PRELACY LENTEN PROGRAM CONTINUES

Mar 11, 2013

The third of a six-part Prelacy Lenten program took place on Wednesday, February 27, at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral in New York City, presided over by His Grace Bishop Anoushavan, Vicar General. The lecturer was Meline Karakashian, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist, who spoke on “The Challenges of being a Mother Today.”
Dr. Karakashian spoke about the ideal mother just before and after the 1915 Armenian Genocide, showing how the mother-child relationships had changed. After the genocide it seems difficult for our mothers to let go because of the fear of losing their children, she said. We have not really studied this and other effects that the genocide has had on our mothers. We need to create opportunities for our mothers to discuss these sort of issues openly and freely, she suggested, and the church community is the ideal place for that type of thing to happen. Afterwards, the participants engaged in interesting discussions on different styles of rearing children and on ways to overcome challenges mothers face today.

Next Wednesday, the speaker will be Maggie Kouyoumdjian, Sts. Vartananatz Sunday School Director (NJ), who will speak about “Lessons from Famous Mothers from the Bible – A Brief Reflection.”

Dr. Meline Karakashian at the lecture

ARS MAYR AND BERGEN COUNTY CHAPTERS HOST A LECTURE ON WOMEN’S RIGHTS

Mar 11, 2013

On February 21, 2013, over 50 people attended a lecture on the state of women’s rights hosted by the ARS Mayr and Bergen County Chapters at St. Illuminator’s Armenian Apostolic Cathedral in New York City. Anahid Ugurlayan, Vice-Chairlady of the ARS Mayr Chapter of NY and moderator of the program, welcomed the attendees and provided a brief overview of the ARS and its work. Ugurlayan introduced ARS UN Coordinator, Houri Geudelekian, who provided an overview of the ARS and its history as an NGO at the UN since 1975.

Geudelekian introduced Madeline Brecher, a representative of the International Council of Jewish Women (ICJW), a prominent NGO at the UN, who provided an overview of her organization. Brecher explained that ICJW was established in 1912 and is an umbrella organization representing women’s organizations in 43 countries. ICJW also has consultative status at the United Nations an NGO with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and has permanent delegations in New York, Geneva, Vienna and Paris. Brecher explained her extensive work on the various committees at the UN, including the NGO CSW Executive Committee where she works with Geudelekian, partnering with the ARS on many parallel events during this year’s CSW.

Members of ARS with Madeline Brecher

REMEMBRANCE DAY FOR ARS MEMBERS AT ST. ILLUMINATOR’S CATHEDRAL

Mar 11, 2013

On Sunday, February 24, His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan presided over the Divine Liturgy and the Requiem Service at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral. Requiem Service was held in memory of deceased members and benefactors of the Armenian Relief Society. During the fellowship hour that followed the services, Archbishop Oshagan praised the ARS’s service and dedication to the Armenian community

Archbishop Oshagan and Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian with members
of the New York Mayr Chapter of the Armenian Relief Society.