Mother clothed with light, plead for mercies, on the day of your Assumption, from that Fruit which dawned from your womb, for the assembly that has come to your banquet and extols on the day of your passing, that in unity and perfect love, it may magnify your name… — Basilica Hymn

In the mid 5th century, when the Roman Emperor Marcian and Empress Pulcheria wished to obtain the body of the Blessed Virgin, St. Juvenal of Jerusalem informed them that there was no body. When after she had been buried, St. Thomas, having arrived late, requested to see her but the grave was found empty and the Apostles concluded that she had been carried off to heaven by the angels.

The St. Andrew Missal explains: “Her life was spent in helping the Apostles and in praying for the conversion of the world. On the third day after Mary’s death, when the Apostles gathered around her tomb, they found it empty.” Apocryphal works would expand on the story of how St. Thomas had seen the Holy Mother being carried by angels, and thus wanted to open the grave to confirm what had been revealed to him on his way to west from India.

The dogma of Mary’s Assumption stands, as with so many other articles of our faith, as a stumbling block and nonsense to those outside of the Apostolic Christian faith, but to those who have been enlightened by the light of Christ’s teaching, it gives joy and hope. To Catholics, it is a reassurance of God’s faithfulness and a glimpse of the promise of eternal life.

Blessed are you, who, on the day of her assumption, caused a commotion among angels: they came and accompanied your soul in reverence with your resplendent body; — Basilica Hymn

Mary’s Assumption is the belief that Mary did not suffer the corruption of death, but having been delivered from it, she was carried, body and soul, to heaven, being the first human to experience the resurrection and eternal life. This article of faith, shared by all Apostolic denominations, was formally declared as a dogma of the Catholic faith by Pope Pius XII on November 1,1950. The Second Vatican Council, in Lumen Gentium, reaffirmed that she had been assumed into heaven and been installed, by our Lord Jesus, as Queen over all.

The belief in the Assumption of Mary proceeds exactly from the Church’s understanding of her purity. As Lumen Gentium rightfully points out, it is because she was preserved “free from all stain of original sin,” that she was taken up into heavenly glory. The Incarnation of our Lord in the womb of Mary presupposes her Immaculate Conception, which in turn leads to her Assumption. The Eastern Churches refer to her Dormition in that she did not experience the “sting of death” {1 Cor 15.55}, but went through death as one falling asleep. The Chaldean Church refers to her Departure (shunaya), because she crossed from this life into the next. Truly from all age, God had prepared Mary; the Servant of God Archbishop Fulton Sheen explains, “She existed in the Divine Mind as an Eternal Thought before there were any mothers.”

Blessed is Christ who honored you, O spring of purity, and brought your soul and your splendidly-clothed body to the land of life and the bedchamber of happiness. — Basilica Hymn

This is what our people declare in their Hymn on the Feast of Her Assumption. Our Church of the East tradition had Three Feast days associated with St. Mary, of which the third was associated with her Departure. This commemoration of her Assumption takes place in the Liturgical calendar on August 15th, a date that had been accepted universally by the Church back as early as the 6th century.

The Assumption of Mary is a matter of hope for the faithful of the Chaldean Church. As those familiar with the Church’s tradition will be quick to recognize, the bedchamber of the heavenly bridegroom is the location of the fulfillment of God’s promise to the saints. {cf. Pope John Paul II’s theology of the body and current teaching which places Marriage squarely as a Sacrament of the salvation story} St. Mary is the first who is admitted to that promised resurrected life. Christ is the bridegroom and so the bedchamber belongs to Him. He vanquished death, removing its sting, and His bodily resurrection is something accomplished by Himself as God. But Mary was saved from death and resurrected and taken body and soul, in an anticipation of what all the faithful will experience. It is a sign of her participation of Christ’s resurrection. They too will be raised up into the heavenly bedchamber.

Again, her Assumption is a matter of hope, in that she has been installed as the Queen of Heaven, being the Mother of Christ our Lord and savior. She is interceding on our behalf to her Son, as she did at the wedding at Cana. She can be implored to ask the Lord for mercy and the Church prays in the Basilica Hymn of her Feast Day: “Ask him on our behalf for mercies and the forgiveness of debts, that we may be worthy, with you and with the angels, to cry out and say: Hallelujah!”

