Dear People
This is the Feast of St. Joseph the Just and the
occasion of the sixth anniversary of the establishment of our Chaldean
church in Toronto and the first in Canada. We are celebrating the
blessing of the second phase of the development of our church building.
It is with a great honor and heartfelt wish that I thank the Lord
for His gifts, blessings and graces which were given to me and to
you, my dear faithful. These gifts and blessings were given by God
to us. Firstly we celebrate the unity of the community living in
true love. This unity is expressed in our love for God and for our
neighbor. This unity of love and harmony starts at the altar with
the priest, the deacons, the choir members, the people present in
the church, the Confraternity of Love and Mercy, the school, the
councils of the church and those involved in the website.
The Priest
The priest is the intercessor between God and the
people. Jesus the high priest establishes the status of the priest
over the angels and seraphim as our book of rites of ordination
says. “You are blessed O priest because your position which is honored
by the servants of fire and spirit.” It continues saying that Gabriel
and Michael honor the position of the priesthood and consider themselves
in a lower lever than the priests.
The Lord gave the priest the power to forgive.”
If you forgive people’s sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive
them, they are not forgiven.” John 20:23 As well, the priesthood
is honored and loved by the Lord especially when the priest offers
sacrifice the body and the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Another
phrase from the Chaldean book of rites states “Let us approach the
priesthood as if it is the salt of the earth. It gives taste to
all that is tasteless with the power of the Spirit.”
The Deacons
The service of the deacons is one in which they
sanctify the name of God with songs full of thanks and glory and
with sweet hymns. They dignify the almighty God especially whey
they say, “O holy God. Almighty and immortal, have mercy on our
souls” Like the angels before the divine altar in heaven with one
voice they say “Holy, Holy, Holy God”
The Choir
The choir is a special group which sanctifies and
glorifies almighty God during the Holy Eucharist when they sing
our good hymns especially this son, “Waiting I had hoped in God:
the body of Christ and His precious blood are on the Holy altar.
Let each one of us approach Him with reverence and love. With the
angels let us shout to Him, Holy, Holy, and Holy Lord God.” The
body and the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ are upon the altar and
Jesus Christ, our Savior and King says” Come to me all of you who
hunger or thirst and I will give you my blessings and graces because
I am the fountain of thirst and hunger. I am the bread of life.”
The Faithful
Dear faithful, you are coming to the house of the
Lord and you are keeping the commandments of Our Lord holy church.
It is great joy for me because by this, we sanctify the name of
the Lord. It is a big encouragement for our Christian life. From
one side we show our love and honor to our God and on the other
side we show our love and concern for each other. This unify is
accomplished when we receive the body and the blood of our Lord
Jesus Christ after the sacrament of the Penance. While we are present
with pure prayer and the spirit of humility and with the songs of
forgiveness that come up before the altar of the Lord like the perfume
of incense. Like the tax collector let us say and sing the formula
of our liturgy: “Lord forgives the sins and offenses of your faithful.”
Confraternity of Love and Mercy
The purpose of the Confraternity of Love and Mercy
Bible study group, which was established in 1982 during the Iran-Iraq
war in my archdiocese, Ahwaz. Is to be holy and to encourage others
to be holy. Through the study of the holy bible we approach God
and receive the tranquility and the blessings of God. We will be
happy forever because Jesus Christ is living in our lives and we
have become a sacrifice and a present to God. At the same time we
share with Jesus Christ salvation of the world as His disciples,
through hour good example, our pure and humble lives in adding to
our personal beauty to proclaim the word of God with good evangelization
directed by the Holy Spirit.
The School
“Let the children come to Me.” We have established
a program to teach our Chaldean language, Chaldean culture, and
Chaldean liturgy and teach the fear of God in the Church. We are
blessed when we see the students of our International Program when
they kneel before the altar and show Jesus Christ respect and honor.
This attitude gives all of us joy and zeal. The same attitude is
reflected at home when the student of our school obey their parents.
In the same way the same attitude is doing well in the different
Catholic schools where our Chaldean students study. It is good to
mention how is great and joyful for me and all of you dear people
that these students of the Chaldean school will have a brilliant
future and holy lives. I am proud to say that all the students of
our Chaldean school since 1993 up to the present whether they get
married or have special positions or different work experiences
are living in holiness, true unity, true love and good example.
Sports
Every parent within the church and the school wants
to see their children happy in society. Sports are the best way
for our child and his friends to enjoy his community and share with
different communities. For me, when I saw that the children of my
community need social help, I worked with my parish council and
teachers of our international program to prepare a field for these
students. They are the altar boys and girls of our community. With
many thanks to almighty God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit
and to you, my dear people, we established 4 teams of Soccer last
May 2005 with 86 players. At the end of the season two of our teams
defeated the Spanish and Chilean teams. I thank all of you. I promise
to have 2 more teams for girls next summer. With this social experience
we will add to our holy, strong and prosperous community.
Chaldean Community Councils
With good work full of zeal and love I would like
to give thanks to our Chaldean Community Council for their collaboration
and cooperation with me and with the entire community. I would like
especially to thank the Finance committee, the Education Committee,
the Sports Committee and the Youth Committee. I would like to thank
all persons that were and are with me since 1992 as volunteers for
my own housekeeping, grounds keeping, snow removal and thee many
other services. Their position was for the benefit of the spiritual
and financial wellbeing of the church.
Web site
This organism was established on the seventh day
of January 2005 for the glory of God. It is like a flag or a light
of our community. It reflects our spiritual movement, our liturgical
work and our ecclesiastical work. Like the blessing of God. This
program consists of many cooperating committee. The purpose and
logo of the website is to carry the cross of Jesus with humility
and love to proclaim to all nations that Jesus Christ is the Savior
of the world.
With this demonstration of unity of all the instances
mentioned above, now we are happy altogether to have the house of
the Lord with which we glorify Him. We sanctify His name and we
praise Him. We are not 1300 individual families but are one family,
loving each other helping each other and respecting each other.
Altogether we carry our crosses, our problems and our difficulties
with Jesus Christ and we follow Him unto Golgotha where we find
peace, tranquility and joy forever. This was our mediation for this
year.
+ Archbishop Hanna Zora
Toronto, March, 19, 2006