God gave me the job and I have to do it

The President of Armenian Caritas BNGO and the leader of the Armenian Catholoics of Armenia, Georgia, Russia and Eastern Europe Archbishop Rafael Minassian and the Executive Director of Armenian Caritas BNGO Gagik Tarasyan were in the Austrian region of Voralberg on 12-14 March, 2014.

Voralberg Catholic Church Newsletter, Vorarlberger KirchenBlatt, has referred to this visit and interviewed Archbishop Rafael Minassian.

See the translation from German below.

During last week Archbishop Rafael Minassian visited Voralberg Community

Like the members of his church who are scattered all over the world, Raphael Minassian has already traveled a lot. He was born in Beirut, Lebanon and began his studies in 1966 at the Lebanese seminary in Rome. In 1973 he was ordained a priest in the Order of “Patriarchal Congregation of Bzommar” (Lebanon). Later Rafael Minassian worked in the Armenian community of Southern Georgia. From 1996 to 2006 he was the head of the Armenian Catholic community in California, where he published a magazine and was a founder of an Armenian TV channel. In 2005 Rafael Minassian was ordained a patriarchal exarch of Jerusalem and Amman, and in 2011 he was ordained an archbishop of Eastern Europe.

Two churches in one country

The larger part of the Armenian population is a follower of the Armenian Apostolic Church. There are no Protestant Christians in the Caucasus region, however, there is an Armenian Catholic Church affiliated with Rome. In the church newsletter, Archbishop Minassian expressed regret about the split in the hierarchy and added that it’s complicated and has far-reaching historical reasons. “It’s a shame for us Christians that we cannot find a common path. The separation is the greatest sign of our weakness,” says the Archbishop in his speech.

It depends on us

Theologically, there are no differences between the Apostolic and Catholic Churches. “We are united so far as we share the same sacraments and dogmas. Separation is usually human, social and administrative.” When being asked about solutions, Bishop Minassian hit his chest and said, “It is not enough to wait for someone to take the first step towards reconciliation and to unity, but we must take the first step ourselves. As churches, we have a great responsibility to take that first step. The answer to the question of Lebanese who is right and who is wrong, who is on the right and who is on the wrong path was simply, “We are all wrong.”

Archbishop Minassian does not support the false devotion. On the contrary he doesn’t understand when all realities are taken as the work of Holy Spirit or leaving, “everything on the shoulders of God. God called us, and we said YES. That is why we have also obtained the duty to do everything in addition to our talents. There is no excuse, when people say, ‘Oh, God is the one to do this work.’ No, God gave me this work and I have to do it.”

A bridge to the love towards your nearest

For Archbishop Minassian the question of the unity between the churches in Armenia is connected with the possible bridges between Armenia and Europe. “Unity comes through respect and depends on how you treat yourself and others. But unity also begins with charity.” Archbishop Minassian, the president of Armenian Caritas expresses his gratitude to Vorarlberg diocese especially, because it has done its best to help the poor.

How much poverty is there in Armenia?

“The Armenians are a proud nation,” says Archbishop Minassian, and this pride resulted in some weaknesses and shortcomings. “But I am not ashamed to say that poverty in Armenia is too much. However, I am not saying that this is the result of the collapse of the Soviet regime.” The problem is not the analysis of historical causes, but we must pay attention to what Caritas should do. How can we improve people’s lives and give them back their dignity?”

Archbishop Rafael Minassian connects the medical problems which always accompany poverty with the lack of basic knowledge about health. In Caritas Centers medical treatment and education is carried out for families in rural communities.

Opportunity and hope

Many people, especially the young ones leave Armenia because of the lack of opportunities. Some of them have reached Vorarlberg.

The task of the church is to create perspectives for the young people in their motherland supported by European Caritas organizations.

The theme of poverty of Caritas is in line with one of the basic themes of Pope Francis- poverty.

The Pope is loved by the Armenians. And that is not only because Jorge Mario Bergoglio, while still a Cardinal, was the first Catholic authority to denounce the Armenian Genocide of 1915/1916. The Pope cares much about the issues of poverty. “He comes from a poor country, from a poor society, so he wants to change certain things.” The Pope’s visit to Armenia was accepted with enthusiasm in Vorarlberg, too.

What does Archbishop Rafael Minassian want to tell the people of Vorarlberg?

“In just one sentence, without any exaggeration, I want to express my gratitude to Caritas, the bishop, the church, the civil society and all the responsible people. Thank you for all you have done for people in need, and not only in Armenia.”

General information

The Armenian Catholic Church is part of the General Church with Armenian rite and it accepts the Bishop of Rome as the head of the church. After the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Armenian Catholic Church is the second Christian community in Armenia. Of the 12 million Armenian diaspora, 2 million are Catholic. The residence of Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church is in Beirut.

In 1991 after the collapse of Soviet Union, Hovhannes Poghos XIII Pope reopened the diocese of Armenia, Georgia, Russia and Eastern Europe and the Primacy was founded in Gyumri, Armenia’s second largest city.

Since 2011, the head of the Primacy is Archbishop Rafael Minassian.