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Armenia: Mass Offerings For Priests

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  • Armenia: Mass Offerings For Priests

    ARMENIA: MASS OFFERINGS FOR PRIESTS

    Aid to the Church in Need
    March 12 2014

    The Armenians are proud of the fact that Christianity was declared the
    state religion in their country as early as the year 301, thus making
    it, they say, the first Christian nation in the world. Almost 95%
    of the population belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church which, like
    the Coptic Church in Egypt, is one of the Oriental Orthodox Churches.

    However, there is also the Armenian Catholic Church which, while also
    celebrating its Liturgies according to the Armenian rite, remains in
    communion with Rome and loyal to the Pope.

    (A Catholic priest blessing a baby in an Armenian hospital © Aid to
    the Church in Need)

    In 1991 an eparchy (diocese) of the Armenian Catholic Church was
    established in the country, which today ministers to all the Armenian
    Catholic faithful in Armenia, Georgia and Eastern Europe. According
    to the Pontifical Yearbook, there are some 420,000 Armenian Catholic
    faithful living in these areas. In Armenia itself there are 48
    Catholic parishes, in Georgia five, in Russia four. Archbishop
    Raphael Minassian, in correspondence with the Catholic charity Aid
    to the Church in Need (ACN), stressed that he and his priests faced
    major challenges. "Now, after the end of the Soviet era, the people
    need the constant presence of the priests in order to bring them the
    Word of God in their everyday situations. They need to listen still,
    to speak, to ask questions, get answers and understand what it means
    to live their faith. But now there are many sects in the region,
    who exploit the difficult economic and social situation to lead
    the people astray", he wrote. But the truth is that, because of the
    dire economic situation, the Catholic Church herself scarcely has the
    resources to provide this much-needed pastoral care for the faithful -
    who moreover live scattered across a wide area.

    The archbishop has asked ACN for Mass offerings so that he can at least
    provide some support for his priests. As in many other countries,
    Mass offerings are the sole source of income that the priests have
    available to them. Having a Holy Mass celebrated for a particular
    intention, such as for the soul of a departed loved one, is already
    a long-standing tradition in the Church. The offering, or financial
    gift, that the faithful give the priest in return is by no means a
    "payment" but rather a gesture of loving support and gratitude for the
    priest who, through the words of Consecration, makes the Sacrifice
    of Jesus Christ once more present on the altar. For many priests,
    however, this small gift is vital to their survival. In his letter
    Archbishop Minassian wrote: "If we do not receive help from you now,
    we are risking our mission in these countries." ACN has passed on to
    him 1080 of Mass offerings to help his 18 priests.

    The vital work of Catholic charities like Aid to the Church In Need
    provide a lifeline to the Church wherever she is poor, persecuted
    or threatened. Please help our work by donating online or send your
    donation to Aid to the Church in Need, PO Box 7246 Baulkham Hills
    NSW 2153. Ph: (02) 9679-1929

    http://members4.boardhost.com/acnaus/msg/1394596508.html

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