No matter where he is, an Antonine monk always remembers his mission: to constantly remind the people that they are on a journey, a pilgrimage towards the Kingdom.
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Pastoral | ![]() |
Pastoral Work
All along the History of the Maronite community, the Antonine monks knew how to remain exemplary pastors working in the service of the mission they were entrusted, in the service of announcing the word of God. The Antonine Order is currently responsible of more than 30 parishes in Lebanon and abroad, thanks to the faithful and dedicated pastoral work of its monks.
There is no doubt that one of the first fruits of these efforts was the establishment of the Center of Oriental Studies and Research (CERO) responsible for a number of pastoral and spiritual publications intended for faithful people of all ages.
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Education | ![]() |
Agriculture
Work is an integral part of every monastic life, and the constitutions reiterate the fact that monks “should earn their living by the work of their hands”. Work is a brotherly service undertaken in order to achieve a common interest, and without opposing to the blossoming of every brother on his own.
In the regards, the agricultural dimension and the farming capacities have naturally found their place in the majority of monasteries, and the lands located around every monastery constitute a proof of the hard and meticulous work of the monks who transformed rocky and arid lots into fertile and productive lands.
With time, economy progressed and agriculture was not enough anymore to face the daily necessities of life and the mission of the Order. Therefore, monks were obliged to diversify their manual works while preserving, at least in an important number of monasteries, the traditional agriculture especially of fruits, olive derivatives, milk products, wine and spirits.
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Education and Teaching
Since the beginning, there is no doubt that education and teaching were among the main objectives of the mission that the Maronite Order has set in order to be at the service of the Church and of the Lebanese people. Several schools in monasteries prove it (Mar Chaaya, Jezzine, Baabda, Nammoura, etc), as well as the Antonine printing house and the magazine Kawkab Al barriyya (Star of the desert) in the early XXth century.
St Joseph School in Baabda which grew to become the Collège Antonin, is one of the first pedagogic institutions in the country and served as starting point for the establishment of several educational and technical institutions.
The Antonine University – Baabda – Hadath, as well as several other educational establishments gather more than 6000 students throughout the Lebanese regions: Collège Antonin at Haouch Hala - Rayak in Bekaa; School of Notre Dame de la Délivrance in Mina, Tripoli; school of Notre Dame in Hasroun, School of St George in Bauchrieh, International Antonine School in Ajaltoun, Antonine school in Talabaya, Bekaa; and Saint Joseph Technical school in Marjeyoun in the South. The Antonine Pedagogic Bureau insures the coordination among these educational centers.
These establishments are managed by Antonine monks who are trained and specialized in educational and cultural fields, not to mention the efforts the Order is deploying in the fields of catechesis and social works, like for example the Association for Justice and Mercy (AJEM) which works since 1996 in prisons and helps marginalized people.
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Agriculture | ![]() |