The committee has met four times over the past two years. The final meeting took place February 10-12 in Yerevan and Holy Etchmiadzin.
The meeting was co-chaired by Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Pontifical Legate of Western Europe and Representative of the Armenian Church to the Holy See, and Archbishop Yeznik Petrosyan, General Secretary of the Armenian Bible Society of Armenia.
Topics discussed at this gathering included:
- Shortage of clergy in many parts of the Armenian Church worldwide.
- Recruitment of students for seminaries with responsibilities placed on the Dioceses.
- Establishment of small local seminaries in various parts of the world to train candidates for parish priesthood in those communities. For example, Russia and Europe.
- Faculty development for seminaries.
- Establishment of an Endowment Fund to support clergy education.
The goal of this meeting was to prepare a report which will be presented first to the Supreme Spiritual Council which is currently in session. Following its acceptance, the report will be presented for discussion and adoption at the National Representative Assembly which will take place in Holy Etchmiadzin later this year.
On the final day of this recent gathering the committee met with His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, to present their findings and recommendations.
Vehapar Hayr received the report with appreciation and thanked the members for their time and effort.