About Mary, Mother of the Light [Maronite] · Tequesta, Florida
Mary, Mother of the Light is a Maronite Catholic parish in the Village of Tequesta, Florida, in the northern Palm Beaches. The parish belongs to the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn, one of more than twenty Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, and so it celebrates the Syriac Maronite Divine Liturgy in English, Syriac, and Arabic. Founded in 1990, the community began as a small mission and, after worshipping in clubs, hospitals, and converted storefronts, moved to its current Willow Road campus — a former Lutheran facility that includes a sanctuary, social hall, offices, and a preschool. It is led today by Fr. Gary George, C.Ss.R., and serves Maronite faithful from across the Treasure Coast.
- Established
- 1990
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary under the Maronite title 'Mother of the Light' (Mary, Mother of God / Maryam Youtheitto d'Nuhro)
- Rector
- Rev. Fr. Gary George, C.Ss.R.
- Diocese
- Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn (Syriac Maronite Catholic Church); geographically located within the territory of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Palm Beach
Why belong here
Mary, Mother of the Light welcomes Maronite faithful and anyone drawn to the Syriac Maronite tradition into a small, multigenerational community in the Palm Beaches. Parishioners celebrate the Divine Liturgy in English, Syriac, and Arabic, attend regular Rosary and St. Sharbel monthly devotions, and have on-site faith formation for their youngest through the parish preschool (Mary, Mother of the Light Academy), the first of its kind in the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn. With priests, subdeacons, and parish councils guiding a tight-knit mission-style community, it is an ideal spiritual home for Maronite families in South Florida seeking traditional apostolic worship 'in beauty and truth.'
Mass times at Mary, Mother of the Light [Maronite]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 PM – 3:55 PM
- Sunday 9:00 AM – 9:25 AM
- Friday 11:30 AM – 11:55 AM
Parish History
Mary, Mother of the Light Mission was started in 1990 when several Maronite families petitioned Archbishop Francis Zayek to have a church in West Palm Beach. Archbishop Zayek asked Msgr. Ronald Beshara to explore the possibility, and the first Divine Liturgy was celebrated in February 1990 at the Syrian Lebanese American Club, where over 130 people gathered. The community grew to about 45 families, raised money to purchase five acres in West Palm Beach, then worshipped at the Chapel of St. Mary's Hospital before Fr. Leonard Basinow's arrival in 1997 led to the purchase and conversion of a Pizza Hut on Lake Worth Road in Greenacres City.
- 1990 – Mission established; first Liturgy at the Syrian Lebanese American Club
- 1995 – Relocated to the Chapel of St. Mary's Hospital
- 1996 – Archbishop Zayek blessed the Forest Hill Blvd land
- April 1997 – Fr. Leonard Basinow assumed pastoral care
- March 31, 2001 – Bishop Stephen Hector Doueihi dedicated the church in Greenacres
- 2011 – Msgr. Beshara passed to his eternal home
- 2013 – Fr. Alaa Issa appointed; the former Lutheran facility in Tequesta is acquired
- February 22, 2015 – Bishop Gregory Mansour dedicated and consecrated the new Tequesta complex
- August 17, 2015 – Mary, Mother of the Light Academy opens its doors
The Maronite Tradition
Mary, Mother of the Light is one of over twenty Eastern and Oriental Catholic Churches in communion with the Bishop of Rome. Evangelized directly by St. Peter, St. Thomas, and the other Apostles, Syriac Christians have preserved the Apostolic Faith throughout centuries of persecution, isolation, and outside influence. Through the Syriac Fathers and the monastic origins of the Church, the Syro-Maronite tradition passes on the faith of the Apostles to each successive generation, with parishes and missions now on six continents led by Patriarch Bechara Boutros Rai of Antioch.
Clergy and Pastoral Leadership
The parish is led today by Fr. Gary George, C.Ss.R. (Redemptorist), who was assigned as Administrator in March 2020 and appointed Pastor in September 2021. He is assisted by three subdeacons — Elias Azzi, Gerard George, and (retired) Dennis Somerville — and supported by parish leadership including Pierre Azzi, Finance Committee Chairman and Banquet Hall Coordinator.
