About Saint Sharbel [Maronite] · Portland, Oregon
Saint Sharbel Maronite Catholic Church is a small Eastern Catholic parish in Portland, Oregon, serving the Maronite faithful of the Pacific Northwest from a historic Gothic Revival church in the Ladd's Addition neighborhood. Founded in July 1970 by Fr. Paul Mouawad as the first Maronite mission for Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Alaska, it was originally called St. Maron and was renamed Blessed Sharbel in 1971 at the initiative of Archbishop Francis M. Zayek — making it the first Maronite parish in the United States placed under the patronage of Saint Sharbel Makhlouf (canonized 9 October 1977). The parish belongs to the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon (Maronite), is in full union with Rome, and celebrates the Divine Liturgy (Qurbono) in the Antiochene Maronite tradition whose roots lie in the Aramaic-speaking Christianity of Syria and Lebanon.
- Established
- 1970
- Patron
- Saint Sharbel (Charbel) Makhlouf
- Rector
- Rev. Peter Zogbi
- Diocese
- Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon (Maronite) — Los Angeles; located geographically within the territory of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
Why belong here
St. Sharbel offers the rare gift of a true Antiochene Maronite Catholic home in the Pacific Northwest — the only Maronite parish for all of Oregon, Washington and Idaho — where about 50 families gather weekly for the Divine Liturgy, Adoration, and Confession in a historic Gothic Revival sanctuary. A close-knit community with strong youth programs (Angel Scouts, Crossroads, Maronteens, Maronite Young Adults), an Oblates group, a Ladies Guild, and signature traditions like the summer Lebanese Festival around St. Sharbel's feast day and the Fall Lebanese Dinner, the parish makes it easy to belong. Bishop Elias Zaidan has designated St. Sharbel a Jubilee pilgrimage church, a sign of how this small but mighty community keeps the rich Syriac-Maronite liturgical tradition alive in the 'Rose City.'
Mass times at Saint Sharbel [Maronite]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sundays 10:35 a.m. – 10:50 a.m.
- By appointment (call 971-515-9901)
Adoration times
- Sundays 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. (Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament before Mass)
- First Fridays at 10:00 a.m. (except summer months)
Welcome & Who We Are
The Maronite Family of faith at St. Sharbel welcomes visitors with the Arabic greeting 'Ahla w salah' — 'You are most welcome, our home is yours.' The Maronite Church is one of the oldest branches of Catholicism, tracing its origin to Saint Maron (c. 350–410 AD), whose disciples spread Christianity through the mountains of Syria and Lebanon. Today Maronite Catholics in the United States belong to two eparchies totaling roughly 75,000 faithful, and St. Sharbel represents that heritage in the Pacific Northwest. The parish's Maronite spirituality, liturgy and traditions come from Antioch-Edessa in Syria, and the Aramaic used in the liturgy is the same language Jesus spoke during His earthly ministry.
- Maronite Catholics in union with Rome
- Liturgical heritage rooted in Antioch / Edessa (Syria)
- Aramaic, Arabic and English used in worship
- One of two Maronite eparchies in the U.S. (Our Lady of Lebanon, with cathedral in Los Angeles)
Our Building: A 1909 Gothic Revival Landmark
St. Sharbel's home is one of the architectural treasures of Portland's Ladd's Addition. Originally built in 1909 as the First United Evangelical Church and designed by Portland architect Alfred H. Faber, the concrete-block Gothic Revival structure was the first of seven churches built in the neighborhood. It later housed the Cornerstone Church and the Bethel Missionary Temple before being acquired by the Maronite community in 1974. Today it is the only non-residential building facing Ladd Addition's northern park.
- Architect: Alfred H. Faber (1909)
- Style: Gothic Revival, concrete block with cast stone cladding
- Features: stained-glass rose window, exposed rafters, 16 Ionic columns at the entry, polygonal NW tower and square SW tower (bell tower removed c. 1950s)
- National Register: contributing property of Ladd's Addition Historic District (August 31, 1988)
- Recent upgrade: elevator installed for accessibility
History of the Parish
St. Sharbel was founded in July 1970 by Fr. Paul Mouawad as the first Maronite mission for Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Alaska. The inaugural Divine Liturgy was celebrated at Portland's National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother, 'The Grotto.' The mission was renamed in 1971 from St. Maron to Blessed Sharbel on the initiative of Archbishop Francis M. Zayek, making this the first U.S. parish placed under the patronage of the great Lebanese hermit saint (canonized in 1977). The community purchased its present church on SE 16th Avenue in 1974. After a turbulent stretch in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Fr. Jonathan Decker returned as pastor in 1993 and provided stability for over 20 years. He was succeeded in 2015 by Fr. Christopher Fabre, and today Rev. Peter Zogbi serves as pastor.
