Pomona, 12/24/2020, despite the hardship that the church, and the entire world, are facing with the COVID-19 crisis the faithful of St Joseph AACC managed to hold a Christmas Eve Mass attended by over 125 parishioners, seated apart (even family members) and each wearing a mask. A must nowadays to comply with COVID-19 protocol and save lives.

The Mass was officiated by Father Ala Al Alamat, assisted on the altar by Eucharistic Minister Johnny Janini. Sadly, neither choir nor live singing by the congregation was allowed. So, recorded hymns were used instead. Over 125 parish members attended and over 3500 viewers online.

Father Ala in his Homily started by proclaiming “For unto us a child is born. Unto us, a Son is given” “وُلِدَ لَنا وَلَدٌ. وأُعطِيَ لَنا طِفل . The theme of the Homily focused on “The Light of the Holy Night”. He Said, “This year has been marked by hopelessness. Especially in March, when everything in the world shut down. I saw a lot of people lose hope. Where and when we were expecting the celebration of life and light, there was just darkness. Some people have been feeling like the sun had disappeared from the sky and God has turned his face away!”

He Continued “I will not try, either to, minimize at all the difficulty of this year or to sugar-coat the tragedy. But, if you find in yourself a longing for a better world in which people live at peace with each other, with no more viruses or sickness, no more pain or loss, then you have to realize that you are longing for Christ. This year has stolen a lot of small lights from us, but the sun is still going to rise. Jesus Christ, the light of the world, will make his face to shine on us again. This is the nature of hope in Christianity. It does not grow dimmer as the days grow longer and darkness seems as though it is going to conquer light.”

It is so heartbroken to attend the Christmas evening mass with only a few parish members compared to the past 30 years since the Church was founded. 

Father Ala finished his Homily by saying, “Saint Joseph knew fear, anxiety, and danger. He endured his sufferings without complaint, without giving in to sadness or discouragement. He prayed and listened to the voice of God and was guided by the angels. Joseph remains silent in the Gospels, not a single word from him has reached us. We only hear his deeds: "Joseph ... did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him." “

So, like Joseph and Mary, we serve God when we faithfully fulfill the demands and duties of love by playing our roles as children and parents, as brothers and sisters, as friends and neighbors, as co-workers, and so on.”

I am saddened, yet happy we can watch it live online, for the first time ever since the founding of our church we had to watch the evening mass online/Facebook, said Sir Jalal Rabadi. “My husband and I are normally the first ones in the church on this and all holy occasions”, added Dame Nelly Rabadi. These are very festive and must-attend events as they bring joy and happiness and great family time together with the children. We will pray that this pandemic will pass soon. We are praying for all who are suffering and for all the souls that departed. Lord, please grant humanity a better 2021

Bernadette Abujudeh, Legion of Mary, that takes an active part in these holidays, celebrated with her family at the church but said it is not the same. Passionately, she responded in Arabic,

لم يمنعني أيُّ شيء في هذ العام من حضور قداس ليلة عيد الميلاد. بل تابعتُ عادةً والتزاماً قديماً بحضور قداس العيد. كما في الأعوامِ الماضية فقد تمكَّنّا من حضور قداس العيد داخلَ الكنيسة بكُلِّ زينتَهِا وجمالِ مغارتِها.  أمَّا هذا العام ميلاد٢٠٢٠ {عام الكمامة والتباعد الاجتماعي} فاقتصرت المراسيم بسماع التراتيل وعدم الاشتراك بها وحتى مع التباعد الاجتماعي لم يتواجد حضور كافي فالكثير منهم قرر البقاء في البيت لحضور القداس مباشرة، المراسيم اختصرت كثيرا، ولكن القداس ابهج بحضور الله في القربان المقدس وبحضور الكلمة التي احياها الاب الفاضل علاء علامات بوعظته المتميزة دائما والذي اعطاها معنى للتجديد والولادة الحقيقية في داخل كل واحد منا.  العيد سيبقى عيد والميلاد خاصة في هذه الظروف الصعبة {وباء كورونا} ميلاد في القلوب التي مهما انطفئت كل الاضواء الخارجية سيبقى يسوع هو النور الحقيقي الذي يجدد ويتجدد فينا ولن يفصلنا عنه لا شدة ولا وباء ولا موت، بل حياة دائما وابدا معه. "ولد المسيح هللويا، فاستقبلوه ومجدوه ".

Dame Raid Sayegh, recalls with saddened emotion, how St. Joseph AACC, with its open space in front of the church, usually crowded with the faithful coming early to the Christmas Eve mass greeting each other than entering the church to possibly find an empty seat. This year 2020 was unusually empty compared to the last year 2019.  It is strange, it feels like a war scenario, where something bad is about to happen or something in the air. After a short silence, she added, The Arab American Catholic Community miss the “normal” of our gathering, the usual Masses, hymns, carolers, choir, our families, and friends sitting and praying, together.

COVID-19 has impacted so many aspects of life, churches as well. St Joseph AACC managed to continue the weekly Sunday masses by holding it outside in a makeshift canopy, which was a great alternative, in the Summertime. Now the weather is getting colder, and even with the addition of propane heaters, holding a mass in the open air is uncomfortable.

Dame Raid ended her emotional remanences of the past Christmases by saying, “well after this hard and difficult year, we all have the air of hope, the hope of a better future/change, that’s what we all want.” She added “we also, especially, miss our beloved Fr. Ala Alalamat and we especially thank him for all his efforts during COVID-19 by continuing his spiritual mission.  God Bless 2021!

Sir Jamal and Dame Majidi who attended the mass live online are grateful for technology today and were able to be at church in spirit even if they were not there physically, I reached out to them by phone and they provided “ المجيد ميلاد مخلصنا السيد المسيح عليه السلام في زمن الوباء كورونا كان مليء بالتحديات لا شك أن  “احتفالنا بعيد الميلاد العالم من حولنا يئن بسبب أحبائنا الذين فقدناهم بسبب التباعد الاجتماعي بين الأسر والأصدقاء وتدهور الاقتصاد والبطالة، ظروف صعبه على كل العائلات في كنيستنا. شعور بالقلق والخوف من انتشار الوباء وظهور سلالات جديدة من الفيروس، مع كل هذه المخاوف و الافكار المزعجة كان القداس الالهي في كنيستنا  ينير الظلمة . ميلاد المسيح مرتبط بالنور، والنور يكشف الظلمة ويعطى الرجاء للسالكين فى الظلمات، سواء أكانت هذه الظلمة بسبب الظروف القاسية أو بسبب خطايانا فالاحتفال بميلاد المسيح ساعدنا أن ندرك أنه بالرغم من كل الظروف الصعبة، يوجد إله محب ورحيم وقادر أن يمنحنا السلام والفرح وسط كل الظروف التى تحاول أن تسلب سلامنا وتدفعنا إلى الحزن والاكتئاب.

The mass concluded by offering all parish attendees a gift, donated by an anonymous donor, a Christmas bag with Arabic-Coffeepot, and 6 cups for coffee. Enjoy!