Father Youssef Semaan Barakat

A priest committed to faith, service, and a welcoming Maronite Catholic community.

Father Youssef Semaan Barakat joined our Saint Sharbel Community in Wisconsin in January of 2026, bringing with him a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to faith and service.

Father Youssef is a Lebanese Maronite priest, born on September 12, 1975, and raised in his hometowns of Zgharta and Ehden in the North of Lebanon. He was a professional player for the Lebanese National Soccer Team in the years 1999-2000.

He was ordained as a priest in the Maronite Patriarchal Eparchy, Vicariat Ehden-Zgharta, by Bishop Paul Abdul-Sater on February 7, 2016. He spent much of his young life in the Divine Providence Society, dedicating himself to prayer and living with the poor, the elderly, and people with special needs in his parish of Ehden-Zgharta.

Between 2010 and 2018, he did missionary work with the Missionaries of Charity, the sisters of Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta, serving the poorest of the poor in Ethiopia.

His passion for Christ's "little brothers" and dedication to building a welcoming, faith-filled community will be a great blessing to our parish. Abouna Youssef declared our Mission a Parish on his first official Mass at Saint Louis, to the applause of all our community members in attendance at St. Louis Church, our temporary home.