The Assumption attests to God’s faithfulness. The promise of the eternal life to come, the destruction of death’s dominion over us has been realized. No matter how dreary the plight suffered by a Christian, as brothers and sisters in Christ, we have a mother who looks after her children, pleading to her Son, who has realized in her the promise He made to His Apostles, to His church. It is why Pope Benedict can proclaim “The luminous sign of Our Lady taken up into Heaven shines out even more brightly when sad shadows of suffering and violence seem to loom on the horizon.” {Pope Benedict XVI, 2006}

In the Old Testament, God’s connection with the bounty of the land is well attested.  Indeed it was right and proper to implore His blessings and give Him thanks for harvests.  Israel celebrated three Harvest festivals, Pescha {Passover}, Shav’outh {Feast of Weeks} that marked the appearance of the “first fruits” of the harvest, and the Sukkot {Feast of Booths} that marked the ingathering.  Shav’outh would occur in May or June.

With the early Christians, a further connection was made also between the Holy Mother and the harvests; she was after all the one who conceived, bore, and gave birth to our Savior, the fruit of her womb, Jesus.

In the Chaldean liturgical cycle, there were three feasts dedicated to St. Mary as the protector of the fields, one for the blessing of planting, one for the protection of the first fruits, and one for the blessing of the harvest.  The blessing of the planting was connected to the Annunciation, and her conception of the Christ, and the last of these, the blessing of the harvests, with the death and subsequent Assumption of Mary.  The second feast has retained it’s agricultural reference as the “Commemoration of St. Mary for the protection of the fields,” remembering how St. Mary protected and nourished the Child in her womb until the time of His birth.  This is the feast which was celebrated recently {May 15th}.

May indeed has been a month special to the Church in their reverence to St. Mary, and more recently, the month has been further associated with Mary with the apparition of our Lady of Fatima starting on May 13th, 1917.

May the Blessed Virgin’s prayers be of benefit to all the faithful, to whom she is a mother as well.

All the saints were triumphant in fasting, fasting from sin and not only from bread.
Moses on Mt. Sinai was triumphant, and Elijah also was elevated by it.
Our Savior Jesus, by it conquered death and granted victory to our nature.
And he gave us authority that if it be our desire, we too shall conquer.
Let us confess Him who by His glorious fast made known to us His divinity, to Him be glory!
– Evening Hymn of Paloo

Thus we proclaim in one of our Hymns during the “Paloo” evening prayer service.  The Aramaic name “Paloo” comes from the word “Palga” meaning half, and with half of Lent finished it behooves us to reflect on our fast.  Why have we gone down this road?  Is it a benefit to us?

Why have we gone down this road?  In the Old Testament, fasting is associated with deliverance.  Forty day periods, either of fasting or a symbol for it — such as the forty days of rain during the time of Noah, and the forty years of travel through the desert during the Exodus — are often ended with deliverance into safety, or the promised land, signifying a communion with God, often presented by a covenant with Him.  Moses fasted for forty days while he was with the Lord, and after that period he came forth with the tablets of the Ten Commandments and his face shone because he had talked to God {Ex 34}.

Lord, the love of resplendent fasting, a deed of virtue,
by which Moses was made worthy to receive the the law;
and Elijah was taken up by the fiery chariot;
and Joshua, the son of Nun, who was triumphant,
stopped the course of the sun and made it stand,
with the love and splendor of fasting;
and Daniel closed the mouths of lions,
and the three youths in the furnace quenched the flame;
and because of it, we also entreat you to have mercy on us.
– Morning Hymn of Paloo

This morning hymn offers further OT examples in which fasting led to triumph or deliverance from harm.  It finishes proclaiming our hopes that by fasting, we too will be able to ask the Lord for mercy, which is triumph and deliverance from evil, ultimately salvation.

Why did Jesus Christ, the sinless Man-God, fast?  In the Gospels, our Lord gives an example Himself, being led by the Spirit into the desert, fasted forty days, after which He was tempted by the Deceiver.  When the devil had been frustrated and left Him, suddenly holy angels came and waited on Him {Mt 4:11}.

