When the Corrupt Run Institutions

Part Two

Professor Michel Abs

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)

How Do We Confront Corruption from a Christian Perspective?

Christianity does not regard truth merely as an administrative or legal value, but as something intimately connected to the very essence of the relationship with God.

Jesus Christ said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6)

He also said: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

Defending the truth, therefore, is not merely a professional position; at its core, it is a spiritual and moral stance.

Where truth is falsified, genuine freedom cannot exist. And where a person is compelled to lie in order to preserve his job, the institution becomes a space of fear rather than a place of service.

This is why Christ was particularly uncompromising toward hypocrisy, especially when religion, law, or authority became a cover for personal interest.

He said to the scribes and Pharisees:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.”
(Matthew 23:27)…

An Episode with His Grace Anba Antonios

Metropolitan of Jerusalem and the Near East for the Coptic Orthodox Church, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Eastern Orthodox Family

Produced By MECC

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), through its Diakonia and Social Service Department – Syria’s Office, implemented remedial classes for 9th grade students at “Our Lady of Saidnaya Monastery Orphanage School”.

200 male and female students from Saidnaya and the surrounding towns, benefited from the remedial classes, which aimed to support students and help them prepare for the upcoming academic year, as well as equip them to take the 9th grade certificate examination with confidence.

The remedial classes provided students with the essential curriculum knowledge needed. Students also received school kits, including a school bag and stationery.

As part of the partnership and cooperation program between the Municipality of Kfarhara and the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), a meeting entitled “How to Communicate with Others” was held at the municipal building, under the supervision of Mr. George Rizk.

The meeting included discussions and interactive activities with women from the town, focusing on the importance of positive communication, understanding others, and promoting dialogue and cooperation among members of the community.

The meeting was distinguished by the women’s active participation and engagement, creating an atmosphere of dialogue and exchange of ideas that contributes to strengthening women’s role and developing their social and personal skills.

The Municipality of Kounin extends its sincere thanks and deepest appreciation to the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for its generous humanitarian initiatives, its support for our affected and displaced residents, and its commitment to supporting local communities amidst these difficult circumstances.

These initiatives reflect a spirit of humanitarian responsibility and underscore the importance of collective efforts in confronting crises and standing by people, particularly during the exceptional circumstances our community is experiencing.

The Municipality of Kounin highly appreciates the efforts of the Middle East Council of Churches and its leadership, and we pray that God may grant you success as you continue your noble humanitarian mission.

A Documentary that Sheds Light on the Church of Saint Thecla in the Town of Ain al-Sindyana, Metn - Lebanon

At the MECC Diakonia and Social Service Department - Lebanon’s Office

Cairo, Egypt | 4–6 October 2026

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), in partnership with the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services (CEOSS), and with the participation and support of the Presbyterian Church (USA) (PC(USA)), and The United Church of Canada, and the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID), will convene a regional conference in Cairo from 4 to 6 October 2026, under the theme: “Countering Hate Speech: Promoting Human Dignity and Living Together.”

“Momentum”

18-9-2026

This issue includes reports, videos, news, articles, and a full coverage of the latest developments of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), as well as the Church, Ecumenical, and social events…

This is in addition to the weekly word of the MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs which is entitled in this issue "Distorting Facts and Falsifying Documents, When the Corrupt Run Institutions - Part One".

You can check the issue via the following link: https://mailchi.mp/4219c9817950/momentum-mecc-weekly-newsletter.

You can also subscribe to the Momentum Newsletter via the following link:
https://mecc.us14.list-manage.com/subscribe?id=fd3381352a&u=1db32cafe9ea32b38eb90480a.

When the Corrupt Run Institutions

Part One

Professor Michel Abs

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)

When an institution falls into the hands of people who manage it with a corrupt mentality, corruption is no longer merely the theft of money or the abuse of office. Gradually, it becomes the theft of truth itself.

This may be the most dangerous stage of corruption. Stolen money can be detected through accounts and audits, but stolen truth targets awareness, memory, documentation, and the narrative on which decisions are built.

The corrupt person fears not so much the money that has disappeared as the question that reveals where it went. He fears not so much the wrongdoing he committed as the document that proves he committed it. Therefore, when he feels that his position is threatened, his first instinct is to control the narrative: to distort facts, reinterpret events, alter minutes, change figures, conceal correspondence, selectively disclose information, or even fabricate events that never occurred.

Here we reach a dangerous core principle: corruption does not merely attempt to change what happened; it attempts to change people’s understanding of what happened.

