Third Guardian of the Bahá’i Faith Ascended to the Abha Kingdom

Joel Bray Marangella
September 22, 1918 – September 1, 2013

Joel Bray Marangella, Guardian of the Bahá’i Faith, passed away on Monday, September 1, 2013 at his home in San Diego, California. He dedicated his labors during his Ministry to the Victory of the “Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh” and its divinely conceived, sacred and immortal “Child” and immutable “Charter”.

A celebration of his life’s service held at 10:30 A.M, Friday, September 6, 2013 at the North Chapel at Point Loma in San Diego, California.

Joel Bray Marangella was born on September 22, 1918 in Lynn, Massachusetts to Phillip and Edith (Gurthrie) Marangella.

In September 1945, he married the former Irene Maria Aducat in West Englewood, New Jersey.

Joel Bray Marangella was a WWII veteran, where is served in the European Theatre with distinction receiving two Bronze stars. Retiring from active duty at the rank of full Colonel, Joel Bray Marangella continued to serve as a Department of the Army civilian until 1972.

Joel Bray Marangella was also the leader, ‘the Guardian’, of the Orthodox Bahá’i Faith with a ministry spanning over 44 years. His dedicated service to the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh spanned over 80 years since his early declaration as a Bahá’i at the age of 15.

He and Irene lived in France for over 18 years before moving permanently to their vacation home in Ringgenberg, in the heart of the Swiss Bernese Oberland, overlooking the Lake of Brienze.

His periodic visits to the U.S. allowed him to obtain an advanced degree (MBA) from Florida International University in 1976.

A chance visit to Australia in the winter of 1983 convinced Joel and Irene that Perth, Australia was to be their new home where they lived for 30 years. During this period Joel Bray Marangella perfected his golf game and became the oldest continuous playing member of the famous Joondalup Golf Club at the age of 90.

At the age of 91, Joel again convinced Irene that they should finally return to the United States, and they left Australia and joined their son Paul and his wife Georgia in California.

Joel Bray Marangella is survived by his three sons, Paul Maxwell Marangella and his wife Georgia of San Diego, California; Mark Vali Marangella and his wife Christine of Ashburn, Virginia; and Joel Jani Marangella of Perth, Australia; three grandchildren, Mason, Adam, and Phillip Marangella and two great grandchildren, Noah and Leila Marangella.

He appointed his successor as the Fourth Guardian of Baha’i Faith to Mr. Nosrat’u’llah Bahremand as per the “Will and Testament” of Master Abdu’l Baha:

“O ye beloved of the Lord! It is incumbent upon the guardian of the Cause of God to appoint in his own life-time him (guardian) that shall become his successor, that differences may not arise after his passing.” (Will and Testament of Abdu’l Baha, page 12)

Compiled by Dr. A. Parikh from the writing the Hand of Cause of God Mr. Jeffrey Goldberg.

There is no one with authority to judge a Guardian:

It is questionable who has the authority to judge a Guardian in regards to matters related to the Cause; to say in this case or that case he made a mistake? We have seen in T.R.B. some comments that Shoghi Effendi made a mistake because he did not announce his successor more clearly than he did or that Mason Remey made a mistake because he delayed making his proclamation or similarly why did Joel B. Marangella wait so long to issue his proclamation? My answer is: those things or similar things had to happen. They were guided to do it the way they did. If Shoghi Effendi trusted Rúhíyyih Khánum, he did not make a mistake as she was a Hand of the Cause and also his secretary. Moreover, she was his wife, and all of the records of her writings prior to the passing of the first Guardian reveal to the reader her profound knowledge of the Faith and the Covenant and emphasize her clear testimony to the necessity of the continuation of the Guardianship until the end of the Bahá'í Dispensation. If Rúhíyyih Khánum after the passing of Shoghi Effendi followed the satanic promptings of her human soul, that was her great error which made her the "Arch Covenant-breaker." The Guardians are not prophets. Some people claim that the Manifestations of God have made a lot of mistakes (which is not true), the fact is that we cannot judge those things that have been done or have happened in the past according to today's knowledge and understandings and conditions. We cannot blame Jesus for what He did with the businesses in front of the Temple, which by today's laws would be considered a crime. He did what He had to do then according to the Will of God. Some people have raised questions as to why Shoghi Effendi put so many of his relatives out of the Faith. The fact is that the condition of the Faith in its infancy required a non-tolerant discipline and on the other hand those relatives' exploitation and misuse of the privileges that they possessed was not acceptable and they left no other choice for the Guardian. He did what he had to do according to the Will of ............. Click for detail

By Hand of the Cuase of God Nosrat’u’llah Bahremand

MARTYRDOM OF THE BAB

MARTYRDOM OF BAB (9th JULY)

Bab the Forerunner of Baha u llah one of the two Promised Ones of all the past religions, left the world handing over His mission to Baha u llah to provide peace and salvation to the humanity. Baha u llah handed over this mission to His son Abdu’l Baha and He appointed to His grandson Shoghi Effendi the First Guardian of Baha’i Faith with an emphatic instruction in His Will and Testament that:

“O ye beloved of the Lord! It is incumbent upon the Guardian of the Cause of God to appoint in his own life-time him (Guardian) that shall become his successor, that differences may not arise after his passing.”

Thus for the Continuity of Guardianship, Shoghi Effendi appointed his successor to Mason Remey as the Second Guardian of Baha’i Faith.

Mason Remey appointed his successor to Joel Bray Marngella as the Third Guardian, the Head of the Universal House of Justice delineated by Abdu’l Baha in His Will and Testament.

A Memorial meeting with the Devotional and Deepening program on the Continuity of Guardianship in Baha’i Faith will be held at Vasai(Thane), New Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Surat and Lucknow between 4.00 to 7.00 pm.

Only Orthodox Bahais are requested to attend the function.

Secretary,
Provisional National Baha'i Council of India

PROCLAMATION CHART

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RAMIFICATIONS OF SHOGHI EFFENDI’S MOMENTOUS PROCLAMATION OF 9 JANUARY, 1951

Blind & Irrational Opposition

Above is the answer to the comment made by an anonymous reader in Persian language on our posting dated April 16, 2008 and titled Festival of Ridvan.

Why They Shunned the Independent Investigation of Truth?

Sans-Guardian Baha’is Say about us;

> They are Covenant Breakers.
> Do not read their literature.
> Do not visit their internet sites.
> Do not entertain them when they come to meet you.
> Do not discuss the contents of the Will and Testament of Abdu’l Baha.
> Do not accept their view about the Continuity of Guardianship in Baha’i Faith.

WHILE ............

In the words of Baha'u'llah,

"Purge your sight, that ye may perceive its glory with your own eyes, and depend not on the sight of any one except your self, for God hath never burdened any soul beyond its power. Thus hath it been sent down unto the Prophets and Messengers of old, and been recorded in all the Scriptures."

ORTHODOX BAHA’I INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

For further detail contact obfcouncilsecty@hotmail.com

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