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Fr. Tony Sarkis – Dean of Our Lady of Lebanon Parish


“In everything that I do, I look to the example of St. John the Baptist, when he referred to Jesus and said - He must increase, but I must decrease……..”

Tony was born on 3 February 1981 to Eid and Daad Sarkis from the Mount Lebanon (Metn) town of Chebanieh.  He is the younger of two children. He and his brother Charbel were exposed to tragedy at a very young age when their father was killed in the Lebanese civil war on the feast day of St Maroun in 1983. Tony was only two years old when his father died and his childhood is filled with memories of the civil war. As a young boy, Tony and his family lived in Fanar in Beirut and went to school at the De La Salle College where he excelled in his studies. He especially loved studying history, science and philosophy.    

From a young age, Tony felt close to God. His mother taught him how to pray. Every night before going to sleep, he would kneel by his bedside with her and his brother and pray. At home, he would always pretend to be a priest and say Mass under the dining table because it was shaped in a way that resembled an altar. He made an incensor out of an old ball; a champagne glass for a chalice filled with “tout” or wild berry as wine, small pieces of Lebanese bread for the holy Eucharist, an old scarf for the stole and he actually made his own vestments. He would always give the pieces of bread as Communion to his mother and grandparents. Tony remembers that his grandfather played a big role in his life. He recalls that he was a very wise man and that he learnt so much from him.

The inspiration and accompaniment of his grandfather, the death of his father, the Lebanese war were all things that influenced Tony to always act and take on responsibilities that were beyond his years. However, an event that saw the eight year old Tony grow very quickly was the death of his best friend who was also killed during the civil war, but this time in front of his eyes. This had a great impact on him. Despite all the hardships, Tony would always find consolation under the pine tree and in books about the lives of the Saints. He would sit by himself and read for hours. It wasn’t until he was in year 8 though that he truly discovered that he wanted to be a priest while watching a film about St Francis of Assisi. It is from here that his journey to the priesthood began.

When he told his mother that he wanted to become a priest, she was against the idea completely and refused. She was very protective and was afraid that she would lose her son. Every year she would send him away on a holiday in the hope that he would change his mind but Tony would come back more determined than ever. In year 10, Tony refused to travel at his mother’s request but instead convinced her that he would go on a camp. Instead of going to the camp he went to the Seminary in Ghazir for six weeks to discern his vocation. When he was accepted into the seminary, he had to tell his mother. She tried to convince the priest not to accept him but her pleas were to no avail. The priest at the time said to her “don’t worry Madam, your son is very spoilt; give him four months and he will leave of his own accord.”

Tony spent years 11 and 12 in the seminary and then went to the Holy Spirit University in Kaslik for six years. At the same time he would do pastoral work in the Eparchy of Antelias (the same Eparchy that Bishop Ad Abi Karam was from). Even at the seminary, Tony was given responsibilities that were beyond his years. Although he encountered many difficulties at the seminary, he carried in his heart a great love for every stone and every corner. He compares his experience in the seminary to an orchard – every year it is ploughed so that the following year it produces more fruits – in the same way the seminary would cut out many things from his character each year producing a person who is learning more and more in the following harvest.

In 2008, Bishop Ad Abi Karam asked Tony to come to Australia. Sub-deacon at the time, he obliged and was placed in St Maroun’s in Redfern. He was ordained to the diaconate on 8 December 2008 and was placed at St Joseph’s Croydon. On 11 July 2009, he was ordained to the holy priesthood. Fr. Tony recalls that when the Bishop placed the “Myron” on his hands, he truly felt that the Holy Spirit was with him.  

Fr. Tony was placed in Our Lady of Lebanon parish in December 2009 and was also appointed General Secretary of the Eparchy.  He has recently been appointed as a member of the Council of Priests and as a member of the College of Consulters. His patron Saint is Blessed John Paul II who he says he learnt humility from regardless of what position you may be elevated to and who also taught him to always pray at the foot of the cross. Fr. Tony is in love with Lebanon, the Lebanese Saints and the iconography of the Maronite Church, especially the Maroniteness of the icon of St Ilige. His favorite food is Bazella wa riz (stew of peas with rice) and fattoush. His favorite singer is Majida Al-Roumi and he loves listening to classical music especially Bach and Andrea Bocelli. His favorite song is “sakat al kina3” for Majida Al-Roumi. His favorite hymn is “Maryam Al Adraa, nasmat al arjaa”. His favourite movie is “Paul VI” and his favorite book is “The Alchemist” by Paul Coelho. His favorite colours are the fire colours and he enjoys swimming and biking. He has travelled all over Europe and the Middle East and would love to go to Asia and India. When asked about something that he would like to achieve in the future, he simply said that “I would like to be like mother Teresa and serve the poor.” 

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