Who is the priest? Pope Saint John Paul II once wrote that the priest is “the living and transparent image of Christ the priest.” The man who is a priest is chosen and consecrated by God to make the love of Christ present in the world.
The first Chaldean Catholic seminary outside of Iraq, Seminary of Mar Abba the Great, in San Diego, California, was a historic establishment under the episcopacy of His Excellency Bishop Sarhad Yawsip Jammo in Summer of 2008, and Father Andrew Younan was appointed as rector of the seminary. The purpose for this seminary is to educate and nourish the existed vocations according to the unique spiritual heritage of the Chaldean Church of the East.
Years later, the vineyard of the Lord grew and a new seminary location was purchased to house a maximum of 16 celibate men. By the grace of God and the monetary help from the Chaldean faithful, it was granted.
Since the opening of the seminary, there has been 4 graduates that entered the Priesthood of Jesus Christ, two of them were ordained in April 2015 and two in August 2015. When the seminary first opened, it was a house of discernment for young men trying to hear the call of God to offer the one and living sacrifice as Christ commanded us to remember in memory of Him.
All that is now over! Last Wednesday, July 12 2017, the Apostolic Administrator of St. Peter Chaldean Catholic Diocese, Bishop Shlemon Warduni and Archdeacon Sabri Kejbo sat down all 5 seminarians and told them that in September 2017 they’re all moving to Michigan due to lack of formation. Around a week after, the seminarians received their applications to the seminary (Latin) they’re moving to in Michigan, if accepted.
The doors of the Seminary of Mar Abba the Great that costed millions of the faithful’s generous donations (for the purpose of buying this seminary ONLY) is now closing. Why? To destroy what Bishop Sarhad Jammo built? To blindly obey the Chaldean patriarch? To sell all their assets to fund the new church that was just purchased (even though funds were already raised for it)? Or, perhaps to be used for ………………….
Well, there you have it! Congratulations to Bishop Warduni for destroying everything that was beautifully built and established. This high achievement (destruction) will always be remembered in his name.
Since Bishop Warduni’s arrival:
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The change of the approved text of the liturgical renewal of 2006 (Divine Liturgy – Mass).
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The evection of Bishop Sarhad out of his retirement home (self-owned).
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Removal of 2 Chaldean priests (unjustly) from the Chaldean Rite (Fr. Noel Gorgis and Fr. Peter Lawrence).
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Removal & suspension of Fr. Andrew Younan, rector of the seminary.
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Removal of Marlo Gorgis, one of the Chaldean seminarians.
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Removing Fr. Royal Hannosh from Arizona to Iraq for punishment. Why?
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Removal of the Divine Office and Kahnayta from the Emmanuel prayer book.
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Closing down the Seminary of Mar Abba the Great
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Next, the closing of The Workers of the Vineyard’s Convent & Monastery, and closing of the St. George Retreat Center in Riverside, CA.
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Using words of disrespect and untruthful statements during sermons in church. For example, telling Fr. Michael Bazzi to “Stop talking” while congratulating the communicants and their families at the end of First communion Mass Ceremony at St. Peter’s Chaldean Cathedral in June 2017.
-Now, is this God’s will, or Sako’s will? You decide…
Kaldaya.me Staff
July 18-25, 2017, marks the 15th anniversary of the ordination and installation of Mar Sarhad Yawsip Jammo, Bishop Emeritus, and the first eparch who established the Chaldean Catholic Diocese of St. Peter the Apostle in northern US, the second largest Chaldean/Kaldean Catholic diocese after Michigan. During his 14 years of diocesan leadership and parochial service, he was a pioneer to establish many spiritual and educational achievements those that are known to be historical, and a one of a kind institutes to nourish the Chaldean faithful’s spirituality and to preserve their apostolic liturgical inheritance while maintaining their authentic national and ecclesiastic Chaldean identity. The Seminary of Mar Abba the Great is one of them.
I hope that it was not a coincidence on this date (but rather painful) that the decision of sending the seminarians to Michigan was announced now, and the (personal) plan to destroy the zeal & the flame of that vocational inspiration that was born in San Diego, and consecrated on that day this spiritual monument was opened and dedicated in July of 2008. It was a house of priestly preparation full of heavenly teachings and experiences, especially those with their mentor and rector, that none of the seminarians, present or those who graduated, are truly to deny!!! What a LOSS!!! It is a loss for St. Peter Diocese for generations to come!!!