The hymn states that by fasting, Christ conquered death and granted us the authority to conquer it as well.  It also  rightly associates His fast with the knowledge of His divinity.  During His fast, the devil was confounded, and the greater glory revealed: to live by every word that comes from the mouth of God, not to put Him to the test, and to worship and serve Him alone.  Christ would start His ministry proclaiming: “Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” {Mt 4:17}  It was not only to set an example for us, or in accordance with OT expectations of Him that he fasted, but rather to conquer sin and lead us to salvation; it is so that we can acknowledge and praise the Glory of God.  Our Lord came out of the desert as the New Law, the living Decalogue, the Icon of God that would proclaim by His life, deeds, and sayings, the commandment to “love the Lord our God with all our heart, and all our soul and all our mind,” and “our neighbor as our self.” {Mt 22:37-39}

Why do we fast, and is it of benefit to us?  We hope that — by the power of the Holy Spirit and in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ — having defeated the Evil one and resisted his temptations through fasting during this time of Lent, we may be worthy of dying and being reborn into Christ at Easter, and in so doing be delivered into our safety, the kingdom of God.  This is the benefit for us.  This is why during this time of Lent, we keep looking to the Cross, praying the Way of the Cross, knowing full well that by sharing in His death, we too shall share in His resurrection.

To defeat the Deceiver is no trivial task.  During this time of lent, let us meditate and reflect: have we given enough thought to the words, “rend your hearts and not your clothing” {Jl 2:13}, and do we truly believe that God will not spurn a “broken and contrite heart” {Ps 51:17}.  Throughout the Lenten period, many daily hymns and prayers, like the evening hymn from Paloo above, emphasize that fasting is from sin and not only from food.  In our culture fasting from meats and other external Lenten forms are all too readily practiced, but we must remember to the internal deeds required of us, meditation and prayer.  Let us concentrate, not just on fasting, but alms-giving, helping those in need, praying, and prayerful reading of the teaching of the Church and her saints and, especially, the Bible.  Only with internal reflection and prayer, can we be lead to true compunction and contrition, leading us to entreat the Lord, our Savior:

Clean me with the tears of my repentance, Lord,

and by your mercy and grace give me forgiveness of sins,

and because of my remorse absolve my transgressions,

my savior of great mercy, Lord have mercy on me.

– Morning Hymn of Paloo

On Friday, March 4th, the last Friday of the Season of the Epiphany, St. Mary’s parish celebrated the Memorial of the Faithful Deceased.  This commemoration is the Chaldean equivalent to that of All Soul’s in the Roman liturgical calendar, or the Saturday of the Dead in the Byzantine liturgical calendars.  In these Eastern rites, the date is the eight Sunday before Easter, and two before Lent, but on that day, the members of those churches traditionally began to abstain from meat.  But in our Chaldean (Church of the East) practice, this date marks the last Friday before entry into Lent itself.

This day is a day that our people recognize by tradition.  The names of dead friends and relatives are presented to the priest and are then read aloud during the service.  This is due to the apostolic {and Old Testament} belief that prayers for the dead avail them.  In his Mystagogical Orations, St. Cyril of Jerusalem, a doctor of the Catholic Church whose writings are greatly appreciated by our rite, talks of petitions “[on behalf also of all] who in past years have fallen asleep among us, believing that it will be a very great benefit to the souls, for whom the supplication is put up, while that holy and most awful sacrifice is set forth.”

Apologists will readily recognize that quote as one used to defend the doctrine of Purgatory, which explains theologically what the Church has practiced and believed from Her beginning.  We pray that they may be forgiven their sins, and that their oblation may be accepted with that of the saints.  We pray that at the resurrection they will be able to stand before Him and sing His glory with the hosts above.

The timing of this feast, at the gates of the onset of Lent, is not an accident.  We remember, in the season of Epiphany, that Christ revealed to us Truth, the Trinity, and hence enlightened our minds that we may be saved from the darkness of ignorance.   As we get ready to enter into contest with Evil with the ascetic labor, we remember those who have finished their struggles and race in this life.  We pray to Christ that when He reveals Himself again in glory, in His mercy He will forgive them.

