Melkite pastor mourned

Father Maximos Basha, OSBC, hailed for stellar work in prisons

Father Basha (second from right) was the senior chaplain for Surrey Pretrial Services Centre.

BCC File Photo.

For decades he faithfully served Melkite-Greek Catholics, chaplained prison inmates, and sponsored hundreds of refugees seeking citizenship. Father Maximos Basha, OSBC, died April 12. He was 69.

A funeral service was held April 20 in St. Francis de Sales Church in Burnaby. Melkite Bishop Ibrahim M. Ibrahim, BSO, of St. Sauveur of Montreal, led the service. Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, also attended.

"His name, Maximos, means 'great,' and he was a great blessing to this community," Bishop Ibrahim said.

The bishop praised Father Basha's devotion to his parishioners, as he "never skipped a Sunday (or) took a vacation for the past 37 years in Vancouver. He was here to serve."

Archbishop Miller stated, "I was in the Holy Land when I learned of Father Basha's death. and I prayed for him in Jerusalem. He was a faithful priest, a man extraordinarily given to his duty to God."

The archbishop commended the late clergyman for his steadfast support of refugees. Father Basha helped sponsor 600 people, or over 200 families, as new immigrants to Canada.

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