Rev. Dr. Fuad J. Bahnan

Rev. Dr. Fuad J. Bahnan, 83, of Fall River and the Inn at Clifton, Somerset, pastor of Calvary United Presbyterian Church, died Sunday, September 18, 2005 at Charlton Memorial Hospital. He was the husband of the late Wadad (Tannous) Bahnan. Born in Jerusalem, Palestine, Rev. Bahnan was the son of the late Judeh and Souraya (Mousalam) Bahnan. A graduate of Bishop Gobat Secondary School in Jerusalem, he received a B.A. in theology from the Near East School of Theology and the American University of Beirut. He also earned a Master's degree from Oxford University and a Doctor of Theology degree from Princeton University. He spent two years studying at the MacDonald Islamic Study Center in Hartford, Connecticut. Ordained as both an Anglican priest and a Presbyterian minister, Rev. Bahnan served as pastor of the Anglican Church of Ramallah in the West Bank and of the Evangelical Church of Beirut. He left Lebanon for the United States in 1982, and lived in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, before settling in Fall River in 1987. He served as pastor of the Calvary United Presbyterian Church for the past 18 years. Active in the Fall River Council of Churches and the Interfaith Council, he received the first Interfaith Ambassador Award in July, in recognition of his contributions toward interfaith unity and understanding. He was also honored with citations from the City of Fall River and the Bristol County District Attorney's office. Rev. Bahnan authored numerous articles and two books, most recently a collection of sermons in Arabic published by the Middle Eastern Ministries of the Presbyterian Church, USA. His survivors include a son, Jad F. Bahnan and his wife Kathy of Muscat, Oman; a daughter, Rania Bahnan-Buechi and her husband Martin of Berne, Switzerland; 3 grandchildren, Mischa and Christopher Bahnan and Reya Buechi; a brother, Najib Bahnan of Beirut, Lebanon; a sister, Nahida Salfiti of Preston, England; several nieces and nephews and his Church family. He was also the brother of the late Samih and Khamis Bahnan. His funeral service will be held Monday at 11:00 a.m. in Calvary United Presbyterian Church. Everyone invited to go directly to the church. Burial, Oak Grove Cemetery. Calling hours in the AUCLAIR FUNERAL HOME, 690 So. Main St., Fall River, Sunday 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. LARGE PARKING AREA and barrier-free entrance to the rear of funeral home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Calvary United Presbyterian Church, PO Box 4101, Fall River MA 02723.