All about St Mary’s Catholic Church Al Ain
One of the things that makes the UAE wonderful is its welcoming nature and tolerance for people of all faiths. This is reflected in the many places of worship you can find for non-Muslims in the country. One such place is the St Mary’s Catholic Church in Al Ain, which is also known as St Mary’s Church Al Ain.
There are quite a few churches in Al Ain where parishioners gather for prayer and worship every week. St Mary’s Church Al Ain happens to be one of the oldest churches in the emirate. It is located on Khaled Bin Sultan Street and is easy to reach.
BRIEF HISTORY OF ST MARY’S CHURCH AL AIN
In 1969, the land for the very first catholic church in Al Ain was given by then-president of the UAE, H.H. Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Father Barnabas, OFM Cap, laid the foundation for the building that was to be made. Soon after, a small building was constructed on the land where mass was held regularly.
The church underwent its first renovation in 1981, under the supervision of Father Attilio, OFM Cap. Following this, the church underwent a series of renovations and modifications in 1987 and 1992, to accommodate more parishioners.
In 2008, the construction of a new building was initiated by Fr. Antony Puthenpurackal. Soon after, HE Bishop Paul Hinder, OFM Cap laid and blessed the foundation stone for the new church building. The new building was inaugurated in 2009 by H.H. Sheikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and blessed by HE Bishop Paul Hinder, OFM Cap.
Later, in 2010, a presbytery was also constructed within the church, which was initiated by Father Antony, OFM Cap and blessed by HE Bishop Paul Hinder, OFM Cap. Further construction led to the addition of a parish hall above the church in 2013.
Here is a list of the priests who have served in St Mary’s Church Al Ain till its construction in 1969:
- Fr. Barnabas, OFM Cap (1969 – 1981)
- Fr. Attilio, OFM Cap (1981 – 1983)
- Fr. Daniel Cerofolini, OFM Cap (1983 – 1986)
- Fr. Antonino Fortuna, OFM Cap (1986 – 1990)
- Fr. Francis Jamieson (1990 – 1993)
- Fr. Mathew Fernandes (1993 – 2007)
- Fr. Antony Puthenpurackal, OFM Cap (2007 – 2014)
- Fr. Augustine Fernandes, OFM Cap – first assistant parish priest (2010 – 2015)
- Fr. Stalin Varghese OFM Cap. – parish priest (2015-)
- Fr. Ernesto Ablaza MSP – assistant parish priest (2015-)
All the sacraments pertaining to the Christian faith are practiced in St Mary’s Catholic Church Al Ain, such as:
- Children’s Baptism
- Adult Baptism
- Communion
- Confession
- Reconciliation
- Confirmation
- Marriage
- Holy Orders
- Anointing of the sick
Within the church, there are many ministries that work together for the betterment of the parish, such as:
- Family Ministry
- Altar Servers
- Eucharist Ministry
- Jesus Youth
- Nurses Ministry
- Lectors Ministry
MASS TIMINGS OF ST MARY’S CHURCH AL AIN
The St Mary’s Church Al Ain mass timings are listed below:
ENGLISH MASS
SUNDAY
- 08:00 am
- 06:00 pm
- 07:30 pm
MONDAY TO THURSDAY AND SATURDAY
- 06:15 am
- 07:00 pm
FRIDAY
- 09:00 am
- 06:00 pm
- 07:30 pm
MALAYALAM MASS
THURSDAY AND SATURDAY
- 08:00 pm
TAGALOG MASS
FRIDAY
- 12:00 pm
TAMIL MASS
EVERY 4TH FRIDAY
- 12:00 pm
SINHALESE MASS
EVERY 3RD FRIDAY
- 12:00 pm
KONKANI MASS
EVERY 1ST FRIDAY
- 12:00 pm
ARABIC MASS
SATURDAY
- 08:30 pm
URDU MASS
EVERY 1ST AND 3RD SATURDAY
- 06:00 pm
CHILDREN’S MASS
FRIDAY
- 10:30 am
SATURDAY
- 05:30 am (Arabic)
CONTACT DETAILS OF ST MARY’S CHURCH AL AIN
Here is how you can get in touch with the priest or the church office of St Mary’s Catholic Church Al Ain:
- Contact: +971-3-721-4417
- Email: alainchurch@gmail.com
- Church Opening Hours: 08:00am (daily)
- Parish Office Timings: Tuesday to Sunday 09:00am – 12:00pm | 04:00pm – 08:00pm
This concludes our blog on St Mary’s Catholic Church in Al Ain. To know more about other churches in the UAE, do check out our blog on Saint Joseph’s Cathedral in Abu Dhabi, as well as other churches in Abu Dhabi. There is also a St Mary’s Catholic Church in Dubai, where you can attend the mass if you are visiting the emirate.
Cover image credits: St Mary’s Catholic Church, Al Ain Facebook Page
