Compiled by Sarah Gabriel, Assistant Archivist at the Eparchy

Bishop Robert Joseph Shaheen, the second Bishop of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles, had a long and storied history of service in the Maronite Church in the United States. As the first American-born Maronite Bishop in the history of the Church, Bishop Shaheen brought important insight and perspective to the Maronite Church in America, while maintaining strong ties to the Church in Lebanon. Bishop Robert Shaheen was born on June 3, 1937 to Albert and Aileen Shaheen in Danbury, Connecticut. After attending local elementary and seconday schools, in 1955, he entered the Latin rite St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield, Connecticut. In 1958, he transferred to the Melkite rite St. Basil Seminary in Methuen, Massachusetts, and in 1961, he enrolled as one of the first four seminarians in the newly-established Maronite Seminary of Our Lady of Lebanon in Washington, D.C. Bishop Shaheen was ordained a priest on May 2, 1964 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception during the very first national convention of NAM by Bishop Francis Zayek, then-Bishop of the Maronites of Brazil. Bishop Shaheen’s ordination was the first Maronite ordination in the United States. In January of 1967, soon after the establishment of the Apostolic Exarchate in the United States, Bishop Shaheen was appointed Pastor of Saint Raymond Maronite Church in St. Louis, Missouri, which had been without a Maronite priest for over 20 years. During the 34 years he served as Pastor at St. Raymond, the church experienced dramatic growth and development; St. Raymond became a center for the Lebanese community in St. Louis and expanded from a handful of families to hundreds. Bishop Shaheen also worked with the City of St. Louis to preserve and renew the LaSalle Park neighborhood, where St. Raymond is located. Beyond his role as pastor of St. Raymond, Bishop Robert Shaheen also held a number of positions in the Maronite Church in the U.S. He was a member of the Priests’ Senate, the Eparchial Liturgical Committee and the Board of Consultors. Bishop Shaheen served as the Vice-Chairman of the Financial Committee, Chairman of the Family Life Office, Chairman of the Personnel Office, Proto-Presbyter of the Mid-America Region and Spiritual Director of the Order of St. Sharbel. He was ordained an Archpriest in 1978 and a Chorbishop in 1986. On December 5, 2000, Pope St. John Paul II accepted the retirement of Bishop John G. Chedid and appointed Bishop Robert Shaheen as the second Bishop of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles. He was ordained a bishop and enthroned on February 15 2001 by Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Peter Cardinal Sfeir at the St. Louis Cathedral. His motto was: “Do not be afraid.” Soon after, he relocated the eparchial offices to St. Louis and St. Raymond Church was elevated to the rank of Co-Cathedral.  During his ministry as Bishop, he emphasized the importance of our Liturgy as the most cherished treasure of our Church and heritage. On July 10, 2013, Pope Francis accepted Bishop Shaheen’s age-related resignation. He held the title of Bishop Emeritus of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon until his death at the age of 80 on August 9, 2017.