Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church is a Roman Catholic church located in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates. It serves as the main Catholic parish for the eastern region of the country, covering Fujairah, Kalba, Khorfakkan, and Dibba. It is one of the few Salesian-administered parishes in the Arabian Peninsula, overseeing both the church and a school.
The origins of the parish date back to the mid-1970s, when Bishop Bernard Gremoli, visited the eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates, in search of possible locations for Catholic worship. At the time, there were no permanent church facilities in the region.
In the late 1970s, Fr. Attilio Franceschetti, then parish priest of St. MichaelâÂÂs Church in Sharjah, began conducting monthly Masses in private homes for Catholics residing in Fujairah, Kalba, Khorfakkan, and Dibba. Travel to the region was difficult due to poor infrastructure, including the absence of proper roads and lighting. As the Catholic population increased, more regular services were organised with priests from Sharjah often celebrating Masses across the East Coast.
Recognising the need for a permanent parish, Bishop Gremoli appointed Fr. Michael Cardoz as the first resident parish priest of Fujairah on 5 February 1992. He operated from a rented villa, where the first Mass and baptism were celebrated on 7 February 1992. A hall was later constructed within the villa compound to serve as a temporary church.
With rapid economic development in Fujairah, Bishop Gremoli and Fr. Cardoz approached the Ruler of Fujairah, Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, to request land for a permanent church.
A plot of land was granted, and a purpose-built church complex was constructed. The church was dedicated to Our Lady of Perpetual Help and consecrated on 25 October 2002 by Archbishop Giuseppe De Andrea, Apostolic Nuncio to Kuwait, Yemen, and Bahrain, and Apostolic Delegate to the Arabian Peninsula.