PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
His Holiness Aram I Presides over the meeting of The Council of Religion
Antelias – On Thursday 23 January, Catholicos Aram I presided over the
one-day meeting of the Council of Religion. The Council consists of 13
clergy including Diocesan Bishops.
The Council met for the first time since the last National Assembly of the
Catholicosate and its task was to study the recommendations and plan for
their implementation. The priorities included: Christian education, Sunday
schools, religious publications, youth, ecumenical and interreligious
activities, reformation of the Armenian Church (Bishops conferences, Rites
and Classification of Saints), Seminary and planning for the Assembly of the
Clergy in April 2014, The Armenian Church University Students Association
(ACUSA) and ACUSA Alumni Association.
The members of the Council also studied carefully issues referred to them
by the dioceses. The Council identified Christian education and youth as
top priorities for their next mandate.
Catholicos Aram I concluded the meeting and reminded the members that the
mandate of the Council for Religion was wider than the term religion. It
meant discussing progrmmes that reflected the vocation of the church and its
outreach to the community. Implementation of those priorities depended on
the contextual environment of the Dioceses. Nevertheless, bringing the youth
closer to the Church was the priority for all the clergy. The Church must be
capable of accompanying the youth who were exposed to new types of knowledge
and to new approaches to learning. This awareness would also lead the Church
to reassess its own mission and outreach.
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