Fall in Love with Autumn

And as we head into September, our minds have undoubtedly switched from splash pads and family road trips to school and extracurricular activities. But just because the kiddos are going back to school, it does not mean the fun has to stop. There are tons of ways to keep your family bonded and enjoy shared experiences even in the colder seasons. Below are just a few of my favorites.

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Record Crowd for Back-to-School Events

Nearly 400 attendees came to the Warren Consolidated Schools (WCS) Back-to-School event on August 10. The event provided free resources and the ability to ask questions of various staff members. WCS distributed 325 backpacks, and Stellantis’ Middle Eastern Employees Together (MEET) group also donated 100 bags of school supplies for the event.

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AI’s Journey into Ancient Languages and Culture

In a remarkable convergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and linguistic passion, the enigmatic beauty of ancient languages and cultural identities is emerging from the shadows. For one individual, this fusion is more than an academic pursuit; it’s a personal odyssey fueled by a deep desire to reconnect with his roots and amplify the voices of silenced cultures.

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Thamer Hannona Sculpts the Future

When ancient Mesopotamians carved their drawings into clay, constructed elaborate ziggurats and city gates, and designed practical and beautiful vases, their practice likely focused on their contemporaries. Thousands of year later, however, this act of creativity is kept alive by modern Chaldeans. Thamer Hannona expresses himself through many different media and inspirations, but his car designs garner national appeal and the attention of large companies.

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Fr. Namir Narra Ordination

On July 1, the Chaldean community gathered at Mother of God Cathedral in Southfield, Michigan, as Fr. Namir Narra was ordained to the priesthood. A graduate of Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Father Narra was ordained through the laying on of hands and the invocation of the Holy Spirit by the Most Rev. Francis Y. Kalabat, Bishop of St. Thomas the Apostle Chaldean Catholic Diocese. Father Narra will serve as parochial vicar at St. George Chaldean Catholic Church in Shelby Township, Michigan. Please keep him in your prayers as he begins his new journey as a priest!

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Cardinal Sako Stands Against Conquest and Confiscation

Since 2014, confiscating and seizing of property has become increasingly prevalent in Iraq, with thousands of homes and properties being sold without their owners’ knowledge. Armed militias have undertaken these land-grabs, seizing property in Baghdad, Basra, Kirkuk, the Nineveh Province, and Kurdistan Region, supported by Islamist parties that have been at the helm of power since 2003, in coordination with several public land registry officials.

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Fight or Flight

It was mid-July when Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid revoked a decree that gave state recognition to His Beatitude Mar Louis Raphaël Sako, the Patriarch of the Chaldean Church. The decree had given recognition to the patriarch’s appointment by the Holy See as head of the Chaldean Church “in Iraq and the world” and thus, “responsible for the assets of the Church.” Why did Rashid do that, and what does it mean for Iraq’s dwindling Christian population?

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Christina Roki

When Christina Roki’s family car broke down, they couldn’t afford a mechanic to look it over. Her family lived paycheck to paycheck, and with three children, there was little money to spare. Most would turn to a family member for help or take out a short-term loan. But Christina had a rare and enterprising thought: What if she tried to fix it herself. The rest, as they say, is history.

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Reflections from a Transformative Iraq Mission Trip

“The fruit of love is service, which is compassion in action.” Mother Teresa’s words echoed in our hearts as we embarked on a remarkable medical mission to Iraq in June 2023. With a team of nine dedicated healthcare professionals and two aspiring medical students, we traveled to a land that held both ancestral roots and a need for medical assistance. What unfolded was an emotional and impactful experience that left a lasting impression on us.

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Chaldean Cultural Roots

Among the many inventions credited to Mesopotamian cultures, most notably the Sumerians, are the first written language, first code of law, first urbanization in the form of city-states, first astronomical calendar, and first numerical system based on 60 (seconds in a minute, minutes in an hour). They also invented the idea of a 24-hour day and the concept of zero!

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