Roman Catholics in Dubai - home to the largest community in the Arabian
Gulf - believe that the visit of Pope Francis to the region could be a
symbol of peace and tolerance in the wider Middle East.
For some, the visit is a confirmation of their faith and an opportunity
to re-affirm their Catholic heritage in the tolerant environment of the
UAE; for others, it is a sign that religion can be a positive force in a
region often beset by sectarian problems.
Chris Pickthall, a British businessman who has lived in the UAE for 13
years, told Arab News: “I’ve noticed in the UAE that the less you have
in material terms, the more faith you have. I was in church yesterday
and the whole congregation was incredibly excited. Most are Asian
Catholics and I would hope their example would inspire other expat
Catholics to rekindle their faith. Rich Westerners often forget their
religion with all the distractions in this part of the world.”
Raad Jabouri Al Skeikh, an Iraqi Catholic whose forefathers built
churches in Amara and Basra and who has lived in the UAE for 17 years,
said: “I think it’s a message to those who have sectarian views that
they should change their ways - live and let live in the modern world.”
The Asian community - from the Philippines, India and Bangladesh - is
the biggest Catholic grouping in the UAE, and its members will set the
tone for the Papal visit. They see it as a re-affirmation of the values
they learned at home, and by which they try to live in the Middle East.
Before Christmas, in St Mary’s Church in Dubai, hours before the sun has
even started to show on the horizon, thousands of worshipers flock to
take part in “Misa de Gallo” – a nine-day series of masses that leads up
to Christmas.
The faithful believe that when they complete the devotional series of
Masses, a centuries old Catholic tradition, their wishes will come true.
Dubai residents Princess and Noel Caceres have never missed a mass for
three years even if that has meant going a night without sleep.
“Although we have a very busy schedule working in sales, we would never
miss a mass. Especially the Simbang Gabi (a term in the Philippines used
to describe Misa de Gallo),” Princess said.
“I’m so glad that we get to attend Simbang Gabi here in Dubai, because
it’s a very important tradition for us,” she added. Hailing from a
devoted Catholic Filipino family, Princess said that despite the
distance from her home, she has never felt alienated since she moved to
UAE in 2011.
With approximately 1 million members, she said she was immediately
introduced to a large Catholic community, with masses regularly attended
by up to 2,000 worshipers in St Mary’s.
“I never had any difficulties being a Catholic here,” she said, adding
that she was always impressed by the large congregations attending
church services, especially during “feast” masses such as Christmas
where the crowd increases to about 20,000 people. “I’m thankful that the
UAE has become really open to other religions,” she added.
Al Sheikh, whose ancestral home in Mosul, Iraq, was devastated by the
Daesh occupation four years ago, agreed: “Both my sons Gabriel and Sam
were born and christened here, and Gabriel will take his first communion
later this year. Not every government allows different religions to
practice so openly, with the protection of a tolerant state.”
Filipinos form a large part of the UAE’s Catholic population, which the
Apostolic Vicariate Of Southern Arabia (AVOSA) says is composed of more
than 150 nationalities, who worship in nine accredited churches across
the UAE.
Other nationalities in the Catholic church’s UAE congregation include
Indians, who can also attend masses in a variety of languages:
Malayalam, Konkani, Tamil, Urdu.
“Religion is a big part of my life, growing up in Goa. Whenever I missed
a mass, I’d feel so incomplete, like a part of me was missing,” said
Daisy Dacosta, who moved from India to the UAE in 2014.
She said she thought she would find it difficult as a practicing
Catholic in a Muslim country, but said there were many opportunities to
worship. “It’s really a good thing, there are masses every day, and you
can choose the one that fits your schedule,” she explained.
The St Mary’s Catholic Church, in Dubai, boasts what is thought to be
the country’s biggest parish in terms of attendance. It conducts 25
English masses every week, with congregations of more than 3,000 per
service, a church official told Arab News.
Catholic churches in the UAE also offer catechism classes for children, where they learn about their religion.
“I was amazed when I saw a crowd of young kids at the church when I
attended a service once. It’s nice to see that Catholic churches here in
the UAE are also engaging the youth,” Dacosta said.
Catholics have also formed community groups with the full support of
their parishes which allow them to conduct activities on church
premises. “All the parishes in the UAE provide a room or a hall to all
communities registered under them,” Art Los Banos, a Dubai-based
socio-civic leader, said.
Some would allocate their weekends to attend church-based community
gatherings, as these groups provide “life support system,” especially
for expats who struggle with being away from their families. “Having a
church in all of the emirates is really a blessing,” Los Banos, who has
been in the UAE since 2001 and has seen significant changes in the
community over the years, said.
Pickthall, whose two children were born and baptized in the UAE, said:
“Many of my Filipino friends at church may live difficult lives, but
their fate and devotion is incredible. It’s a lesson for the rest of us
that there are higher things in life.”
https://www.geezgo.com/sps/53451
Join Geezgo for free. Use Geezgo's end-to-end encrypted Chat with your Closenets (friends, relatives, colleague etc) in personalized ways.>>
Comments
Post a Comment