Crossroads E-Newsletter:5/24/07

May 24, 2007

NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY CONCLUDES
The National Representative Assembly (NRA) of the Eastern Prelacy, which meets annually, concluded last Saturday, May 19, in Dearborn, Michigan. His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan expressed his thanks to the parish of St. Sarkis who hosted the Assembly with diligent and gracious hospitality.

Special panels focused on, Youth and Young Adult Programs; Clergy Recruitment, Development and Training; Financial Development Programs; Audit and Budget.

Keynote addresses were delivered by the Prelate, His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, and Jack C. Mardoian, chairman of the Executive Council.

To read the Prelate’s address in Armenian click here.
To read the Prelate’s address in English click here.
To read Mr. Mardoian’s address click here.
ENTHUSIASTIC GATHERING CELEBRATES THE THIRD OF THREE ANNIVERSARY GALAS FOR ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN
The third of the three regional celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of Archbishop Oshagan’s ordination to the priesthood, took place last Friday, May 18, in Dearborn, Michigan, during the National Representative Assembly.

Photographs from all three celebrations will be posted on the Prelacy’s web page next week.

PRELATE WILL TRAVEL TO BOSTON
Archbishop Oshagan will travel to the Boston area where on Sunday, May 27, Pentecost, he will preside over the Divine Liturgy and deliver the sermon at St. Stephen Church in Watertown. His Eminence will also preside over a special ceremony offering prayers for the Republic of Armenia and blessing of the tricolor flag.

VICAR WILL TRAVEL TO OHIO
Bishop Anoushavan will travel to Ohio where on Sunday he will officiate over the Divine Liturgy and deliver the sermon at Holy Cross Church in Royalton, Ohio.

VICAR WILL ATTEND RECEPTION FOR PATRIARCH OF ALEXANDRIA
On Tuesday, May 29, Bishop Anoushavan, Vicar and Ecumenical Officer in the United States for the Cilician See, will attend a reception for Archbishop Antonios Naguib, the Patriarch of Alexandria of the Coptic Catholic Church, at the offices of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association in New York City. The Coptic Catholic Church, with headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, is an Eastern rite Church that has been in communion with Rome since the early 19th century.

VICAR WILL ATTEND CONFERENCE
On Wednesday, May 30, Bishop Anoushavan will attend a conference on “Cultivating Hope: Planting Hope of Environmental Justice in New York City.” Organized by the Interfaith Center, the conference will take place at the Stony Point Center in Stony Point, New York.

CATHOLICOS ARAM I PRESIDES OVER GROUNDBREAKING
FOR NEW HAIGAZIAN SCHOOL IN ALEPPO
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, who is currently on a pontifical visit to Syria, presided over groundbreaking ceremonies for a new building for the famed Haigazian School in Aleppo, on May 20. The old building which for decades served as an important center for the formation of new Armenian generations, is being replaced by a new building thanks to the commitment and will of the Armenians of Aleppo. A large gathering of community members was joined by the mayor of Aleppo, government officials and guests. Highlighting the unique role of the Armenian school, His Holiness called on the people to support and preserve it for the achievement of Armenians’ national vision, goals and dreams. “The Armenian school has a special place on the agenda of the Catholicosate’s activities. In all our dioceses, our prelacies are active initiators and supporters of the Armenian school’s progress and development,” the Pontiff said.

ST. ILLUMINATOR’S PARISHIONERS VISIT PHILADELPHIA
More than 20 parishioners of St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, accompanied by their pastor, Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian, visited the St. Gregory the Illuminator Church in Philadelphia on Tuesday, May 22, before going on a tour of historic Philadelphia. They were greeted at the church by Rev. Fr. Nerses Manoogian, pastor of St. Gregory (see photo).

MOTHERS DAY AT THE CATHEDRAL
Last Sunday, May 20, St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, New York City honored the mothers of the congregation with a special Mother’s Day luncheon. Honored as the mothers of the year were Yn. Vartouni Der Kaloustian, Mrs. Azadouhi Vartanian, and Mrs. Lusig Khatchadour.

The Cathedral is in the midst of a major renovation and one of the most memorable events of the day was a gift from a ten-year-old Sunday school student, Anais Gharibian, who brought her piggy bank to church and donated its contents for the renovation campaign. The gesture came as a complete surprise and all those present were deeply moved by Anais’s thoughtfulness. On the same day the Sunday school students organized a bake sale and donated all of the proceeds toward the renovation fund.

