About us

About The Monastery

Saint Joseph Monastery is situated in a serene, calm and picturesque area in the village of Jrabta, in the Batroun district in North Lebanon. Construction of the Convent began as early as 1896.

One of the nuns who stand out in the history of the monastery is Sister Rafqa (1832-1914), who bore terrible suffering with patience and forbearance. After her death, a number of miracles occurred through her intercession and the earth of her Tomb has become a source of divine graces and many remarkable cures have been confirmed. On June 10, 2001, His Holiness Pope St. John Paul II canonized her a Saint in the Catholic Church.

The monastery houses the remains of Saint Rafqa and is a well-known religious pilgrimage site in Lebanon. Many visitors from throughout the world, come seeking her intercessions and prayers on a daily basis and the nuns offer them spiritual guidance and hospitality.

Knowing that we are in a time of financial instability, in 2022 with the help of generous benefactors, Saint Joseph Monastery – Tomb of Saint Rafqa established a nonprofit organization (501/C/3) in the United States to support its humanitarian and educational ministries as well as its elderly care facility and sustain the mission, objectives and vision of the Monastery in Lebanon. It is the only U.S. organization that is recognized and endorsed by our Monastery in Lebanon. No other organization is directly or indirectly associated with our Convent in Lebanon.

Mission And Vision

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Our Mission

As members of Saint Joseph Monastery – Tomb of Saint Rafqa, we dedicate ourselves to proclaiming the Gospel of God’s love and compassion in a ministry of prayerful service following the example of Saint Rafqa who carried her heavy painful cross, followed the Crucified and Risen Christ, became a shining example of patience and perseverance in the face of pain and suffering and became a light to the poor and neglected.


As Sisters of the Lebanese Maronite Order, we adhere to our rich Maronite Syriac traditions and strive to follow in the footsteps of our Maronite Saints under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the teachings of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.


We commit ourselves to a life of prayer and service. We live a simple life and dedicate ourselves to the mission of the Church by looking after:

  • The overwhelming number of our young people, the future of our society and the church, many of whom are struggling with their faith and trust in God, so they may return to themselves and to the Lord.
  • Serving our elderly so they can enjoy their golden years in peaceful, healthy, caring and compassionate safe environment.
  • Creating job opportunities especially to the less fortunate ones so they can live in humane dignity and hope.
  • Assisting with our “widow’s mite” the many poor ones who knock at our door daily.
  • Leading people to become fully committed disciples of Christ and followers of the Maronite spirituality and traditions.
  • Meeting the needs of our visitors as they make their pilgrims to the Tomb of Saint Rafqa begging for her intercessions.
  • Fostering vocations to religious life and following the command of Jesus “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men” (Mt 4:19).
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Our Vision

Saint Joseph Monastery – Tomb of Saint Rafqa, a place where faith, prayers and real life come together in harmony for the glory of God and the up-building of His Church on earth.

Our Board Members

Sister Raghida Antoun, born in Lebanon, joined the Lebanese Maronite Sisters in 1998.

She studied theology and music at Holy Spirit University, Kaslik, Lebanon, earned an MBA from Our Lady of the ELMS in the United States. On January 13, 2021, she was elected as the Mother Superior of Saint Joseph Monastery -Tomb of Saint Rafqa in Jrabta, Lebanon.

Sister Raghida Antoun

President
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Msgr. Sebaali, born in Lebanon, was ordained a priest in Lebanon in 1983 by the late Archbishop Francis M Zayek for the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn.

He served as Pastor of Saint Anthony Maronite Church in Glen Allen (Richmond), Virginia for 34 years before he was transferred in 2018 to Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Church in Washington, DC.

Monsignor George Sebaali

Vice President
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Wajdi, born in Lebanon, is a highly accomplished and results-oriented CEO with 15+ years of experience in healthcare services and a track record of continuous growth, achievements.

In addition to being an Adjunct Professor in the Electrical Department at California State University, California, as a County President, Wajdi successfully manages Electrical, Forensic Engineering, IT projects from large to scale and oversee project planning, resource allocation, budgeting, customer relations, financial and management reporting.

Dr. Wajdi Aghnatios

Secretary & Treasurer
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Sister Lea Lahoud, born in Lebanon, joined the Lebanese Maronite Sisters in 2003.

She studied graphic design at the American University of Technology (AUT); Theology and Multimedia at the Holy Spirit University, Kaslik, Lebanon, and earned a Master's degree in Patient Counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in the United States. Sister Lea is a skillful beekeeper.

Sister Lea Lahoud

Board Member
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Antoine Abou Jaoude, born in Lebanon, is the CEO of C.C.T Construction & ACE Realty, a property management, building, and real estate company thriving amidst the competitive North Shore Greater Boston Metropolitan Area.

As a Parishioner of ST. Anthony's Maronite Church in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Antoine enjoys playing a leadership role in many of the Church's philanthropic endeavors throughout the year.

Tony Abou Jawde

Board Member
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Born in Lebanon, Marie Elige (Ella) obtained a Bachelor's degree in Social Science at the Holy Spirit University (USEK) and currently pursuing a Master's degree in France.

Ella has extensive experience working with various NGOs in Lebanon.

Ella Gebran

Social Media Coordinator
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