PRESS OFFICE
Armenian Holy Apostolic Church Canadian Diocese
Contact; Deacon Hagop Arslanian, Assistant to the Primate
615 Stuart Avenue, Outremont Quebec H2V 3H2
Tel; 514-276-9479, Fax; 514-276-9960
Email; adiocese@aol.com Website;
THE 21ST DIOCESAN ASSEMBLY COMMENDED THE NEW INITIATIVES OF THE CANADIAN
DIOCESE
The 21st Assembly of the Canadian Diocese of the Armenian Holy
Apostolic Church highly commended the successful programs initiated
during the past year within the Diocese.
This year has been of a special significance, because it marked
the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Diocese. This
milestone became an impetus to the Primate, His Eminence Bishop Bagrat
Galstanian, who was elected Primate a year ago. In his own words,
the young Bishop said, “This was a year of changes, of challenges
for revitalization and reform within the Diocese with involvement
of the youth in a variety of projects and at different levels of
responsibility.”
One of the most successful of the new initiatives has been the
establishment of the Press Office of the Diocese in the last several
months. With limited personnel and resources, thanks to a group of
dedicated young volunteers led by Deacon Hagop Arslanian, Assistant
to the Primate it has been possible to set up a mechanism of issuing
timely Press Releases and maintaining a state-of-the-art website
with almost daily updates of information related to the Diocese and
its activities.
Other initiatives have been the establishment of a summer camp and a
centralized Sunday School organization as investment in the future
of the Diocese, said the Primate in his first annual report, and
remarked that this year has been one of learning and reorganization.
The Assembly approved with commendations the reports of Canadian
Youth Mission to Armenia (CYMA) and of the Children’s Fund for Armenia
(CFFA).
The 21st Diocesan Assembly was convened in Vancouver, BC, on May 28-30,
2004, hosted by Saint Vartan Armenian Church, to help rejuvenate
this remote Parish. On this occasion the Assembly expressed its
filial faithfulness to His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and
Catholicos of All Armenians as His Pontifical Letter of Blessing was
read at the Assembly. Letters of congratulations and good wishes were
also sent by the Premier of British Columbia the Honorable Gordon
Campbell and by the Mayor of the city of Vancouver the Honorable
Larry Campbell. The Eastern Diocese of United States was represented
by Mr. John Amboyan, who conveyed to the Assembly the message of H.E
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese.
Chairman of the Diocesan Council Mr. Jack Stepanian submitted a
resolution to increase the number of the members of the Diocesan
Council considering the expansion of the activities of the
Diocese. Mr. Stepanian also talked about the new vision of the
Diocese and presented a plan for raising public support for the
Diocesan projects.
The three sessions of the Assembly were concluded by adoption of a
statement of gratitude and appreciation to the Catholicos of All
Armenians, the Prime Minister of Canada, the Premier of British
Columbia, the Mayor of the City of Vancouver, the Canadian Parliament
(for recognizing the Armenian Genocide), the Primate of the Diocese,
the Diocesan Council and the Organizing Committee of the Assembly.
Next year the Assembly will be held in St. Catherine, hosted by Saint
Gregory the Illuminator Parish, the first Armenian church established
in Canada 75 years ago.
Divan of the Diocese