CALL ON MOST REVEREND ROBERT RABBAT TO INITIATE THE CANONICAL PROCESS TO ADDRESS COMPLAINT AGAINST FATHER SAMIR HADDAD

“It is not only what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable.”

We respectfully call on Most Reverend Robert Rabbat, Bishop of the Melkite Catholic Church in Australia and New Zealand, to urgently initiate the canonical process as outlined by Eastern Catholic canon law to address the serious allegations of sexual misconduct made against Father Samir Haddad, the Parish Priest of St Joseph’s Melkite Church in Fairfield, Melbourne, Australia.

In February 2024, we brought forward concerns regarding Father Samir Haddad's actions, which we believe to be betrayal of sacred trust, involving sexual advances and sexual misconduct made towards a young adult and member of the parish. These events reportedly took place on the grounds of St Joseph’s Melkite Church.

Since that time, we have yet to receive any updates or information regarding the steps taken by the Melkite Church to address the matter, to ensure accountability, and to protect the welfare of the community. The failure to provide clarity on the progress of the investigation by the leadership of the Melkite Church into these serious allegations has left us with great concern about the transparency and the Church's commitment to addressing this issue.

We believe it is important to bring awareness to the parish community of St Joseph's Parish and its members, particularly the youth. The ongoing lack of communication and progress on this matter is concerning, and we, as members of the community, seek to understand how the Church is handling the complaint and what actions have been or will be taken to ensure justice is served.

We therefore call upon Most Reverend Robert Rabbat to:

Initiate the canonical process to investigate the allegations against Father Samir Haddad in accordance with Eastern Catholic canon law.
Provide the community with an update on the progress of the investigation and the Church's efforts to resolve this matter.
Ensure that steps are taken to safeguard the well-being of all members of the parish, particularly the youth.

We ask that all members of the community, both within the parish and beyond, join us in this call for action, transparency, and accountability. It is vital that the Melkite Church act decisively in the face of such allegations, and that the outcome of the complaint be shared with the community to restore trust in the leadership of the Melkite Church.