PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: jakeg@armeniandiocese.org
Website:

July 8, 2004
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CHELTENHAM CELEBRATES ORDINATION ANNIVERSARY OF PRIEST

By Jake Goshert

The call came early for Fr. Tateos Abdalain — when he was just 8 years
old, holding candles on the altar of St. James Church of Watertown, Ma.

“It was something that was just a natural thing for me. I received the
support of my pastor and the parishioners. I was fortunate growing up
in that area where there were many survivors of the Genocide, they were
there as a support mechanism, to encourage all the little kids to serve
and go to church,” Fr. Abdalian said.

And on Sunday, June 6, 2004, hundreds of faithful from his current
parish, the Holy Trinity Church of Cheltenham, PA, gathered to celebrate
the 20th anniversary of his ordination.

“The priesthood is neither an individual journey nor an individual
vocation. True, it is the one person who is ordained — but for it to
be accomplished, it involves the entire Church. It is a communal
journey,” Fr. Tateos told his parishioners. “It begins with a young boy
growing up in the faith in his home, nurtured by his parents in the
teachings of Christ, being taught to live a decent and good life. It is
being in a good parish, being influenced by his pastor, or other priests
to come and to sing in the choir, serve at the altar, be a part of the
parish. It is a young man being encouraged by his fellow parishioners
to pursue the goal of priesthood. It is his family who gifts the person
to God for service.”

SERVICE TO COMMUNITY

Fr. Tateos has been serving the Cheltenham community since July 2003.
Before that he worked with the Diocesan mission parish and youth
ministries, and he also previously served as parish priest for the St.
John the Baptist Church in Greenfield, WI, where he helped build a new
church building; St. George Church in Hartford, CT, and Sts. Sahag and
Mesrob Armenian Church of Providence, RI.

“What is it that inspires a man to dedicate his life to the ministry of
God’s flock? There are many answers, and different ones for different
people,” Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese
during the celebrations at Holy Trinity. “For Der Tateos, I think the
answer is clear: a feeling of love, which issues from a pure heart, a
good conscience, and sincere faith.”

Fr. Tateos’ route to the priesthood was not quite direct. After working
in the business sector and he began a job as administrative director of
the St. James Armenian Church of Watertown, MA. While there, Fr.
Garabed Kochakian, a then-recently ordained priest, stayed in Watertown
during the 40 days of seclusion following ordination.

“As I grew up, I continually served, I just didn’t see becoming a priest
as a feasible choice, because we had no St. Nersess at the time. But
Der Garabed gave me inspiration,” Fr. Tateos said. “I’ve found being a
priest has moments of total jubiliation and frustration, peaks and
valleys.”

CONTINUING THE FAITH

Fr. Tateos sees being a priest as a continuation of centuries of
tradition and faith carried out by his ancestors. It’s a faith that
remains strong because each generation works to nurture it, despite
challenges and difficulties.

“I keep saying one of the mistakes the Turks made was to allow my father
to live, because he had a son who became a priest and strengthened our
church. That gives me a sense of satisfaction,” he said.

It’s a faith he works to continue in future generations by trying to
bring children into the parish family. It’s an uphill climb today, with
them falling under the influence of secular pop culture, but Fr. Tateos
believes it is vital. And building the next generation of Armenian
Christians is not one he shoulders alone.

“Kids have problems today. They’re facing evil from the very
beginning,” he said. “Kids have problems. That’s why it is so
important that we work to strengthen St. Nersess Seminary, and Sunday
Schools, and St. Vartan Camp, and ACYOA, we need to pay attention to
these things rather than having them as social organizations and fun
places to go.”

Working to build young leaders in his parish, Fr. Tateos took the
opportunity of his anniversary celebration to highlight young people’s
contributions. Two young brothers, Michael and Tavit Murray, who are
culinary students prepared the whole meal. The music was provided by
the Mockingbird String Quartet, a group made up of high school students
including his young parishioner Karinne Hovnanian.

“It was a family day, and that’s the part I was really happy about,” Fr.
Tateos said of his anniversary celebration. “It was a day of
celebration. We weren’t just honoring one person, we’re honoring the
whole church.”

He has been married since 1969 to Yn. Margaret, and they have one son,
David; one daughter, Alicia; and two grandchildren.

— 7/8/04

E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News
and Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,

PHOTO CAPTION (1): Fr. Tateos Abdalian, joined by Archbishop Khajag
Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese, and his family, marked his
20th anniversary on Sunday, June 6, 2004, with a banquet bringing
together hundreds of faithful from his current parish, the Holy Trinity
Church of Cheltenham, PA.