address: 1800 NE 6th Court, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
• Phone: 954-522-3939 · Fax: 954-522-3949
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.heartofjesus.org
• Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
• Weekly bulletins posted on the parish website