Chaldeans in Michigan: Part II
King Faysal I with the Chaldean Patriarch YosifEmmanuel II Toma (1852-1947) and other clerics at the Monastery of Mar Urahanear Mosul.
By ADHID MIRI, PHD
Although Chaldean Americans constitute the bulk of Iraqi immigrants living in the United States, they represent less than 10 percent of the population of Iraq. While most Iraqis, like other Arabic nations, are Muslim, Chaldeans are Roman Catholic, and practice one of the 18 to 20 separate rites of the Catholic Church.
Religion is of such importance in the Chaldean community that their name and identity derive from it. As full members of the Roman Catholic Church, Chaldeans follow the same rules and hold the same beliefs as other Catholics. However, they have their own leader, or patriarch, and the rituals used in their mass and other ceremonies are quite different from those practiced in the Western Church. Originally, they conducted services in the historic Chaldean/Aramaic language, but many services are now conducted in Arabic. Occasionally, masses are given in English for American-born persons of Chaldean ancestry.
With Chaldeans, there is no separation between church and state, since there is a church of its own, but no state of its own. To further strengthen the alliance between the Chaldeans throughout the world, in 2015, Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans ‘Mar Louis Raphaël I Sako founded the Chaldean League. The Chaldean League aims to represent the Chaldean people globally in cooperation with the Church of the East of the Chaldeans through several branches spread worldwide.
The Lord’s Prayer in Arabic.
The Church of the East of the Chaldeans plays an immense role here. With many dioceses and parishes led by many bishops and priests, Chaldeans are connected worldwide. At the head of this church is the Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans. This Church has always played a key role in keeping Chaldeans together, in defending the rights of Chaldeans, but especially in keeping the Chaldean identity alive.
Chaldeans enjoy large, close-knit families. They are bound by their faith and unique culture. The Chaldean community is driven by its faith, with more than twelve Chaldean Catholic Churches in Metro-Detroit. As full members of the Roman Catholic Church, Chaldeans follow the same rules and hold the same beliefs as other Catholics.
According to Roman Catholic rules, members of the Catholic Church are expected to attend services and receive sacraments in their appropriate rite whenever possible. In practice, however, Catholics attend services at whichever Catholic Church is most convenient. Moreover, many priests of the Western rite can usually be persuaded to perform special ceremonies, such as weddings and funerals.
Consequently, many Chaldeans have found it more convenient to attend Western rite Catholic Churches, especially in areas where there is a small Chaldean population. As a result, many second- and third-generation Chaldean Americans are likely to prefer the more “American” services of Western Catholic Churches. Nonetheless, Chaldean Churches remain important for recent immigrants, for whom the Arabic language and the familiar rituals are still meaningful.
Tradition
Education is the cornerstone for the upcoming Chaldean generation and of paramount family interest on the list of progress. Chaldean children often attend Western rite Catholic Schools because the Chaldean rite does not offer such schools. This often requires parents to support two parishes, their own Chaldean church and the parish in which their children attend school. However, many children also attend special instruction in their own rite at the Chaldean Church. The church is also responsible for the formation of numerous organizations serving the community, including parish councils, family clubs, a men’s club, a women’s group, a business association, and youth groups.
The first Chaldean Church in the United States was founded in 1947 in Detroit. It was named “Mother of God,” thus reaffirming the Chaldean split with their Nestorian heritage and their unity with Catholicism. More recently, the Church moved to Southfield, Michigan and was elevated to the status of a cathedral (Our Lady of Chaldeans Cathedral) when the Chaldean diocese of the United States was formed under the leadership of Chaldean Bishop Ibrahim Ibrahim. Prior to 1947, Chaldean immigrants usually attended services at Western rite Catholic Churches. For special events, such as weddings and holidays, many Chaldeans attended services at Lebanese Catholic Churches (of the Maronite Eastern rite), which share more in common with the Chaldean Church than Western rite Churches.
Language
Most modern-day immigrants from Iraq speak Arabic, the dominant language of the Iraqi nation, but the earliest Chaldean immigrants spoke only Chaldean, which they also call “Jesus language,” since it is believed to be the language that Jesus Christ spoke during his life. Some Chaldeans resent the fact that they were forced to learn Arabic in Iraqi schools. Inquiring which language Chaldean American children should learn usually provokes a debate.
Practical thinkers consider the Arabic language more useful in today’s world, while more nostalgic individuals assert the importance of learning their original tongue. Hence, while most Chaldean Americans speak Arabic, they take pride in speaking their mother language. They also differ from other Iraqis in that their ancestral language is not Arabic but a dialect of Aramaic, also referred to as Chaldean, Assyrian, or Syriac. As a result of their religious and linguistic differences from other Iraqi immigrants, Chaldeans prefer being called Chaldean Americans.
Additional editing by Ashley Attisha. This is the third installment of a multi-part series on Chaldeans Around the World.