LISTEN TO YOUTH, BISHOP URGES; Aram I BRINGS MESSAGE OF PEACE
By Brodie Fenlon

The Toronto Sun
October 1, 2005 Saturday
FINAL EDITION

The Christian church must address the “critical issue” of its alienated
youth by reaching out and engaging young people as equals, says a
leader of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

“The gap between youth and the church is growing. This is a critical
issue, a pan-Christian issue,” said His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos
of Cilicia, who is here this weekend as part of a two-week visit
to Canada.

“The church should go beyond its walls,” listen to young people and
involve them in making decisions, said the bishop, who represents
Orthodox Armenian Christians in Lebanon, Syria and Cyprus.

340 CHURCHES

He also serves as moderator of the World Council of Churches, an
ecumenical group of 340 Christian churches and denominations from
around the world.

“The church must not look to youth as the future — the youth are
our present,” he told the Sun yesterday.

“Churches are often in a position where they only tell and give
guidance. But I think we must start listening ,” he said.

“We must establish a meaningful dialogue with youth.”

Aram will practice what he preaches Monday night when he hosts more
than 500 local Armenian youth for a banquet and question period at
the Toronto Armenian Community Centre on Hallcrown Pl. in North York.

He will also celebrate a large mass tomorrow at Toronto’s St. Mary
Armenian Apostolic Church.

The bishop’s agenda also includes a visit to Cambridge tomorrow night
and a banquet at the St. Paul Armenian Apostolic Church in St.

Catharines on Tuesday.

Sarkis Ghazarian, president of the Toronto church, said Aram’s visit
is an important event for the more than 30,000 Armenians living
in Ontario.

HE’S A ‘REMINDER’

“He reminds us of who we are and where we are from. He’s here to put
us on the right track as Armenian Christians,” Sarkis said.

In a wide ranging interview, Aram said much of the violence that
plagues the world today is caused by the failure of states and
religious leaders to “build bridges of communication and common values”
between different faith communities.

GRAPHIC: photo by Ernest Doroszuk His Holiness Aram I serves as
moderator of the World Council of Churches, an ecumenical group of
340 Christian churches.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress