St. Joseph Melkite Catholic Church

CHURCH STAFF

Fr Basil Samra, Administrator




Please attend Liturgy and meet with Father afterward in the Church Hall. 


Biography of our Priest

Personal Bio—Rev Basil G Samra

Born: 24 February 1942 in Paterson, NJ.  First of four children born to George H Samra & Elizabeth L Balady.  Both paternal & maternal grandparents were immigrants from Aleppo, Syria.

Siblings:  Brother, Most Rev Nicholas J. Samra, retired Auxiliary Bishop of the Melkite Diocese of Newton; sister, Barbara A. married to Greg Fairbanks of Satellite Beach, FL; and brother, George H. married to Joan Roberto who have three children, Jenna, Stefan and George of Scotrun, PA.

Early Life  

St George Grammar School in Paterson, NJ
Central High School in Paterson, NJ.
School of Business Machines, Newark, NJ
Education:   
Served 4 ½ years in the US Navy
Worked 8 ½ years for Automatic Data Processing
Attended Diocese of Newton Deacon Training Program
Ordained deacon on 1 July 1973
Began full-time diaconal ministry at St Ann Melkite Church in July 1976
Attended classes at St Vladimir Seminary, NY
Entered St Gregory Melkite Seminary in Newton Centre, MA in 1983
Studied at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Seminary in Brookline, MA
Ordained priest by Archbishop Joseph Tawil on May 4, 1986 at St Ann 
Melkite Church in West Paterson, NJ


Assignments:

1976 – 1983:  Full-time deacon at St Ann Church, W Paterson, NJ
1986 – 1987: Associate Rector, Annunciation Cathedral, Roslindale, MA
1987 – 1991: Pastor of Christ the Savior Church, Yonkers, NY
1991 – 1995: Pastor of St Joseph Church, Lansing, MI
1995 – 2000:  Pastor of St John of the Desert Church, Phoenix, AZ
2000 – 2004: Leave of Absence from pastoral ministry
Dec. 2004: Administrator of St Joseph Church, Akron, OH
Served as Director of Diocesan Charities for eight years
 

Who We Are | Church Services | Special Church Services | Church Staff
Special Church and Social Events | Home

Family Center