ܒܝܬ ܬܘܠܡܕܐ ܕܡܪܝ ܐܒܐ ܪܒܐ
The Seminary of Mar Abba the Great
1245 Jamacha Rd
El Cajon, CA 92019
(619) 334-8427
Rector: Fr. Andrew Younan
"Follow
me, and I will make you fishers of men."
- Matthew 4:19
Dear
Faithful Baptized in Christ,
The power of
the Faith cannot be overcome by any force in this world.
A
beautiful sign of this, brothers and sisters, is the recent
establishment, in the Catholic Diocese of St. Peter the Apostle
for Chaldeans & Assyrians, of the Seminary of Mar Abba the
Great. Against all odds, you, the people of the Diocese of St.
Peter, sent forth your prayers, your good wishes, and your
financial contribution to aid the bishop in establishing this
seminary. In June of this year, a down payment was placed on a
suitable house – one just the right size and nearby the
Cathedral – thanks to your prayers and donations.
On July 25th, Mar Sarhad Yawsip
Jammo blessed the new house of discernment,
which instantly became a spiritual center for our Church, not
only for the men discerning, but for all of us, who have now a
new intention in our prayers to God and a new hope for the
future of our Church and Diocese.
Almost immediately, the news spread throughout the
world, and we received congratulations – and even inquiries of
potential seminarians – from Canada, Europe, and the Middle
East. Nor is this any surprise:
this is the first and only Chaldean
seminary outside of Iraq!
Indeed, recalling the devastating plight of our brethren in our
Homeland and the increasingly dark (and almost despairing)
future of our People there, it becomes more and more our duty
both to pray constantly for them and to guarantee, for this same
People, the future of the Church that is both theirs and ours.
Indeed, in a troubled
present, we must look to the future,
both of our Church and our culture, for the two are intimately
connected. This is
precisely the mission of the Seminary of Mar Abba the Great.
Here young men are trained above all in faith, hope and charity,
so that they may serve God’s people with all the virtues
required; they are taught, from day one, in classical and spoken
Aramaic, in order to revive and renew the culture of our
forefathers; beginning next year, God-willing, they will be
provided with a full-scale program in theology and philosophy,
that they may preach the Gospel powerfully in the modern world.
These are all
investments in nothing other than the future of our Church and
People.
This is the reason why I am writing to you; to ask
you to invest in the future - a future that is only as bright as
we wish to make it. Now is the time; today is the day; this is
the critical moment, when every action can define us, when every
prayer is needed, when every penny can change the world. We have
placed the down payment on the house and moved in. Our life in
priestly training has begun; but it has not ended. In addition
to the monthly mortgage payments,
we need, above all a place to
pray!
We are training men to serve the altar, but do not have one of
our own! From the loftiest, most beautiful part of life, we move
to the most human: the broken septic tank.
Both of these two (in their own ways) essential
pieces of the seminary can be completed, thankfully, for around
the price of an average new car. This is
where the faithful of the Diocese of St. Peter are so badly
needed. The many projects of
the Diocese, from convents and monasteries to parishes and
missions, are all essential to the spiritual life of the people
they serve, but are all sources of financial strain.
It is my hope that, through the
help
of people like you, the Seminary of Mar Abba the Great can
become a self-sufficient element in this Diocese.
And though I am a young priest who has served only four years, I
have never been disappointed by the people of God.
What we are asking is very simple: $100 a
month.
If only 30 families step forward and
become a part of this project, we could secure our monthly
mortgage payment; if 40, our food, drink and utilities; if 50,
we may accomplish our dream of a chapel for prayer. Any help, of
course, is most welcome and needed.
I entrust this mission, dear faithful, to your
capable hands. Your Church needs you; her future rests upon your
shoulders. Most importantly, of course, I ask your prayers for
the seminarians, for all of our spiritual and material
benefactors, and for me. May God bless you abundantly.
Your
servant in Christ,
Fr.
Andrew Younan
Rector
To become a Benefactor of the Seminary of Mar Abba the
Great, checks payable to “St. Peter Diocese” may be sent to:
St.
Peter Diocese
1627 Jamacha Way
El Cajon, CA 92019
For any questions, feel free to call: (619) 579-7997.