A document within an institution is not merely a piece of paper; it is part of the institution’s memory. Minutes are not merely an administrative procedure; they are a record of what was said and decided. A figure is not merely an accounting value; it is evidence of the movement of money and resources. When these are falsified, the corrupt actor is no longer stealing money alone; he is stealing the institution’s ability to know its own truth…

Beirut – September 18, 2026

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) and Anba Abraam Charity in Jerusalem signed a cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening coordination and joint efforts in the humanitarian and Ecclesiastical fields, supporting initiatives and programs that serve local communities, and enhancing Christian communication, presence, and role in the Middle East.

The agreement was signed by His Grace Anba Antonios, Metropolitan of Jerusalem and the Near East for the Coptic Orthodox Church, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Eastern Orthodox Family, and President of Anba Abraam Charity in Jerusalem, together with the MECC Secretary General Anba Abraam Charity. The signing took place on September 18, 2026, at the MECC headquarters in Hamra, Beirut.

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Michel Abs, received the Mayor of Kounin in the South of Lebanon Mr. Khalil Al-Dabak, accompanied by a delegation from the Municipality, on Friday, September 18, 2026, at the MECC headquarters in Beirut.

Attendees were the Director of the Lebanon’s Office at the MECC Diakonia and Social Service Department Ms. Nina Hallak, and the Coordinator of the Diakonia Department in the South of Lebanon Ms. Sara Hasrouni.

During the visit, Mr. Al-Dabak expressed his thanks and appreciation to the Council, particularly to its Diakonia and Social Service Department – Lebanon’s Office, for the assistance it has provided to residents of the town of Kounin, as well as to families and individuals who were forced to flee the town, and to displaced people who sought refuge there amidst the current circumstances.

Article by Dr Harry Hagopian

If you open the New Jerusalem Bible & seek verse 8:12 in St John’s Gospel, you will read that Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” There’s an awful lot of darkness in our world, isn’t there, and this verse is about bringing the light of Christ into difficult situations. But what is this light? It is not about electricity but rather about truth and justice…

Discussions Centered on the Challenges that the Christian Presence is Facing in the Middle East, the Importance of Strengthening Unity and Partnership Among Churches, and the Unification of the Date of Easter

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Michel Abs, headed a delegation from the MECC General Secretariat on a visit to the Coptic Orthodox Church of the Virgin Mary and St. Mark the Apostle in Sin El Fil. He met with His Grace Anba Antonios, Metropolitan of Jerusalem and the Near East for the Coptic Orthodox Church, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Eastern Orthodox Family.

The delegation included Professor Laure Abi Khalil, Coordinator of the Program for Dialogue, Social Cohesion and the Preservation of Human Dignity at MECC, and Lea Adel Maamary, Coordinator of Media and Church Relations at MECC.

Attendees were also the Head of the Coptic Orthodox Community in Lebanon and Syria Father Athanasius Rizk, Father Abanoub Al-Ourachalimi, Lawyer Abdallah Moussallem, and the Public Relations Officer Mr. Albert Gendy.

Chanted by the Seminarians of Saint Paul’ Seminary Harissa, Lebanon

Video – A Reflection by Fr. Dr. Michel Kanbar

Pastor of St. Joseph’s Parish, Al-Hajje, Lebanon

University Professor, Writer, and Historian

“Ecumenical Horizons” is a weekly program that features spiritual, cultural, intellectual, educational, youth and environmental topics.

Chanted by the Seminarians of Saint Paul’ Seminary Harissa, Lebanon

Meets with the President of the Lebanese University Professor Bassam Badran

Discussions Centered on Prospects for Cooperation

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Michel Abs, accompanied by Professor Laure Abi Khalil, Coordinator of the MECC Programs for Dialogue, Social Cohesion and the Restoration of Human Dignity, met with the President of the Lebanese University Professor Bassam Badran. The meeting was attended by Dean Professor Marlene Haidar, Dean Professor Habib Kazzi, Professor Ali Rammal, Professor Hassan Zein El-Dine, and Professor Nadim Mansoury.

The meeting focused on ways to strengthen cooperation between the Middle East Council of Churches and the Lebanese University, as well as on developing partnership opportunities between the two institutions in the academic, research, cultural, and social fields.

During the meeting, Professor Abs presented an overview about the history of the Middle East Council of Churches and the circumstances surrounding its establishment, highlighting the major milestones that have shaped its work over the past five decades. He also outlined its mission and role in promoting dialogue, mutual understanding, and social cohesion, as well as in serving people and safeguarding their dignity in the societies of the region.