“…And the children shall lead them…”

2007 DATEV INSTITUTE SUMMER PROGRAM
The 21st annual St. Gregory of Datev Institute Christian summer studies program will take place July 1 to 8 in Elverson, Pennsylvania. For details click here.

SUNDAY IS PENTECOST
This Sunday, May 27, is Pentecost (Hogegaloust), which is celebrated fifty days after Easter. Jesus had commanded the apostles to, “Go therefore to all nations and make them my disciples,” (Matthew 28:19). Christ recognized the difficulty of this great responsibility and had advised them not to begin their teaching mission until after the “Descent of the Holy Spirit.” In the Acts of the Apostles, we read that on the day of Pentecost the apostles had gathered in one place, and that suddenly a strong wind seemed to fill the house in which they were assembled. “And there appeared to them flames like tongues of fire distributed among them and coming to rest on each one. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to talk in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them power of utterance,” (Acts 2:2-4). Many of the people in Jerusalem were from foreign lands. They marveled at the fact that each one of them could understand the Apostles’ words in his own language. The first gift of the Holy Spirit given to the Apostles was the ability to speak and be understood by people who came from many different nations.

89th ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
This Monday, May 28, is the 89th anniversary of the independent republic of Armenia of 1918. After defeating Turkish forces at Sardarabad, Bashabaran, and Karakilise, the Armenians proclaimed an independent democratic Armenian Republic on what was left of their homeland on May 28, 1918. On this occasion Archbishop Oshagan has asked all Prelacy parishes to conduct a service of thanksgiving and blessing of the flag on Sunday, May 27, in honor of the 89th anniversary of the first republic and the 16th anniversary of the Armenian Republic of today.

IN CELEBRATION OF THE YEAR OF THE ARMENIAN LANGUAGE…
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, has designated 2007 as the Year of the Armenian Language. In celebration of this year-long tribute, each week we will offer an interesting tidbit about the Armenian language.

St. Gregory has been called the “illuminator of the spirit” since he brought the light of the Christian faith to the Armenian people. St. Nerses has been called “the illuminator of the heart” because he attempted to teach Christian love to his people. But human beings also have a mind, and Jesus said “Love the Lord your God with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). It is with the mind that we think, and human thought is conducted in language. So to love God with our minds means to be able to speak with God in our language. To further the work of Gregory and Nerses, Armenia needed “illuminators of the mind.” And that is what Armenia received in the fifth century, perhaps the most decisive and important century in the history of Armenian Christianity. Armenian was not a written language until the fifth century. It was spoken by the people but most of them were illiterate. The educated classes, both clergy and lay, studied Greek and Syriac. And the only bibles and liturgical books available were written in these languages, so Christianity remained foreign to the people.
From chapter five, “The Written Word,” in Light from Light: An Introduction to the History and Theology of the Armenian Church, by Michael B. Papazian.

To read the message of His Holiness in Armenian click here.
To read the message of His Holiness in English click here.

DAILY BIBLE READINGS
Bible readings for today, May 24, are: Luke 20:27-21:4; Acts 25:23-26:32; Jude 1:8-15; John 13:1-15; Matthew 22:15-46; Mark 12:35-44.

While Jesus was teaching in the temple, he said, “How can the scribes say that the Messiah is the son of David? David himself, by the Holy Spirit, declared, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.” David himself calls him Lord, so how can he be his son? And the large crowd was listening to him with delight. As he taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.” He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” Mark 12:35-44.

For listing of the entire week’s Bible readings click here.

GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE IS 70
The famed Golden Gate Bridge, which connects San Francisco and Marin County, will be seventy years old on May 27. The bridge officially opened at 6 a.m. on May 27, 1937, with 100,000 pedestrians crossing what at the time was the world’s longest suspension bridge. Vehicular traffic began the next day. In 1964 the Golden Gate became out-distanced by New York’s Verazzano-Narrows Bridge.

THE BEGINNING OF GREEN
The 100th birthday of Rachel Carson will be marked on May 27. A marine biologist, her book Silent Spring, published in 1962, is credited with the start of the American environmental movement. Silent Spring was a condemnation of the indiscriminate use of DDT and other pesticides. Carson died of cancer in 1964, at age 56. In 1972 the use of DDT was banned in the U.S. in large part because of Silent Spring.

