About Saint Michael [Chaldean] · El Cajon, California
St. Michael Chaldean Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic parish in the Syro-Oriental (Chaldean) rite serving the Iraqi and Chaldean immigrant community of El Cajon, California, in San Diego's East County. It belongs to the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle of San Diego, the Western U.S. jurisdiction erected by Pope John Paul II in 2002, and offers Masses in Chaldean (Neo-Aramaic), Arabic, and English each week. The parish is one of three Chaldean parishes clustered in El Cajon and plays a central role as a spiritual and social anchor for Chaldean refugees and immigrants fleeing persecution in Iraq.
- Established
- 2000
- Patron
- Saint Michael the Archangel
- Rector
- Fr. Simon Esshaki
- Diocese
- Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle of San Diego (immediately subject to the Holy See)
Why belong here
St. Michael's is one of only a handful of parishes in the United States that celebrates the full Chaldean liturgical tradition — the Syro-Oriental rite in Neo-Aramaic — making it a true spiritual home for Chaldean Catholics in diaspora and a unique place of worship for anyone drawn to the East Syriac heritage. The parish offers daily Masses with multiple Chaldean, Arabic, and English options every day of the week, weekday Eucharistic Adoration, a parish chapel open during office hours, and an unusually active clergy led by Fr. Simon Esshaki, who hosts the 'Kids Bible Study' show and co-hosts 'Feeding Fathers' on Qurbana Media. It is also a welcoming community for refugees and new immigrants, a continuation of the El Cajon Chaldean story that began in 1951, and a gathering place that has stood publicly with persecuted Iraqi Christians.
Mass times at Saint Michael [Chaldean]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Available during all Sunday Masses (additional weekday times per the parish; one third-party listing reports confession available Monday through Saturday)
Adoration times
- Adoration Chapel available during office hours (parish listing)
- Weekdays: 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Saturday: 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Sunday: 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
About St. Michael Chaldean Catholic Church
St. Michael Chaldean Catholic Church is a parish of the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle of San Diego, located at 799 East Washington Avenue in El Cajon, California. The parish ministers to one of the largest concentrations of Chaldean Iraqi Catholics in the United States, and is one of three Chaldean Catholic parishes clustered within a few miles of each other in El Cajon (alongside the cathedral parish of St. Peter and St. John the Apostle). Liturgies follow the Chaldean / Syro-Oriental rite and are celebrated in Chaldean Neo-Aramaic, Arabic, and English.
- Address: 799 East Washington Avenue, El Cajon, CA 92020
- Phone: (619) 444-9911 | Fax: (619) 444-7989
- Email: [email protected]
- Parish website: stmichaelchaldean.org
- Official Facebook: facebook.com/stmccchurch/
History of the Parish
St. Michael's was founded in 2000 as an independent parish carved out of the mother community of St. Peter Chaldean Catholic Cathedral, which itself traces its roots to a Chaldean Catholic presence in San Diego going back to 1951. In 1999 Fr. Sabri A. Iskander was sent to El Cajon as an assistant pastor to plant the new parish, and became its first full-time pastor the following year. In 2002 Pope John Paul II erected the Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle, and St. Michael's joined the cathedral parish in anchoring the new Eparchy's Southern Vicariate.
- 1951 — Dr. Joseph Gibran becomes the first known Chaldean to settle in San Diego.
- 1964 — Patriarch Mar Paulus II Cheikho visits San Diego; only 12 Chaldean families live in the area.
- 1973 — Rev. Peter J. Kattoula assigned as pastor of San Diego's Chaldean community.
- 1974 — Community purchases 5.09 acres near Rancho San Diego for a new church.
- Sept. 10, 1983 — St. Peter Chaldean Catholic Church dedicated by the Patriarch and Bishop Ibrahim N. Ibrahim.
- 1999 — Fr. Sabri A. Iskander appointed assistant pastor to establish the new El Cajon parish.
- 2000 — St. Michael Chaldean Catholic Church established as an independent parish.
- May 21, 2002 — Pope John Paul II erects the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle of San Diego.
