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: [email protected]
Website:
July 18, 2005
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DN. MITCHELL MOURADJIAN ORDAINED INTO PRIESTHOOD
By Jake Goshert
For 15 years, Mitchell Mouradjian worked in the mortgage bank industry.
To further his career he decided to go back to school, but none of the
finance programs he looked at touched his heart.
In fact, there was another calling deep in his heart he had yet to hear.
“I’ve been fascinated with the church and loved God very much since I
was a kid. Since my childhood I wanted to be a priest, but I always put
it off, because I wasn’t sure. I thought this step is something that
once you take you put yourself in God’s hands. I was afraid to do
that,” he said. “Then one night, after looking for a graduate program,
I couldn’t sleep and I was tossing and turning. My wife asked if I was
all right, and I looked at her and said I wanted to do it.”
He went to study at St. Nersess Armenian Seminary and then had an
internship at the St. Gregory the Enlightener Church of White Plains,
NY, under Fr. Karekin Kasparian. About two years ago was appointed
deacon-in-charge of the Church of the Holy Resurrection in New Britain,
CT. On Saturday and Sunday, July 16 and 17, 2005, his long journey came
to an end and his new life began when he was ordained into the
priesthood by Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the
Armenian Church of America (Eastern).
“This young family man, who had a successful business career, was able
to hear the call to serve God. It was not an easy decision for him, I
am sure, but I know it is one that he feels is best not just for him but
for our community of faith,” Archbishop Barsamian said. “He is an
example of how the call to serve the Lord can come to anyone at any
time. He will serve as a role model for others who might now be hearing
the Lord’s calling in the back of their mind.”
MAKING THE LEAP
For Mouradjian, 43, the decision to study at the seminary and then work
towards being ordained as a priest was complicated by the fact that he
had a wife, Diane, and two kids, Mitchell Jr., 15, and Elizabeth, 14.
When he made that decision they were 8 and 7.
“My wife married a guy in mortgage banking, she didn’t marry a
clergyman. I wanted to make sure becoming a priest was something I
wanted to do, and secondly I needed to make sure that my family could
survive going through unknown trials,” Mouradjian said. “My family has
been unbelievably supportive of me from day one.”
He knows others with families will hear the call to serve the church,
and to them he has one piece of advice: contact St. Nersess Seminary.
“If someone is thinking about becoming a priest, and I know there are
others out there, I urge them today to call St. Nersess Seminary and
speak with Fr. Daniel (Findikyan, dean of the Seminary). They should
ask all the proper questions related to how it will change their lives
and then start studying at the Seminary,” he said. “Because the end
result is definitely worth it.”
A NEW LIFE
Fr. Gabriel is in the Holy Land for the traditional 40 days of seclusion
which follow priestly ordinations. He will be staying in Bethlehem and
praying daily at the Church of the Nativity. Fr. Gabriel will celebrate
his first Divine Liturgy back at his home parish in New Britain on
August 21.
Though as deacon-in-charge he has been able to do most of the duties a
priest does Monday through Saturday, on Sunday the parish has had to
bring in a visiting pastor for badarak, funerals, weddings, and
baptisms.
“This parish has enjoyed the support of visiting clergy for the past
eight years, but the greatest thing is that when I come back at the end
of August there’s already two baptisms and a wedding scheduled,” said
Fr. Gabriel, a native of Providence, RI. “For these families it will be
more meaningful to them, because they know me. I’ve gotten to know
their families and I will be the one administering the sacrament, so the
bond will be stronger. As a priest I will be able to create a stronger
bond with my parish as the one performing the sacrament.”
Serving as the godparent of the ordination was Yn. Patricia Buttero.
Fr. Karekin Kasparian was the sponsoring priest for Fr. Gabriel’s
ordination.
— 7/18/05
E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News
and Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,
PHOTO CAPTION (1): Dn. Mitchell Mouradjian kneels before the altar and
the congregation at the Church of the Holy Resurrection in New Britain,
CT, during his priestly ordination on July 17, 2005.
PHOTO CAPTION (2): Archbishop Barsamian anoints Fr. Gabriel Mouradjian
during his ordination on July 17, 2005.
PHOTO CAPTION (3): The Primate anoints Fr. Gabriel in front of hundreds
of parishioners and friends at the Church of the Holy Resurrection of
New Britain, CT.
PHOTO CAPTION (4): Fr. Gabriel Mouradjian turns and blesses the
parishioners during his priestly ordination on July 17, 2005.
PHOTO CAPTION (5): Joining Archbishop Barsamian at the altar for the
ordination of Fr. Gabriel were several priests including, from left, Fr.
Stepanos Doudoukjian, Fr. Simeon Odabashian, and Fr. Karekin Kasparian.
PHOTO CAPTION (6): Fr. Gabriel Mouradjian with his sponsoring priest,
Fr. Karekin Kasparian, following Fr. Gabriel’s ordination to the
priesthood at the Church of the Holy Resurrection in New Britain, CT, on
July 17, 2005.
PHOTO CAPTION (7): Parishioners approach to kiss the hands of newly
ordained Fr. Gabriel following the badarak at the Church of the Holy
Resurrection in New Britain, CT, on July 17, 2005.
PHOTO CAPTION (8): Archbishop Barsamian, Primate, blesses Yn. Diane
Mouradjian during the ordination ceremony for her husband, Fr. Gabriel,
at the Church of the Holy Resurrection in New Britain, CT, on July 17,
2005.
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