Michgan, USA – Top Chaldean church teams from Michigan compete for the 2008 championship trophy.   Chaldean Church Sports League hosts the 2008 Chaldean Volleyball Playoffs & Championships on Saturday, September 6th, 2008 at the Southfield Civic Center Sports Complex beginning at 10 am.  Admission is free and open to the public.  

Michigan, USA - St. George Camp Chaldean in Brighton, Michigan invites the Chaldean faithful community to freely join their friends and family for a two-day camping celebration of the Feast of The Assumption of our Blessed Virgin Mary.  The celebration begins on Wednesday, August 13 and concludes on Thursday, August 14. 

As one big family the community comes together to celebrate this inspirational event.  The camp features a tent-city for guests to pitch a tent, boating, scenic nature trails, DJ music, food, and most importantly on Thursday, a Mass led by His Excellency Bishop Ibrahim Ibrahim.  Mass begins at 6 p.m. sharp.  Prior to Mass, church choirs will lead pilgrims in prayer songs.  After Mass a candle light prayer precession march will occur. 

Overnight Guests are reminded to bring tents, lawn chairs, barbeque grills, towels, and other camping related items.  Over 100 picnic tables are available, indoor bathrooms, warm showers, and hot food will be available for campers. 

For more information please call 1-888-822-CAMP or e-mail CAMP@chaldean.org. 

Chaldean Youth Day (CYD-2008) is Sunday, August 17!  Hundreds of Chaldean young adults will converge on Camp Chaldean for a day of fun, food, and festivities.  Hang-out. Chill. Picnic. Play. This event is free for those 35 and under.  Anyone over 35 the cost is $45,000 per person. 

This is a non-alcoholic camp.  Bring your own lawn chairs.  Bring food coolers if you like.  Food and beverages will be available. Games. Competitions. Prizes. Boat Races.  Water-balloon wars.  Tug-A-war.  Sports.  Bring your own BALLS.  Best of all bring some biceps, brains, and bounce. 

The event is sponsored by the St. George Chaldean Camp Council in partnership with Chaldean youth groups, which include but are not limited to, the Chaldean Church Sports League, Chaldean Teens Coming Together, Chaldean Youth Bible Study, Chaldean Loving Christ, Jesus Christ University, Chaldean American Professionals, Chaldean Football League, Chaldean Basketball League, Chaldean Hockey League, Chaldean American Student Association, and Chaldean Church Youth Choirs. 

You have been told!  Someone post this on MySpace, Facebook, and whatever other social network you freaks got going! 

Michigan, USA – Over 300 Chaldean athletes head to the grassy fields and sandy pits as the Chaldean Church Sports League of Michigan Tri-Sport season gets underway.  In the high school flag football division returning champs St. Thomas Twin Tigers hope to repeat.  However, St. Joseph Protectors new all-star draft picks round out their passing and defensive game which may pose a challenge for the Twin Tigers.

In the ladies high school volleyball, defending champions Mother of God Guardian Angels look to take on St. Thomas once more in the championship finals.  Both teams had such a large turn-out that they fielded two teams for competition.

In high school soccer, Mar Addai Healers remain undefeated.  Hoping to best Mar Addai’s powerful team, St. George and St. Joseph combined their teams as did Mother of God and St. Thomas.  Nonetheless, Mar Addai remains undefeated and is considered the early favorite to take the high school soccer championship finals.   

[To see photos and video highlights of the CCSL, you must be a registered user of www.CHALDEAN.org and you must login]

Michigan, USA – Chaldeans don’t always have much time to spare.  Long hours at work, family and cultural responsibilities, and trying to make ends meet leaves many Chaldeans hungry for safe and entertaining events for the entire family. 

The Chaldean churches have had a long tradition in hosting family gatherings.  The opportunity brings respectful families together in faith and fellowship and helps raise funds to keep the church ministry strong.  

