Pastoral Letter of the New Apostolic Visitor to the priests of the Chaldean Missions in Europe and to the dear faithful,
The peace of the Lord be with you.
Following my appointment by His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, at the request of the Chaldean Synod held in Baghdad from July 15-19, 2024, as the new Apostolic Visitor for the Chaldean Missions throughout Europe, replacing His Excellency Bishop Saad Sirop, in addition to my work as Archbishop of Basra and the South, I express my thanks and gratitude to the Lord for this mission and pledge to serve it diligently for the glory of God and the service of our Church.
This year, we are on a collective pilgrimage, as our father Abraham did. The challenges we face today are exciting, calling us to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit. As the late Pope Francis said in Ur of the Chaldeans in 2021, we must be like Abraham, walking on earth with our eyes toward heaven. The most important building block of the Church is the family, called to growth and unity. This requires prayer and a deep spiritual education. Transmitting the faith across generations is a sacred mission for every family, in which Jesus is a friend to both young and old. Those who are not drawn to him are like orphans. Hence, the importance of fraternal relationships between priests and families for greater understanding and cooperation, as well as with young men and women, is highlighted, encouraging them to engage in church service.
Therefore, I urge you to prioritize the teachings of the Lord in your lives. It is essential to focus on the spiritual nourishment contained in the Holy Bible and meditate on it, as well as the writings of the Church Fathers, the Holy Councils, and learning from the experiences of the saints and martyrs.
I hope to visit all of you, meet with the priests one by one, and listen closely to them, as well as meet with the faithful, so that we can implement the Church’s mission, its teachings, and the decisions of the Chaldean Synod over the past years, especially liturgical renewal.
His Beatitude, the Patriarch Louis Sako, and I will invite you to a meeting of priests soon, and then I will start visiting each country to see your conditions closely.
My thanks and appreciation to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, our Patriarch, and the Synod of our Church for the trust they have placed in me. I ask for the Lord’s blessings and graces through the intercession of our Holy Mother, the Virgin Mary.
Thanks and appreciation to the priests, nuns, deacons, choirs, and service groups working through the mission committees.
May the Lord bless you.
+Habib Jajou
4th July