St. John Chaldean Catholic Church

St. John Chaldean Catholic Church
St. John Chaldean Catholic Church
	32°49′15″N 116°56′40″W / 32.8207916°N 116.9444461°W
Location	El Cajon, California
Country	United States
Denomination	Chaldean Catholic Church
Administration
Diocese	Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle
Clergy
Bishop(s)	Emanuel Hana Shaleta

St. John Chaldean Catholic Church is a Chaldean Catholic church located in El Cajon, California, United States. It is the third Chaldean parish in San Diego, serving the Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle. The church building was originally owned by a non-Catholic Christian denomination before being acquired by the Eparchy.^[1]

History

St. John Chaldean Catholic Church was dedicated and its altar blessed in December 2017. The first Mass celebrated in this church was the Christmas Eve Mass of the same year. The Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle purchased the building and immediately began renovations to transform it into a suitable place for the Chaldean liturgy. Additionally, the Eparchy acquired a small house next to the church for administrative purposes, a plot of land for parking, and a larger house connected to the property to serve as a monastery for the monks who assist in serving the parish community. These monks are from the Sons of the Covenant Monastery, who provide ongoing pastoral support to the parish.^[2]

The Chaldean Church, to which St. John belongs, is a Patriarchal Church with roots in ancient Mesopotamia, today's Iraq. It is one of the twenty-three Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Pope of Rome. The Chaldean Church traces its origins back to the apostolic times, with Saint Thomas the Apostle evangelizing the inhabitants of Mesopotamia before his martyrdom in India. The church uses the Chaldean Aramaic language, a form of Neo-Aramaic, and its eucharistic prayer is noted as the oldest in continuous use within the Catholic Church.

Funding and construction

The construction of St. John Chaldean Catholic Church was significantly supported by fundraising efforts led by the Mar Toma Council. This council, comprising members of the local Chaldean community, organized events and drives that raised the necessary funds. These initiatives enabled the establishment of the church building in El Cajon.^[3]