St. John of the Desert Melkite Catholic Church

The Melkite Church is a descendant of the Church of Antioch where the disciples “… were for the first time called Christians". (Acts 11:26) We are in union with the Church of Rome; part of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church and at the same time not Roman. That means that our two churches share the same faith. Members of one church may participate in the sacraments of the other. Roman Catholics attending the Divine Liturgy (Mass) at St. John of the Desert, for example, fulfill their Sunday obligation.

While many of the churches of Europe received their faith from the Apostles through the Apostolic Church of Rome, we received our faith directly from the Apostles themselves.

The Melkite Church follows the Tradition of the Byzantine Christianity. Participation in the life of the Church through the Divine Liturgy, the Holy Mysteries (Sacraments), prayer and fasting, the common life of loving service to one another and the support of the community are the tenets of our Christianity. A person participates in the Divine Life and gains holiness that Our Blessed Savior came to give us.

Anyone who feels drawn to share holiness of life may come to our church. Roman Catholics who are baptized and confirmed may share the Holy Eucharist with us, as can Orthodox Christians. We are always ready to share with those who visit us, the faith once given to the Apostles and lived, guarded and preserved by us until now.

Please come to visit us. You will find orthodoxy of faith, purity of doctrine, beauty of worship, a commitment to struggle for holiness among people just like you.