About Saint George [Maronite Catholic] · Cranston, Rhode Island
Saint George Maronite Catholic Church is a Maronite-rite parish located at 1493 Cranston Street in Cranston, Rhode Island, serving the Lebanese-American Maronite faithful of the Ocean State since May 1911. The parish belongs to the Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn and worships primarily in the Maronite Rite, with one weekly Mass celebrated in the Roman (Latin) Rite. Under the pastoral care of Rev. Tony Saab and Deacon Farid Zaarour, the parish traces its roots to the wave of Lebanese emigrants who settled on Providence's Federal Hill in the early 1900s and worked for decades to establish a church of their own rite and language.
- Established
- 1911
- Patron
- Saint George (the Great Martyr)
- Rector
- Rev. Tony Saab
- Diocese
- Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn (under the authority of the Pope, with pastoral oversight historically connected to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence)
Why belong here
Saint George Maronite Catholic Church offers a welcoming home for Maronite-rite Catholics and anyone drawn to the Syriac-Maronite liturgical tradition in Rhode Island. The parish celebrates the Maronite Rite on Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings, plus a weekly Roman Rite Mass, with weekday Masses Wednesday through Friday. A vibrant network of societies — including the Holy Rosary Altar Society, Holy Name Society, Lebanese Women's Guild, Knights of Saint George, Maronite Youth Organization, and Boy Scouts Council #116 — keeps generations connected, and the parish continues to gather for the Saint Joseph Hafli and the annual Lebanese Mahrajan.
Mass times at Saint George [Maronite Catholic]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 15 minutes before services or upon request
Parish Overview & Identity
Saint George Maronite Catholic Church is a Maronite-rite parish serving the Lebanese-American Maronite faithful of Rhode Island from 1493 Cranston Street in Cranston. Founded in May 1911 as the state's first Maronite parish, it is one of the constituent parishes of the Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn, a sui iuris Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with Rome. The parish has been a spiritual and social anchor for four generations of Lebanese immigrants and their descendants.
- Patron: Saint George the Great Martyr (feast day April 23)
- Rite: Maronite (West Syriac / Antiochian tradition)
- Eparchy: Saint Maron of Brooklyn
- Current home: former Saint Anne's Roman Catholic Church, Cranston
History of the Parish
The parish was born out of the Lebanese emigration to Providence's Federal Hill at the turn of the twentieth century. After decades of attending Roman Catholic parishes on the Hill, community leaders organized in 1911 to petition Bishop Harkins for a Maronite church of their own. The parish has moved four times in its history — from a remodeled America Street tenement in Providence (1911), to the renovated Romanesque brick church on Atwells Avenue, to the historic former Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Pawtucket (1977–2005), to its present Cranston home (since July 2013).
- May 1911: Parish established by Bishop Harkins; first pastor Father Joseph Ganem
- 85 America Street, Providence (1911 onward) — former three-story tenement bought for $7,000
- 1926–1927: Major Romanesque renovation costing $30,000, completed December 4, 1927
- 1944: Mortgage paid in full under Father Gideon
- 1977: Moved to 50 Main Street, Pawtucket (former Holy Trinity Episcopal)
- October 25, 2005: Pawtucket church destroyed by fire
- 2006–2013: Worshipped at Saint Raymond's, Providence; interim purchase of property in Lincoln, RI
- July 2013: Acquired 1493 Cranston Street (former Saint Anne's Roman Catholic)
Founding Fathers and Original Community
The first Maronite families came from across Lebanon — Baan, Beirut, Besharre, Blouza, Dfoun, Eddee, Ehden, Jebail, Kafarsghaab, Tripoli, Zgharta, and Zouk — and worshipped at the Roman Catholic parishes of Saint John, Holy Ghost, and Mount Carmel on Federal Hill before founding their own church. The petition to Bishop Harkins was organized by community representatives Elias Rukas, Michael Hanna, Joseph Hanna, Joseph Badway, Michael Joseph, Assad Michael, and Mr. Bu Kalid, with the assistance of Father Yazbeck.
- First pastor: Father Joseph Ganem (recruited from Birmingham, Alabama)
- Fundraising helped by Nosseff Joseph, Joseph Thomas, Louis Lobris, Mansour Badway, Ablan Haskell, Assad Michael
Clergy & Pastoral Succession
The parish has been served by eight successive pastors and administrators across more than a century. The longest tenure belongs to Father Peter S. Hobeika (1949–1983), whose legacy is honored by the parish hall named "Hobeika Hall." The current pastor is Rev. Tony Saab, supported by Deacon Farid Zaarour.
- Rev. Tony Saab — current pastor
- Deacon Farid Zaarour — deacon
- Rectory telephone: (401) 723-8444
Worship Schedule & Sacraments
The parish follows the Maronite liturgical calendar, with one Sunday Mass celebrated in the Roman (Latin) Rite for those attached to the Latin tradition. Weekday Mass is offered Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings. Reconciliation is available fifteen minutes before each service or by request.
