About Saint Mary [Chaldean] · Campbell, California
St. Mary's Assyrian Chaldean Catholic Church is a Chaldean-rite Catholic parish in downtown Campbell, California, serving the Assyrian and Chaldean faithful of the San Francisco Bay Area. Established in 1981 as a mission of the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle, it grew to serve over 300 families and was consecrated as a parish church on September 23, 1996. It is part of the Northern Vicariate of the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle of San Diego, the Western U.S. diocese for Chaldean Catholics, and is currently pastored by Fr. Joseph Kachappilly, who also administers the affiliated St. Mary's Mission in Marina.
- Established
- 1981
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Fr. Joseph Kachappilly
- Diocese
- Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle of San Diego (Northern Vicariate)
Why belong here
St. Mary's is the principal Chaldean Catholic parish for the Assyrian and Chaldean faithful of the San Jose and greater San Francisco Bay Area, and welcomes families traveling from as far as the Monterey Peninsula. The parish preserves the Syro-Oriental (Chaldean) rite in the Syriac/Aramaic liturgical tradition of Mesopotamia, gathering every Sunday for the Holy Mass celebrated in Assyrian. A robust program of faith formation — including a Sunday School for children, Assyrian-language classes taught by Shamasha Dan Daniel, and recurring adult, men's, women's, and advanced Bible studies — gives parishioners multiple ways to grow in the faith, while the parish's 'Voice of Hope' program broadcasts Mass and teaching live on Facebook, extending the parish's reach to scattered Chaldean families throughout the region.
Mass times at Saint Mary [Chaldean]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Available before or after Mass
Parish Overview
St. Mary's Assyrian Chaldean Catholic Church is a Chaldean-rite Catholic parish in downtown Campbell, California, part of the Northern Vicariate of the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle of San Diego. It is the principal Assyrian and Chaldean Catholic parish for the San Jose and greater Bay Area, serving more than 300 families from as far away as the Monterey Peninsula. Worship is celebrated in the Assyrian (Neo-Aramaic) language following the Syro-Oriental rite of the Catholic Church.
- Rite: Chaldean (Syro-Oriental)
- Diocese: Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle of San Diego
- Vicariate: Northern Vicariate
- Patroness: Blessed Virgin Mary
- Address: 109 N. First Street, Campbell, CA 95008
- Phone: (408) 378-6212; Fax: (408) 379-0496
History of the Parish
The community was organized in 1981 as a mission under Bishop Mar Ibrahim Ibrahim, with biweekly Masses first celebrated in the rented Roman Catholic churches of St. Justine and St. Lucy. Father Francis Dawood, then pastor of St. Thomas in Turlock, was the first priest assigned. In 1987, Father Yoshia Sana, just back from studies in Rome, took up the work and the community was raised to a parish under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary, serving some 150 families. The parish bought a home in San Jose in 1988 for the rectory and meetings, and in March 1995 purchased the present church building at 109 N. First Street in Campbell, which was consecrated by Bishop Ibrahim on September 23, 1996.
- 1981: Established as a mission by Bishop Mar Ibrahim Ibrahim
- 1986: Father Juliano (Tehran) served briefly; Father Francis Dawood resumed care
- 1987: Father Yoshia Sana raised mission to a parish under the Blessed Virgin Mary
- March 1988: Residence purchased in San Jose for rectory and meetings
- March 1995: Old church building purchased at 109 N. First Street, Campbell
- September 23, 1996: Church consecrated and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary
- May 21, 2002: Parish became part of the newly created Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle
Pastor and Clergy
The current pastor is Fr. Joseph Kachappilly, who also serves as Administrator of the affiliated St. Mary's Mission in Marina. The parish has been served over the years by a succession of Chaldean-rite and missionary priests, as listed below.
