March 5, 1935 – November 5, 2021
“So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he went to his own house.” (Luke 1:23)
Our beloved Father Moussa El-Gohary, lived all his life, since he was a young man, to serve the Lord. Service for him was a way of life, not a job or a profession, so his service was always successful and fruitful. Fr. Moussa had a distinguished school of service that everyone who dealt with him could feel and touch. He was known for his great love for the saints, and he sought to collect their relics so that there would rarely be a saint whose relics were not in the church. He was also very interested in establishing altars and preparing any altar supplies, such as utensils, vestments, etc., for any church, no matter how far.
Father Moussa was very dedicated to the theme of “unity of heart” among his priests, and he would often repeat the phrase “we are all one”. And he used to gather all the priests in his house adjacent to the church every week to deepen the love and the oneness of heart. And his house was open to everyone at all times as a father to all. During Fr. Moussa’s service in America, he founded many churches and nominated many of his children for the honorable priesthood, who would become disciples in his school of distinctive service.
Father Moussa El-Gohary loved our Mother, the Virgin Mary, and bought her a place called “St. Mary’s spiritual Vineyard,” where the annual clergy seminar was held from 1998 to 2010, in the presence of His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, who greatly loved Father Moussa El-Gohary.His Holiness Pope Tawadros II honored him during his historic visit in September 2018 in this blessed place amid the joy of all the people whom he served for decades.
May the Lord repose his pure soul in the bosom of the saints, to join his virtuous wife, the beloved mother, Mama Adila, as everyone used to call her. My deepest condolences to his beloved family and all the people of the Church who loved him with all their hearts.
Through the prayers of our father, His Holiness, Pope Tawadros II.
Bishop David
