Maronite Catholic Society of Australia Gala Dinner

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-111539

Hansard session: Fifty-Seventh Parliament, First Session (57-1)

Maronite Catholic Society of Australia Gala Dinner

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley)

— On the 7th of February I had the pleasure of attending the annual Gala Dinner held by the Maronite Catholic Society of Australia. The Maronites have a long history in Australia, arriving from Lebanon as early as the 1850s. From there, churches were established in Sydney, Melbourne, and across Australia. The Maronite Society have also established aged care facilities, preschool and childcare centres, as well as high schools, in furtherance of the message of their faith. I am lucky to have a fantastic relationship with the Maronite Catholic Society. It was an honour to be invited to the Gala Dinner under the patronage of His Excellency Bishop Antoine Charbel Tarabay, and I thank the Society's President, Dr Anthony Hasham, for inviting me to the evening. I wish the Maronite Catholic Society the very best for the year ahead, and look forward to continuing to work alongside them.