|
|
|
|
Article 1: |
|
The Maronite Patriarchate of
Bkerké 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: Name |
|
|
The name of the institution is “The
Maronite Foundation in the World”, referred to henceforward, and in the
bylaws as “The Foundation”. |
|
|
|
|
|
Article 3: Head office |
|
|
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: Objectives |
|
|
1-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. |
|
|
|
|
|
2-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. |
|
|
|
|
|
3-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 citizens 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. |
|
|
|
|
|
4-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. |
|
|
|
|
|
5-The Foundation can exchange expertise and coordinate
on the above mentioned issues with the “Episcopal Committee of
emigration”. |
|
|
|
|
|
Article 5: Board of
Trustees |
|
|
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 by 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 resolution 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. |
|
|
|
|