Let us enter into Lent hopeful, remembering also of the communion of saints, knowing that we pray for those who have gone on before us, just as they will pray for us before the throne of the Compassionate One, our Lord and King, our God.  Let us now labor, awaiting His second dawning.

From the silence his day dawns, and his saints are all awake, and all those who labored, wearied and prepared are lighting their lamps.
 – Morning Hymn of Mar Ephrem

Thanks be to God, that there are many brave people standing up for these basic human rights, and their numbers are increasing.  This was very apparent in this years Walk for Life West Coast, held on Saturday, January 22nd, 2011, which was the largest one held to this date, estimates of the numbers widely ranging, but probably somewhere close to 35-40 thousand.  What held even more promise, was the young age of a great portion of those who participated in the walk.  Those who will help shape the future, are hearing the call of their pastors to defend the life of the vulnerable whose rights are being trampled, and who are dying daily in numbers that would in any other case be considered genocide by any government.

St. Peter’s Diocese is likewise hearing the cries, and standing up for justice.  This year had the largest number of walkers from the Northern California Parishes, St. Mary, St. Thomas, and St. Matthew.  We were particularly blessed to have with us, Fr. Andrawis Toma, the pastor of St. Mary, and Fr. Michael Barota, the pastor of St. Matthew, as well as Deacon Ninev Nissan.  Our priests led us in prayers, and were a source of joy and encouragement to all.  We sang church songs and prayers.  Almost 30 people walked from St. Mary’s parish alone, and although we had parents and children, the majority were youth and young adults.

The youth of our parishes who walked are an inspiration since they were willing to put aside work, school, console games and TV, to spend a day walking and praying in solidarity for life.  The pro-life movement has been a steadily increasing movement within our youth and amongst our parishioners.  As had been reported previously, the life position is default position of most Chaldeans and Assyrians, as they are by default a Catholic people, and abortion is an unspeakable offense in our homelands in the Middle East.  Most who have migrated to lands in diaspora, do not realize the pervasiveness with which the culture of death has infiltrated Western societies which are presumed to value basic Christian and human rights.

The numbers of people who are increasingly involved in the pro-life movement are increasing yearly.  From a handful of people in the Walk for Life three years ago, we have increased to between 40 and 50 members this year, and by the end of the night, all were encouraged to be more active.  One person is a member of the Walk for Life organization, helping them with preparation activity and event photography.  We are making plans to have more people next year and be more organized, bringing banners and posters.

Pro-life is the Church’s belief, and we will continue to preach it, walking for life yearly, and participating in events like 40 Days for Life, until the unjust murder of millions is ended.  We will educate our fellow youth, parishioners, all our brothers and sisters, Christian and non-Christian, as not only faith, but reason and natural law also dictate that we should stand up for life, especially of the most vulnerable and innocent when they are unjustly led to the slaughter.

Group Photo at the end

Archbishop Fulton Sheen once wrote that there were two classes of men who visited the Christ, the Majestic King of all, as a babe in his crib.  “Shepherds: those who know they know nothing.  [And] wise men: those who know they do not know everything… Only the simple and only the wise find Christ, because both are humble; both acknowledge either ignorance or the limitation of human knowledge.”  This season of Advent, Subara, that we have entered, contains one of the great Mysteries that was revealed to us, a Mystery that cannot even now be completely fathomed by human investigation.

The great Mystery that had been hidden for centuries and for generations has been revealed to us in the final age: the Only-Begotten, who is in the Womb of his Begetter, came and assumed the form of a servant in his grace; and he related and revealed to us the perfect faith of the Trinity. (Basilica Hymn)

The humility that the shepherds and wise men had is the same humility that calls us into trust in and obedience to God’s self-revelation and His Church.  It is a humility that recognizes the great Love that God has for us: Love that was manifested to us in such a real and personal way that it became Incarnate for our sake.  The event of Christmas is a love story, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.  Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3)

It is the Love of God, the Perfect Being who did not need us, that led to all of creation.  It is that same Love that, although we had fallen of our own fault, and although Justice did not demand it, and in an act of overabundance, led to Mercy being given to us.  It is Love that led the second Person of the Holy Trinity, to regard us so highly as to humble Himself and take on our manhood:

Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
–Philippians 2

For our salvation, it was enough that the Word condescended to our level, to bring us up to His: God became a man, so that man might become God. (St. Athanasius) One cry, one tear from the Babe was enough for the infinitely good God to redeem mankind.  Yet, in the superabundance of His love, He would continue to death even on the Cross.  But His passion and resurrection are yet to come in our liturgical year, so we will meditate on His birth.

