This is the first of several articles that will offer a snapshot on attending Mass in Abu Dhabi. The Emirate of Abu Dhabi is the largest in the United Arab Emirates, and the city of Abu Dhabi serves as the capital of the nation.
August 4, 2025 (Edward J. Barr) Scores of small commuter buses jockey for position near the entrance to the compound. It is twenty minutes before Mass begins, and the drivers urge their passengers to unload as quickly as possible. Despite the stifling heat and humidity, the congregants duly follow the instructions, exiting the vehicles in only a few minutes. As soon as the first few buses are unloaded, others take their place. A stream of worshipers from around the world rush through the large open doors into the compound containing two Catholic churches, a school, and a parish hall. Welcome to Catholic life in Abu Dhabi!
The Cathedral of St. Joseph is situated in the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Abu Dhabi. Bishop Paolo Martinelli OFM Cap. leads the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia, which covers the UAE, the Sultanate of Oman and the Republic of Yemen. Other Franciscan priests run the local parish. Although the UAE is a Muslim country, both the United States and the Vatican have strong ties to the young nation, which was formed in 1971 from 7 independent emirates. In 1963 the ruler of Abu Dhabi (the largest of the 7 emirates) deeded land to the Church and in 1965 he attended the inauguration of the first church in downtown Abu Dhabi. Construction of the current Cathedral began in 1981 after the founding father of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed, granted land to the Church in the Al Mushrif section of the city. In 2014 the second church on the compound, St. Therese Church and the Parish Hall were built. Once again, the ruler of the UAE attended their inauguration.
Christians make up about 10% of the population in the UAE; they are a distinct minority, and churches are rare. There are only ten Catholic churches in the entire country. There are in five different locations in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, though three, located in two locations, are part of the Cathedral parish. These three are the Cathedral of St. Joseph, St. Therese church, and St. Francis, which is part of the Abrahamic Family House. There is an additional parish in Abu Dhabi city, St. Paul, with the final church in the emirate being St. Mary, located in the desert oasis city of Al Ain. Additional articles will cover the three church sites outside of the Cathedral complex.
The Cathedral compound is bordered by two other religious sites. To one side is a large, newer Orthodox Christian church. On the other side is the massive Mary, Mother of Jesus Mosque. The ruler of the UAE changed its name to demonstrate his openness to other religions and to honor Mary, who is revered in Islam. While Catholics are free to practice their faith, the scores of congregants attending the Vigil and Sunday Mass must content with the call to prayer booming from the neighboring mosque. There is a mystical dichotomy watching faithful Catholics praying at the grotto statute of the Blessed Mother in front of St. Therese church, only a short distance from the exposed blessed sacrament inside the parish hall, while the adhan (call to prayer) resonates through the courtyard, emanating from a mosque named in honor of Jesus’ mother.
Most of the congregants are low and mid-level workers from India, the Philippines, other Asian nations, along with a few Africans and a handful of Westerners. Most are brought to the UAE to support the massive economic development that is driven by the country’s significant oil wealth. Many live in crowded apartment complexes, work long hours for low pay, and have minimal free time. Despite this, they make time to honor the Lord.
The weekly Masses are split between St. Joseph Cathedral and St. Therese Church. There is also a Mass at St. Francis, a new church that is part of an interfaith initiative by the UAE government. Mass is offered in thirteen different languages, though Mass is not said in every language every week. Since English (along with Arabic) is an official language of the UAE, most of the Masses are in English. The pews are completed packed by the time Mass begins. People continue to trickle in, and the ushers do an incredible job finding seats for worshipers. You can maintain an aisle position if you like but being packed in between fellow Catholics from around the world brings new meaning to the word catholic. I usually count about dozen Caucasians, some American, in a congregation of 600.
The Mass is the novus ordo, though without many of the liturgical abuses that have become commonplace in the West. There is a solemn procession into the sanctuary, replete with up to sixteen alter servers. Each wears a red cassock and processes with their hands folded in prayer. They dirge march slowly and deliberately to their appropriate station and remain either standing with hands in prayer or seated with their hands on their knees. One of the benefits of attending Mass at the seat of the bishop is that he regularly says Mass on the weekends. The altar servers take on new responsibilities whenever His Excellency presides. This Marine was impressed watching a 3 ½ foot altar server maintaining the position of attention throughout Mass whenever she was tasked to hold the bishop’s crozier. The altar servers also play a unique role at communion. They escort the extraordinary ministers of holy communion (each dressed identically with white shirts and black trousers or skirts) to their stations holding a paten in one hand while holding their other hand over their heart. The paten is used for those who take the Eucharist either by the hand or on the tongue. The priests are all from the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, as is the bishop. They ensure that Mass is done respectfully and reverently. Whichever priest trains the altar servers is to be commended. The homilies are direct and on point, and every priest seems to understand the unique challenges faced by their community.
The congregation is equally impressive. Being in the middle of 10 congregants in an 8-person pew is a natural occurrence. Everyone participates in the prayer responses, and the church vibrates with the sound of hundreds of voices lifting their hearts to the Lord during the hymns. When the sign of peace is offered parishioners turn toward each other with hands folded in prayer and offer a slight bow. It is a reverent and heartfelt gesture. Other customs are equally powerful. During adoration most of the faithful kneel on the ground and prostrate themselves in prayer. There are no chairs in the adoration chapel, only pads. It enhances the reality that we are in the presence of the King of the Universe.
When Mass ends many in the congregation exit the church and head back to the small parking lot in front of the compound. The drivers of the first buses in line shout to their riders to hurry up and get onboard. Taxis try to navigate between the buses to pick up other parishioners who use that form of transportation to get to and from Mass. A scattering of the congregants who live in the neighborhood start their walk home. Within minutes the holy chaos returns to a solemn silence. The reality of a hard life with long hours of work for marginal pay while being far away from your home country slowly returns. Sacrifice can be difficult. The oppressive heat adds to the burden of being in a fallen world. The buses carry them back to various locations within the growing city of Abu Dhabi. They have one day of rest a week, a short respite in a difficult life. Yet, they always remember what He has done for them. Their hearts are lightened and their spirits raised. In one week, they will again return to offer Him praise and glory.
Edward J. Barr is a Catechist, author and speaker in the diocese of Orlando. He earned his Master of Theology degree from the Augustine Institute. He has been living and working in Abu Dhabi for several months. Mr. Barr is a contributing writer for the Roma Locuta Est blog (www.RomaLocutaEst.com)
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