About Holy Family Chaldean Catholic Church · Phoenix, Arizona
Holy Family Chaldean Catholic Church is a Chaldean Catholic parish located in north Phoenix, Arizona, serving the local Iraqi-Christian community in the Phoenix metropolitan area. It belongs to the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of Saint Peter the Apostle of San Diego, which was erected by Pope John Paul II on May 21, 2002 to minister to Chaldean Catholics across the western United States. The parish celebrates the Qurbana (the Chaldean Eucharistic liturgy, descended from the ancient Syriac/Aramaic rite) in Arabic, Chaldean, and English, and is currently shepherded by Fr. Oraha (Auraha) Mansoor. GCatholic catalogs the community as 'Mission of the Holy Family,' reflecting the still-developing nature of Chaldean Catholic life in Arizona, where many families are recent immigrants or refugees from Iraq.
- Patron
- Holy Family (the Child Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and Saint Joseph)
- Rector
- Fr. Oraha (Auraha) Mansoor
- Diocese
- Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of Saint Peter the Apostle of San Diego
Why belong here
Holy Family Chaldean Catholic Church is the spiritual home of Phoenix-area Chaldean Catholics — Iraqi and Assyrian Christians preserving a 2,000-year-old Eastern Catholic tradition whose liturgy descends from the Aramaic prayer of Jesus himself. The parish offers the Qurbana three times a week in Arabic, Chaldean, and English, so newcomers and English-speakers are warmly welcomed alongside heritage-language families. Pastoral care includes a children's catechism school, a refugee committee that visits newly arrived Iraqi families with catechisms and household necessities, and a Chaldean choir that sings hymns composed more than a millennium ago — a rare chance to experience the living Christianity of the Middle East right in north Phoenix.
Mass times at Holy Family Chaldean Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30 PM – 5:20 PM (also available before or after Mass by request)
About Holy Family Chaldean Catholic Church
Holy Family Chaldean Catholic Church is a Chaldean Catholic parish located in north Phoenix, Arizona, at 16612 N 21st Ave. It is one of two Chaldean Catholic communities in the Phoenix metropolitan area (alongside Mar Abraham Chaldean Catholic Church in Scottsdale) under the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of Saint Peter the Apostle of San Diego, an Eastern Catholic diocese covering 19 western U.S. states. The parish is shepherded by Fr. Oraha (Auraha) Mansoor and welcomes visitors of every background to its celebration of the Qurbana, the Chaldean Eucharistic liturgy.
- Parish name: Holy Family Chaldean Catholic Church
- Type: Chaldean Catholic Mission / Parish
- Diocese: Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle of San Diego
- Patron: The Holy Family — Jesus, Mary and Joseph
- Pastor: Fr. Oraha (Auraha) Mansoor
History of the Chaldean Community in Phoenix
The Chaldean Catholic presence in Arizona traces back to the gradual migration of Iraqi and Assyrian Christians beginning in the 1970s. According to CNEWA's ONE Magazine, the migration accelerated after the 2003 Iraq war, and by 2009 Chorbishop Felix Shabi relocated from El Cajon, California to Phoenix to organize the Arizona Chaldean Vicariate. Because the faithful were (and remain) scattered across Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe, Glendale and Surprise, the community initially gathered in rented church spaces — including Our Lady of the Valley parish — for the Qurbana and Saturday catechism classes. The community's website frames the parish today as a welcoming spiritual home for newcomers seeking to preserve Aramaic Christian heritage in the American Southwest.
- 1970s: Beginning of Iraqi-Christian migration to Arizona
- 2002: Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle created by Pope John Paul II (May 21)
- 2009: Chorbishop Felix Shabi relocates to Phoenix to lead the Arizona Chaldean Vicariate
- 2013: Catholic Sun reports 500+ Chaldean Rite families in the Diocese of Phoenix
- 2015: ONE Magazine (CNEWA) profiles 'Holy Family Chaldean Mission in Phoenix'
- August 27, 2025: Local news coverage after a vehicle crashes into the church
Liturgy and Languages
The parish celebrates the Chaldean Qurbana three times each week — Saturday evening in English, and twice on Sunday morning in Arabic and Chaldean (modern Aramaic). This trilingual rhythm serves both heritage-language Chaldean-Iraqi families and English-speaking parishioners or visitors. The Qurbana is the Chaldean Church's Eucharistic liturgy, sharing ancient roots with the Syriac/Aramaic tradition of the Middle East.
- Saturday Vigil — 5:00 PM in English
- Sunday — 10:00 AM in Arabic
- Sunday — 11:30 AM in Chaldean (modern Aramaic)
Parish Ministries and Outreach
Holy Family's apostolate centers on preserving Chaldean Catholic faith and welcoming newly arrived Iraqi and Assyrian families. The Catholic Sun has reported that the parish runs a Saturday morning catechism school serving more than 100 children, where funds raised through community concerts have gone to textbooks, snacks, sports activities and parties. A refugee committee visits new families in their homes, bringing a copy of the Catechism along with practical household gifts. The parish's Chaldean choir sings ancient Aramaic hymns — some composed more than a millennium ago — and has performed at ecumenical concerts in the Diocese of Phoenix alongside Roman Catholic choirs.
- Children's catechism school (Saturday classes, 100+ students)
- Refugee committee visiting newly arrived Iraqi families
- Chaldean choir singing in Aramaic/Syriac
- Ecumenical outreach concerts with the Diocese of Phoenix
Clergy
The parish is currently served by Fr. Oraha (Auraha) Mansoor as pastor. He is the primary contact for sacramental requests, sick calls, and parish administration. The parish's own website lists him as 'Fr. Oraha Mansoor' on the contact page, while the Eparchy directory lists him as 'Fr. Auraha Mansoor (Pastor).'
- Fr. Oraha (Auraha) Mansoor — Pastor
Contact and Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach Holy Family Chaldean Catholic Church by email or phone, and the parish website invites everyone to 'visit any Sunday.' The contact information on the parish's own website differs slightly from the Eparchy directory listing, so both numbers are noted below.
- Address: 16612 N 21st Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85023
- Parish office phone: (602) 375-6000
- Eparchy-listed phone: 480-905-1545
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: hfcccaz.com
- Facebook: Holy Family Chaldean Catholic Church in Arizona (page id 101910338240061)