- August 21, 2014 — Parish is the starting point for a peace rally and march for persecuted Iraqi Christians through El Cajon.
Founding Pastor
Fr. Sabri A. Iskander planted the parish in 1999 as assistant pastor under St. Peter Chaldean Catholic Church, then became its founding full-time pastor in 2000 when St. Michael Chaldean Catholic Church was established as an independent parish. He oversaw the earliest years of the community's growth at 799 E. Washington Avenue in El Cajon.
Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle
The Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle of San Diego is the Chaldean Catholic diocese covering 19 western U.S. states, immediately subject to the Holy See (not part of any Latin or Eastern ecclesiastical province). Its cathedral church is St. Peter Chaldean Catholic Cathedral in El Cajon. St. Michael's belongs to the Eparchy's Southern Vicariate, which also includes parishes in Spring Valley, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Las Vegas, and Santa Ana.
- Bishop: Most Rev. Emanuel Hana Shaleta
- Eparchial Secretary: Fr. Simon Esshaki (also pastor of St. Michael's)
- Vicar General: Archdeacon Sabri Kejboe
- Cathedral: St. Peter Chaldean Catholic Cathedral, El Cajon, CA
Pastoral Staff
The parish is served by a pastor and two parochial vicars, all appointed by the Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle. The current pastor, Fr. Simon Esshaki, was ordained April 10, 2015, and also serves as Eparchial Secretary. He is well known in the wider Catholic media world as a host on Qurbana Media's 'Feeding Fathers' and 'Kids Bible Study.'
- Fr. Simon Esshaki — Pastor (ordained April 10, 2015)
- Fr. Ray Sarkees — Parochial Vicar
- Fr. Tariq Eissa — Parochial Vicar
Ministries & Outreach
St. Michael's ministries flow from the parish's role as a hub for the Chaldean immigrant and refugee community of East San Diego County. In addition to traditional sacramental and liturgical ministry, the parish is closely tied to the Eparchy's digital evangelization efforts and to public witness in support of persecuted Christians in Iraq.
- Qurbana Media — the Eparchy's collaborative Catholic media platform; Fr. Esshaki hosts 'Kids Bible Study' and co-hosts 'Feeding Fathers'
- Refugee and immigrant outreach to newly arrived Chaldean families
- Christian solidarity and advocacy (e.g., 2014 rally for Iraqi Christians)
- Cooperation with the Eparchy's youth ministry (coordinated from St. Peter's Cathedral)
Qurbana Media & Fr. Simon Esshaki
Qurbana Media is a Catholic media initiative founded by priests of the Chaldean Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle to share the Gospel and the beauty of the Chaldean liturgical tradition with the diaspora and beyond. Fr. Simon Esshaki, pastor of St. Michael's, is one of its principal voices. The platform produces three flagship shows — 'Feeding Fathers' (an informal discussion series), 'Kids Bible Study' (hosted by Fr. Esshaki), and 'Martyr Mentality' (hosted by Fr. Ankido Sipo) — and is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Instagram.
- Feeding Fathers — priest-led discussion and fellowship
- Kids Bible Study — Scripture reading and discussion for children, hosted by Fr. Simon Esshaki
- Martyr Mentality — deeper theological conversation hosted by Fr. Ankido Sipo
- Lecture series on Mar Narsai's 'Selected Sermons' by Chorbishop Andrew Younan
Visit, Contact & Plan Your Visit
Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed. The parish office can be reached by phone, fax, or email, and the parish's official Facebook page (facebook.com/stmccchurch/) carries the latest announcements, livestream links, and community news.
- Address: 799 East Washington Avenue, El Cajon, CA 92020
- Phone: (619) 444-9911
- Fax: (619) 444-7989
- Email: [email protected]
- Parish website: stmichaelchaldean.org
- Facebook: facebook.com/stmccchurch/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Sabri A. Iskander1999–2000 (founding pastor)
Appointed in 1999 as assistant pastor to establish the new El Cajon parish; became full-time founding pastor when St. Michael was established as an independent parish in 2000.