Maronite Foundation

Article 1

The Maronite Patriarchate of Bkerke has established a special institution to handle the affairs of the Maronites in the world. The "Foundation" operates under the auspices of the Patriarchate. This institution, through its assigned missions, is part and partial of the church mission without being part of its proper apostolate.

Article 2

The name of the institution is “The Maronite Foundation in the World”, referred to henceforward, and in the bylaws as “The Foundation”.

Article 3

The head office of “The Foundation” is Bkerké, and it could be moved to any other location in Lebanon or abroad according to a decision made by the Board of Trustees following the Patriarch’s approval.

Article 4

The Foundation has to provide the financial resources, and fund all activities related to the Maronite world-wide spread in order to secure intercommunication between the Maronite mother church and its children in order to promote the sentiments of the Maronite affiliation and the Lebanese identity among the Maronites spread around the world, awaken them to their heritage, consolidate their links with their Lebanese and Maronite roots, activate their political, cultural, economic and social participation in the Lebanese public life, and reconcile between the unity of the Maronites regarding their affiliation to one Patriarchal church and the international character of their spread in the world.

The Foundation can deal with the "Maronite League", the "Maronite Center for Documentation and Research", the Maronite Universities, dioceses, and missions in the countries of immigration, or with any other organization among those mentioned in the introduction.

The Foundation can fund activities, arrangements, measures and tangible functions exclusively related to the Maronites in the world based on agreements drawn to those effects with the "Maronite League", the Maronite Universities, dioceses, and missions in the respective countries of immigration, or with any other party concerned with the Maronites in the world according to the following directives:

Helping the Maronites who are spread out in the world, facilitating their formalities with the Lebanese official offices - especially, the departments of personal records and all offices concerned with the Lebanese Gitizens registration records, and impelling them to register their marriages and births in the official personal records.

Funding those projects and activities agreed upon with the Foundation and that are capable of promoting inter-communication between the Maronites in the world and those of Lebanese descent in order to help them and help their children regain their Lebanese nationality Establishing schools for teaching emigrants the Arabic language, facilitating their return and adherence to the roots, and exercising their political and social rights in Lebanon their homeland.

Funding research studies and statistics related to the aforementioned goals that aim at promoting the role of the Maronites in the world, their status, and organization. Such studies are carried out by the "Maronite Center for Documentation and Research", the Maronite Universities, and any other organization founded later for that matter.

The Foundation can exchange expertise and coordinate on the above-mentioned issues with the "Episcopal Committee of emigration".

Article 5

The Foundation is supervised and directed by a Board of Trustees whose number is assigned by his Beatitude the Maronite Patriarch. The Patriarch selects the members from among dignitaries reputed for their strong Christian, Maronite and national affiliation, and for their notable presence in the political, social, economic, and financial circles. They are appointed by a decree issued by his beatitude.
The Patriarch, in a primary decree proclaiming the creation of the Foundation, appoints a president of the Board. His Beatitude the Patriarch has the right also to modify the number of the members of the Board according to the exigencies and needs to promote the financial resources of the Foundation and the expansion of its functions.

Article 6

The Board of Trustees serves for a term of three years renewable by a decision made by his Beatitude. His Beatitude has the right to dissolve the Board of Trustees and replace its members totally or partially before the end of the board's term if the Patriarch finds that necessary The members of the Board should declare in writing their consent to their appointment in the Board and their abidance by the foundation's statute to achieve its goals, and accept their obligations.

Article 7

The Board of Trustees has an office presided by the president of the Board appointed by the Patriarch. The office has six members elected by the Board from among the members. This office follows up the functions of the Foundation and sees to their execution. The office convenes once every fortnight and whenever needed. His Beatitude the Patriarch nominates a Chaplain who attends the office meetings and the meetings of the Board without voting power.

Article 8

The Board of Trustees meets at least once every three months. If necessary, it could be summoned by its president or in response to a call the majority of the office members, or a call by two thirds of its members submitted to the Board, or submitted by the chaplain. · Under exceptional circumstances, the meeting could be held outside Lebanon based on a relolution by the Board. The meeting is considered legal only in the presence of the absolute majority of members and representatives present. Decisions are made by the absolute majority of those members.

Article 9

It is exclusively the right of the Board of Trustees to determine throughout its term the amount of money allotted to finance the projects referred to in Article 4 above and agreed upon by the Board according to the conditions mentioned in articles 11 onward within the limits of available credits agreed upon. Private agreements mentioned in item 4 of Article 4 define the mechanism and conditions of payment, execution, control, and other matters that regulate the relationship between the Foundation and the above- mentioned parties dealing with it.

Article 10

The Board of Trustees observes the realization of the foundation objectives mentioned in article 4 above guided by the directives of his Beatitude the Maronite Patriarch and the basic constants of the Maronite Patriarchate on both the spiritual and the national planes. It is also the prerogative of the Board office to draw the bylaws of the “Maronite Foundation” and submit it to the Board for ratification and implementation after the agreement of his Beatitude the Patriarch.

Article 11

The Board reviews the plan adopted by the executive board of the Maronite League, and sees that it is ready to be executed in favor of the Maronites in the world. The Board gets acquainted as well with the plan adopted and ready to be implemented by the “Maronite Center for Documentation and Research” related to the Center’s studies, research, and activities concerning the Maronites in the world. The Board also reviews those plans proposed by the Maronite universities, dioceses, missions, and any other institution founded later as mentioned in the introduction above.

In light of the available resources, the Board selects projects that have priority and agrees on their annual funding. The Board secures the funds needed to carry out those projects, and defines as well the bases of their direction and control, supervising as well the process of implementation of the decided projects all within the limits of the financial means whose size is decided by the Foundation.

Article 12

The Board of Trustees reviews the periodic report submitted every three months by both of the above mentioned institutions, the dioceses, and the missions regarding the progress of their respective functions, projects, and research studies concerning the Maronites in the world. In case the Board of Trustees finds out in absolute majority that certain recklessness is present in the execution of the functions, projects, and programs agreed upon, the Foundation has the right to stop funding these activities, functions, and studies after demanding the guilty party to rectify the violation within a period of two weeks, and return the abused funds to be allotted to the execution of the above-mentioned projects related to the Maronites in the world. His Beatitude the Patriarch would be informed of these matters.

Article 13

Every six months, the Board of Trustees submits to his Beatitude the Patriarch a detailed report about the Foundation and the progress of its functions, activities, and relationships.

Article 14

Within a period of one week following the decree of appointing the members of the Board of Trustees by the Patriarch, the Board has to decide on the size of the annual financial contribution of each one of the members during its term.