Status: Closed — this petition is no longer accepting signatures.
Final supporters
To our beloved Father H.H. Pope Tawadros II,
We your children and congregation in Toronto, Canada, kiss your holy hands, seeking Your Holiness’ Apostolic blessing.
Over two months ago, we were blessed to have Father Mark Aziz, stay with us in Toronto and serve at St. Maurice and St. Verena Coptic Orthodox Church, after Your Holiness’ approval. We humbly come to Your Holiness seeking guidance and support, requesting that Father Mark Aziz returns to serve in the Toronto area to fulfill our needs with our beloved Fathers the priests whom are already here. We desperately need someone with the spirit, attitude, and knowledge that Father Mark greatly possesses. Many of us are fasting and praying daily for God’s will to be done regarding this matter.
In just eight weeks the impact of having Father Mark with us has been incredible. He brought the true teachings of Christ; he taught us about the Church Fathers, the history of the Coptic Church and brought us together, both English and Arabic speakers. He answered every single question we had directly through the Gospel’s words. Many of us have encountered and re-encountered Christ through his Christian example. Through his example, a significant number of individuals who left the Church, returned during the tenure of his short service.
There is a big need in Toronto to have someone who can help us maintain our faith and turn us back to God. This was evident when the significant spiritual void in our lives was filled throughout the discipleship meetings, Bible studies, and personal visits with Father Mark. We saw the light of the Holy Spirit in his teachings.
We know and trust your fatherly wisdom, and are confident that the Grace of the Holy Spirit will guide Your Holiness regarding our desire. May our Lord Jesus Christ preserve your life for us for many years and peaceful times to serve your children.
Remember us in your prayers, with love in Christ,
Your children and congregation in Toronto, Canada.
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Updates
October 5, 2016
I am truly overwhelmed by the way this has grown. It is clear that Fr. Mark touched so many lives in such a short time and this momentum belongs entirely to your dedication.
5 Comments
I would love if Abona Mark came back and stayed in our church because in only two months I have learned so much from him and because I think that he will help the people get a lot closer to God. - Peter Ihab grade 7
Abouna Mark Aziz changed my life in such a short time. He showed the love of God more than any single-person in my whole life. We need him in Toronto as the blessings he brought was unique and unlike any other. We need a man like him! We are losing our (age 25-45) age group to Protestant/non-denominational/atheist systems. This man can reverse this - I am sure. I plead with you and beseech the Lord for this man to have a home in Toronto. He belongs with us.
Coptic parishes in Toronto are in trouble. We have been hemorrhaging our brightest youth for the past decade and will, inevitably, continue to do so. This issue of attrition is not exclusive to Coptic communities, rather it has been seen by just about every other cultural Orthodox community that has preceded us, and we Copts are merrily following the same trend. I believe the main reason for the demise of many of the Orthodox communities that came before us is the overall irrelevance of the faith to the faithful. The salt lost it's flavour. Us Copts are also in jeopardy of irrelevance, because even while some parishes have begun to add "relevance" (i.e. singing the liturgy in English, prioritizing outreach), we are unaware of other ways in which we might be pushing people away. Enter Fr. Mark Aziz. I believe Fr. Mark is one of the very few men wearing black who is able/willing to comprehend and help solve the problems of Toronto, and the Coptic diaspora as a whole. As a rare theologically-educated and well-read priest, Fr. Mark has vocalized many of the issues we see as damaging to the Coptic church: - neglect for the poor and marginalized - minimization of the church's liturgical/prayer life - non-Orthodox modes of theologizing, thinking, and praxis - misguided church building projects - aggressive clericalism - lack of theological training among clergy - destructive anti-intellectualism, etc. Though he certainly cannot solve these issues on his own, at the very least he can empathize with us and shed light on said issues - and that would definitely be a first for us. We are a generation that critically think and analyze, we no longer just need to know the "what" but the "why", as such, Fr. Mark seems tailored fit to serve us. Furthermore, if the board of St. Maurice and St. Verena is not comfortable with an Egyptian priest, more power to them! Transfer Fr. Mark as a general priest for the Greater Toronto Area, the good Lord knows just
Toronto in need for a great Teacher like Fr. Mark Aziz God bless
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Status: Closed — this petition is no longer accepting signatures.
