Holy Cross [Chaldean]

About Holy Cross Chaldean Catholic Church

Holy Cross Chaldean Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic parish of the Chaldean rite, located at 32500 Middlebelt Road in Farmington Hills, Michigan. It was established in 2013 under the Chaldean Diocese of St. Thomas the Apostle and is led by founding pastor Msgr. Zouhair T. Kejbou. The parish is part of the larger Chaldean Catholic Patriarchate of Babylon, an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with Rome that preserves an ancient Syriac/Aramaic liturgical tradition reaching back to the earliest Christian communities of Mesopotamia. As an Eastern Catholic parish, Holy Cross offers the Chaldean 'Surath' Mass (the Liturgy of the Hours and Eucharistic liturgy in Aramaic and Arabic) as well as Mass in English for English-speaking members of the community.

History & Founding

The parish is listed in the Chaldean Diocese's Annual Reports as 'est. 2013,' making it one of the newer parishes in the diocese and the second-newest Chaldean parish in the Detroit area after Holy Martyrs (est. 2010). Its founding reflects the continuing growth of the Chaldean-Iraqi Catholic diaspora in southeast Michigan, where the largest concentration of Chaldeans in the United States is found. Msgr. Zouhair T. Kejbou has served as the parish's pastor since its founding, providing continuous pastoral leadership for over a decade. In 2022, the diocese's Annual Report also listed Rev. Andrew Seba as Parochial Vicar of Holy Cross.

• Founded: 2013
• Founding Pastor: Msgr. Zouhair T. Kejbou
• Past Parochial Vicar: Rev. Andrew Seba (2022)

The Chaldean Catholic Tradition

Holy Cross belongs to the Chaldean Catholic Church, one of the Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Pope. The Chaldean tradition traces its roots to the ancient Christian communities of Mesopotamia and uses Syriac (a dialect of Aramaic — the language of Jesus and of much of the early Church in the Middle East) as its liturgical language. In the United States, Chaldean Catholics are organized under the Chaldean Diocese of St. Thomas the Apostle (Eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle), which is itself under the Chaldean Catholic Patriarchate of Babylon in Baghdad, Iraq. The diocese was once the sole Chaldean jurisdiction in the U.S. and now serves approximately 200,000 faithful in the eastern half of the country.

• Eparchy: Chaldean Diocese of St. Thomas the Apostle U.S.A.
• Patriarchate: Chaldean Catholic Patriarchate of Babylon (Baghdad)
• Liturgical language: Syriac/Aramaic (Chaldean 'Surath'), alongside Arabic and English

Parish Staff & Clergy

Holy Cross has been shepherded by Msgr. Zouhair T. Kejbou as its founding pastor since 2013. In addition, the 2026 Chaldean Diocese Presbyteral Assignments direct Rev. Fr. Marcus Shammami (Priest-Secretary to the Bishop) to provide weekend assistance at Holy Cross. The parish office maintains regular office hours Monday through Saturday, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

• Pastor: Msgr. Zouhair T. Kejbou
• Weekend Assistance: Rev. Fr. Marcus Shammami
• Office Hours: Monday–Saturday, 10:00 AM–3:00 PM

Visiting Holy Cross

Holy Cross Chaldean Catholic Church is located at 32500 Middlebelt Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48334, on the east side of Middlebelt Road just south of 14 Mile Road. The parish office can be reached at (248) 626-5055. Visitors and parishioners are warmly welcomed to any of the daily or Sunday Masses, to Confession on Saturday afternoons, or to First Thursday Adoration.

• Address: 32500 Middlebelt Rd, Farmington Hills, MI 48334
• Phone: (248) 626-5055
• Fax: (248) 626-5420
• Office Hours: Mon–Sat, 10 AM–3 PM

Diocese & Broader Chaldean Community

Holy Cross is one of twelve parishes of the Chaldean Diocese of St. Thomas the Apostle U.S.A., headquartered in Southfield, Michigan. The diocese is led by Most Rev. Francis Y. Kalabat as bishop, with Most Rev. Ibrahim Ibrahim as Bishop Emeritus. Ten of the twelve Chaldean parishes are located in Michigan (with two in Illinois), reflecting the fact that metro Detroit has the highest concentration of Chaldean Catholics in the United States. Chaldean faithful in the area can also access the diocese's broader ministries, including the Mar Ibrahim Library (in West Bloomfield), the Chaldean Voice Radio Program, and Chaldean Manor, a housing ministry for elders.

• Bishop: Most Rev. Francis Y. Kalabat
• Bishop Emeritus: Most Rev. Ibrahim Ibrahim
• Sister parishes in metro Detroit: St. Joseph (Troy), Mar Addai (Oak Park), Mother of God Cathedral (Southfield), Sacred Heart (Warren), St. Ephrem (Sterling Hts.), St. Thomas (West Bloomfield), St. George (Shelby Twp.), Mart Mariam (Grand Blanc), and Holy Martyrs (Sterling Hts.)
• Diocese ministries: Mar Ibrahim Library (West Bloomfield), Chaldean Voice Radio, Chaldean Manor (elder housing)