RECongress, hosted by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, featured its first-ever Arabic Mass. The Arabic Mass was organized by the Arab American Catholic Community (AACC), which is based at St. Joseph Church in Pomona, California. The AACC, established in 1989, represents approximately 6,000 families primarily from Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Egypt. Father Ala Musharbash, the AACC chaplain, delivered the homily during the historic service on February 21, 2026.
9 days ago
The 2026 RECongress, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles' annual Religious Education Congress marking its 70th year, hosted its first-ever Arabic Mass on February 21, 2026.1 2
Hundreds attended the liturgy organized by the Arab American Catholic Community (AACC), which serves an estimated 6,000 families primarily from Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Egypt.1 2
Founded in 1989 and based at St. Joseph Church in Pomona, California, the AACC is led by Father Ala Musharbash, a Jordanian priest serving as chaplain.1 2
The community holds regular Masses at 7 p.m. Saturdays in Pomona and 1 p.m. Sundays at Holy Name of Jesus Church in Redlands, California.1 2
The Mass featured bilingual elements, with the Gospel in English and parts like the Confiteor, first reading, and consecration in Arabic.1 2
Songs and prayers appeared on screens in English and Arabic, including pronunciation guides; Father Musharbash noted Arabic's closeness to Aramaic, making the Our Father akin to Jesus' language.1 2
A prominent icon of Our Lady of the Holy Land depicted Mary in Palestinian attire and Jesus with a keffiyeh, blessed by Archbishop José H. Gomez in 2025.1 2
Father Musharbash's homily addressed feelings of unworthiness and misunderstanding, emphasizing Jesus' call to all despite human weaknesses.1 2
He highlighted a universal desire to encounter the Lord and urged trust in divine vision over personal struggles.1 2
At the Mass's conclusion, Father Musharbash led prayers for global peace, with special focus on the Middle East to end ongoing wars.1 2
He stressed reliance on God over political solutions or leaders.1 2
Father Musharbash thanked RECongress for the platform to showcase Arab Christian culture, countering negative stereotypes perpetuated by media and social platforms.1 2
The event underscored the diversity of liturgies at RECongress, blending cultural heritage with Catholic faith.1 2
Investigate the Catholic Church’s policy on Arabic liturgy
The Catholic Church's approach to Arabic in the liturgy is rooted in the principle of preserving the legitimate diversity of Eastern rites while allowing adaptations to local languages and cultures, particularly in Arabic-speaking regions like the Middle East. Arabic is not a universal liturgical language but is commonly used in Eastern Catholic Churches (e.g., Maronites, Melchites) as a vernacular supplement to traditional languages like Syriac or Greek, especially for readings, rubrics, and simplified texts. This reflects historical evolution, conciliar permissions for episcopal conferences to adapt rites, and recent papal calls to safeguard Eastern patrimony against Latinization or assimilation.
Eastern Catholic Churches in the Middle East have incorporated Arabic into their liturgies over centuries, often alongside ancient languages like Syriac (Aramaic), due to the shift from classical to vernacular speech.
Maronite Rite: The Maronite liturgy is fundamentally Syriac, the language of Christ, evoking pride as "the very language which Christ spoke while He was on earth." However, practical accommodations include reading the Gospel in Arabic "for the benefit of the people," and some priests use Arabic (in Syriac characters, known as Karshuni) when insufficiently learned in Syriac. Rubrics and common prayers in service books are often in Arabic written in Syriac script (Karshuni), simplifying access while retaining the core Syriac text. The Divine Office (Šḥīmtō) has been reformed with Arabic translations, especially for the faithful-attended hours like Evening Prayer and Matins, printed by institutions like Holy Spirit University in Kaslik. Historically, Maronites used "Chaldean" (Syriac variant) rather than vernacular Arabic, maintaining a non-vernacular liturgical tongue.
Melchite and Other Byzantine Rites: Melchites transitioned from Greek and Syriac to Arabic, especially from the 16th-17th centuries onward. Native clergy used Arabic, while Greek prelates retained Greek; by modern times, Arabic dominated native liturgies. Byzantine-influenced rites, including Liturgy of St. Basil, have Arabic translations for missions in Syria. Orthodox parallels show Arabic as one of several liturgical languages (with Greek, Slavonic), conserved despite vernacular drift.
Alexandrian Rites: In Coptic traditions, Arabic supplemented Sahidic Coptic by the 12th century, reflecting liturgical renewal.
This evolution underscores a "conservative instinct" in Eastern Churches to retain ancient forms while adapting rubrics or readings to Arabic for intelligibility.
The Church upholds no rigid "vernacular-only" or "sacred language-only" policy but entrusts adaptations to bishops' conferences, per Sacrosanctum Concilium (art. 63b, referenced in later documents).
Episcopal conferences may "compose... a section corresponding to this one in the Roman Ritual, adapted to the needs of their respective regions," including translations that "genuinely reflect the characteristics of various languages and cultures." They can retain or modify local ritual elements, add music, and propose further adaptations to the Holy See.
For Sunday celebrations or initiations, norms must be "adapted to the culture and conditions of their people," with decisions reported to the Apostolic See.
Arabic fits as a bridge language in regions where it supplanted Aramaic/Hebrew post-Babylonian captivity, akin to Latin's role in the West. Unlike some Orthodox insistence on archaic Greek, Catholic policy prioritizes comprehension without abandoning heritage.
Popes have emphasized protecting Eastern rites, including their linguistic patrimony, amid diaspora challenges.
No recent sources indicate a blanket endorsement of full Arabic replacement; instead, policy favors hybrid use (e.g., Syriac core with Arabic aids) to honor origins while serving the faithful.
| Rite/Church | Traditional Language | Arabic Usage | Key Adaptations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maronite | Syriac (Aramaic) | Gospel readings, rubrics (Karshuni), Office translations | Syriac-Arabic parallels for common texts |
| Melchite | Greek/Syriac | Dominant for natives since 16th-17th c. | Shift from Greek prelates to Arabic clergy |
| Byzantine (general) | Greek/Slavonic | Translations for Syria, missions | Archaic forms retained, vernacular supplements |
| Alexandrian (Coptic) | Coptic (Sahidic/Bohairic) | Post-12th c. alongside Greek formulas | Liturgical renewal introductions |
Catholic policy on Arabic liturgy affirms its legitimacy as a pastoral tool in Eastern rites for Arabic-speaking faithful, integrated with sacred languages like Syriac to ensure fidelity to tradition. Episcopal oversight and papal mandates prioritize preservation over uniformity, countering historical Latin influences. Where sources lack specifics on post-2025 developments, the trajectory supports balanced inculturation.