I have nothing against self-esteem if you like that kind of thing, but there’s nothing to get you out of bed in the morning like a solid guilt trip. The liturgical season the Chaldean Church is in right now is all about repentance (and that’s a good name for it if you ask me, rather […]
The language of the Chaldean and Assyrian people is colloquially called “Surath” but technically named Neo-Aramaic by linguists. Two families of regional dialects closely related to each another are, at least in English usage, called Chaldean and Assyrian. I am one of a growing number of Chaldean priests who do not know Arabic, but I […]
Somebody had a horrible idea for some of us priests to do a discussion panel show to catechize/entertain/annoy people during the quarantine. I hate it and I hate cameras, and this is my life now. Here’s the first six episodes, in backwards order because we get slightly less awkward as it goes on:
Yesterday I argued that a fitting Patron Saint of Quarantines is Mar Abba the Great. Here’s a novena in honor of him that we put together several years ago (also available on the Emmanuel Chaldean prayer app on Android and iPhone). Novena of Prayers from the Chaldean Liturgy Composed by Mar Abba the Great Patriarch of the Church […]
Pictured above is the Patron of our Chaldean Seminary here near San Diego: Mar Abba the Great. I humbly propose, to whomever it is that decides these things, that he should be knighted the Patron Saint of Quarantines. Here’s a blurb I wrote on him for our diocesan liturgical calendar a while ago: A convert […]
(Refrain- Through the prayers of the just who pleased you, have pity on sinners who call to you, and send us, from your treasury, pity, mercies, and salvation.) 1- If our creation is hateful, the blame is with the Creator. If our freedom is evil, the accusation comes to us. If we do not have […]
English Prayer text below. Wednesday of Ba’utha In pain and tears and fervent prayer, we cry to you, good Lord above! Be our healer and our wise guide: deep are our wounds; bitter our pain. We have no right to plead to you: our faults abound, our malice soars. The sea and […]
English prayer text below. Tuesday of Ba’utha In pain and tears and fervent prayer, we cry to you, good Lord above! Be our healer and our wise guide: deep are our wounds; bitter our pain. We have no right to plead to you: our faults abound, our malice soars. The sea and […]
(Refrain – Let us love holy fasting, in which the victorious were crowned; let us participate in their contest and be joined to their crowns.) 1 – Daniel longed after fasting as one would thirst for wine; he loved temperance as the greedy love gain. He turned to fasting and grew young: he fasted for […]
(Refrain – Thanks to him who gave us his holy fast, a mighty weapon against the enemy.) 1 – God, open my mouth that I may sing the story of holy fasting, whose work is filled with blessings: it clarifies the mind; it scours the body; it expels sin from our species. It is the […]
