Fr. Shnork Souin, Pastor of St. Mary Armenian Church (Livingston, NJ), has an alter-ego that takes hold when he puts on his skates and pads, leaving his altar-ego behind!
The one and only Canadian-born priest of the Armenian Church has hockey in his blood. He belongs to an adult hockey league in his New Jersey hometown. He has a reputation not only for driving home his sermons, but also of driving the puck into the net. He recently had occasion to demonstrate his talents to a group of college students at St. Nersess.
Lecturing at the Seminary's Post-High School A conference, held earlier this summer, Fr. Shnork's topic the Armenian Church's understanding of death. He drew attention to a fundamental passage from the Gospel according to John:
"For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him" [John 3:17].
During his lecture it became clear to the students that our death is a door to eternal life which Jesus himself paved for us, destroying the permanence of death by means of his own death on the cross. It is through Jesus' crucifixion and death that we are granted salvation.
The one and only Canadian-born priest of the Armenian Church has hockey in his blood. He belongs to an adult hockey league in his New Jersey hometown. He has a reputation not only for driving home his sermons, but also of driving the puck into the net. He recently had occasion to demonstrate his talents to a group of college students at St. Nersess.
Lecturing at the Seminary's Post-High School A conference, held earlier this summer, Fr. Shnork's topic the Armenian Church's understanding of death. He drew attention to a fundamental passage from the Gospel according to John:
"For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him" [John 3:17].
During his lecture it became clear to the students that our death is a door to eternal life which Jesus himself paved for us, destroying the permanence of death by means of his own death on the cross. It is through Jesus' crucifixion and death that we are granted salvation.
During dinner that evening, long after Der Hayr had left, Greg Dalakian, a long time participant and counselor of the St. Nersess summer programs, suggested that the group pay a surprise visit to Fr. Shnork's hockey game that evening. Off the small group went to a skating arena in New Jersey to see another side of Fr. Shnork's life.
In their hands, a sign that read John 3:17.
Fr. Shnork also serves as the Associate Director of the High School A Summer Conference at St. Nersess. His lectures and discussions at the Seminary are always much anticipated by the young people.
"What a great surprise to see the group from St. Nersess at my hockey game," smiled Fr. Shnork when reflecting on the evening. "I was genuinely moved to see them."
In their hands, a sign that read John 3:17.
Fr. Shnork also serves as the Associate Director of the High School A Summer Conference at St. Nersess. His lectures and discussions at the Seminary are always much anticipated by the young people.
"What a great surprise to see the group from St. Nersess at my hockey game," smiled Fr. Shnork when reflecting on the evening. "I was genuinely moved to see them."
So encouraged was Der Shnork that he even scored the game's tying goal! Holding his stick in the air, he raced over to the boards where the St. Nersess group was seated and shouted, "That was for you!"
Despite the crowd's deafening chants, "Padre! Padre!" (as he is known to his teammates), Fr. Shnork's team lost.
Following the game the college students converged at the Souin's home nearby and enjoyed pizza and fellowship with Der Hayr's family: his wife Yeretzgin Julie, and his children, Nicholas, Conner and Elizabeth, all veterans of the St. Nersess conferences.
To close out the evening before heading back to the Seminary, the group shared a few moments of prayer in the Souin's backyard, accompanied by a spiritual message by Seminary alumnus Daron Bolat about discipleship and God's call to each of us to serve Him and each other.
Despite the crowd's deafening chants, "Padre! Padre!" (as he is known to his teammates), Fr. Shnork's team lost.
Following the game the college students converged at the Souin's home nearby and enjoyed pizza and fellowship with Der Hayr's family: his wife Yeretzgin Julie, and his children, Nicholas, Conner and Elizabeth, all veterans of the St. Nersess conferences.
To close out the evening before heading back to the Seminary, the group shared a few moments of prayer in the Souin's backyard, accompanied by a spiritual message by Seminary alumnus Daron Bolat about discipleship and God's call to each of us to serve Him and each other.
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