“Over increasingly large areas of the United States, spring now comes unheralded by the return of the birds, and the early mornings are strangely silent where once they were filled with the beauty of bird song. … As crude a weapon as the cave man’s club, the chemical barrage has been hurled against the fabric of life.”
From Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring (1962).

MONDAY IS MEMORIAL DAY
This Monday, May 28, is Memorial Day—a day of remembrance for those who died in service to our nation. It was originally for the Union and Confederate soldiers who died during the U.S. Civil War. After World War I it was expanded to honor all American men and women who died in service.

Because you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, no scourge come near your tent. … Those who love me, I will deliver; I will protect those who know my name. When they call to me, I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honor them. With long life I will satisfy them, and show them my salvation.
Verses 9, 10, 14, 15, and 16 of Psalm 91, sometimes called the “Soldier’s Psalm.”
(Note: Psalm 90 in the Armenian edition).

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

July 1-8—St. Gregory of Datev Institute, 21st annual summer Christian studies program for junior and senior high school students, at St. Mary of Providence Center in Elverson, Pennsylvania. For information click here.

July 7—St. Gregory Church, Indian Orchard, Massachusetts, gathering at the home of the parish priest, Rev. Father Bedros Shetilian.

July 21—Sts. Vartanantz Church Ladies Guild, Providence, Rhode Island, and ARS Ani Chapter present “A Hye Summer Night 2.” For information 401-286-8107.

August 7—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual golf tournament at Blackstone Country Club.

August 19—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual church picnic.

September 27—Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey, 5th Annual Golf Outing at River Vale Country Club, River Vale, New Jersey. Registration begins at 11 a.m. and tee time at 1 p.m. For information, 201-943-2950.

September 29—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, 50th anniversary banquet at Pleasant Valley.

December 1—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual church bazaar.

December 9—St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown, Massachusetts, 50th anniversary celebration. For information, (617) 924-7562.

If you wish to receive future issues of the Crossroads E-Newsletter in your E-mail Inbox, send an e-mail message with your name and your full e-mail address to email@armenianprelacy.org and write "subscribe" in the subject line.

