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; _www.armenianchurch.ca_
(http://www.armenianchurch .ca/)
May 26, 2006
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CANADA: Diocesan Clergy Conference was held in Montreal

The conference of the clergy of the Canadian Diocese of the Armenian
Church was held on Friday May 26, 2006 at the Diocesan Office of the
Armenian Church in Canada, and was presided by, His Eminence Bishop
Bagrat Galstanian, Primate.

The daylong meeting’s agenda items were mainly issues relating to the
mission of the Church and discussion of the activities of the past
year. The Primate offered the invocation. Bishop Galstanian
interpreted the message from the Gospel of St. John (Chapter 17.)
Pointing its relevance to our contemporary issues of today, he said,
`The formation of a community is the reflection of the Holy Trinity.
The Church is involved in that mission, by not only trying to change
the shape of the world, but also to change its essence.

He said, `The Church is for the world.’ Today, particularly on these
shores, it is our sacred duty to lead our children to a spiritual life
and to the orthodox faith.’ The Pontifical message of His Holiness
Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians addressed
to the Clergy conference was read by Deacon Hagop Arslanian.

The clergy conference then discussed in detail, the spiritual and
re-organizational activities of each parish. Serpazan Hayr
congratulated the pastors for their dedicated work. The conference
highly commended the tireless efforts of the Primate, in actively
pursuing the objectives of the Diocesan Spiritual mission, with a
special attention to the programs of Sunday Schools and the training
of teachers for Christian Education. It was noted that the Ararat
Summer Camp is the most vibrant and rewarding Youth program of our
Diocese where the teaching of our Church History, Rites, and Hymns is
based on modern pedagogical principles. Serpazan Hayr informed the
clergy that during thisyear significant projects are underway such as
the establishment of the Diocesan Youth Ministry Office, Christian
Education Department as well as the development of Armenian Projects.

The Clergy Conference noted with pride the many visits and meetings
that the Primate held; with heads of sister churches, of the Roman
Catholic, Anglican and Evangelical faiths, as well as with Islamic
religious leaders. These co-operative efforts will certainly have a
positive impact on the future course of the Diocesan activities. The
spiritual pilgrimage of Christian Church leaders to Armenia and the
efforts to initiate close contacts with the government officials were
highly appreciated by the Diocesan clergy. The Conference welcomed
the initiative of our Primate to dedicate this year’s Diocesan
Assembly to launch, `The Year of Stewardship.’

The conference ended by prayers to Almighty God for the Brotherhood of
the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and for the health of His Holiness
the Catholicos, as well as for the strengthening of our Motherland,
Armenia.

The Conference was closed by the Lord’s Prayer.

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