The Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Saint Maron of Sydney (in Latin: Eparchia Sancti Maronis Sydneyensis Maronitarum) (sometimes spelt Maroun) is an overseas Maronite rite (Antiochene rite) eparchy (diocese) of the Catholic Church in Australia, based in Sydney. In 2010 there were 160,000 members. It is currently ruled by Eparch Antoine-Charbel Tarabay, OLM. Territory and statistics It is a member of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. The Roman Catholic Church is made up of the Latin or Western Catholic Church and 23 Eastern Catholic Churches (comprising four major rites), one of which is the Lebanese Maronite Church. The Eparchy is non-geographic, but demographic in that it has Australia-wide jurisdiction wherever Maronites are found. It is not suffragan to the Archdiocese of Sydney, but immediately subject to the Holy See. It has many churches, schools, nursing homes and other institutions in all major cities. Its eparchial seat is in Redfern, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney, where is located the St. Maron's Cathedral, Sydney. In 2010 there were 160,000 Lebanese Maronite Catholics in 11 parishes, the largest of which is at Our Lady of Lebanon Co-Cathedral in Harris Park, New South Wales. History 19th Century Due to a large emigration of Lebanese Maronite Christians in mid to late 19th century, Maronite Patriarch in 1889 decided that pastoral ministry among the Lebanese Christians in Sydney will be established. In this regard, the Maronite priests Abdallah Yazbeck and Joseph Dahdah were to work for the Diaspora's community in Sydney and reached on 8 May 1893 the Sydney's port. They set up in 1894 a Maronite chapel in the Waterloo district and served until 1897, when a new church was inaugurated by the then Cardinal Moran on January 10, 1897, for the service of the Maronites. Pastor Abdallah Yazbeck died in 1933 in Sydney, and priest Joseph Dahdah died after his return to Lebanon in 1936. Twentieth century Priest Abdallah Assaf was the successor and was the Maronite pastor until 1960. Assaf was replaced by Chukrallah Harb in 1961 until his return in 1963 to the Vatican City. In the district of Redfern's Saint Maron Church served all Maronite Catholics for 70 years until the Maronites of the community settled in other centers as Parramatta. The community continued to grow at remarkable. The Maronite Patriarch named Reverend Peter Ziade to continue the Priest Harb's pastoral ministry in 1963. He was assisted by Priest Trad.