May 24, 2007
NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY CONCLUDES The National Representative Assembly (NRA) of the Eastern Prelacy, which meets annually, concluded last Saturday, May 19, in Dearborn, Michigan. His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan expressed his thanks to the parish of St. Sarkis who hosted the Assembly with diligent and gracious hospitality. Special panels focused on, Youth and Young Adult Programs; Clergy Recruitment, Development and Training; Financial Development Programs; Audit and Budget. Keynote addresses were delivered by the Prelate, His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, and Jack C. Mardoian, chairman of the Executive Council. To read the Prelate’s address in Armenian click here. To read the Prelate’s address in English click here. To read Mr. Mardoian’s address click here. ENTHUSIASTIC GATHERING CELEBRATES THE THIRD OF THREE ANNIVERSARY GALAS FOR ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN The third of the three regional celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of Archbishop Oshagan’s ordination to the priesthood, took place last Friday, May 18, in Dearborn, Michigan, during the National Representative Assembly. Photographs from all three celebrations will be posted on the Prelacy’s web page next week. PRELATE WILL TRAVEL TO BOSTON Archbishop Oshagan will travel to the Boston area where on Sunday, May 27, Pentecost, he will preside over the Divine Liturgy and deliver the sermon at St. Stephen Church in Watertown. His Eminence will also preside over a special ceremony offering prayers for the Republic of Armenia and blessing of the tricolor flag. VICAR WILL TRAVEL TO OHIO Bishop Anoushavan will travel to Ohio where on Sunday he will officiate over the Divine Liturgy and deliver the sermon at Holy Cross Church in Royalton, Ohio. VICAR WILL ATTEND RECEPTION FOR PATRIARCH OF ALEXANDRIA On Tuesday, May 29, Bishop Anoushavan, Vicar and Ecumenical Officer in the United States for the Cilician See, will attend a reception for Archbishop Antonios Naguib, the Patriarch of Alexandria of the Coptic Catholic Church, at the offices of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association in New York City. The Coptic Catholic Church, with headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, is an Eastern rite Church that has been in communion with Rome since the early 19th century. VICAR WILL ATTEND CONFERENCE On Wednesday, May 30, Bishop Anoushavan will attend a conference on “Cultivating Hope: Planting Hope of Environmental Justice in New York City.” Organized by the Interfaith Center, the conference will take place at the Stony Point Center in Stony Point, New York. CATHOLICOS ARAM I PRESIDES OVER GROUNDBREAKING FOR NEW HAIGAZIAN SCHOOL IN ALEPPO His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, who is currently on a pontifical visit to Syria, presided over groundbreaking ceremonies for a new building for the famed Haigazian School in Aleppo, on May 20. The old building which for decades served as an important center for the formation of new Armenian generations, is being replaced by a new building thanks to the commitment and will of the Armenians of Aleppo. A large gathering of community members was joined by the mayor of Aleppo, government officials and guests. Highlighting the unique role of the Armenian school, His Holiness called on the people to support and preserve it for the achievement of Armenians’ national vision, goals and dreams. “The Armenian school has a special place on the agenda of the Catholicosate’s activities. In all our dioceses, our prelacies are active initiators and supporters of the Armenian school’s progress and development,” the Pontiff said.
	ST. ILLUMINATOR’S PARISHIONERS VISIT PHILADELPHIA More than 20 parishioners of St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, accompanied by their pastor, Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian, visited the St. Gregory the Illuminator Church in Philadelphia on Tuesday, May 22, before going on a tour of historic Philadelphia. They were greeted at the church by Rev. Fr. Nerses Manoogian, pastor of St. Gregory (see photo).
MOTHERS DAY AT THE CATHEDRAL Last Sunday, May 20, St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, New York City honored the mothers of the congregation with a special Mother’s Day luncheon. Honored as the mothers of the year were Yn. Vartouni Der Kaloustian, Mrs. Azadouhi Vartanian, and Mrs. Lusig Khatchadour. The Cathedral is in the midst of a major renovation and one of the most memorable events of the day was a gift from a ten-year-old Sunday school student, Anais Gharibian, who brought her piggy bank to church and donated its contents for the renovation campaign. The gesture came as a complete surprise and all those present were deeply moved by Anais’s thoughtfulness. On the same day the Sunday school students organized a bake sale and donated all of the proceeds toward the renovation fund. “…And the children shall lead them…”
2007 DATEV INSTITUTE SUMMER PROGRAM The 21st annual St. Gregory of Datev Institute Christian summer studies program will take place July 1 to 8 in Elverson, Pennsylvania. For details click here. SUNDAY IS PENTECOST This Sunday, May 27, is Pentecost (Hogegaloust), which is celebrated fifty days after Easter. Jesus had commanded the apostles to, “Go therefore to all nations and make them my disciples,” (Matthew 28:19). Christ recognized the difficulty of this great responsibility and had advised them not to begin their teaching mission until after the “Descent of the Holy Spirit.” In the Acts of the Apostles, we read that on the day of Pentecost the apostles had gathered in one place, and that suddenly a strong wind seemed to fill the house in which they were assembled. “And there appeared to them flames like tongues of fire distributed among them and coming to rest on each one. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to talk in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them power of utterance,” (Acts 2:2-4). Many of the people in Jerusalem were from foreign lands. They marveled at the fact that each one of them could understand the Apostles’ words in his own language. The first gift of the Holy Spirit given to the Apostles was the ability to speak and be understood by people who came from many different nations. 