Joseph Elias Nicolas Tawil was a Syrian prelate who served as Eparch of Newton in the Melkite Greek Catholic Church from 1970 to 1989.
15 Facts About Joseph Tawil
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Joseph Tawil is remembered for his participation in the Second Vatican Council, expanding the Melkite Church in the United States, and articulating the unique role of the Eastern Catholic Churches in his 1970 pastoral letter, The Courage to Be Ourselves.
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Joseph Elias Nicolas Tawil was born in Damascus, Syria, the son of Elias and Malakie Tawil.
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Joseph Tawil studied for the priesthood under the White Fathers in St Anne's Seminary in Jerusalem.
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Joseph Tawil was ordained as priest on July 20,1936 and assigned to the Patriarchal College in Cairo, Egypt.
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Joseph Tawil was raised to the dignity of archimandrite by Patriarch Maximos IV Sayegh in 1952 and appointed Patriarchal Vicar of Alexandria in 1954 with continued residence in Cairo as head of the college.
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Joseph Tawil was consecrated bishop in Damascus on January 1,1960.
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On October 30,1969, Archbishop Joseph Tawil was appointed Apostolic Exarch for the United States by Pope Paul VI, and was installed on March 15,1970.
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Joseph Tawil succeeded Bishop Justin Najmy, the first Melkite bishop in the United States.
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Joseph Tawil quickly learned English and published some of his most influential writings in the language of his new homeland.
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Joseph Tawil founded the diocesan publication "Sophia" and in 1971 established a diaconate training program, the first in an Eastern Catholic diocese in the United States.
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Joseph Tawil was installed as eparch of Newton on February 14,1977.
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Joseph Tawil played a significant role in the founding a convent for women religious in Danbury, Connecticut.
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Joseph Tawil was succeeded by Bishop Ignatius Ghattas as Eparch of Newton.
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Joseph Tawil died at Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Massachusetts on February 17,1999.