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December 15, 2021Abu Dhabi.
On 16 December 2021 at 6.00 pm, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Ruwais will be inaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative for Al Dhafra Region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
The Church is situated on a plot of land graciously donated by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative of Al Dhafra Region. The church is within the Al Ruwais City area of the township and close to the Al Ruwais Housing Complex.
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The new church will be served by the present parish priest of Ruwais, Fr. Thomas Ampattukuzhy OFM Cap., who has also overseen the completion of the construction project since the foundation stone was blessed by Bishop Paul Hinder, Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia on 30 December 2018. Besides a daily mass in the evening, the new church will also have two additional masses on Fridays.
The new church has a seating capacity of 800 persons. It also has a hall on the first floor which can seat approximately 1000 persons. The church site also has an adjoining office and residential complex. Among the special attractions of the new church are the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Crucifix which were specially sculpted for the Papal Mass held in Abu Dhabi on 5 February 2019.
The church is the first in Al Dhafra Region and will cater to the spiritual needs of the approximate 2,500 Catholics who live and work in Ruwais and the neighbouring areas, among whom there are approximately 600 families.
The blessing ceremony of the new church will take place on Friday 17 December 2021 at 10.00 am and will be officiated by Bishop Paul Hinder.
The Catholic Community of Al Dhafra region expresses their gratitude to the President of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative for Al Dhafra Region, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan and their respective offices.
They also express their thanks to the officials of the Al Dhafra Region Municipality, ADNOC, Abu Dhabi Municipality, the Urban Planning Council and the Department for Community Development without whom the project would not have been realized.
UPDATE (16 December 2021, 5:35pm):We have just received a communication from the parish that the civil inauguration of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Ruwais scheduled for today at 6 pm by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan has been postponed to a later date in the near future.