This is a season of hope to be sure.  The angel said to Zechariah, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard.”  To Mary he said, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”  And he assuaged Joseph, her betrothed, and let him know the hope that was to come, “She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”  The great Mystery that was awaited from times of old would be revealed, the salvation awaited for was upon them, that which was prophesied by the Holy Spirit through the prophet Isaiah would be fulfilled: ‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel’, which means, ‘God is with us.’

How do we prepare for this great act of Love that is Christmas?  Shall we be like the Magi, who travelled from Persia seeking Him that they may adore Him, or will we force Him to be born away from us, in a manger, because there was no place for Him in the inn.  The book of Ecclesiasticus provides counsel, “Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, who do his commands; seek righteousness, seek humility.”  Humility leads us to obedience to His commands.  We accept His teachings, as guarded by His Church, and obey her mandates, since She is the Bride and Body of our Lord, and He is Her Head.  Humility makes us rely on Him, the all-powerful Lord of hosts, and this reliance leads us to prayer.  In this season of Advent, let us turn to prayer in even greater earnestness.

We seek Him in humility.  And how do we find Him?  Our Lord Himself declared, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”  The Word incarnate is the icon of God, therefore we must be pure of heart to see Him.  Along with obedience and prayer, we need to purify our hearts, putting away vices such as anger, jealousy, avarice.  We must make peace with our brethren, and pray for our enemies.  Above all, we must be diligent and vigilant, lest we should fall into greater pride.  In his nativity hymns, St. Ephrem offers us great advice on how to keep this vigil before his coming:

Indeed, my friends, let us not forget in our wakefulness:
illicit is the vigil of one who does not watch as he should.
Deep sleep is the vigil of one who watches unworthily;
its opposite, too, is the vigil of one who watches unchastely.
The vigil of a jealous man is an abundance full of emptiness,
and his watch is a matter full of scorn and disgrace.
If an angry man keeps watch, his vigil is disturbed by anger,
and his watch itself becomes full of wrath and curses.
If a garrulous man keeps vigil, his mouth becomes a thoroughfare
useful for destroying but wearisome for prayers.
If a discerning man keeps vigil, he chooses one of two:
either he sleeps sweetly, or he keeps vigil righteously.

Serene is the night on which shines for the Serene One Who came to give us eternity.
Do not allow anything that might disturb it to enter upon our watch.
Let the path of the ear be cleared; let the sight of the eye be chastened;
let the contemplation of the heart be sanctified;
let the speech of the mouth be purified.

One final thing we must attend to during this season.  Christ was really among us, firmly in history.  His coming to us was possible through the cooperation of His saints, who through His grace were allowed a part in our salvation History.  Let us strive to imitate them, while turning to them in prayer, asking that they may pray for us to our Lord.

The Holy Family played an important role during Christ’s nativity.  St. Joseph was entrusted the care of the child Jesus and his betrothed, the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Above all, we turn to her, Mary, the Holy Mother, who played the most important role in bringing about the Incarnation of the Word.  Filled with grace, she would assent to fully subjugating herself to the Lord’s will, for the sake of the world: ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’  With this Fiat, she became the new Holy of Holies, containing within her the uncontainable, becoming the new Eve, the mother of Christ, the mother of His Church.