- 1970 — Founded by Fr. Paul Mouawad; first Liturgy at The Grotto
- 1971 — Renamed St. Sharbel by Archbishop Francis M. Zayek
- 1974 — Purchased the Gothic Revival church on SE 16th Avenue
- 1993 — Fr. Jonathan Decker returns; era of stability
- 2015 — Fr. Christopher Fabre becomes pastor; doors blessed for Jubilee Year of Mercy
- 2019 — Diaconal ordination of Peter Zogbi at St. Sharbel by Bishop Zaidan
- Recent — Elevator installed; Rev. Peter Zogbi becomes pastor
Worship Schedule (Divine Liturgy / Qurbono)
The parish celebrates the Maronite Divine Liturgy (Qurbono) on Sunday mornings, with Adoration and Confession offered immediately before Mass so that the faithful can prepare to enter the liturgy. A Wednesday evening Mass has also been celebrated in conjunction with the Men's Fellowship and Bible Study.
- Sunday Mass — 11:00 a.m.
- Sunday Adoration (Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament) — 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
- Sunday Confessions — 10:35 a.m. – 10:50 a.m. (and by appointment)
- Wednesday Mass — 7:00 p.m. (seasonal, with Men's Bible Study at 6:00 p.m.)
- First Friday Adoration — 10:00 a.m. (except summer months)
Sacraments
St. Sharbel prepares the faithful for and celebrates all the standard Catholic sacraments within the Maronite tradition. Baptisms and Chrismations (the Eastern equivalent of Confirmation) are typically administered together to infants, with preparation information available from the parish. First Holy Communion is prepared through the two-year CCD program. The pastor also celebrates marriages and funerals — and, given that St. Sharbel is the only Maronite parish for Oregon, Washington and Idaho, he often ministers these sacraments to Maronites across the region.
- Baptism / Chrismation (Confirmation) — see parish information sheet
- First Holy Communion — via the two-year CCD program
- Reconciliation (Confession) — Sundays 10:35 a.m. and by appointment
- Marriage — arranged through the pastor
- Funerals — pastor also serves WA and ID Maronites
Faith Formation & Youth
Religious education is a major priority for the small parish — especially because, as the parish puts it, 'Catholicism is scarce' in the Pacific Northwest. CCD classes for sacramental preparation meet Sunday mornings during the school year on the second floor of the church, and ongoing Maronite faith formation continues through Angel Scouts. The parish has a vibrant youth presence with three age-tiered groups.
- CCD / Sacramental Prep — two-year program, Sundays 9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m., October–May (Coordinator: Nadia Redmond)
- Angel Scouts — faith formation for ages 8–13
- Crossroads (MYO) — ages 12–16, 2nd & 4th Fridays 7:00–9:00 p.m.
- Maronteens (MYO) — ages 16–20, 2nd & 4th Fridays 7:00–9:00 p.m.
Young Adults & Adult Groups
Beyond the youth programs, St. Sharbel hosts several adult communities that meet for fellowship, study and prayer. The Maronite Young Adults (MYA) is a local chapter of the national organization for adults ages 19/20 and up, meeting twice a month around book discussion and fellowship. A Men's Fellowship and Bible Study gathers on Wednesday evenings (seasonally), and the Oblates of Jesus, Mary and Joseph meet monthly for prayer and formation.
