Adonis Diaries

For my undergrad studies, I went to a Catholic University. I always wondered, when I struggled to pay my tuition fees on time, why the fees were so expensive (annually $7000-$8000), why some priests including the Finance Director drove expensive cars, latest model Mercedes, had the latest mobile…

Didn’t Jesus say leave everything behind and follow me?

To pay my tuition fees, i started teaching at a school few hours in between my courses, collect electricity bills between 4pm and 8pm, and at one point worked also at a coffee shop from 8pm to 2am.

(I was a PhD graduate at a USA university and I did far more minimum wage jobs within the university, 3 of such jobs and graduate assistant stipend for a quarter time in order to just cover my tuition fees)

While collecting electricity bills i was shocked to learn that many people in the Christian area were struggling to pay bills as little as 45,000 L.L. ($30) and some of them got their electricity disconnected.

When they opened the door for me, I used to see their kids studying on candles…

it wasn’t easy to knock on their doors and remind them that they need to pay to get the electricity back. I even used to pay the bill for few of them when it was small and tell them to pay me later when they can.

The sad part was that not too far from those poor families, there was a large monastery, their electricity bill used to be around $2,000. On key occasions they used to order catering from expensive restaurants. The priest that paid the bill used to arrive sometimes late, so i got to see his expensive car/phone…

I remember once telling him about how some of those families are struggling, and his answer was simply: a lot of people are suffering, we pray for them. 

My answer was: if you sell you car, stop ordering catering and help them, they will definitely appreciate that more than your prayer.

And that was the last time he paid the bill to me and started sending another priest to deal with me.

Obviously, like everything in life, there are some priests i absolutely respect and others i believe they became priests potentially for personal benefit.

Still though i think the real responsibility falls on the leadership in Catholic Church. 

I haven’t seen the report, i have no comment on it, but i am really keen to read it if it is really out there.

While I have immigrated to Sydney and the majority of my class mates have left Lebanon, i wonder if our Maronite Church in Lebanon and our corrupt politicians are finally satisfied that they now have Lebanon entirely left to them.