- Fr. Joseph Kachappilly — current pastor (and Administrator of St. Mary's Mission, Marina)
- Father Michael Barota — pastor from July 2012
- Fr. Zuhair (Anderawis) Toma — assigned September 2011
- Chorbishop Father Samuel Dinkha — co-pastor from 2007 with Fr. Sana
- Father Yoshia Sana — pastor from 1987, raised the mission to parish status
- Father Francis Dawood — first priest, 1981–1986 and again after a brief interim
- Father Juliano — Italian priest of the diocese of Tehran, August 1986, short tenure
Faith Formation and Education
St. Mary's maintains an active program of catechesis for children, youth, and adults. Children gather for Sunday School alongside the Sunday Mass, and Assyrian-language classes are offered midweek under the direction of Shamasha Dan Daniel. Multiple adult Bible studies run throughout the week.
- Sunday School (Sundays)
- Assyrian Language Class — Wednesdays and Fridays, 7:00 PM, with Shamasha Dan Daniel
- Parish Adult Bible Study — Wednesday evenings
- Parish Advanced Bible Study — Thursday evenings
- Friday School — Fridays, 7:00 PM
- Assyrian Men and Women for Christ Bible Study — Fridays, 7:00 PM
Outreach and Broadcast Ministry
Beyond its on-site programs, the parish reaches Chaldean and Assyrian faithful scattered across the greater Bay Area and the Monterey Peninsula through the 'Voice of Hope' program — a live teaching/reflection broadcast via Facebook on Sundays — and through its open Facebook page at facebook.com/saintmarysassyrian.chaldeanchurch.
- Voice of Hope — live Sunday broadcast on Facebook
- Official Facebook page: facebook.com/saintmarysassyrian.chaldeanchurch
- Parish website: stmarycampbell.com (formerly stmaryassyrianchurch.com)
Diocese and Wider Chaldean Catholic Church
St. Mary's is a parish of the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle of San Diego, an exempt eparchy immediately subject to the Holy See and the only Chaldean Catholic diocese covering the western United States. It was created by Pope John Paul II on May 21, 2002 from territory split off from the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle of Detroit. The eparchy serves 19 western states and is divided into South, North, and East vicariates; St. Mary's belongs to the Northern Vicariate, whose diocesan vicar is Fr. Kamal Bidawid.
- Eparchy: Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle of San Diego
- Established May 21, 2002 by Pope John Paul II
- Cathedral: St. Peter Chaldean Catholic Cathedral, El Cajon, California
- First bishop: Mar Sarhad Yawsip Jammo (2002–2016)
- Current bishop: Bishop Emanuel Hana Shaleta (installed August 29, 2017)
- Liturgical rite: Syro-Oriental (Chaldean), in Syriac/Aramaic
Visiting and Contact
Parishioners and visitors are welcome at the church in downtown Campbell. The parish office is open Monday through Saturday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and the pastor can be reached at the parish phone number for sacramental needs, including baptism, marriage, and other inquiries.
- Address: 109 N. First Street, Campbell, CA 95008
- Phone: (408) 378-6212
- Fax: (408) 379-0496
- Office hours: Monday–Saturday, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Facebook: facebook.com/saintmarysassyrian.chaldeanchurch
- Web: stmarycampbell.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Francis Dawood1981–1986 (first tenure)
First priest to serve the mission; concurrently pastor of St. Thomas Church in Turlock; celebrated Mass at rented churches of St. Justine and St. Lucy.
- Father JulianoAugust 1986 (short period)
Italian priest of the diocese of Tehran; appointed by Bishop Ibrahim to look after the mission briefly.
- Father Francis Dawood1986–1987 (second tenure)
Resumed responsibility for the mission after Father Juliano's short assignment.
- Father Yoshia Sana1987–
Returned from studies in Rome; sent by Bishop Ibrahim; raised the mission to a full parish under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary, serving about 150 families.
- Chorbishop Father Samuel Dinkha2007–
Appointed by the bishop as co-pastor with Fr. Sana to serve the growing parish.
- Fr. Zuhair (Anderawis) TomaSeptember 2011–
Appointed by the bishop to serve the parish.
- Father Michael BarotaJuly 2012–
Served as pastor; preceded the current pastor.
- Fr. Joseph Kachappilly
Current pastor of St. Mary's Campbell and Administrator of St. Mary's Mission, Marina.