June 11, 2022

New pastor is welcomed by parishioners at St. Anthony Maronite Catholic Church

REGIONAL
By Anna Moran

 

SPRINGFIELD – In February of 2022, St. Anthony Maronite Catholic Church, here, welcomed Father Bassam Michel Saade as its new pastor.

Father Saade was born in Lebanon, and his family, like many others in Lebanon, included many priests, his great-grandfather among them. Because of the familial connection to the priesthood, he had considered a religious vocation throughout his life, though when he was younger, he said, these were passing thoughts as he was trying to establish a career.

He received his bachelor of science and master of business administration degrees from College des Moines in Jounieh, Lebanon. He worked as a banker and businessman for several years before coming to the United States in 1986 to visit his brothers in Pittsburg. Soon after, his family settled in Naples, Fla.

He received the call to priesthood in Springfield, Mass., while in town for a youth conference. There, he met Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Nasrallah P. Sfeir at St. Anthony Maronite Catholic Church during the cardinal’s visit to the United States in 1988. Cardinal Sfeir asked him if he ever considered entering the priesthood. Father Saade told the patriarch he was waiting for his call from God, and Cardinal Sfeir replied, “I am the patriarch and I am calling you.”

“How can you say no to that?” Father Saade asked in an interview with iObserve.

That conversation was in June 1988; he applied to the Maronite Seminary in Washington, D.C., in July 1988 and began his studies in August. He was ordained a priest in 1992. Later, he graduated with a doctorate degree in pastoral planning and counseling from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

In his many years in the priesthood, he has served at parishes in Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, and now Massachusetts. He said that each parish he joins becomes like his family. He takes great joy in celebrating the sacraments with them: baptizing their children, marrying their couples, being a presence of love and comfort as he buries their dead.

“The people of God are very kind and hospitable,” Father Saade said. “They open their home and hearts to you.”

He said it is hard to leave when he is moved to a new parish because it feels like leaving part of his heart behind. But he is optimistic, so he finds the positive in being moved and serving in many parishes. He said the more he moves, the more the family expands. He remembers in his prayers not only the parish he is with, but also the many he has served before.

Father Saade said he believes that God sends a priest to a certain parish for a reason. He said he acts as a servant of God, being ready to welcome God’s call to a new parish and identify how he can best serve God’s people there.

The obedience to God has been present throughout Father Saade’s years as a priest. The entrance hymn to his ordination liturgy, he said, was “Here I am, Lord,” with the lyrics: “I will go, Lord, if you lead me / I will hold your people in my heart.”

He said he goes to each new community and tries to serve their unique needs, whether financial, social or spiritual. “The pastor is like the father, so it is my job to love my parishioners, serve them unconditionally, and meet them where they are,” he said.

The move to St. Anthony’s came during a difficult time, when the pandemic and its after-effects have had an impact on church attendance. However, Father Saade has been embraced by the parish families.

A parishioner, Dr. Thomas Moran, who has been attending St. Anthony’s with his family for more than 60 years, said, “Father Bassam brings a lot of energy and positivity to St. Anthony’s Church. He told us his name, Bassam Saade, means ‘happy’ and ‘smile’ in Arabic, and that is exactly what he brings to the church. He says a beautiful Mass, and his homilies have been educational and inspiring.”