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{{orthodoxyinaustralasiaorthodoxyinaustralia}}The Very Reverend Father '''Michael Shehadie''' was the rector succeeded his late father V Rev. Fr. [[Nicholas Shehadie]] as [[parish]] [[priest]] of St . George [[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and New Zealand|Antiochian ]] Orthodox Church , Redfern, NSW, Australia, serving from 1934-1951.

==Life==Michael Shehadie was born in Lebanon in 1895, the second child of Fr . [[Nicholas Shehadie|Nicholas]] and [[KhouriyeKhourieh]] Alexandra Shehadie. Growing up there, he studied at Our Lady of BalamandTheological School, (in what is now Lebanon), and then in at the [[St. Petersburg Theological Academy]], Russia; however, his . His wife Hannah (nee Khoury) did not want Michael to be [[ordination|ordained ]] at that time. , so Michael chose to become became a chemist/herbalist.

He arrived joined his father in Sydney, Australia , in 1925 with his wife Hannah and his their two daughters Alexandra (Alice) (m. Mounir Doumani), and Paulette(m. Daniel Joseph). In Australia, Michael and Hannah then had another two more children, Nicholas (later Sir Nicholas) (m. Marie Bashir, current Governor of NSW), and George, during this time(m. Carmel Wigan).

After the repose of his father in 1934, however, he accepted ordination to the priesthood [[priest]]hood and became rector parish priest of the Church of St . GeorgeRedfern. After his [[ordination]], he the family then had one further more child, Margaret(m. Morris Hanna).

It was during At the rectorship end of World War II the Egyptian government offered Fr . Michael that the government lease expired and the land was reclaimed position of Honorary Consul to build housing estatesAustralia. Fr Michael worked closely with Due to jealousy within the Australian Government church community, and his devotion to find a new site and, after some setbacks, they were granted land at the corner of Walker and Cooper Stschurch, Redfernhe had to decline. The Egyptian government would not accept anyone else, where so the church - now cathedral - stands on todayposition remained unfilled.

In 1949 while Fr . Michael Shehadie worked on was parish priest, the NSW government decided to resume the land the church, but only lived was built on to see it approved, not built - in 1951 he reposed suddenlyerect Department of Housing flats. The Fr. Michael ensured the NSW Minister, Clive Evatt, found a suitable site close by to build a replacement church was built in 1953.

{{start box}}{{succession|before=VIt was a difficult time for Fr. Rev. Fr [[Nicholas Shehadie]]|title=Exarch of Australia (Michael, as his father's church was demolished, and they had to hold their services in the Sydney)<br>([[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese City Mission Hall in Redfern Street. Following his continual pushing, land was granted at the corner of Australia, New ZealandWalker and Cooper Streets Redfern, and All Oceania|Church for the building of Antioch]])|years=1934-1951|after=V. Reva replacement church. Fr [[Malatius Hussney (Sydney)|Malatius Hussney]]}}{{end box}}

Following his repose, the plans were put into effect and 'his' church was opened in 1954. Today this church is the Archdiocesan Cathedral.  ==External links==*[http://www.antiochian.org.au Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and New Zealand]*[http://www.alhs.org.au/shehadie.htm The Shehadie Family and the Antioch Orthodox Church] - Australian Lebanese Historical Society Inc.*[http://www.stnicholas.org.au/Articles/DrBtrney.htm A Cradle of Orthodoxy: St Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church, Melbourne, Victoria] by Dr Trevor Batrouney - St Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church, East Melbourne, Victoria*[http://www.stnicholaspunchbowl.org.au/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=21 History: The Antioch Orthodox Church in Australia] - St Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church, Sydney, New South Wales [[Category:Orthodoxy in Australia|Shehadie]][[Category:Priests|Shehadie]]