Founder of Religious Community Defrocked
The Maronite Mission de Vie is a mixed community of 80 members living in five monasteries in Libanon and dedicated to help the poor.
Maalouf is accused of abuse and sexual assault of minors. The congregation noted Maalouf's "stubbornness" for not complying with disciplinary measures taken against him on 31 August to protect his priesthood and membership of the institute.
Maalouf had repeatedly defended himself, accusing the "stipendiary press" and the children's judge in Baabda, Joëlle Abou Haïdar, of lashing out at his community because she was refused an adoption she was seeking for a family close to her.
In September, two other Maronite priests, Mansour Labaky and Georges Badr, were defroqued. The very popular Labaky had been sentenced in France to 15 years' imprisonment for sexual assault of minors. Badr, the priest of Mar Takla (Hazmieh) and chaplain of ONG Domus, was rumoured to be a paedophile.
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