The daughter of man became the Tree of Life for the whole mortal race, for the Glorious Fruit which dawned from her pours forth and grants all benefits. (Basilica Hymn)

October 14, 2009

Celebrating Our Belonging to Each Other in Christ
By: Bishop Sarhad Yawsip Jammo

Numerous faithful of our parishes in north California are scheduled to come to St. Peter Cathedral in San Diego, for a first-time Pilgrimage, on Saturday, October 17-18, 2009.  The historic meaning of this event cannot be ignored.  The movement of ecclesiastic unity between a segment of clergy and faithful of the Assyrian Church of the East and the Chaldean Catholic Dioceses in the USA was a daring endeavor to contemplate, endure and achieve.  Only the grace of God working in the hearts of genuine faithful who submit themselves to the will of the Lord as expressed in his Holy Scriptures and in the understanding of Mesopotamian Tradition could have provided the needed clarity of vision and the endurance for all sides involved, in order to reach a happy finality. The principles and methodology that ruled the process leading to this finality have been proven to be a formula of success to emulate and expand.

Vision of Ecclesiology and Practical Approach:

1 - Living for centuries in a Christian community of particular Churches, each of them believing in a different Ecclesiology, the heirs of the ancient Mesopotamian Church of the East, the Chaldeans and Assyrians, had to contemplate at the present time the Lordly call to ecclesial unity.  It was the pursuit of this goal of unity with humble research and candor, warming up to it a few years ago, which led a sizable group of Assyrians to merge in the Chaldean Catholic Dioceses of the USA and Australia.Happily, they are now serenely settled in equality of membership within the heritage of their own historic Church, sharing with Chaldeans and fellow Assyrians dignity, responsibility, and mutually enriching communion in the Lord.

2 -In pursuing ecclesial unity, a clear recognition of fact has been reached: that the Chaldean Catholic Church, due to its patriarchal dynasty, its actual size, its preservation of Mesopotamian ecclesial patrimony, and its spiritual and educational vitality, is the main remnant and heir of the ancient Church of the East. Therefore, she is as such the genuine “home” for all other segments and branches. Indeed, the Chaldean Catholic Church is the only extant institution in which Chaldeans and Assyrians declare freely and serenely mutual belonging and unity.

Valid Principal:
In addition to dogmatic principles, a fundamental principal in our dialogue for ecclesial unity was
and remains: to retrieve the apostolic heritage of the ancient Church of the East, especially
in the matter of liturgy, connect our practice to it, considering it a primordial reference in
all further developments.

Valid Methodology:
An ideal methodology, aiming at achieving ecclesial unity between Chaldeans and Assyrians would
envisage a dialogue between the two hierarchies.  This method was tried vigorously until it exhausted
its factual capacity, reaching a halt.  A different approach was then attempted:
to dialogue between the willing segments of both sides, in mutual recognition and equal dignity.
Happily for all sides, this method bore precious results. That is what we shall celebrate.

The following article was taken from Kaldu.org.  This is a news report on a joyous visit from our bishop Mar Sarhad.  Our newly united parish celebrated the Holy Offering with the new reformed missal.

On Sunday, February 21, 2010, in an unprecedented gathering of Christian unity and solidarity, over 400 faithful parishioners packed the standing-room-only St. Mary’s Assyrian Chaldean Catholic Church to mark the beginning of a new chapter in the history of our beloved Church and Diocese.  During this blessed day of prayer, the parishioners were introduced to the newly reformed mass, reflecting the authentic and cherished heritage of our forefather, the Church of the East.  The beautiful mass was lead by our spiritual leader, His Grace Mar Sarhad Yosip Jammo and the two parish priests, Father Youshia Sana and Chorbishop Samuel Dinkha, who were accompanied by a large number of Deacons and the mesmerizing voice of a 40-member strong choir.

During sermon, the parishioners further rejoiced as His Grace, Mar Sarhad announced the final and complete integration of the hundreds of new Catholic families who recently joined our Church along with Bishop Mar Bawai Soro.  During his strong message of Christian solidarity and love, Mar Sarhad explained in details the integration of both masses, the merger of all spiritual and administrative issues, as well as the various Church committees into one.  He further thanked the leadership of the parish priest, Father Youshia Sana for his exemplary demonstration of Christian spirit and leadership and expressed his gratitude to all those who greeted our growing Christian family with open arms.

After mass, the parishioners packed the Church hall for a social gathering, while embracing and congratulating one another on this new and happy beginning.  Indeed, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live and dwell together in unity.  Psalm 133:1

It has been brought to my attention that the flicker account where I got some of the following photos from is actually public.  For more photos please see Walk for Life West Coast 2010.