Final supporters
To our beloved Father H.H. Pope Tawadros II,
We your children and congregation in Toronto, Canada, kiss your holy hands, seeking Your Holiness’ Apostolic blessing.
Over two months ago, we were blessed to have Father Mark Aziz, stay with us in Toronto and serve at St. Maurice and St. Verena Coptic Orthodox Church, after Your Holiness’ approval. We humbly come to Your Holiness seeking guidance and support, requesting that Father Mark Aziz returns to serve in the Toronto area to fulfill our needs with our beloved Fathers the priests whom are already here. We desperately need someone with the spirit, attitude, and knowledge that Father Mark greatly possesses. Many of us are fasting and praying daily for God’s will to be done regarding this matter.
In just eight weeks the impact of having Father Mark with us has been incredible. He brought the true teachings of Christ; he taught us about the Church Fathers, the history of the Coptic Church and brought us together, both English and Arabic speakers. He answered every single question we had directly through the Gospel’s words. Many of us have encountered and re-encountered Christ through his Christian example. Through his example, a significant number of individuals who left the Church, returned during the tenure of his short service.
There is a big need in Toronto to have someone who can help us maintain our faith and turn us back to God. This was evident when the significant spiritual void in our lives was filled throughout the discipleship meetings, Bible studies, and personal visits with Father Mark. We saw the light of the Holy Spirit in his teachings.
We know and trust your fatherly wisdom, and are confident that the Grace of the Holy Spirit will guide Your Holiness regarding our desire. May our Lord Jesus Christ preserve your life for us for many years and peaceful times to serve your children.
Remember us in your prayers, with love in Christ,
Your children and congregation in Toronto, Canada.
Updates
October 5, 2016
I am truly overwhelmed by the way this has grown. It is clear that Fr. Mark touched so many lives in such a short time and this momentum belongs entirely to your dedication.
5 Comments
Fr Mark really opened my eyes to the beauty of our church history. We miss his sermons so much and hope he can come back to Toronto soon!
I would love if Abona Mark came back and stayed in our church because in only two months I have learned so much from him and because I think that he will help the people get a lot closer to God. - Peter Ihab grade 7
Abouna Mark Aziz changed my life in such a short time. He showed the love of God more than any single-person in my whole life. We need him in Toronto as the blessings he brought was unique and unlike any other. We need a man like him! We are losing our (age 25-45) age group to Protestant/non-denominational/atheist systems. This man can reverse this - I am sure. I plead with you and beseech the Lord for this man to have a home in Toronto. He belongs with us.
Coptic parishes in Toronto are in trouble. We have been hemorrhaging our brightest youth for the past decade and will, inevitably, continue to do so. This issue of attrition is not exclusive to Coptic communities, rather it has been seen by just about every other cultural Orthodox community that has preceded us, and we Copts are merrily following the same trend. I believe the main reason for the demise of many of the Orthodox communities that came before us is the overall irrelevance of the faith to the faithful. The salt lost it's flavour. Us Copts are also in jeopardy of irrelevance, because even while some parishes have begun to add "relevance" (i.e. singing the liturgy in English, prioritizing outreach), we are unaware of other ways in which we might be pushing people away. Enter Fr. Mark Aziz. I believe Fr. Mark is one of the very few men wearing black who is able/willing to comprehend and help solve the problems of Toronto, and the Coptic diaspora as a whole. As a rare theologically-educated and well-read priest, Fr. Mark has vocalized many of the issues we see as damaging to the Coptic church: - neglect for the poor and marginalized - minimization of the church's liturgical/prayer life - non-Orthodox modes of theologizing, thinking, and praxis - misguided church building projects - aggressive clericalism - lack of theological training among clergy - destructive anti-intellectualism, etc. Though he certainly cannot solve these issues on his own, at the very least he can empathize with us and shed light on said issues - and that would definitely be a first for us. We are a generation that critically think and analyze, we no longer just need to know the "what" but the "why", as such, Fr. Mark seems tailored fit to serve us. Furthermore, if the board of St. Maurice and St. Verena is not comfortable with an Egyptian priest, more power to them! Transfer Fr. Mark as a general priest for the Greater Toronto Area, the good Lord knows just
Toronto in need for a great Teacher like Fr. Mark Aziz God bless
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Fr Mark really opened my eyes to the beauty of our church history. We miss his sermons so much and hope he can come back to Toronto soon!