89th ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA This Monday, May 28, is the 89th anniversary of the independent republic of Armenia of 1918. After defeating Turkish forces at Sardarabad, Bashabaran, and Karakilise, the Armenians proclaimed an independent democratic Armenian Republic on what was left of their homeland on May 28, 1918. On this occasion Archbishop Oshagan has asked all Prelacy parishes to conduct a service of thanksgiving and blessing of the flag on Sunday, May 27, in honor of the 89th anniversary of the first republic and the 16th anniversary of the Armenian Republic of today. IN CELEBRATION OF THE YEAR OF THE ARMENIAN LANGUAGE… His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, has designated 2007 as the Year of the Armenian Language. In celebration of this year-long tribute, each week we will offer an interesting tidbit about the Armenian language. St. Gregory has been called the “illuminator of the spirit” since he brought the light of the Christian faith to the Armenian people. St. Nerses has been called “the illuminator of the heart” because he attempted to teach Christian love to his people. But human beings also have a mind, and Jesus said “Love the Lord your God with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). It is with the mind that we think, and human thought is conducted in language. So to love God with our minds means to be able to speak with God in our language. To further the work of Gregory and Nerses, Armenia needed “illuminators of the mind.” And that is what Armenia received in the fifth century, perhaps the most decisive and important century in the history of Armenian Christianity. Armenian was not a written language until the fifth century. It was spoken by the people but most of them were illiterate. The educated classes, both clergy and lay, studied Greek and Syriac. And the only bibles and liturgical books available were written in these languages, so Christianity remained foreign to the people. From chapter five, “The Written Word,” in Light from Light: An Introduction to the History and Theology of the Armenian Church, by Michael B. Papazian. To read the message of His Holiness in Armenian click here. To read the message of His Holiness in English click here. DAILY BIBLE READINGS Bible readings for today, May 24, are: Luke 20:27-21:4; Acts 25:23-26:32; Jude 1:8-15; John 13:1-15; Matthew 22:15-46; Mark 12:35-44. While Jesus was teaching in the temple, he said, “How can the scribes say that the Messiah is the son of David? David himself, by the Holy Spirit, declared, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.” David himself calls him Lord, so how can he be his son? And the large crowd was listening to him with delight. As he taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.” He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” Mark 12:35-44. For listing of the entire week’s Bible readings click here. GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE IS 70 The famed Golden Gate Bridge, which connects San Francisco and Marin County, will be seventy years old on May 27. The bridge officially opened at 6 a.m. on May 27, 1937, with 100,000 pedestrians crossing what at the time was the world’s longest suspension bridge. Vehicular traffic began the next day. In 1964 the Golden Gate became out-distanced by New York’s Verazzano-Narrows Bridge. THE BEGINNING OF GREEN The 100th birthday of Rachel Carson will be marked on May 27. A marine biologist, her book Silent Spring, published in 1962, is credited with the start of the American environmental movement. Silent Spring was a condemnation of the indiscriminate use of DDT and other pesticides. Carson died of cancer in 1964, at age 56. In 1972 the use of DDT was banned in the U.S. in large part because of Silent Spring. “Over increasingly large areas of the United States, spring now comes unheralded by the return of the birds, and the early mornings are strangely silent where once they were filled with the beauty of bird song. … As crude a weapon as the cave man’s club, the chemical barrage has been hurled against the fabric of life.” From Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring (1962). MONDAY IS MEMORIAL DAY This Monday, May 28, is Memorial Day—a day of remembrance for those who died in service to our nation. It was originally for the Union and Confederate soldiers who died during the U.S. Civil War. After World War I it was expanded to honor all American men and women who died in service. Because you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, no scourge come near your tent. … Those who love me, I will deliver; I will protect those who know my name. When they call to me, I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honor them. With long life I will satisfy them, and show them my salvation. Verses 9, 10, 14, 15, and 16 of Psalm 91, sometimes called the “Soldier’s Psalm.” (Note: Psalm 90 in the Armenian edition).

CALENDAR OF EVENTS July 1-8—St. Gregory of Datev Institute, 21st annual summer Christian studies program for junior and senior high school students, at St. Mary of Providence Center in Elverson, Pennsylvania. For information click here. July 7—St. Gregory Church, Indian Orchard, Massachusetts, gathering at the home of the parish priest, Rev. Father Bedros Shetilian. July 21—Sts. Vartanantz Church Ladies Guild, Providence, Rhode Island, and ARS Ani Chapter present “A Hye Summer Night 2.” For information 401-286-8107. August 7—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual golf tournament at Blackstone Country Club. August 19—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual church picnic. September 27—Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey, 5th Annual Golf Outing at River Vale Country Club, River Vale, New Jersey. Registration begins at 11 a.m. and tee time at 1 p.m. For information, 201-943-2950. September 29—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, 50th anniversary banquet at Pleasant Valley. December 1—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual church bazaar. December 9—St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown, Massachusetts, 50th anniversary celebration. For information, (617) 924-7562.

If you wish to receive future issues of the Crossroads E-Newsletter in your E-mail Inbox, send an e-mail message with your name and your full e-mail address to email@armenianprelacy.org and write "subscribe" in the subject line.