GUEST columns
GUEST columns Remembering the reason for the season Christmas is the day the whole family can actually look forward to. Parents get a few days off from work to spend time with their family. Children get two weeks off from school and finally get to open their presents that they waited anxiously for. Grandparents get to enjoy seeing the whole family gathered for such a joyous occasion. Yes, Christmas is a good day for everyone, but do we really know the meaning of Christmas? Sometimes we need to step back in our lives and see what’s really important. We need to realize Christmas is about God, not us. It’s not just about getting a short break from our daily lives or getting presents, but about one man being born to save the whole world from sin. Junior Jwad special to the chaldean news Christmas is one of the major holidays of our faith; it fulfills the coming of the messiah and gives us hope in being saved. When Christmas comes around we do not just remember or meditate on a day in history. Jesus is truly born again in our hearts, but it is our choice if we want to accept him. Just as Joseph and Mary were turned away at the inn, the baby Jesus is sometimes turned away from our hearts. When we put our heart into the things of this world we are rejecting Jesus and elevating material objects into His place. A perfect example is Sunday mass. Less than 10 percent of the Chaldean faithful come to mass on Sundays. Some say the masses are too early, but there are many other masses at many different churches, some as late as 7 p.m., and there are Saturday masses. With mass only being an hour, there is no excuse for one to not commit to mass when they still have the whole day to enjoy the beach or other recreational activities. Even though many do not come to Sunday mass, Christmas and Easter masses always seem to be packed. What many of the faithful don’t realize is that every Sunday is a mini Christmas and Easter. In every single mass we commemorate our Lord’s birth, ministry, passion, death and resurrection. In the beginning of the Eastern Rite Chaldean Mass of Mar Addai and Mar Mari, the priest begins the mass by saying, “Glory to God in Highest (three times) peace on earth and good hope to all forever.” At this moment we are truly celebrating Christmas, every single time we come to mass! These exact words that the priest starts the mass with were used by the multitudes of angels who proclaimed the news of our Lord’s birth to the shepherds (Luke 2:8-15). In the Eucharist we are connected with Christ’s birth from more than 2,000 years ago; every time we receive communion Christ is born in our hearts, just as He was born to the world on Christmas Day. Throughout our lives Christmas has been an important day, especially for us Chaldeans. But this year and every year, let us put Christ back in Christmas and put Jesus on the top of our wish list, because He is the best gift the world can ever receive. Hwili Maran: Shohad Shima o slowathed Maryam Yimai. The Lord is born: Praised be His name through the prayer of Mary His mother. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year. Fifteen-year-old Junior Jwad lives in West Bloomfield. A sophomore at Brother Rice Catholic High School, he is a server at St. Thomas Chaldean Catholic Church, is fluent in Soureth and can read and write Aramaic. 14 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2011
Chaldean and Latin Church are one One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. This line from our Creed would seem to trump references to canon law made in Fr. Anthony Kathawa’s column in last month’s Chaldean News, “Why We Must Attend the Chaldean Church,” which exhorts Chaldeans to attend Chaldean Mass as opposed to Latin Rite Mass. First, let me say that Fr. Anthony, and the other newly ordained Chaldean priests, are truly a blessing to our Church. Fr. Anthony has done a wonderful job of getting young people excited about their faith and his points about the beauty and sanctity of the Chaldean Mass are well taken. We are proud of him and of our Liturgy. Where I depart from his views, however, is in his multiple references to “works of the devil” in regards to people’s decisions about where to attend Mass. While it may be true that traffic congestion and dress attire might be poor excuses for not attending a certain Church, it is also true that it is hard to place yourself in the presence of God after an episode of road rage caused by 50 cars refusing to let you make a left turn into the Church driveway. But for most Chaldeans who attend Mass at Latin parishes, these excuses having nothing to do with their decision. In most cases, it is simply a matter of habit and possibly preference. For parishes with schools, it may be that the children who attend the school are more comfortable and therefore more open to the Latin liturgy. It may be the music or the homilies. In any case, a choice to attend a Latin mass is most certainly not the work of the devil. Is not the more important priority the large numbers of people who do not attend Mass at all; or the growing numbers of people leaving our faith for others? I think Fr. Anthony’s article sets up a false choice that ignores decades of a close working relationship where no such distinctions were ever made. For nearly a century