In the middle of Jordan, near the Capital, Amman, you will come across the small Christian town of Fuheis. 95% of its population are Christians, descendants of the Bedouin tribes who had emigrated from the Arabian Peninsula. Approximately 55% of the town's population belongs to the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, and 35% are members of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. While the rest of the 10% are Melkite Christians and Muslims.
The Latin parish of Fuheis was established in 1874 during the Ottoman era, and it has two beautiful churches: Immaculate Heart of St. Mary, commonly called church of ‘Al Balad’, which was first built between 1876-1906 and rebuilt in 1932. The second church is called Our Lady of Grace, known as the church of ‘Al Alali’, which was built in 1986. The current parish priest is Fr. Imad Twal, and the assistant priests are Fr. Mateo Alvarez Serna, and Fr. Paolo Felicetti. They work together to provide for the pastoral needs of 1530 families.
Pastoral activities
The Latin parish of Fuheis is one of the largest parishes in Jordan and is generally very active in its pastoral activities. Hence, it has a Coordinating Committee, consisting of priests and the laity, who organize and supervise the various spiritual and social activities of the parish. Thus, allowing every resident to play an active role in their local community and also to share their faith and personal experiences.
The following is a list of the pastoral groups with a summary:
- Holy Family group. Was established in June 2004, and they will be celebrating their 20th anniversary this year. The group was formed by a gathering of several families from the Parish of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Til’a’ali and the Parish of Fuheis. They aim to provide spiritual support and formation for the families of the parish, by meeting at the houses of the group’s members to read, meditate, and study the Word of God, as well as host spiritual retreats and lectures for the families. Total participants: 31 families. To note, there is another family group that emerged from this group called the Mother of all Graces.
- Messengers of Mercy group. was established on February 11, 2019, on the World Day of the Sick. Their spirituality is inspired by the Virgin Mary’s visitation to St. Elizabeth, where they visit the Sick in their homes, or elderly houses, and people with special needs twice a week, to pray with them. Total number of participants: 13 members.
- Youth Group. The parish provides spiritual formation and guidance for its youth, by holding different meetings and activities for each age group: 6-12 years old, 13-15 years old, 16-18 years old, and finally a group for those who are currently completing their university studies or employed.
- Scouts: Launched in 2023, the group contributes to producing a generation of young people who seek to serve the church and the country in the best possible way. The Scouts help young people develop their personalities and talents, as well as discover their passions through scouting and various spiritual activities and lectures. Number of participants: 20 male and female leaders, 110 members of scout boys and girls, as well as scouts and guides.
- Altar servers: There are currently 30 servers who receive weekly training. They cover the practical needs of the liturgical service, allowing the youth and children to get closer to the altar and get to know the sacred liturgy in depth.
- In 1992, the Focolare Movement became part of the pastoral activities in Fuhais in addition to the Neocatechumenal Way, which joined the parish in 2019.
- There is also a group of school students who help provide religious formation lessons for those who study in the government school.
- Confraternities: The Ladies of the Immaculate Heart of Mary for voluntary and charitable works, who help the poor, and the needy families, as well as students in need. It was established in 2022, in addition to the Marian group, that accompanies the parish with their prayers and various voluntary works.
Religious Orders in the parish
The Rosary sisters, and the daughters of St. Anne as well as the Focolare movement, help accompany and guide the pastoral groups in their activities, as well as teach Christian religion to students in schools, and Catechesis in the parish. In addition, there are the Franciscan sisters of the Cross who care for the elderly at the elderly house of Fuheis.
School
Finally, the presentation of the parish of Fuheis would not be complete without mentioning the crucial role that the parish plays in the education of children. The idea of establishing the Latin School in Fuheis began in 1885 when the first priests initiated some classes, to teach the children. 2 years later the Rosary sisters arrived, and in the 20th century, purpose-built schools were built, thus meeting the educational needs of a greater number of pupils. Today, there are two schools, next to the parish church. They have three levels: Kindergarten, Elementary School, Primary and Secondary school. The Latin parish schools welcome a total of 1090 children, boys, and girls: Alali Students 449, Balad Students 575. And 85 Kindergarten students (2023/2024).
Recent Projects and Future Aspirations
Thanks to the generosity of the expatriate parishioners in Chicago, friends and relatives in Jordan and abroad, and the generosity of all benefactors of the parish, the parish priest was able to complete many projects, repairs, and renovations, and support many needy families, between the year 2017 and 2021. Some of those projects included the maintenance of the primary school, raising the external fences and asphalt in the monastery yard, granting university scholarships for several parishioners, as well as medical care for people with special needs. One of the most important projects is the restoration of the church entrance in Al-Alali, the construction of new halls and a scout headquarters, as well as a spiritual library for the parish and a hexagonal playground.
As for future aspirations, the parish priest indicated his desire to have a pastoral center that serves all believers, especially since the parish lacks a pastoral hall that suits various pastoral needs.
H.B. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, will begin his pastoral visit to the Latin parish of Fuheis on March 7th until the 10th to oversee the state of the parish.
Stay tuned for day-by-day pictures, which will be posted on our Facebook page: the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