The events are always a community affair organized and managed by church volunteers and supported by community donors.  Although increasing competition of commercial festivals and state fairs targeting Chaldeans are on the rise, Chaldean church hosted events remain the number one place for Chaldean families. 

[To view the photos and video of the 2008 St. Joseph Chaldean Catholic Church Festival please log-in]

Your church and community needs help.  This is a community call for volunteers for the 2nd Annual Mother of God Church Chaldean Music Festival.  The festival will be held on Saturday, August 23 & Sunday, August 24 at St. George Camp Chaldean located on 1391 Kellogg Road, Brighton, MI 48114.

The two day carnival event will feature carnival games, 9 live bands, food, vendor and information booths, contests, and more.  Volunteers that are 18 years of age and older are needed to make this event a success.  Community volunteers will receive room accommodations, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and volunteer shirts. 

We need help with assisting crowds, controlling the rides, working the carnival tents, parking, security, serving food, donating items to the prize and give-away table, and keeping the area clean. 

To answer the call for help please contact Steve Sitto at cmf@chaldean.org / (248) 762-4424 or Raad Kashat at MotherofGodChurch@yahoo.com. 

Sydney, AUSTRALIA – Australian Chaldeans in Sydney have been wildly celebrating World Youth Day.  The excitement, exhilaration, and energy has been intoxicating says Joshua Shami, a Chaldean pilgrim from Europe.  Chaldean youth from around the world have gathered in Sydney in celebration of World Youth Day. 

“We continue to pray for our Chaldean brothers and sisters stuck in Iraq,” says Shami.  For many Chaldeans in Austrialia, the joy of welcoming Pope Benedict XVI to the World Youth Day celebration was dampened by the absence of a Chaldean Catholic delegation from Iraq.  “For months people have been working on getting the Iraqi Delegation to Sydney, but it is one thing after another stopping them.” 

[To View Photos of WYD-Sydney Group Please Log-In]

Michigan, USA - A handful of Chaldean-American Wayne State University (WSU) students were recently able to do something that not a handful of Catholic churches could do: attain approval of 24-hour Adoration sessions, something many churches overall, have not yet had.

Rasha Kashat, 20, a pre-medical student at WSU, is one of the students that made efforts to allow one 24-hour Adoration session to be held at St. Thomas Chaldean Catholic Church per week.

Kashat said that "Adoration" is a meaningful gathering of individuals at the church to encourage religious practices, as well as have a great time while committing to such practices.

Catholic News Agency reports that the Australian Embassy in Amman, Jordan has issued 27 visas which will allow some young Iraqis to participate in World Youth Day.  Initially 170 Chaldeans applied for Visas to participate in the largest gathering of world youth Christians in history.  True to their faith, the Chaldeans still expressed their gratitude and appreciation to the Australian government for allowing 27 delegates.

“I would like to thank the Australian government for everything they have been able to do and also the Australian embassy to the Holy See which has contributed to this positive ending,” Father Philip Najim, Chaldean Prosecutor to the Holy See, said.  “Many in Iraq were waiting for this.  It is a symbolic number of visas but our youngsters will be in Sydney too and that’s what counts.”

The Catholic News Agency reports that the Australian government has denied visas to dozens of Chaldean World Youth Day pilgrims from Iraq.  Australian officials say they are concerned that participants will not return home and instead will seek asylum in Australia. One Chaldean Catholic priest called the decision “a slap at young people who wanted to go to witness to the faith and the joy of the church’s living in Iraq despite sufferings.”

Initially the Australian government denied visas for nearly 170 pilgrims, allowing only ten visas to aspiring World Youth Day participants, the SIR News Agency says. According to the website Baghdadhope, there are now only about 30 total visas available that will be granted “in extremis.”

Father Rayan P. Atto, parish priest of Mar Qardagh Church in Erbil, told SIR News Agency that the concerns about asylum seekers were unfounded, arguing that, “for young Christian Iraqis, taking part in the WYD in Sydney was not a way to leave their country.”