The “Catholic Church of the East” recently moved the office of its archbishop to a home on Mahantongo Street in Pottsville, which was once owned by the family of a former city councilman, according to the church’s website.
On Feb. 8, the home at 1812 Mahantongo St., Pottsville, was sold by Michael P. and Sally Halcovage to the Arabic Catholic Church for $175,000, according to the online Schuylkill Parcel Locator.
The church’s legal representative is Ramzi R. Musallam, Dupont, Luzerne County, according to the parcel locator.
Numerous attempts were made to contact Musallam for comment since Feb. 17. Phone numbers available on the church’s website at www.catholicchurchoftheeast.org were dialed and messages were left. This reporter dropped off a business card at the front door of 1812 Mahantongo St. on Tuesday. A message was sent Wednesday night to an email address on the website.
Musallam did not return any messages.
Joseph Sulaiman, chancellor of the Archdiocese of the Arabic Catholic Church, responded Thursday.
“His Eminence is at meetings” and Musallam would “not be available for the interview till sometime in May 2016,” Sulaiman, New Millport, Clearfield County, said in an email Thursday.
When asked about the property at 1812 Mahantongo St., Sulaiman said “that will be the home of the Archbishop and no office. That will be the official residence of the Archbishop of the Church in America.”
Born in Jerusalem, Palestine, in 1979, Musallam said he came to the United States in 1992. He graduated in 1997 from Jonathan Law High School in Milford, Connecticut, and in 2001 from the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana, where he earned a bachelor of arts degree in theology. He graduated from Savonarola Theological Seminary of The Polish National Catholic Church, Scranton, in April 2004. He was ordained a priest in the Holy Mother of the Rosary Cathedral in Buffalo, New York, on April 14, 2004, by Prime Bishop Robert Nemkovich.
In March 2011, Mussallam said he was a founder of the Archdiocese of St. James the Apostle. It was formed in 2008 by Arabic Catholics who were members of the Polish National Catholic Church but wanted to form their own diocese.
Musallam said he was its first priest and first archbishop. He said he is also the first Arabic Palestinian priest to be ordained in the Polish National Catholic Church.
On March 1, 2009, Musallam was named a bishop by the Holy Catholic Apostolic Church of Brazil. He said he was also accepted as a bishop by the Assyrian Church of the East. On March 28, 2009, at Christ the Redeemer Church at Houtzdale, Clearfield County, Archbishop David Bell of the Apostolic Church of Brazil named Musallam Archbishop of the Catholic Church of the East, Archdiocese of St. James the Apostle, Western Rite Liturgy, Musallam said in March 2011.
Musasllam is no stranger to Pottsville.
On Jan. 26, 2010, Musallam and the “Arabic Catholic Church Diocese of USA” bought the former German Reformed Church at 912 W. Market St., Pottsville, for $33,000, according to the online parcel locator.
On April 17, 2011, Musallam opened it as “St. Ann’s Cathedral” and he said it was the first Arabic Catholic Church in Schuylkill County.
St. Ann’s Cathedral is still open, Sulaiman said Friday.
The archdiocese has opened more than 20 churches since it formed in 2008, Musallam said in March 2011.
Recently, Musallam had a problem with a contractor who he hired to spackle sheetrock.
At 10:30 a.m. Dec. 22, James E. Lampman, 62, of Pittston, stole tools from Musallam’s home at 209 Hillside Ave., Dupont, Luzerne County, according to the criminal complaint filed by Dupont police which is on file in the office of Magisterial District Judge Alexandra Kokura Kravitz, Pittston.
On Jan. 1, Dupont police charged Lampman with misdemeanor counts of theft and receiving stolen property after he allegedly stole hundreds of dollars worth of tools Dec. 22 while spackling the basement, according to affidavit.
Stolen were more than $1,000 in tools, according to the criminal complaint.