now, Latin parishes have welcomed Chaldeans as members. Their schools have educated tens Michael G. Sarafa SPECIAL TO THE CHALDEAN NEWS of thousands of our children spanning three generations. Many of these thousands of young people made their First Holy Communion in Latin Churches, even as all other sacraments were made in the Chaldean Church. This was done with the full knowledge and support of both the Latin Diocese and the Chaldean Diocese. Recall that, for the first Chaldeans in America, there were no Chaldean Churches here. In Oak Park and West Bloomfield we used Latin facilities to hold Masses until we were able to build our own Churches. We use the Latin Seminary to train our priests and the Archdiocese of Detroit loan fund has helped support many, many projects for our Church. your LETTERS We’re All Catholic In response to Fr. Anthony Kathawa’s guest column, “Why We Must Attend the Chaldean Church” (November 2011): As a woman of strong Catholic faith, I try to live a life that reflects that faith. Although I am American born, I have chosen to embrace my culture and am proud to be Chaldean- American. As a child, I attended Catholic elementary school and Chaldean churches. My entire life has been interwoven with Chaldean and American churches. Even on an educational trip to Japan I sought out Catholic churches to attend on the two Sundays I was there, as well as any time I vacation with my family, Sunday Mass is a priority. My children would walk long distances in college to attend Mass at a Catholic church. I have never felt I was compromising my Chaldean upbringing by attending a non-Chaldean church. If anything, I was fulfilling my Sunday obligation and staying true to my religion. After all, it is the same religion. Do we honestly need another reason for people to stay away from Catholic churches? There are many times that I attend Chaldean churches, however, should I also attend an American church, it does not mean the devil is at work, just simply, that I want to attend Catholic Mass. – Theresa Dabish Sitto Our Lord’s Revelations to Mutter Vogel “One should never attack a priest, even when he’s in error, rather one should pray and do penance that I’ll grant him My grace again. He alone fully represents Me, even when he doesn’t live after my example!” In my interview with Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron last year, he said, “God is glorified in the fidelity of the Chaldean Church.” He spoke of the strong ties between Bishop Ibrahim, Cardinal Szoka, Cardinal Maida and now himself. He, too, made the same point as Fr. Anthony — that the Pope and the entire leadership of the Roman Catholic Church respect the uniqueness and strength of the Eastern Catholic Rites and want it to continue to thrive. The Archbishop also told me that, as head of the Sacred Heart Seminary years ago, he used to send the young seminarians to Mother of God to attend Mass. He wanted them to hear the Aramaic language Mass, the chanting and the more literal translation of the liturgy. One of those young seminarians who attended Mass at Mother of God Church was Fr. Jeff Day, now the Pastor of St. Fabian Church and School in Farmington Hills. I learned recently that Fr. Day, on his own volition, requested a framed photo of Bishop Ibrahim. He plans to hang it in the school hallway in between the pictures of Pope Benedict and Archbishop Vigneron. Fr. Day knows that this will be a source of pride for the many young Chaldean elementary students who attend school there. It is also a tremendous sign of respect for the Chaldean Rite and, maybe more importantly, a strong demonstration of our unity and oneness. Sure, there are distinctions. But is there really a difference? Michael Sarafa is president of the Bank of Michigan and a co-publisher of the Chaldean News. “When a priest falls we should extend him a helping hand through prayer and not through attacks! I myself will be his judge, no one but I! Whoever voices judgment over a priest has voiced it over me; child, never let a priest be attacked, take up his defense.” “Child never judge your confessor, rather pray much for him and offer every Thursday, through the hands of My Blessed Mother, Holy Communion (for Him).” Never again accept an out of the way word about a priest, and speak no unkind word (about them) even if it were true! Every Priest is My Vicar and My Heart will be sickened and insulted because of it! If you hear a judgment (against a priest) pray a Hail Mary.” “If you see a priest who celebrates the Holy Mass unworthily then say nothing about him, rather tell it to Me alone! I stand beside him on the altar!” “Oh pray much for my priests, that they’ll love purity above all, that they’ll celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with pure hands and heart. Certainly the Holy Sacrifice is one and the same even when it’s celebrated by an unworthy priest, but the graces called down upon the people is not the same!” Mary, Queen of Clergy, pray for them. This is taken from the Pieta Prayer book. – Loresa Sharrak The Only Issue In response to N. Peter Antone’s guest column, “When Voting, Look at the Big Picture” (November 2011): Abortion is a moral wrong – it is a violent act and never the right solution. your letters continued on page 16 DECEMBER 2011 CHALDEAN NEWS 15
