1 welcome, holy cross
1 welcome, holy cross Diocese’s newest church opens in Farmington By Vanessa Denha Garmo On any given Sunday at any given mass at any of the Chaldean parishes around Metro Detroit, the church is often standing room only. The Chaldean community in Michigan has experienced obvious growth in recent years, primarily due to the increased intake of Iraqi Chaldean refugees. The St. Thomas Chaldean Diocese is working diligently to accommodate the growing spiritual needs of the community. In a past interview, His Excellency Bishop Ibrahim N. Ibrahim explained that in order to sustain a community, the people need places to worship. Today, there are nine parishes in Michigan with continued growth expected in the state and around the country. Most recently, the Chaldean community breathed new life into a structure built for worship. Just months after St. Coleman Church in Farmington Hills celebrated its last mass, Holy Cross Chaldean Parish celebrated its first mass on Palm Sunday inside the same building. “The idea of the new parish is to supplement the great work done in the other parishes,” said Msgr. Zouhair Kejbou, pastor of Holy Cross. “We purchased this church to relieve the pressure at both St. Thomas and Mother of God. We are in the middle between both churches and we have planned our mass schedule to meet Steve and Adriana Mango Photos by James Wallace the needs of the faithful in this area.” While St. Thomas has a 10:30 a.m. English mass and the High Mass in Arabic and Chaldean at noon, Holy Cross has a 10 a.m. Arabic/ Chaldean Mass and a noon mass in English. For now, Holy Cross will offer two weekend masses but Msgr. Kejbou expects continued growth as more people volunteer and help build up the new parish. “The goal is to serve the Lord with all of our gifts and talents,” he said. “I invite the faithful to come forward. I am here before all to listen and to work in collaboration with the members of our community in charity and to live our faith together.” The St. Thomas Chaldean Diocese purchased the 12-plus acres of property that houses the church with a social hall, church offices and a rectory with plans to build the Bishop Ibrahim Library and Cultural Center on the site. The church is built to accommodate about 600 parishioners but more than 2,000 people attended the two masses on Palm Sunday and each Sunday following the pews have been filled with not only Chaldean worshipers but also some former parishioners of St. Coleman. During one of the masses last month, Fr. Jeff Day, the former administrator of St. Coleman and the pastor of the neighboring Roman Catholic parish of St. Fabian, concelebrated with Msgr. Kejbou. “We welcome Fr. Jeff and express our gratitude for his support. Let us always keep him in our prayers together with the parishioners of St. Coleman who helped us in continuing to keep this building as a place of worship now under the Chaldean tradition,” said Msgr. Kejbou. Welcomed by applause, Fr. Jeff addressed the congregation. “Here we are in full communion with each other,” he acknowledged. “The various Catholic Churches are in communion with one another and even though I come in from the Roman Rite and you come in from the Chaldean Rite, our differences are cultural. When it comes to our faith and that there is one Lord Jesus Christ and the church that He founded, we are of one mind. Thank you so much for your support of Msgr. [Kejbou]. It is so wonderful that this building — dedicated for sacred worship to give glory to God to celebrate mass and other sacraments — is still doing that. I ask that you continue to pray for the people of St. Coleman. I will go back to our parishioners and tell them to look at what is happening. Look how good God is — what seemed to be death and loss is now new life and this is what we celebrate in the Easter season. You are truly people of the resurrection and we stand together — as brothers and sisters — as Catholics for the Lord Jesus.” Certain features and holy pictures with special importance to the St. Coleman community will be preserved at Holy Cross. Holy Cross continues in its transitional stage with members coming forward to 36 CHALDEAN NEWS MAY 2013
2 3 Scenes from a recent mass: 1. Receiving communion 2. Tyler, Jimmy, Alec and Sabrina Marrogy 3. Shelby Jouni, Danielle Bahoora, Joslin Hami, Renna Sarafa and Lina Yaldo 4. Thaira Wadha and Natalie Tawa 5. Msgr. Kejbou says mass with Fr. Jeff SERVING THE COMMUNITY WITH HONOR AND TRUST 4 5 A. MAJEED J. KREISS (AJ KREISS) office (248) 644-8400 mobile (313) 377-4210 email aj_kreiss@yahoo.com help and with the continued support of the Roman Catholic Rite. Despite this infancy period as a new Chaldean church, the doors are open. “The church is always open to everyone,” said Msgr. Kejbou, “as a place to find peace, to worship and to pray. I am asking parishioners to show commitment to the house of God and be with us to build a parish community here at Holy Cross. “ Like every pastor, Msgr. Kejbou will bring to Holy Cross his experience and talents. “I come with an approach inspired by his Holiness — Pope Francis I — who said on the day of his election and has repeated several times, ‘I am like a grandfather who has the responsibility of transmitting the faith to the younger generation.’ The Ten Commandments tells us that we are to ‘honor thy father and mother’ particularly because they have handed down the faith. I am 66 years old and have been a priest for almost 45. I bring Omar Binno to this church my years of experience and desire to learn from my new environment. I come with the wisdom and there are people with talent and energy. Pope John XXIII said, ‘The church is like a carriage drawn by two horses — the wisdom of the old and the energy of the young — it is how we progress forward.’” The first wedding at Holy Cross is scheduled for September while the first Holy Cross babies were baptized last month. While the transition from St. Coleman to Holy Cross continues, Msgr. Kejbou works with the community to build the choirs, to add more altar servers, Eucharistic ministers, deacons and catechists who will prepare younger Chaldeans to receive the sacrament of first reconciliation and Holy Communion. As time passes, the church will fully emerge as another vibrant Chaldean parish in communion with Christ. The transition from St. Coleman to Holy Cross happened quickly and Msgr. Kejbou wasted no time settling in, rolling up his sleeves and getting to work. “From the first day I got this assignment, Farmington became my home and the parishioners of Holy Cross became my family. I look forward to embark on this faith journey with them.” 36600 Woodward Ave. • Bloomfield Hills • www.bloomfield-hills.mercedes.com PLYMOUTH TWP. 49249 5 Mile Road (734) 254-9944 www.tomotonight.com Beck Road Five Mile Road Mercedes-Benz of Bloomfield Hills 20% off Your Total Food Bill EXCLUDES SPECIAL • EXPIRES 5/31/2013 TROY 2959 E. Big Beaver Road (248) 817-2454 www.troytomocuisine.wix.com/tomosushi Dequindre Road Big Beaver Road M-14 BRAND NEW! 50% off Special Rolls Only EXCLUDES SPECIAL • EXPIRES 5/31/2013 SUSHI WEST BLOOMFIELD TWP. 33214 W. 14 Mile Road (248) 737-4188 www.wbninja.com Farmington Road SUSHI 14 Mile Road MAY 2013 CHALDEAN NEWS 37
