Detroit-area Chaldean Catholics rejoice as patriarch is made cardinal

Published: 2007-11-26

DETROIT (CNS) -- Detroit-area Chaldean Catholics expressed pride that Cardinal Emmanuel-Karim Delly, 80, is the first Chaldean patriarch in history to be in the College of Cardinals of the Catholic Church. About 150 Chaldeans from the Detroit area traveled to Rome for the Nov. 24 consistory. "I see it, first, as an appreciation of the service he is rendering in Iraq, but also a recognition of all the people of Iraq, and especially the Christians of Iraq," said Bishop Ibrahim N. Ibrahim of the Southfield-based Eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle, prior to leaving for Rome. "The Christians of Iraq are struggling to keep their faith, and even though he will have no right to vote (in papal elections because he is 80 years old), this is still a great honor for him and all Chaldeans," Bishop Ibrahim added. The Michigan eparchy is the diocese for Chaldean Catholics in the eastern United States; they number approximately 100,000 and most of them live in southeastern Michigan. Chaldean Catholics in the western U.S. are in the Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle of San Diego, headed by Bishop Sarhad Yawsip Jammo.

Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .