O Holy Spirit, Spirit of wisdom and divine love, impart Your knowledge, understanding, and counsel to youth - that they may know the vocation wherein they can best serve God. Give them courage and strength to follow God's holy will. Guide their uncertain steps, strengthen their resolutions, shield their chastity, fashion their minds, conquer their hearts, and lead them to the vineyards where they will labor in God's holy service.
... "There is one body and one Spirit,
just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call,
one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all,
who is above all and through all and in all." - Ephesians 4:4-6
The Holy Family Cathedral occupies a prominent location in Kuwait City, which is a short distance from the shore of the Arabian Gulf. While it is the seat (or 'cathedra') of the Catholic Bishop in Kuwait, it is also a living testimony of the faith and the unity enriched by the great diversity of the faithful. This site has been a place of worship for over forty years, standing as a vibrant symbol of Catholicism in the State.
Scripture commands that only the best is good enough for God. View of the West Side from the Gulf Coast.
So, with faith in God and his best foot forward, the first Bishop in Kuwait, Mgr. Theophano Stella commissioned an ingenious architect from Milan by the name of Emilio Tenca to design the Cathedral. The Cathedral, very modern and unique in its architecture, began to take shape in 1956 on land graciously allocated by H.H. The Amir, and the Government of Kuwait. January 27, 1957, was the day chosen for the laying of the first stone, and on March 16, 1961, the Cathedral was solemnly blessed and consecrated. Mindful of the peculiar circumstances in which the Catholics of Kuwait lived, namely, as transient residents, Bishop Stella decided to dedicate the Cathedral to 'The Holy Family in the Desert'.
On entering the Cathedral through the tall, polished doors of either the main or side entrances, one is overcome at once by a deep sense of peace and calm. On a first visit, the eye is naturally drawn forward along the short length of the Nave, towards the dominating presence of the broad elevated sanctuary with its high marble canopy resting on four columns and which 'shelters' the main altar.
LOCATION: Off the Arabian Gulf St., Opp. Al Maqsab Gate, Near Sheraton Hotel, Kuwait City. POSTAL ADDRESS: P.O. Box 266, Safat 13003, Safat, Kuwait. TEL NO: (American, European, Asian Congregations) (965) - 2-2434637, 2-2431563, 2-2431569 TEL NO: (Arab Congregation) (965) - 2-2434228, 2-2409982 FAX NO: (The Cathedral) (965) - 2-2409981
ABBASIYA CENTRE: Fr. Albert (9-4090323)
OFFICE TIMINGS
8.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.
4.30 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. (Mondays Closed)
... While the Holy Family Cathedral is often hailed as a national monument, its greatness is not merely in its external form, for the Cathedral is a very special place of prayer, a refuge from the busy city, a space to find one's own thoughts. The simple beauty and holiness of the Cathedral still needs to be discovered by many. A warm welcome awaits them, as well as a prayerful community, and a deep experience of the closeness of God ...
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