- Saturday 4:00 pm — Maronite Rite
- Sunday 8:30 am — Latin (Roman) Rite
- Sunday 10:30 am — Maronite Rite
- Wednesday / Thursday / Friday 9:00 am
- Holy Day of Obligation Vigil 7:00 pm
- Baptism and Weddings by appointment
- Reconciliation 15 minutes before services or upon request
Parish Ministries & Societies
Saint George has long been known for the breadth of its parish societies, most established under Father Peter S. Hobeika in the 1950s. The parish continues to host both Maronite-church-wide organizations (NAM, MYO) and locally rooted Lebanese-American societies. Annual cultural events — the Saint Joseph Hafli (begun 1950) and the Rhode Island Lebanese Mahrajan (begun 1955) — are signature gatherings of the parish.
- Holy Rosary Altar Society (canonically established July 1949)
- Holy Name Society
- Lebanese Women's Guild
- Knights of Saint George
- Lebanese American Community Center
- Maronite Youth Organization
- Boy Scouts — Saint George Council #116
- National Apostolate of Maronites (NAM)
- Adult and Children's Maronite Choirs
Faith Formation & Music
Sunday school at Saint George dates to Father Gideon's era and was originally taught by the Sisters of the Holy Ghost of Nazareth House. Father Hobeika's reform of parish choirs — adult and children's — and Father Mouawad's reintroduction of the violin and organ remain part of the parish's musical tradition. The parish uses the catechetical text "Faith of the Mountain" for Sunday school.
- Sunday school / faith formation program
- Adult Maronite choir and children's choir
- Violin and organ in liturgical music
Cultural Heritage & Festivals
The Saint Joseph Hafli (begun March 1950) and the Rhode Island Lebanese Mahrajan (begun September 1955) are the parish's signature cultural gatherings. In 1968 Father Hobeika led six Maronite churches in sponsoring the Mahrajan under the blessing of Bishop Francis M. Zayek. The parish has also hosted the National Apostolate of Maronites (NAM) Annual Convention, including the 33rd NAM Convention in July 1996.
- Saint Joseph Hafli (annual fundraiser)
- Rhode Island Lebanese Mahrajan (annual cultural festival)
- NAM National Convention hosting (1996)
Contact, Communications & Streaming
Parishioners and visitors can reach the rectory by telephone or email, and may request the weekly color bulletin by email. The parish streams services via Facebook Live and YouTube from links published on the official website.
- Address: 1493 Cranston Street, Cranston, RI 02920
- Phone: (401) 723-8444
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://stgeorgeri.com/
- Weekly bulletin via email (sign up via [email protected])
- Facebook Live and YouTube streaming for services
Governance & Corporate Identity
Saint George Maronite Catholic Church, Inc. is incorporated in Rhode Island as a Domestic Non-Profit Corporation (ID #000029424, incorporated June 1, 1976). The corporate name was changed from 'Saint George Maronite Church' to 'Saint George Maronite Catholic Church, Inc.' on September 22, 2023. The corporation's registered agent is Rev. Antoine Saab, who also serves as treasurer; the parish falls under the authority of Bishop Gregory J. Mansour of the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn.
- RI Corporate ID: 000029424
- Incorporated: June 1, 1976
- President: Most Reverend Gregory J. Mansour
- Treasurer: Rev. Antoine Saab
- Secretary / VP: Chorbishop Michael G. Thomas
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Joseph Ganem1911–1922
First parish priest; recruited from Birmingham, Alabama by Father Yazbeck.
- Father Nemetallah GideonApril 1, 1922 – August 15, 1947
Stewarded major Romanesque renovation (1926–27); organized the Sunday school with the Sisters of the Holy Ghost of Nazareth House; paid off the mortgage by 1944.
- Father John TullyAugust 1947 – November 1949
Roman Catholic priest assigned temporarily; oversaw purchase of a new electric organ in December 1948.
- Father Peter S. HobeikaDecember 1949 – May 11, 1983
Long-tenured pastor from Lebanon; organized most parish societies; purchased the Pawtucket church (1977); named Monsignor shortly before his sudden death.
- Father William Hakeem1983 (approximately three months)
Recently ordained priest sent by Archbishop Zayek immediately after Father Hobeika's death.
- Father Paul F. MouawadAugust 23, 1983 – July 2006
Paid off the Pawtucket mortgage in 1983; grew parish to 210 active families; transferred to Saint Sharbel Church, Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.
- Father Edward T. NedderJuly 2006 – present? (succeeded by Rev. Tony Saab)
Assigned to Saint George after the 2005 Pawtucket fire; oversaw purchase of Lincoln property in 2007.
- Rev. Tony Saab (Antoine Saab)present pastor
Current pastor; previously served elsewhere before assignment to Saint George, Cranston.