Easter in America Brings Joy to Assyrian Refugees in Troy, Michigan Amid Many Uncertainties

Catechism students at St. Joseph Chaldean Catholic Church in Troy sing Palm Sunday hymns that they learned in Aramaic. Sameerah Alqas-Hanna feels fortunate. She and her husband and their six children fled their home in Iraq in 2014, heeding their neighbor’s warning that ISIS was coming. They were among the Iraqi refugees who made it to Michigan before President Donald Trump’s executive orders in January of 2017 banned arrivals from several Muslim-majority countries, including their own. Not everyone was as lucky. Her parents left with them but gave up.

At one point, while in Jordan, they were all living in one room, unable to work or go to school. Her husband’s parents also returned from their village but they have since learned that his mother passed away and his father is gravely ill. Her brother and his family waited too long to leave. Like many refugees, they are now living in limbo in Lebanon, praying that a country — any country — will accept them. She’s not alone. Many of Alqas-Hanna’s new friends in her Troy community are worse off. They’re also refugees that she’s met through St. Joseph Chaldean Catholic Church, which is among the churches sending aid to Christian refugees.

Some are of them are parents who arrived without their children, or children who became separated from their parents. Many refugees are in limbo. Still, they have faith. “It’s the one thing that they can always be assured of — it’s the one thing they all have in common,” said Sue Kattula, program manager of behavioral health for the Chaldean Community Foundation in Sterling Heights, doing her best to be heard over the noise created by a steady stream of catechism students entering a hall next to the church to prepare for their role in a Palm Sunday Mass.

More than 600 students from Kindergartners to eighth grade, along with their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and other family members, were in attendance. For Christians, Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem prior to being put to death. It is tradition for churches to hand out palm leaves, which is what was laid in his path. Palm Sunday, also known as Passion Sunday, is the last Sunday of Lent and the first day of Holy Week.

“They’re all very excited,” said Stephanie Bahoura of Sterling Heights, who was among the catechism teachers corralling the students into groups. “I’m excited for them,” she added as two children ran up to give her a hug. “Each group will be singing a Palm Sunday hymn they learned in Aramaic.

The Chaldean Catholic Church, part of the broader Assyrian Church of the East tradition, has been a central pillar for many refugees seeking sanctuary in the United States. Its parishes and community organizations have provided not only spiritual support but also practical aid, including education and social services. The church’s efforts reflect a commitment to preserving the faith and cultural identity of its members amid the uncertainties of displacement.

The refugee experience, marked by loss and uncertainty, has tested the resilience of many families. Yet, within the community, there is a shared sense of hope and purpose. The celebration of Palm Sunday, with its emphasis on faith and renewal, serves as a reminder of the enduring strength of the Christian faith. This is a time of preparation for the Passion and Resurrection, a time when the community gathers to reflect on the journey of faith and the promise of new life.

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