Wednesday 18 March 2026 
On December 28, 2025, under the patronage of the General Superior of the Lebanese Franciscan Sisters of the Cross, Mother Marie Makhlouf, FLFS-Lebanon Association, founded on December 03, gathered to celebrate a Thanksgiving Mass. This gathering followed the visit of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on December 02, 2025, and took place in the same hall that had welcomed the Holy Father during his visit to the Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross. In the presence of the First Lady of Lebanon, Mrs. Neemat Aoun, accompanied by her son and his wife, the Eucharistic celebration was presided over by His Excellency Bishop Antoine Bou Najem, who emphasized in his homily the importance of mercy and service to the most vulnerable. The celebration was enriched by artistic performances offered by the choir of the Relics of Blessed Abouna Yaacoub, conducted by Maestro Elie Khayat and accompanied by the organist Elie Semaan. The hymns carried messages of resilience and hope, filling hearts with joy and emotion. Following the celebration, participants shared a fraternal gathering, and each received a rosary as a remembrance of the occasion.
This celebration, the first activity of the Association, marked a promising beginning for a path of support for the human and spiritual mission of the Sisters of the Cross, a mission dedicated to caring for the human person, restoring dignity, and revealing the light of Christ in every individual, especially the most vulnerable.