Pastoral Succession
The parish maintains a published timeline of its pastors and administrators stretching back to its 1990 founding.
- Msgr. Ronald Beshara (1990 – January 1, 2011)
- Fr. Leonard Basinow (April 1997 – April 29, 2001)
- Fr. Jorge Perales (temporary, c. 2011 – c. 2012)
- Fr. Alaa Issa (June 2, 2013 – c. 2015)
- Fr. Jack Morrison (December 1, 2015 – December 2017)
- Fr. Jebrael Moussallum (January 2018 – c. May 2018)
- Fr. Aaron J. Sandbothe (June 2018 – c. 2020)
- Fr. Gary George, C.Ss.R. (March 2020 – present)
Worship and Liturgy
Mary, Mother of the Light offers traditional Syriac Maronite worship 'in beauty and truth.' The Saturday Vigil Divine Liturgy is celebrated in English and Syriac at 4:00 PM (preceded by Rosary at 3:30 PM). Sunday features two Divine Liturgies — 9:30 AM in English and Syriac and 11:00 AM in English, Syriac, and Arabic — each preceded by Rosary. A Wednesday evening Liturgy, plus Holy Day and monthly St. Sharbel liturgies, round out the weekly schedule.
- Saturday Vigil: 3:30 PM Rosary, 4:00 PM Divine Liturgy (English & Syriac)
- Sunday: 9:00 AM Rosary, 9:30 AM Divine Liturgy (English & Syriac)
- Sunday: 11:00 AM Divine Liturgy (English, Syriac & Arabic)
- Wednesday: 7:00 PM Divine Liturgy
- Holy Days of Obligation: 7:00 PM
- St. Sharbel Liturgy: 22nd of each month, 7:00 PM
Mary, Mother of the Light Academy
Mary, Mother of the Light Academy (MMOLA) is an extended-day preschool serving children ages 2½ through 5 in Tequesta and Jupiter, Florida. Operating on the parish campus since August 17, 2015, it was the first Catholic preschool in the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn. The Academy is licensed through the Palm Beach Department of Health and the Department of Children and Families, and offers a faith-based early-childhood curriculum combining educational play with spiritual growth in the Catholic tradition.
- Director: Mrs. Judy Harris
- Assistant Director: Mrs. Jennifer Dunn
- Ages 2½ through 5
- Hours: 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM (weekdays)
- Phone: 561-203-2424
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.mmolacademy.org
Parish Leadership and Committees
Lay leadership collaborates with the pastor on temporal and parish-life matters, including the parish Finance Committee and Banquet Hall coordination, in keeping with the mission-driven character of the Maronite Church in South Florida.
- Pierre Azzi — Finance Committee Chairman; Banquet Hall Coordinator
- Subdeacon Elias Azzi
- Subdeacon Gerard George
- Subdeacon Dennis Somerville (Retired)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Msgr. Ronald Beshara1990 – January 1, 2011
Founding priest; established mission in 1990 at the Syrian Lebanese American Club; again served as Administrator later; passed to eternal home in 2011.
- Fr. Leonard BasinowApril 1997 – April 29, 2001
Led the mission's purchase and conversion of the Pizza Hut on Lake Worth Road in Greenacres City into its first dedicated worship space.
- Fr. Jorge Peralesc. 2011 – c. 2012
Named temporary Administrator for about one year.
- Fr. Alaa IssaJune 2, 2013 – c. 2015
Pastoral Administrator; oversaw the relocation to the current Tequesta campus.
- Fr. Jack MorrisonDecember 1, 2015 – December 2017
Administrator; retired December 2017.
- Fr. Jebrael MoussallumJanuary 2018 – c. May 2018
Pastoral Administrator for five months.
- Fr. Aaron J. SandbotheJune 2018 – c. 2020
Administrator for two years.
- Fr. Gary George, C.Ss.R.March 2020 – present
Assigned as Administrator March 2020; appointed Pastor September 2021.