PRESS OFFICE
Department of Communications
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Media Relations Specialist
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 160; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
May 8, 2007
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DIOCESE LOOKS TO EDUCATE PARENTS, HELP THEM TEACH THEIR CHILDREN
By Jake Goshert
In his address to the delegates of the 105th Diocesan Annual Assembly,
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese, spoke about the
importance of strengthening the faith of young Armenians.
To do that the Diocese is planning this year to provide educational tools
focused on teaching the basics of the Armenian Church. Once adults better
understand their faith, the Primate said, they would be better equipped to
pass it along to the next generation.
"We are not doing a good enough job in preparing our youth to carry the
flame of Christianity," he said. "We need to help guide and prepare parents
in the religious and spiritual development of their children. Too many do
not understand what the Church is. For too many, the Church is seen as an
institution, a social club, or even a cultural club – but not the body of
Christ. This is at the heart of the confusion about the Church and her role
and her mission."
"We, as a Church, need to help young parents to be better teachers of our
faith, tradition, and culture," he added. "We need to return to the basics
and help parents raise their families upon the most solid foundation we
have, Jesus Christ."
IMPORTANCE OF PARENTS
The Primate urged parents to live visibly Christian lives, so that their
children can learn by following their actions.
"Parents need to lead by example, demonstrating the basics as often as
possible. When parents pray, their children watch and learn to pray. When
parents go to badarak, so does the family. And when parents model the
Christian virtues of faith, hope, and charity, their children learn these
too," he said.
Telling a personal story to the delegates, he said his father prays
throughout the day no matter what is going on. If he has guests, his father
goes to the corner and prays. One day, the Primate’s four-year-old niece was
visiting, and saw the Primate’s father praying. She went next to him and
began praying as well. The Primate asked his father how he learned to pray,
and he spoke about the grandfather of the Primate’s mother, who prayed every
day. By seeing that example, the Primate’s father was so impressed he began
to pray
"I am sure each of you can recall how someone taught you and how you have
carried these lessons throughout your life," he said. "These lessons go
beyond what you do; they form who we are. It’s not really the words we
repeat, sometimes even without understanding the meaning. Incorporating our
Armenian faith, culture, and tradition is part of who we are, whatever we
are, and whatever we do. The question before us is this: What will we, as
Armenian Christians living in the United States, do in teaching the basics
of our identity as Armenian Christians."
HEARING FROM PARENTS
Delegates heard from several parents who spoke about trying to raise
Armenian Christian children in the secular, homogenized American society.
The key, they said, was in identifying the treasures of the Armenian Church
and communicating their importance to children.
"Being in America, your kids are growing up in an area where their peers
think being an Armenian is a disease almost. They look different they act
different they eat different food," said Dn. Serop Demirjian, a father of
three from the St. Gregory of Narek Church of Cleveland, Ohio. "Fortunately,
I know those Armenian treasures. That’s why we as parents concentrate on the
treasures we have and how special they are, and instill that love in our
children."
Bruce Ashbahian, a father of three from the Church of the Holy Martyrs in
Bayside, New York, noted parents are pulled in many directions by their
children’s various classes, programs, and appointments. This makes it hard
to find time to go to church; but, he said it is important for parents to go
to Church and to learn about their heritage and faith.
"We parents need education. My wife is not Armenian, she was brought up in
the Catholic Church, and she was intimidated by going to our Church because
she didn’t understand what was going on," he said. "But we started a
program in our church a few years ago, Badarak 101, and she read some of the
materials and realized our Church is not that much different then the Church
she grew up in. Then she felt comfortable getting involved in teaching the
children in the parish. Education is important, we need something to send
home with the parents to be able to further what we are able to provide in
Sunday School. We just don’t have enough time."
Vrej Kolandjian, a father of three and parish council chairman of the St.
Kevork Church in Houston, Texas, has lived in many communities throughout
the world. He said having a strong connection to the Armenian Church has
given him a home in every location. It is a sense of belonging he hopes to
pass on to his children.
"I never had an identity crisis, in spite of several nations I have lived
in," he said. "We felt very protected by some kind of shield. This shield
was the Armenian Church. Our children are starting to understand the
richness of our culture, but most important of all the value of this ‘home
away from home.’ This safe harbor is unique and priceless. Many other
cultures don’t have it."
Aram Megerian, a father of two who was raised in the Philadelphia area and
now is a leader in the St. Hagop Church of St. Petersburg, Florida, said it
was important for parents to combine both their Armenian and Christian
identities.
"To me, being Armenian is being Christian. One is not separate from the
other," he said. "It is not only the teaching of Christ my children need,
the teaching of Christ transcends all people. But it is the teaching of
Christ and how it has affected our Armenian people, that is what makes it
great."
Raffi Festekjian, a father of three and chairman of the Armenia Fund USA,
told delegates that the Church must provide more than spiritual guidance.
"There are so many new challenges we have to face that we aren’t experienced
in, what we need is seeking guidance in addition to spiritual guidance," he
said. "The Church has to come to our homes and understand what the
challenges are, the pitfalls of being a teenager."
"Life is much more complex today, and the last thing we need is just
spiritual guidance," he said. "That is an important cornerstone for our
family, but we need more help and the Church is an important place to bring
this type of advice and guidance to our families. There is a gap in the
community to meet those demands, and the Church can fill that need."
— 5/7/07
E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News and
Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,
PHOTO CAPTION (1): Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern
Diocese, speaks to delegates at the 105th Diocesan Annual Assembly on the
importance of educating Church members about the basics of Church teachings.
PHOTO CAPTION (2): Bruce Ashbahian, a father of three from the Church of
the Holy Martyrs of Bayside, New York, speaks about the need to educate
parents in order to reach children.
PHOTO CAPTION (3): Dn. Serop Demirjian, a father of three from the St.
Gregory of Narek Church of Cleveland, Ohio, speaks about the challenges in
raising children to be proud of their unique Armenian Christian identity.
PHOTO CAPTION (4): Vrej Kolandjian, father of three and parish council
chairman of the St. Kevork Church of Houston, Texas, speaks about the
ability of the Armenian Church to serve as a home away from home.
PHOTO CAPTION (5): Aram Megerian a father of two from the St. Hagop Church
of St. Petersburg, Florida, speaks about the importance of combining
Armenian heritage and the Christian faith.
PHOTO CAPTION (6): Raffi Festekjian, a father of three, speaks about the
importance of the Church offering more than spiritual guidance.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