———–

It was a rainy Saturday morning and we were really hoping that it would clear up like it was supposed to. Many phone calls were being made, and much discussion of where and how the youth of St. Peter, St. Mary, St. Thomas, and St. Matthew parishes would find each other… the parishes being spread from San Diego to San Jose. The youth were using this day’s occasion, to once again meet each other and together, walk, proclaim, and pray for life and it’s sanctity. And I was very proud of them, and blessed to be with them. And this walk for me was to serve as a great source of hope.

First, some background for those who might not be familiar with our diocese. St. Peter’s is a Chaldean Catholic diocese. Being pro-life is a subject that our people are not yet fully aware of. Sure, we are pro-life… any Christian has to be. But our Chaldean/Assyrian culture treats sex outside of marriage as a very immoral taboo, and along with that abortion, is an even bigger taboo. Many people in the older generations don’t realize that the amount of influence local culture has on the younger people. Unfortunately, many are unaware of the great message that the late Pope John Paul II, the Great, was emphasizing in his theology of the body, which was not so much a new message or outlook, but really a re-emphasis. Yet, these youth who came to this event are very much aware of the plight of all our brothers and sisters being killed daily in this horrendous plight upon our society… abortion. They had come, ready to walk, and to pray.

Last year was the first Walk we participated in. We had only a couple of weeks to get the word out, and a handful of people came. That handful would come away from the walk, determined to return every year until the abolition of abortion. They would also participate in the 40 days for life. A year later, they were here again, and with others with them.

We in Northern California were delighted to have the seminarians from Mar Abba Seminary join us. They had come along with almost 50 other people from John Paul the Great Catholic University, the university where they attend classes. Our group from San Jose had been expanded by a handful, and St. Matthew and St. Thomas had hands-full of youth as well.

From small beginnings, great things… The first Walk for Life had about 7,000. Last years, had over 30,000. This year was even bigger… my guess 35,000. Although numbers do not determine the importance of an issue, it enheartens us to know so many others give are willing to walk for such an important walk. It a delight to see older people, priests, friars, nuns, and others walking.

And yet, there was something even more significant: the number of young people, high school, college youth. Everywhere I went, and everywhere I looked, they were the majority. They were singing in groups, praying, carrying signs, and happy to be there despite the rains! These young people in America are active and involved in this fight against the plague of abortion. They are idealists, and want to make the difference, to proclaim God’s love, and the sanctity of life! They are not asleep, or too busy playing their Playstation3′s and watching their tv’s. They have created outreach programs, campus ministry programs, and prayer groups.

Our diocese youth are the same: idealistic, and filled with apostolic zeal for the sanctity of life. Everyone I talked to about the issue was passionate and dedicated. Our seminarians have been involved in prayer groups in front of abortion mills. So have many of the youth from San Jose, Turlock, and Ceres. We had listened sympathetically to confessions from the “Silent No More” group of men and women who told us their terrifying personal experiences with abortion. Even then, we were amazed and encouraged by their firm stance in witnessing and proclaiming the message of life. Those confessions had touched the hearts of our youth and they would be involved again, in 40 days for life, and the next walk, and other programs. Some would preach the message of life to friends and school mates, not fearing to be pro-life in a society that will ridicule them and oppress them for that. And everyone wanted to make next year’s walk a bigger event for our diocese.

This year, I once again thanked Fr. Pavone, from Priests for Life, for all his hard work and diligence, and took the opportunity to get a photo with him, and a blessing as well.

Looking back at the walk, I fondly recall one site that stood out. Small kids, very young in age, had walked through rain, and when one man started reciting the entire rosary {not just five decades, but all decades}, they were quick to pull up beside him, pulling out their rosaries and joining in. Blessed be God! I don’t know how much they understand about what abortion is really, and I don’t know how much they understand the “philosophical” and “legal” aspects of the “debate”, but they had a love for God, and the prayer of the rosary which they prayed for the intention of life. Luckily, one of our youths saw it as well and took a photo of the two standing next to the man saying the rosary. I was very happy to see that photo.

I have faith, and hope… Love will overcome.

— This last one is a photo from St. Peter and Paul Church in Little Italy in SF.  This is where we went to pray after our walk.