Sarhad Yawsip Jammo
Sarhad Yawsip Hermiz Jammo was an Iraqi-born American prelate of the Chaldean Catholic Church who presided over the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of [Saint Peter the Apostle of San Diego] in the United States. He had been the bishop of this diocese since its inception on 25 July 2002. His bishopric currently sits at St. Peter [Chaldean Catholic Cathedral (El Cajon, California)|St. Peter's Chaldean Catholic Cathedral] in El Cajon, California.
Mar Sarhad Jammo was born in Baghdad and ordained a priest on 19 December 1964. Following 38 years as a priest, he was elevated to the episcopate by the then Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans, Mar Raphael I Bidawid. Upon his installment, his first post was to serve as bishop of the newly created eparchy, St. Peter the Apostle, which spans across nineteen states of the western United States. He retired on 7 May 2016.
Early life and education
Born to an Assyrian family from Baghdad, he attended the Chaldean Patriarchal Seminary in Mosul for formation and left to Rome at the age of 17. He attended the Pontifical Urbaniana University, where he earned a master's degree in both philosophy and theology. He then pursued doctoral studies at the Pontifical Oriental Institute, where he earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Eastern Ecclesiastical Studies. His dissertation was titled, "The Structure of the Chaldean Mass". Bishop Jammo conducted instructional work at several prestigious universities. He taught at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome, the University of Notre Dame, and the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.Pastoral work
After finishing his studies in Rome, Jammo was appointed pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish in Baghdad, where he would serve from 1969 to 1974. At which time, he became the rector at the Chaldean Patriarchial Seminary in Mosul. In 1977, he was made associate pastor of Mother of God parish in Southfield, Michigan, where he would serve with Mar George Garmo. In 1983, he was appointed pastor of St. Joseph's Church in Troy, Michigan, in which capacity he would serve until his elevation to the episcopacy.In 2002, Pope John Paul II created a second diocese for the Chaldean Catholic Church in the United States. The new diocese would divide the country between the east and west. Mar Sarhad Jammo would be given an apostolic seat to preside over the Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle covering the western United States. Bishop Jammo has championed ecclesiastical renewal and reconciliation. In 2006, the Chaldean Catholic Church received Vatican approval on a reform of the Liturgy of Addai and Mari. The St. Peter Diocese has been the first to implement the reformed mass showing Bishop Jammo's passion and zeal for liturgical renewal.
Degrees and publications
- Master's in Philosophy, Pontifical Urbaniana University
- Master's in Theology, Pontifical Urbaniana University
- Doctorate in Eastern Ecclesiastical Studies, Pontifical Oriental Institute
- Doctoral Dissertation, "The Structure of the Chaldean Mass"
- Musical Play, "Between the Tigris and the Euphrates"
- Chaldean Patriarchial Liturgical Committee, "Presentation of the Reformed Chaldean Missal"