- Maronite Young Adults (MYA) — ages 19/20+, twice monthly, contact Antoine Karam / Claude Karam
- Men's Fellowship & Bible Study — Wednesdays 6:00 p.m., contact Michael Gama
- Oblates of Jesus, Mary and Joseph — 3rd Monday of each month
Parish Life & Fundraisers
St. Sharbel's small community supports itself through a year-round calendar of beloved events. The annual Lebanese Food Festival in July — held around the feast of St. Sharbel — is the parish's signature fundraiser and draws visitors from across Portland. A Ladies Guild hosts the Fall Lebanese Dinner, and the parish has reinstituted a Mother's Day Hafli. Organizations and committees prepare year-round for these gatherings.
- Lebanese Festival — every July around the Feast of St. Sharbel
- Annual Fall Lebanese Dinner — late October in the parish hall
- Mother's Day Hafli (reinstated in recent years)
- Ladies Guild — hosts Fall Dinner, parish's oldest tradition
- Food Festival Committee — chaired by Agopos (503-317-4164)
Jubilee Pilgrimage Church
In 2015 Bishop A. Elias Zaidan designated St. Sharbel as a pilgrimage church, granting an indulgence to the faithful who visit during the Jubilee Year of Mercy. The parish doors were blessed by Fr. Christopher on Sunday, December 13, 2015. The church was again named among Jubilee Churches for the Holy Year 2025, a continuing recognition of its role as a place of grace in the Pacific Northwest.
- Pilgrimage church designation by Bishop Elias Zaidan (December 2015)
- Blessed Doors prayed on December 13, 2015
- Indulgences available to visiting faithful
- Listed as a Jubilee Church for Holy Year 2025
Governance & Staff
Day-to-day parish operations are supported by the pastor, an administrative assistant, and active Parish Council and Finance Committee volunteers. The parish council includes long-standing members who have served since the early years of the community.
- Pastor — Rev. Peter Zogbi
- Deacon Gibran Zogbi — assists at Mass and with the Divine Office
- Director of Religious Education (DRE) — Nadia Redmond ([email protected])
- Parish Council members — Bruce Ashford, Charlie Ashou, Gus Bekahi, Ben El Hajj, Agopos Ghossein, Adib Karam, Claude Karam, Lydia Massaad, Doug Raab, Thaddeus Rask, Nadia Redmond, Peter Rizk, Mitch Siekmann
- Finance Committee (in bulletin listings)
Practical Information: Visiting & Contact
Visitors are warmly welcomed at the 11:00 a.m. Sunday Divine Liturgy — arrive by 10:30 a.m. if you would like to join Adoration and/or go to Confession. The parish can be reached by phone or email, and bulletin PDFs are posted on the website. The building's recent elevator installation makes the historic church accessible to those who cannot use stairs.
- Address: 1804 SE 16th Avenue, Portland, OR 97214
- Pastor phone (emergency/urgent): (971) 515-9901
- Parish office line: (503) 231-3853
- Email: [email protected]
- Web: stsharbel.org
Maronite Heritage & Wider Links
St. Sharbel is part of the wider Maronite Catholic world. The parish is affiliated with national organizations that connect Maronite youth and young adults across the country, and it belongs to the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon (Los Angeles) under Bishop A. Elias Zaidan.
- Maronite Youth Organization (MYO): maroniteyouth.org
- Maronite Young Adults (MYA): maroniteyoungadults.org
- National Apostolate of Maronites (NAM): namnews.org
- Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon (Maronite) — Bishop A. Elias Zaidan
- Maronite prayer resource: maronitefaith.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Paul Mouawad1970–
Newly ordained missionary who founded the first Maronite mission for Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Alaska; celebrated the inaugural Divine Liturgy at The Grotto in Portland.
- Various priests (unnamed in source)late 1980s – early 1990s
A transitional period of several short-tenure priests that left the community unstable.
- Fr. Jonathan Decker, SJMJ1993 – c. 2015
Returned at parishioners' request; provided more than two decades of stability; also prior of the Oregon Monastery of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the first Maronite monastery in the western U.S.
- Fr. Christopher Fabre2015 –
Ordained priest July 11, 2015 in Austin, Texas by Bishop Elias Zaidan; began serving St. Sharbel later that year; oversaw the church's designation as a Jubilee pilgrimage site in 2015.
- Rev. Peter Zogbicurrent pastor
Ordained to the diaconate at St. Sharbel on 1 September 2019 by Bishop Zaidan; later ordained to the priesthood and now serves as pastor of his home parish.